This Reserve requires the faith of a true believer in its future. It's awkward now, a tannic, very new-oaky wine with jammy black currant flavors, and seems all over the place. We know from long experience that CDV Cabs age terrifically, and this one might. Best after 2012, and could improve a great   deal.
This Reserve Series bubbly accents its crisp green apple fruit with toasty aromas. Done via Méthode Champenoise, it spent five years en tirage. There's a fine bead and lingering persistent flavors with hints of nutmeg and lemon curd. All in all, this is a very fine effort.
This reserve shows nice lime/citrus scents, hints of honey and a bit of sandalwood, which is quite interesting. It's an elegant, lightly spicy, complex and subtle wine, with delicious nuances and a dancer's balance.
This Reserve somehow didn't show quite as well as  Pikes's regular bottling, though it's still a very good wine. It's a little viscous in the mouth, with straw, lemon rind and mineral flavors that flow through the finish.
This reserve spends 30 months in barrel. It has lovely aromatics, with subtle suggestions of tobacco and clove woven through the base of ripe black cherry and cassis. The tannins are polished, and the finish lends a thread of iron.
This reserve spent time in 100% new French oak, and shows better-than-average ripeness for this cool vintage. Fruit flavors of berry, cherry and a streak of cassis are at the core, with pleasing aromatics as well. A generous chocolate flavor runs into the finish.
This reserve tastes oakier and stronger than Jarvis's regular 2006 Cabernet. With near-perfect balance, this is awesome. Flavors of blackberries and black currants are complexed with minerals and herbs and indefinable things from the soil. It's hard in tannins and rich in spicy, smoky new oak. Hold until at least 2014, and it should continue to age well beyond that.
This Reserve tawny has a color hinting at red gold and wood-aging flavor. It presents a ripe character, full of sultanas and fig flavors, rich and sweet. The spirit does show and needs to integrate more to make this truly satisfying.
This reserve wine is a four grape, Bordeaux-style blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon holding the principal spot. The flavors are diffuse, lightly herbal and peppery, with little concentration or definition.
This reserve wine is a ripe and smooth blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca. New wood aging for nine months has brought out the ripeness of the fruit and added a spicy edge. Still young, its black fruit and structure need further developing. Drink from 2019.
This reserve wine was made from grapes grown in the same Bien Nacido and Sierra Madre vineyards as Rusack's regular 2012 Chardonnay, but it was produced in much smaller quantities, and it's a distinctly richer wine. Aged in ample new French oak, it has a toasty, caramelized opulence that the underlying tropical fruit, apricot, pear and citrus flavors are easily able to handle.
This reserved and classically styled wine has subtle fig and marzipan aromas, is dry on the palate, with a bundle of tight fruit and spice flavors wound up in fresh acidity that emerge slowly with each sip and on the finish. It is a serious wine and a good candidate to age until 2018 or longer.
This reserved and light-bodied wine is blended from four white-grape varieties. It has subtle grassy, earthy aromas, rather neutral fruit flavors and a touch of sweetness on the finish.
This resplendent white offers a wealth of wet stone minerality and crisp, lemony acidity, with just a subtle hint of oak. From old vines, it boasts tangerine and anise flavors on the palate, with tropical notes of guava and mango and a jolt of nuttiness.
This restaurant-style Pinot Noir is rich in fruit, crisp in acidity and dry in the finish, with a silky body that makes it lovely to pair with Pinot-friendly food, such as grilled salmon or tuna. It has sweet, spicy flavors of raspberries and strawberries.
This restaurant favorite struts its stuff in the nose, providing an ample blast of pungent grapefruit, passion fruit and mint. The palate is mildly grassy, with yet more grapefruit along with touches of flint and stone. The finish is clean and proper, with citrus flavors flowing on a stream of vital acidity.
This restina balances traditional flavor with a modern refinement. On the nose, subdued herbal/pine notes with a spry citrus edge. On the palate, a lively dance of acidity, lemon and lime peel and crushed herbs is playful and subtle. This is a fantastic food wine that will stretch from beginning to end of the meal.
This restrained, focused, well priced and crowd-pleasing Chardonnay shows butter, Gravenstein apple, Meyer lemon and almond touches on the nose. On the palate, poached apple fruit is interwoven with lemon and vanilla.
This restrained, medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon is a solid value. On the nose, cedar, vanilla and cassis elements blend together easily, while brown sugar and vanilla flavors are supported by just enough cassis and black cherry fruit. Drink now–2028.
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.
This retains so much freshness, with just a hint of toast showing at the back of a wine that otherwise projects minerality, a tight structure and intense citrus acidity. It should be aged for several more years.
This reticent wine takes a bit of airing to come around, but once it does it shows impressive depth of melon fruit accented by crushed stone. It's medium to full in body, with a slightly oily texture, while the finish has a drying, tactile quality to it that's a bit like chalk dust.
This retro-styled wine displays its new-wood influence. It opens with aromas of coconut, oak extract, coffee and espresso that continue onto the palate along with a hint of mint and spice. But there's not enough fruit richness to support the evident oak and drying wood tannins.
This retsina offers a traditional style with its nose of citrus and pine resin and dry, slightly spicy flavors. A bigger style that would pair well with spicy Chinese or Indian cuisine.
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.
This reveals a piquant touch of vibrant fruit, followed by bright notes of cherry liqueur, cola, pressed violet and almond paste. It is not perfectly nipped and tucked, but it does deliver personality.
This reveals honeyed flavors of orange, peach, mango and vanilla. Zesty in acidity, it shows a nice formula for ripe Viognier, with a touch of oak and a sur lie influence that gives it a creamy mouthfeel.
This revitalized négociant has bottled a fine rosé that's showing its best in 2015. It's deep pink in color, with perfumed aromas of rose petals and cracked pepper. It's ample in body, picking up hints of cardamom, cinnamon, watermelon and red berries on the palate, before finishing long and refreshing. Drink now.
This Rhône-based négociant brand offers a range of appellations at reasonable prices. The 2013 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an open-knit, full-bodied wine that frames mulberry, plum and black cherry fruit with cedar and vanilla shadings. Fruit-driven, yet crisp on the finish, it should drink well for the next seven or so years.
This Rhône-inspired red from a great site takes a lovely, light-hearted approach to the variety, capturing its ability to conjure black olive tapenade and savory, leathery texture while keeping the ripeness of the fruit more elusive. Already given a respectable amount of time in bottle, it's enjoyable now and for years to come.
This Rhône-leaning kitchen-sink blend of Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Zinfandel, Touriga Nacional and Merlot shows red currant, blackberry and vanilla on the nose. The light-bodied palate combines blackberry with dirt and rock flavors, with slight tannins.
This Rhône-style blend is a little rustic and sharp in tannins and acids. It shows a polished core of jammy blackberries, cherries and spices, and could develop in a year or two.
This Rhône-style blend is fruity and delicious. It has raspberry, cherry, licorice, mocha and spice flavors, wrapped into easy tannins, brightened with a bite of lime acidity. Ready to enjoy now.
This Rhône-style blend is harsh and rugged, with unripe mintiness, but it has enough cherry, berry and mocha flavors to pass.
This Rhône-style blend is rich and forward, with blackberry, cherry and raspberry jam flavors. A sweet, spicy flavor is pretty much all you get.
This Rhône-style blend is simple and fruity. The flavors of cherry jam, caramel and oak are balanced with acidity and smooth tannins. Sausages are a natural companion.
This Rhône-style blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre is soft and smooth. The fruity, forward palate shows little influence for having aged for 21 months in barrel, and so the flavors tend to be simple. Notes of red berries, red licorice and a dash of cayenne are all found.
This Rhône-style blend of a rosé is a light, enjoyable sipper of tart red berries, bubble gum and sharp citrus.
This Rhône-style blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier is rich in honey, pineapple, peach and orange flavors. It has fine acidity and a steely core of minerals. Everything about it strongly suggests ham, bacon or sausages.
This Rhône-style blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault is a good followup to the winery's 2011 vintage. It's delicate and dry, with subtle dried fruit, herb and spice flavors, and the acidity is nice and crisp. What a tremendously versatile food wine.
This Rhône-style blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah has plenty of cherry and mocha deliciousness. It seems a bit sweet on the finish, so drink it with compatible foods, like bacon.
This Rhône-style blend smells and tastes a little hot. The official alcohol is 14.5%, yet there's a white pepper, prickly heat to the raspberry jam and mocha flavors. Drink now.
This Rhône-style blend will uplift an ordinary cheeseburger, but has the complex power to match a big beef stew or game dish. Dry in style but big in alcohol, it's smooth and rich with luxurious blackberry, cherry, currant, mocha, black pepper and oak flavors.
This Rhône-style blend—two-thirds Roussanne, the rest divided between Marsanne and Viognier—was made using grapes sourced from the estate Destiny Ridge Vineyard. Intriguing aromas suggest clover, sweet grass and honeysuckle, while the flavors run from stone fruits into hints of light tropical fruits. It's lovely and evocative.
This Rhône-style red blend is light bodied and fruit forward, with slight spice nuances to add interest. Cranberry, pink peppercorns and anise show good balance and concentration on the nose and palate.
This Rhône-style red blend plays out broadly across the full palate, filling the mouth with tangy flavors of mixed berries and plums. Generously applied oak brings on a wash of baking spices, coconut and cinnamon, giving a sweetness to the moderate tannins.
This Rhône-style red brings Grenache and Mourvèdre from Meek Vineyard and Syrah from Lewis; good sources both. Hard and fruity, the forward flavors quickly hit a wall of tannin, with hints of dried leaf in a tart, short finish.
This Rhône-style white blend has a floral highlight that leads into tart white fruit, jicama, celery and melon flavors. A light grass-like note is also apparent, and the palate could use some more concentration.
This Rhône blend from the fashionable west side of Paso Robles is made in the modern cult style. It's very dark in color, full-bodied and glyceriney in the mouth, and delivers a thermonuclear blast of fruit and oak. Among the flavors are roasted blackberries, cassis, melted milk chocolate, anise, cotton candy, vanilla custard, crème brûlée and cinnamon spice. Not exactly your classically dry table wine. Drink now.
This Rhône blend is a disappointment. It smells minty and green, and tastes sharp and harsh, with unripe flavors that veer into red currants.
This Rhône blend is based on Syrah. It's a typically soft, lush and slightly sweet Paso Robles red wine, with easy flavors of red currants, raspberries, cherries, chocolate, beef jerky and pepper.
This Rhône blend is scented with sharp-toned berry, spice, and menthol and it has an herbaceous note that is well-integrated and set against light tannins. Don't look for a lot of sweet fruit; this is more European, herbal and firm. A fine food wine.
This Rhône blend is soft and sugary sweet, with a honeyed, vanilla fudge and smoky oak edge. The underlying wine flavors are of peaches, pineapples and yellow apricots.
This Rhône blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre contains a splash of Petite Sirah. It's a classy wine, bone dry, tannic and full-bodied, and while it shows the rustic, briary nature of Dry Creek Valley, it's awesome in blackberries, cherries, raspberries and mocha, with a deliciously meaty edge of bacon. There's no reason why this wine shouldn't age in interesting ways over the next six years.
This Rhône blend offers dried red cherry, boysenberry and rose petals on the inviting nose. The Grenache is a powerful player, contributing a rosewater touch to the palate, alongside cranberry, caramel and a touch of cola.
This Rhône red puts lots of toasty goodness around light fruit from a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise grapes. Soft and generous, it starts with watermelon and ends with black cherries, all coated with mocha and cinnamon. What's not to like?
This Rhône varietal-based, pink lemonade-colored rosé starts with warm watermelon and sharp lime zest on the fresh, bright nose. The 71% Grenache, 18% Cinsault, 6% Counoise, 5% Mourvèdre blend offers light cherry flavors, some honey and a bit of bubblegum, with nice grip and racy acidity taking it to the finish line.
This Rhône white blend is fruity, slightly sweet and simple. It has jammy flavors of pineapples, lemons, limes, honeysuckle and vanilla, offset by crisp acidity.
This Rhone-inspired specialist, who also does a fine job with Zin, shows both sides of the coin in this Rhône variety that in California is more often associated and blended with Zin. Elusive red berry takes on layers of flavors in the glass, becoming densely mouth-coating and intensely rich on the leathery finish.
This Rhone-style cuvée is a little thin—light, the fruit showing generic strawberry flavors, with a sprinkling of dried herbs.
This Rhone blend drinks candied and off-dry, with ripe berry, fruit, and spice flavors, and on the soft side. Strives to combine the freshness and lightness of a white with the weight of a red, and does a pretty good job of it.
This Rhone winery's inaugural Bordeaux variety offering is a blend of 57% Cabernet and 43% Merlot. The aromas of dried and fresh herbs and barrel spice show nuance, leaning slightly into the green. The cherry and dark-fruit flavors display an exquisite sense of polish, detail and length that kicks it up a notch.
This Ribolla Gialla from northern Italy delivers aromas of peach, apricot, honey, natural rubber and exotic fruit and there's an interesting herbal or floral note that adds dimension and personality. The mouthfeel delivers medium structure but makes up for it with its long, crisp finish.
This Ribolla Gialla sparkling Brut is perfumed and thick on the nose with aromatic highlights that recall white mineral, peach, citrus and pear. It offers creamy foam in the mouth and a strong twist of citrus zest on the finish.
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.
This rich Amarone boasts aromas of mature black fruit, raisin and cinnamon. The palate is dense, with black cherry, plum and raisin flavors layered with black pepper. It's soft, round and polished. Pair this with seasoned cheeses or cured meats. Metrowine, Vignaioli Selections.
This rich and buttery Chardonnay is made in a classic California style. Its smooth texture coats the palate and helps the generous pear and pineapple flavors linger on a slightly sweet finish.
This rich and creamy vintage wine boasts soft apples, fresh acidity and a fine, tight texture. There's just a hint of toast to round out the palate and add complexity. It could improve with age further, so drink through 2020.
This rich and creamy wine definitely pulls out the new barrel flavors, with buttery nut, salted caramel and toast notes highlighting its ripe peach and apple fruit. From vines planted in 1989, it's styled for drinking right now.
This rich and forward sparkling wine is fit for everyday drinking, with flavors of strawberry and raspberry parfait accompanied by a nice doughiness. It's pretty scoury, though, which gives it an abrasive mouthfeel.
This rich and fruity wine shows the natural richness of the Douro, with dense and firm tannins that will allow the wine to age. Black plum fruits are powerful and concentrated, giving fruit and acidity. It needs to age for several years, don't drink before 2017.
This rich and full-bodied Gamay from Vincent Sangouard is ripe with black cherry and sweet fruits. A juicy side brings acidity, while a dense, firm dry core promises some aging. Drink from 2016. The Leynes village is a sub-region producing Beaujolais Villages and Burgundy Maçon wines.
This rich and full-bodied wine brings out the structure of a Chassagne premier cru. It has generous fruits and a toasty structure. Drink from 2017.
This rich and full-bodied wine has spice, black fruits and smoky tannins all bundled together into a ripe structure. It's a complex, concentrated wine with finishing acidity that needs to age, so drink from 2015.
This rich and full-bodied wine is a great candidate for aging. Stash it away in a cool place until at least 2018 when its slightly rough and drying tannins should begin to mellow and let all the ripe fruit and complex spice flavors come out. It's blended with a touch of Mourvèdre for a spicy, earthy accent.
This rich and generous expression of Vermentino shows aromas of honey, dried hay, stone fruit and white almond. The dense, creamy palate would stand up to spicy Thai coconut curry.
This rich and generous Grand Cru Classé is full of dark fruit and tannins and is ready to drink. It has weight, juicy acidity and black plum and berry flavors. Ripe, with the perfume of Cabernet Franc, it's entering maturity now and should very drinkable until at least 2025.
This rich and generous wine has weight, concentrated yellow fruit and citrus flavors. Full bodied, its rounded texture is cut by a mineral element that brings the crisp acidity of the vintage. Developing well, it will be best from 2018.
This rich and impressive wine has structure and a firm texture, partly from the Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend (45% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon). It is dense and full of juicy red fruits, caramel and delicious spice. Production is only 2,500 cases. It would be worth aging for a few more months, so drink from late 2015.
This rich and integrated wine is full of ripe berry fruit and firm tannins. It is a full, concentrated wine, densely textured and structured. There is a good sense of juiciness behind the youthful, firm surface. Give this fine, great-value wine at least four years.
This rich and juicy wine from the Pinhão Valley has enormous potential, as shown by its strong, tannic character and firm structure. The foot-trodden grapes lend great flavor intensity, fine concentration and a note of blackberry juice. It will age well.
This rich and powerful wine offers dark tannins, great concentration and bold black fruits. Wood aging has added both spice and a smooth texture. The wine comes from a good vintage and although it is ready to drink will repay aging; drink now and until 2023.
This rich and relatively soft block-designated wine has a lighter-than-usual color, a rich, buttery aroma and jammy flavors that recall strawberries and plums. It's a smooth variation on the often tannic and restrained personality of Sangiovese.
This rich and ripe wine is full of apricot and almond flavors. It is beautifully textured with a strongly mineral character as well as an orange-zest flavor and tangy, spicy aftertaste. The wine should age, so drink from 2017.
This rich and round, Rhône Ranger red is loaded with fruit. The flavors pile on, one after another, beginning with citrus, banana and orange, and moving into berry and cherry and currant. It's underscored with moderate acidity and hints of pepper and tea.
This rich and rounded wine comes from the flat lands of Saint-Émilion, giving it a soft and gentle feel. Acidity and ripe black fruits dominate the light structure. It's a wine for medium-term aging, ripe and ready to drink from 2016.
This rich and rounded wine is full of attractive lemon and pineapple fruit. Light steeliness gives a fresh character to the ripeness. It is totally ready to drink.
This rich and seductive pour leads with intense aromas of buttered toast, candied nuts, honeydew and grilled peach, with a touch of orangy citrus. The medium-weight mouthfeel is plush yet balanced by medium acidity that lends nice vibrancy to the mouthfeel and spicy finish. Drink now–2019.
This rich and strongly aromatic bottling shows marshmallow, cotton candy and banana cream on the nose. The palate picks up a freshness and flinty character, with rounded, ripe flavors of honeysuckle and lemon cream. The strong acidity and grippy texture keep the wine in line.
This rich and structured wine is packed with both ripe black fruits and concentrated tannins. It is a big wine, a fine representation of this appellation with its dense flavors and aging potential. The wine should be ready from 2021.
This rich and voluptuous wine wins one over with its baked pear and vanilla sumptuousness, etched with an apple blossom aroma. Robust and velvety on the palate, it's balanced by fresh citrus and wet stone nuances. The lifted acidity provokes both succulence and complexity.
This rich and well-crafted white wine from the Italian Lake region in the north opens with a creamy texture and opulent aromas of melon, ripe peach, citrus zest and vanilla mousse. The dense nature of this wine suggests a food pairing with cream or béchamel sauce.
This rich barrel-aged wine is a blend of 50-50 Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It is a small, seven-acre estate just outside the village of Saint-Émilion. There are touches of licorice in this wine, hinting at extraction that needs to calm down. When that happens, this will be a dense and finely perfumed wine, rich and with a good future. Drink from 2022.
This rich blend brings together Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet. It forms a richly textured wine that is ripe with red fruits and acidity, as well as spicy tannins. Light wood aging has smoothed out the corners of the wine. Drink from 2018.
This rich blend gets its ripe texture and warm pear and citrus flavors from 50% Sémillon. It has an attractive perfumed edge, with kiwi-like acidity and a peppery aftertaste. Drink from 2018.
This rich blend of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro is all fruit without any oak aging. That gives the wine a ripe black-fruit character, balanced with acidity and a light touch of spice. Drink this attractive wine now.
This rich blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese) opens with pretty chocolate tones followed by opulent cherry, spice, leather, tobacco and cola. This is a well shaped and focused wine with a linear, elegant feel in the mouth capped by soft, chewy texture.
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.
This rich blend of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (70%), Passerina and Riesling offers a thick, creamy mouthfeel and plenty of melon, stone fruit and apricot. It might lack a bit of freshness and for that reason this white wine should be paired with a chicken or fish recipe that includes a zesty citrus component.
This rich but bracing dry wine is blended from Italian grape varieties. It has plenty of ripe plum and cherry shaded by black olive and savory herb nuances backed by moderate tannins. Unlike Noceto's other more elegant reds, this one is full bodied and ripe in flavor.
This rich but dry wine brings out Grüner Veltliner's peppery character, which shows on top of the pear and quince flavors. The acidity offers a lift to this intense, concentrated wine.
This rich but tannic wine shows ripe fruitiness as well as dense structure. There is a good balance between juiciness and dryness in this wine, which is already developing well.
This rich Cabernet drinks beautifully now for its ripe, forward blackberry, cassis liqueur and oak flavors. It's smooth and dry, with classic Napa balance. Good as it is, it should develop in the bottle over the next decade.
This rich Cabernet starts with aromas of vanilla, nutty oak and mocha, unfolding into flavors of ripe red berries, cedar, pepper and toast. Good depth of flavor and a poised fruit and acid balance give the wine class. Pair with rich meat dishes or ripe cheeses.
This rich cream-textured blend of Chardonnay and Viognier evokes warming pastry notes of vanilla, caramel and crème brûlée. It's a dry full-bodied wine with soft acidity and accents of toast, smoke and orange peel.
This rich dessert nectar from Tuscany is made from a blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes. It delivers typical Vin Santo aromas and flavors of maple syrup, dried apricot and candied oranges. Dense and sweet, it's a perfect match for traditional cantucci biscuits or to sip on its own after dinner.
This rich expression from the 2005 vintage shows some signs of aging that are evident in its brownish-garnet color and in the wine's aromas of candied fruit, dried currants, mesquite, cola and licorice. It's powerful and pleasantly intense in the mouth with bright acidity and silky tannins. Drink now.
This rich expression of Nerello Mascalese (a grape native to Sicily's Mount Etna) offers thick density and extraction followed by fresh notes of berry fruit and spice. It ends with chewy tannins and bright cherry flavors.
This rich Gewurztraminer reflects the chalk soil of this prized grand cru. It gives a structured, firm wine, close to dry with spice and pepper flavors as well as a strongly mineral character. It needs proper aging, so drink from 2018.
This rich offering from central Italy opens with a pretty floral fragrance of iris and lilac, along with notes of espresso and toast. The palate is soft and round, with ripe plum, blackberry, coffee, vanilla and a dusting of cocoa.
This rich Pinot Grigio sees some contact with oak barrel for a fuller, more generous mouthfeel. Aromas include honey, white almond, lemon zest and stone fruit.
This rich rendition of a variety you don't see every day has a hint of honey in the aroma, lots of apple and peach flavors, a rounded, full texture and medium body.
This rich Sauvignon Blanc shows classic aromas of crushed tomato vine, cantaloup and a hint of bell pepper. The palate shows succulent green melon and apple flavors, with a hint of smoke and a freshly acidic backbone. This will pair well with asparagus dishes or pasta topped with pesto.
This rich selection has a touch of bottle age that creates a toasty character. It features ripe apricot and peach notes, with warm and taut acidity. Ready to drink.
This rich sparkling wine from northern Italy offers a layered fragrance of apple, nut and just-baked bread. The palate is smooth and creamy but weightless, with delicate and crisp bubbles.
This rich Syrah beguiles with its soft, velvety texture and delicious flavors of blackberry, chocolate, bacon and black pepper. High in alcohol, but a fine follow-up to the very good 2007. Drink now.
This rich Syrah is a pleasure to drink with lamb and beef dishes. It has an excellent structure, softly tannic and silky in the mouth, with long, luscious black cherry, blueberry, beef teriyaki, sandalwood and spice flavors. Only 100 cases were produced.
This rich Syrah leaves little to the imagination. It's dramatic in blackberry and cherry fruit and exotic spices, sweetened with new oak. Delicious now and for the next few years.
This rich wine balances ripe yellow fruits with intense citrus acidity in a harmonious whole. Its structure is laden with minerality, toast and a smooth, delicious creamy aftertaste.
This rich wine boasts perfumed acidity as well as a juicy white-fruit flavor. It feels full in the mouth, weighty, although a more steely edge is never far away.
This rich wine comes from the far south of Portugal. It is structured and dense with black-plum fruit and firm tannins. Spice and grilled toast from wood aging and acidity gives this wine a good balance as well as ripeness. Drink now.
This rich wine comes from the sheltered vineyards close to Mount Sainte-Victoire. The weight of the ripe fruit gives a full-bodied style with both acidity and a spicy, peppery character. This is a wine to hold for a few months and drink from late 2017.
This rich wine conveys pure fruitiness without any wood aging. That gives a ripe, black currant character, soft tannins and juicy acidity. It's wine to drink young, so start now.
This rich wine features flavors of apple and pear skin that are laced with refreshing acidity. It's light, bright and very fruity, touched by a light vanilla note, with a creamy finish.
This rich wine features ripe, jammy red-plum and cherry fruits. It is dense, with its tannins and a touch of pepper coming from the high alcohol. The wine is a blend from five parcels. Ripe and with a juicy aftertaste, it will be best from 2018.
This rich wine has 18 months in wood, giving it power and dark tannins. It is concentrated, structured while also elegant. The acidity, the black fruit and the firm texture suggest a wine that could age further and will be better from 2018.
This rich wine has a firm structure as well as ripe fruit. Foot trodden in stone troughs. It has a generous Port-like texture that is balanced by the black currant acidity and delicious fruitiness. Drink from 2017.
This rich wine has a good proportion (31%) of Cabernet Franc to give it a perfumed structured character. It is dense and with considerable tannins at this stage. By contrast, the fruit has enormous potential with rich blackberry and black-plum flavors. This chateau has made a considerable stride in this vintage. Drink from 2022.
This rich wine has both open, ripe black fruits and the freshness of the vintage. On top, there is an extra layer of color and exuberance. It includes some Petit Verdot, rare in Saint-Émilion.
This rich wine has peach and quince flavors along with spice and hints of toast. It's full in the mouth, very fruity and fresh, a warm wine that does manage to keep a fresh burst of lemon acidity at the end. Drink now, but better at the end of 2014.
This rich wine has plenty of spicy fruit and a tangy texture. With attractive nutmeg flavors and light touch of tannin, it's definitely a food wine. Drink now.
This rich wine has spice and red fruits backed by a dry texture. The smoky wood is still right up front, giving the wine a firm character. Wait for the fruit to develop further and drink from 2020.
This rich wine is a great success. It's enormously rich, almost flamboyant in blackberry jam, blueberry cobbler, anise and smoky new oak, as delicious as any Cabernet out there. Yet it shows a fine structure and relatively modest alcohol, a feature of the 2008 vintage. Good as it is now, you can safely cellar it for the rest of this decade and watch it evolve.
This rich wine is already smoothly textured yet still has fine tannins that give aging potential. With its black fruit and acidity, it's ripe, smoky and likely to be very drinkable from 2020.
This rich wine is approaching maturity. Secondary animal aromas, dried fruit and richness are showing well, allowing this ripe wine to shine. The warm 2009 vintage comes out in the density and the dusty tannins. This is ready to drink.
This rich wine is balanced and ripe, with spice, sweet sultana and raisin fruitiness and a light shot of acidity. The aftertaste brings out fresh red fruits that are cut by the spirit and acidity to leave a full feeling in the mouth.
This rich wine is concentrated and full of fruit. That is balanced by the mineral texture that gives the wine its depth and intensity. With a touch of nutmeg and with fruitiness that is still young, the wine needs to age. Drink from 2018.
This rich wine is concentrated and ripe with black fruits and juicy acidity. With its density, fruits, wood-aging and complex texture it provides a beautiful example of a Douro blend. Minerality in this still-young wine comes through strongly. Drink from 2019.
This rich wine is dense and concentrated, with beautiful apple and spice flavors lifted by acidity. The fruit and the minerality typical of the appellation give this wine both its fine texture and its tangy fruitiness. Drink from 2018.
This rich wine is dense with dark tannins and concentrated structure. The vineyard, with cool winds from the valley behind, gives wines that demand aging with their tannins and fragrant fruit. The aftertaste is full of promise. Drink after 2022.
This rich wine is developing slowly. Even after a year, its fruit is still youthful with bright acidity and tangy citrus. It is beginning to round out and show a riper side. Wait until 2015.
This rich wine is dominated by concentrated botrytis tones, yet its acidity and lemon flavors are still very much at the fore. With its firm structure, spice notes and crisp lemon fruit still coming together, it suggests a fine future. Drink from 2023.
This rich wine is full and fruity. It has generous ripe apple and pear flavors, with a creamy texture that's full in the mouth. The acidity and the creaminess work well together in a wine that is great for an apéritif.
This rich wine is full and has a good balance of acidity and fruit. The lightly mineral texture gives bite and crispness. It is still a young, tight wine needing another few months. Drink from 2017.
This rich wine is full of berry fruits that are smoothed out by wood aging. It is still young, with a structure of tannins that gives a dry edge. That will soften to reveal the fruitiness of the Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend with its fresh aftertaste. Drink from 2017. The d'Arfeuille family is now in its fifth century on Bordeaux's Right Bank.
This rich wine is full of intense botrytis. It has fine poise, balancing its concentrated apricot and lemon flavors with botrytis notes. Drink from 2022.
This rich wine is full of ripe white and citrus fruits that combine easily with the tangy, tight texture that comes from the dominance of Pinot Noir in the blend. It is still young, the sort of wine that needs to age to bring out its full potential. Drink this very fine vintage from 2018.
This rich wine is has prominent flavors of ripe lemon, lime, pear, green apple and tropical fruit. Adding complexity is steely minerality, and while the oak is strong, the wine is still balanced. With a creamy texture and brisk acidity, this is a beautiful Chardonnay to drink now with lobster, crab, tuna or lamb.
This rich wine is made from old vines in a field blend. With its intense acidity and ripe apple fruitiness, the wine is full and concentrated. The spice and toastiness are at peace with the fruit, giving a balanced wine that will be ready to drink from late 2017.
This rich wine is one of the rare white wines of Savigny-lès-Beaune. It has warm, yellow- and tropical-fruit flavors, light acidity and a smooth, creamy texture. A fresh citrus character lingers on the finish. Drink now–2019.
This rich wine is ripe with red-berry fruits, mango and peach. Full in the mouth, it has a touch of spice from the Mourvèdre in the blend. Crisp and lively, the wine could age until 2018, although it will be best from late 2016.
This rich wine is soft, with generous tannins and ripe fruit. It has a fine, open balance between black fruits and light spice, resulting in a rich wine that is ready to drink now.
This rich wine is still young and has all its tannins intact as well as ripe black fruits that push out of the dense structure. Wood aging shows in a toasty edge that will round out. Wait and drink this wine from 2017.
This rich wine is still young, but packed with dark tannins and concentrated black-currant fruitiness. This hand-picked blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon needs to age. It will not be ready to drink before 2019. The chateau is the home of the Dubourdieu family.
This rich wine is structured, with orange zest and apple skins given a boost of fragrant acidity. It's packed with yellow fruits and the freshest acidity. Drink this lightly tannic wine now, although it would be better to wait until 2017.
This rich wine is touched by botrytis, although its main character is ultraripe, sweet fruit. Mango, honey and an edge of toast come together easily.
This rich wine offers spice and black plum fruit flavors in equal measure. It's certainly ripe, but a fresher character adds lift. Tannins are already well-integrated into this velvet-textured wine. Drink from 2017.
This rich wine shows sweet, luscious cherry, green herbs, medicine cabinet and leather aromas and flavors. It doesn't bring a lot of complexity but yields plenty of enjoyment. Drink now.
This rich wine smells sweet and tastes jammy, as strawberry and boysenberry flood the palate. Full body and a smoothly dense texture complete the picture.
This rich wine still shows its wood-aging character. It has firm tannins, dark fruit and concentration. From vineyards in the Douro Superior, this wine should be drunk from 2018.
This rich wine, produced from old vines, is dense and concentrated. It does have the fruitiness of the vintage but that is allied to the dark-black fruit and powerful tannins. There are spice and wood flavors still developing. Drink this fine wine from 2020.
This rich yet balanced barrel-fermented Chenin opens with enticing aromas of honeycomb, melon flesh, toasted brioche, orange oil and apple skin. The medium-weight palate is creamy and lush, boasting notes of apple and citrus rind that linger on the spicy finish. It's delicious now, but it should also age well through 2020.
This rich, almost jammy wine is given structure by the darkly tannic character. The dry, firm, toasty structure is pulled forward by the red-berry acidity that indicates a good future for the wine. Drink from 2020.
This rich, almost sweet wine owes a lot of its exuberance to the flavors that oak barrels impart—toasted, smoky, seemingly sweet but not sugary notes like maple syrup. Ripe black cherry and boysenberry flavors blend in too. The mouthfeel is dense but not harsh, as the layers of fine-textured tannins add shape without a lot of weight.
This rich, amber colored dessert wine from Tuscany offers aromas of dried figs, nutmeg, clove sage and balsamic notes. The dense palate delivers maple syrup, candied fruit, dried apricots, honey and spice. It's concentrated and smooth with great length.
This rich, boldy alcoholic wine has a pepper character that dominates fragrant fruit and spice notes. It should age well, so drink until 2020.
This rich, chocolaty blend combines Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties with 24% Petite Sirah. Deep red cherry and cassis flavors form its juicy core—a full-bodied expression accented by leather and espresso, and offset by a showy backbone of acidity.
This rich, complex Cabernet feels dramatic in the mouth. It impacts immediately with black currant, cassis and oak flavors, yet is thoroughly dry, with firm, smooth tannins and an oily umami chewiness, like charred steak fat off the grill. The winemaker, Julien Fayard, previously was at Lafite Rothschild. He brings a Bordeaux-esque sensitivity to Napa's rich, ripe fruit. Hold until 2018.
This rich, concentrated wine is velvet smooth, with tannins enveloped by ripe berry and plum fruits. Wood aging has added to the the rounded character. Despite its approachability, it will age well, so the wine is best drunk from 2018.
This rich, concentrated wine shows mountain-like aromas and flavors, such as dried herb and sage. Blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate round out the full-bodied picture.
This rich, creamy and lush wine's smoky dark cherry and vanilla scents stand out before taking on complex black olive and tobacco characteristics. Full-bodied and 100% varietal, this is a showcase of valley floor finesse and power.
This rich, creamy, juicy wine is full of strawberry fruits and ripe tannins. It has weight and density as well as powerful structure. A fresh black-cherry character comes through, giving acidity and a perfumed aftertaste. Drink from 2017.
This rich, dark and earthy wine is pure Cabernet Sauvignon, done well and designed to appeal to those who favor dark barrel flavors along with their ripe fruit. Here, the flavors begins at licorice and runs through espresso, cacao and a finish of lightly charred tannins.
This rich, dark take on the cool-climate vineyard delivers all the great Syrah components. Lavish cooked beef, fudge, loam and mint aromas accent its black currant and blueberry base. The palate is coated with soft, polished tannins that present savory beef and black currant flavors, steeped in peppercorn and lavender.
This rich, delicious blend of Castelão and Alicante Bouschet is soft and juicy, with black and blue berry flavors, dusty tannins and a fine, jammy aftertaste.
This rich, delicious wine is still bursting with young apple and grapefruit flavors, giving it a fruity start with great long-term potential. Then the concentration and the richly mineral texture kicks in, lending the wine intensity and the possibility of aging. Drink from 2019.
This rich, deliciously fruity wine combines structure and ripe layers of yellow fruits. Full in the mouth, it has a textured, spicy edge over the juicy acidity and fruitiness. It is ready to drink, but with its tight texture is likely to age well, so better to wait until 2017.
This rich, dense and complex wine has good structure, dark tannins and bright black-currant fruitiness. It's a wine with a good future, and aging will allow the tannins to soften and add further lift to the fruit. Drink from 2016.
This rich, exuberant, deep-colored red offers the full range of Syrah flavors, from smoke and black pepper to blackberry jam, dried herbs and roast beef. It has an assertive toasty oak overlay and very firm tannins, yet it delivers complexity, full body and real personality.
This rich, firmly structured wine comes from a nine-acre vineyard close to the village of Pommard. Its ripe black fruits are just starting to show through the dry core. Concentrated and powerful, it will be best from 2022.
This rich, fruity Cabernet comes from one of the higher mountain regions in Dry Creek Valley. It's enormously concentrated in blackberry, black currant and oak flavors, with the briary, peppery note so often found in Dry Creek reds. Fairly tannic, it leaves a trail of astringency after you swallow. Good, if a little rustic. Give it three or four years to come around.
This rich, fruity wine is packed with ripe apples and pears, and cut with delicious, full-on acidity. It's aromatic, with a lively mousse and a sparkling, lifted character. Drink now.
This rich, fruity wine is supple and soft on the palate, with deep mocha and blueberry flavors. From vineyards in Coombsville and Conn Valley, it's full bodied and densely packed.
This rich, full-bodied dessert wine offers aromas of spicy plum, blackberry, prune and graphite. The dense palate doles out layers of blueberry syrup, clove and nutmeg alongside fresh acidity that makes this very drinkable.
This rich, full-bodied wine has ripe green and white fruits along with a touch of minerality. It is a sophisticated wine that adds acidity to its complex array of flavors. The wine is ready to drink.
This rich, full-bodied wine has some acidity, although the palate is dominated by creamy yellow fruits and a yeasty character at the end.
This rich, full-bodied wine is becoming smooth and ripe. The tannins are enveloped by the generous black fruits and drier raisins. A core of dryness show the wine is still developing. Drink from 2015.
This rich, full-bodied wine is packed with ripe, dense blackberry and plum flavors. With firm tannins in the background, it is always going to be dark and solid. Produced on a single vineyard by the local cooperative, it could still age and will be best from 2016.
This rich, full wine delivers great balance between acidity, fruit and structure. It's ripe, with delicious cherry fruits and soft tannins. It could well age through 2015, but is delicious now.
This rich, full wine shows a strongly mineral character as well as ripe green-plum and citrus flavors. It has concentration, spice as well as fresh final acidity. The name of the wine comes from the Roman name for the producer's village, Sury-en-Vaux. It will be better if aged for a few months, so drink from early 2017.
This rich, full wine shows the chateau to be at the top of its form. It's finely balanced, pushing both its fruit and acidity, with the tannins taking the supporting role. With its power leashed, this shows the stylish side of Saint-Julien, although it will certainly age for many years.
This rich, generous and soft wine has a ripe feel along with plenty of acidity. The freshness is cushioned by ripe yellow and pear fruit flavors. It has power as well as minerality, and a touch of toast comes through at the end. Drink from 2018.
This rich, good Chardonnay is easy to drink. The tropical fruit, apricot and peach flavors are accented with oak, and balanced with acidity.
This rich, hearty and ultimately lovely blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot still needs time to open up. When it does, expect dense and pure aromas of blueberry, black currant, graphite and nose-tickling spice. The palate's intense structure, though shy for now, reveals charred beef, coffee, caramel, black cherry and dried rose flavors. Drink 2019–2030.
This rich, impressive wine is full of ripe fruit and balanced acidity. It has intensity, sweetness and botrytis rich enough to lend a dry core. Drink from 2022.
This rich, intense wine has a strong tannic element that is balanced with the red and black berry fruits. There's a burst of acidity, but the main thrust of this wine is structure and concentration.
This rich, jammy wine will appeal to many, with its sweet core of raspberry fruit candy. The texture is soft, fat and very rich, although there is sufficient acid and tannin to keep the wine in balance. No great complexity here, but it's easygoing and opulent.
This rich, juicy wine is bursting with red fruits that are ready to drink. This is a ripe, full-bodied, friendly wine with just an edge of tannin and acidity to hold it all together.
This rich, juicy yet elegant bottling from an old vineyard in west Paso Robles boasts black currant and rosebud aromas. The palate is textural and lithe, with tangy black plum and blackberry flavors. This has the bones to grow into an impressive wine in the years to come.
This rich, layered red wine is a bit jammy and assertive now, and will benefit from a couple years of cellaring to settle down. It's forward and ripe with cherry and raspberry jam, mocha, roasted almond and cinnamon flavors. A little heavy and heady, yet strangely compelling, and certainly scores high on the deliciousness factor.
This rich, mouth-coating effort marries Meyer lemon, pink grapefruit and white peach to sappy acidity. It persistently pushes through the palate into a lingering finish, with a lip-licking snap that invites the next sip.
This rich, mouth-filling wine starts with almost-sweet floral, plummy, oaky aromas, building toward ripe cherry, strawberry and black plum flavors and a smooth texture. Everything, from its deep color to its lingering finish, suggests a bold personality.
This rich, oak-aged wine is so smooth with yellow fruits, with just an edge of citrus and spicy, toasty character. It's a beautiful, generous wine, opulent in its ripe fruit while keeping a cool, salty character. The wine is still young, needing to bring out even further flavors. Drink from 2017.
This rich, oak-driven Merlot from Sicily opens with bright cherry and blueberry backed by toasted almond, leather and pipe tobacco. There's a raw or chewy note in the mouth that will soften with a few more months of bottle aging.
This rich, oaky Chardonnay has aromas and flavors of buttered toast, buttered popcorn, vanilla and pineapple jam. It's very rich and creamy, and appeals for sheer deliciouness.
This rich, oaky selection leads with aromas of roasted almonds, honeycomb, yellow apple and apricot preserves. Those notes carry through to the bold, round palate, partnered with assertive flavors of oak spice, toasted challah and buttered popcorn. Drink now.
This rich, opulent prestige cuvée lives up to the Séduction name, instantly appealing with its ripe yellow fruit and generous texture. It is just approaching maturity, with hints of toast. Drink now or, even better, from 2017.
This rich, opulent wine carries its massive oak load easily, marrying vanilla and toasted coconut notes with ripe plum and black cherry flavors. It's full bodied and plush, with supple tannins supported by the wood. Give it a few years to knit together and drink it 2020–2030.
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.
This rich, rewarding wine pleases in baked blueberry pie and a taste of raisin cake, its texture underlined in soft, integrated oak and a velvety density. Cinnamon, black pepper and toffee weave within the waves of ripeness.
This rich, ripe and generous wine is full of blackberry fruit and tannin. It's powerful, with a solid structure and fine fruitiness. As a result, it has good aging potential, so drink from 2020.
This rich, ripe Merlot offers lots of smooth flavor. Grown on the Sonoma side of Carneros, the wine is dry and soft in tannins, marked by black cherry, blueberry, toast and vanilla flavors.
This rich, ripe Viognier offers upfront citrus and tropical fruit flavors that combine with vanilla honey to finish off-dry to sweet. Brisk acidity helps to provide balance.
This rich, ripe wine hits all your Chardonnay sweet spots. It's honeyed in tropical fruits, with oaky notes of buttered toast and vanilla. The best thing is the clean, zesty acidity.
This rich, rounded and full wine offers great red fruits that are embedded in the dry, dense tannins. Still young, it has a mineral texture that needs to soften and fill out. It's a wine to age; drink from 2017.
This rich, rounded wine shows ripe yellow fruits, pineapple flavors and a texture that just hints at minerality. All this rich fruit is so generously balanced with acidity and a juicy, fruity and fresh aftertaste. At the same time, the wine has weight, depth of flavor and a background structure that will allow it to age. Drink from 2018.
This rich, savory Shiraz starts with a nose of cherry, sweet spice, pepper and plum and on the palate, offers elegance and balance with big flavors. Structured tannins and a spicy overall character give the wine heft. A treat with class.
This rich, smoke- and wood-flavored wine shows great potential. It also has plenty of black fruits that give it a ripe full character. The spice from wood aging is still right up front and needs time to settle down to become a dense, balanced wine with fruit and structure all in place. Drink from 2019.
This rich, smoky wine has an appealing streak of ripe black-plum flavors. What it is missing in all this richness is enough acidity, although the tannins will certainly allow it to age. Drink this powerful, ripe Merlot from 2017.
This rich, smooth wine is driven by its ripe fruitiness. It is warm and rounded, combining black and red fruit with a harmonizing shot of licorice. Give it a few months, but it is nearly ready to drink.
This rich, sophisticated wood-aged wine has complex fruits, structure and tannins. Ripe, juicy black fruits are intertwined with a solidly dry texture, powerful but still elegant. It will repay aging. Drink from 2016.
This rich, spicy blend of Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Jaen from winemaker Carlos Lucas offers rich black-plum fruits with layers of wood flavors. It is generous, juicy with some firm tannins and plenty of toasty wood flavors. Everything needs some time to soften, so wait to drink until 2019.
This rich, spicy Port is full of jammy black fruits, dried prunes and raisins along with a good line of acidity. It is on the dry side of the Late Bottled Vintage spectrum, giving a wine that is structured as well as full of fruit. The aftertaste, with its tannins still in place, suggests it will age at least until 2022, although it is very drinkable now.
This rich, spicy wine comes from the eastern part of the valley. It's very full-bodied, almost coarse now, but that's a function of its fresh tannins and brisk acidity. Tastes jammy in cherry-berry pie filling, with a sweet, smoky oak veneer. Needs 4–6 years, but if you drink it now, decant.
This rich, spicy wine holds beautiful lemon fruit flavors that cut the natural ripeness. A tangy texture gains extra dimension from the wood aging. Drink now, but the wine will age well to 2015.
This rich, spicy Zinfandel defines the Dry Creek style. It's fruit-forward in briary, brambly berry and currant flavors that have hints of anise and chocolate, and is dry, with sturdy tannins and a balancing cut of acidity. Very enticing. Only 150 cases were produced, but it's worth a search.
This rich, structured wine is made from 100% Niellucciu (Sangiovese) from a nine acre estate. Its black cherry flavors are bolstered by plenty of firm tannins and concentration, and its richness and density are now at peak maturity, so drink now.
This rich, structured wine is packed with both firm tannins and rich red fruits. Still young, it has all the makings of a dense, balanced wine that will reflect the great fruit of the vintage. Age this smoky, full-bodied wine and drink from 2017.
This rich, sweet wine is honeyed, with a crisp, balancing lemon character. It is full and rich, touched by spice as well as mango and yellow peach. A delicious dessert wine, this is now ready to drink.
This rich, thick, soft wine has Concord grape jelly and smoky oak aromas, with sweet blackberry flavors and a touch of tannin in the texture.
This rich, wood-aged blend dominated by Viosinho is spicy with a ripe toastiness. The acidity highlights this impressively stylish wine through the tangy, fruit finish. Drink after 2018.
This rich, wood-aged blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc is packed with botrytis and ripe, concentrated fruit. It's opulent, with bitter orange and yellow fruit flavors and a fine cut of acidity to keep it all in shape. Drink now.
This rich, wood-aged wine abounds with spice and ripe pear, peach and mango fruits. The dense texture comes from aging on the lees for four months, adding to the richness and spicy character. Drink this wine now, but it will be better in 2015.
This rich, wood-aged wine fully expresses the ripe fruit that comes from the Alentejo plains. It is dense with concentrated tannins and powerful black fruits. With its licorice, toast and powerful fruitiness, it needs some more aging. Drink from 2017.
This rich, wood-aged wine has become smooth after three years of aging. It's rich, with fine, juicy black fruit, acidity and a core of tannins. It's balanced, ripe and ready to drink.
This rich, wood-aged wine has ripe plum fruits and dark tannins. It's still young, but it has a concentrated profile that's full bodied and dense. The fruity aftertaste is well integrated with the tannins. Drink from 2016.
This rich, wood-aged wine is beautifully creamy as well as crisply fruity. It has a touch of spice and honey from the wood as well as fine acidity and citrus juiciness. It is a young wine, one that is ready to drink now but will be better as it rounds out from 2018.
This rich, wood-aged wine is full of yellow fruits with a tight texture. Mineral driven, it's crisp with its apple acidity and bright, steely structure. It's so fresh now, but could age well to create a smooth, mellifluous wine from 2017.
This rich, wood-aged wine is impressive and well aged. It may be made from Merlot but it tastes thoroughly Portuguese with its dry tannins, mint flavors and intense ripe fruit. The tannins are cushioned by this juicy, rich fruitiness. The wine is ready to drink.
This rich, wood-aged wine shows a fine balance between rich black-fruit and new toast flavors. It has weight and power, without being over the top. For medium-term aging.
This rich, wood-fermented and aged wine is very ripe, aromatic and smoothly textured. The terroir reveals itself in a mineral edge from the chalk soil that also comes into play in the tight acidity. Full in the mouth, it's ready to drink now, but will be better from 2016.
This rich, wood-laden wine is balanced by ripe red plum and blackberry fruit. It is a solid effort, its ripe fruit laced with attractive, fresh acidity. Generous and dense.
This rich, yet balanced Chardonnay exhibits tropical fruit, peach, green apple and apricot flavors, along with notes of vanilla, honey and toast from new French oak. It's creamy and soft on the palate.
This richer expression of Pinot Noir kicks off with vanilla and warm cherry sauce on the nose, along with a bit of caramel, enabling it to appeal to lovers of darker red wines. The sip delivers a great depth of berry fruit as well as elegant purple flowers. A chipped-slate minerality is further lifted by dried thyme and bay leaf, making for a hearty but balanced sip.
This richer, rounder version of dry rosé is pale salmon in color, smells lightly fruity and has a savory white-pepper touch in the flavor. The texture is more mouthcoating and smooth than many.
This richly colored, rich-tasting wine has a lively mousse and ripe strawberry flavors. The palate is all about fruitiness, smooth and with just a light tang of orange zest at the end.
This richly concentrated Riesling calibrates juicy sweet peach and honey flavors with an invigorating crush of lemon-lime acidity. It's an irresistibly fruity yet refreshing wine at an exceptional value price.
This richly concentrated wine surprises in its uplifting acidity on the back of the palate. Light, bright and full of Gravenstein apple goodness, it is well structured and refreshingly unfussy.
This richly concentrated, vineyard-designated wine is undeniably in balance. It has a cavern of blackberry and jammy cherry at its core, which simultaneously buzzes in minerality before finishing in a dusting of cocoa and black pepper. The tannins are fine and integrated, providing a generosity of texture that should mellow over time. Cellar through 2027.
This richly dense and full-bodied wine from a famous site offers grippy tannin and toasted oak, complementing spicy fruit highlights of dark cherry accented with vanilla.
This richly extracted dessert wine boasts a dark, inky appearance and aromas of exotic spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, dark chocolate, carob, roasted chestnut and mature blackberries. It is smooth, well textured and exceedingly rich on the close with loads of power, personality and persistency.
This richly fruity wine has poise and elegance as well as a powerful structure. A light herbal character brings out the juicy fruits as well as a mint flavor. The wine is ripe although with its serious tannic element, it does need to age. Drink from 2017.
This richly fruity wine is attractively balanced, showing ample acidity, black currant fruit and a general forward fruitiness. It's not a wine of great depth. Ready to drink now.
This richly layered wine shows coffee, leather and baked blueberry flavors. Blended with 6% Zinfandel and 6% Merlot, it packs a punch within its frame of soft, supple tannins.
This richly perfumed wine is firm with tannins, showing its high alcohol through a sharp peppery edge. It is dense and concentrated, almost too much so to pair with food.
This richly structured wine comes from the the state-owned Companhia das Lezirias, the largest estate in Portugal. With equestrian events, wine, olive oil and an ecological sanctuary just east of Lisbon, the property merits a visit. Named for the barn owl that nests in estate forests, the wine is opulent, dense and packed with tannins and ripe black fruits. Give it time, at least until late 2018.
This richly structured wine exudes the ripeness of the vintage. It has full tannins, dense black currant and berry flavors and a refreshing line of acidity. The tannins are still firm, needing some time to unwind. Drink from 2020.
This richly structured wine has dark tannins as well as crisp red fruits and acidity. From old vines, it shows firmness and density. Another year will add elegance to the ripe texture. Drink from 2016.
This richly textured Coonawarra Cabernet displays typical notes of cassis, accented by ample cedar and mocha shadings. It's fairly full bodied, with a long, velvety finish; drink it over the next 4–5 years.
This richly textured wine boasts incredible freshness, as well as complexity of flavor. Apple and citrus flavors show hints of development— secondary notes of toast and cookies. The acidity is still very present—a crisp reminder of its age worthiness. Drink through 2022
This rides the Moscato craze with a wine that could be sweet enough to classify as a dessert sipper, but let's call it off-dry. It has jammy raspberry and apricot flavors, with a hint of orange zest. Best of all is the acidity, which is so clean and balancing.
This Riesling's bold blossomy perfume accents honey and apple flavors on the palate. It's not deeply concentrated but its delicate sweetness and fresh cutting acidity are invigorating.
This Riesling's fruit is from a 70-year-old Eden Valley vineyard; half the wine was vinified by Jeff Grosset at Polish Hill, the other half was vinified by Rob Hill Smith at Yalumba. Once the wine was all brought together, Grosset and Hill-Smith, as the story goes, took four days to decide on the final blend. The wine's at once viscous and very dry, with stone fruit, vanilla bean and some floral flavors. Green apple rounds out the long, dry finsih.
This Riesling-led blend smells pithy and bitter. It's generic and blocky on the palate, with flavors of white mushroom and bitter citrus fruits. Grapefruit pith and orange rind flavors drive the finish. Tasted twice with similar findings.
This Riesling collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Ernst Loosen is no longer unique, but the wine has been fine-tuned over the years and sets a consistently high standard. This may be the most acidic ever made, but it is juicy rather than sour, and has a textural creaminess that adds both depth and length. The fruit flavors mix ripe apple and Mandarin orange, with hints of sweet lime and wet stone.
This Riesling from Piedmont has a fragrance of white spring flowers accented by a hint of honey and beeswax. The palate is nervy and fresh, showing ripe pear, white pepper, clove and honey notes.
This Riesling from Slovenia is a bit perfumed on the nose with an abundance of white blossoms, baby powder and pink grapefruit aromas, but there's a pleasant, citrusy sweetness and acidity throughout. Medium bodied, it finishes quite dry with a gentle white tea astringency.
This Riesling has a zingy but complex character, starting with the pear, lemon and vanilla on the nose and the honey, apricot and lemon on the palate. It's elegant but easy drinking, and a great accompaniment to richer ethnic cuisine.
This Riesling has aromas that almost mimic a Chardonnay: toasty cream, vanilla, spice. On the palate, those more complex flavors continue, but are buoyed by some acidity and an intriguing touch of sweet flowers. Overall, a tasty sip.
This Riesling has just the right amount of minerality balanced against apple and peach flavors, and an underlying core of lime. Fermented in stainless steel, it is bright and joyful to drink, boasting a long finish. Pour alongside all the classic pairings from Asian takeout to a proper curry.
This Riesling has refinement, elegance and freshness without huge complexity. It is a wine to drink now and over the next four or five years.
This Riesling has white floral and lemon zest aromas and lemon pith and grapefruit flavors. It's nicely balanced, with a pleasantly tart finish.
This Riesling is a beautiful rose-copper color. Fresh flavors of white stone fruit and straw on the palate, with more of the same, plus some custard or cream, on the nose. It's medium-bodied and is more elegant than it is zippy or fresh. Finishes clean, with hay and peach.
This Riesling is all about good acidity and a clean,  racy mouthfeel. Flavors are fresh but don't speak volumes—think pear skin, plus some grass. Offers nice banana, pear and dust aromas on the nose.
This Riesling is an odd one. Aromas of yeast and peach blossom come with a note of cured ham, while the palate is sticky and low in acidity. Creamy, honeyed flavors alongside green melon, vanilla and yeast finish waxy and creamy.
This Riesling is blended with both Chenin Blanc and Gewürztraminer. The residual sugar is not listed, but the flavors are definitely sweet, without  much acidity to cut through the sugary finish.
This Riesling is distinctly off-dry. It's rich with sugary orange and lime jam, white flower and mineral flavors, with the brisk acidity associated with the Arroyo Seco region. Easy to drink now.
This Riesling is fruit forward yet simple, with watered-down apricot, lime and orange fruit flavors. If sweetness is your thing, you'll find it here at an everyday price.
This Riesling is light, delicate and perfumed, revealing the minerality of the vineyard and the wine's aging potential. Keep for 5–10 years. Screwcap.
This Riesling is right on the borderline of dry/off-dry (just under 1% RS). The fruit, from cooler Willamette Valley vineyard sites, has been fermented in stainless steel and aged on its lees, yielding a wine that is thick, almost meaty. It's as sappy as a fresh peach, and finishes with crisp peach-skin phenolics. All-in-all this is a surprising wine, neither simple nor plain, but full-flavored in the comforting style that seems almost to have vanished from the Northwest.
This Riesling is slightly sweet, but it's balanced by crisp acidity. The tangerine, green apple and peach flavors have a honeyed finish.
This Riesling is smooth in the mouth, with yellow-fruit flavors and aromas—banana is particularly prevalent—and a fine dusting of chalk. Opens and closes with nice citrus accents.
This Riesling offers ripe aromas of apricot, citrus and rose petals, and flavors of peach and spice. On the palate, the ripe fruit flavors are a bit heavy, as the wine lacks the acid and balance of a great Riesling. Overall, though, a pretty wine that's both appealing and approachable.
This Riesling shows a bit of honeyed development already, hinting at orange or tangerine marmalade on the slightly abbreviated finish. Enjoy it over the next few years.
This Riesling smells slightly tropical but more like grass and asparagus. A linear body is propped up by lemony acidity, while flavors of lemon peel, tangerine and lees finish citric. Overall, this smells and tastes nothing like the Riesling most people know.
This Riesling specialist strikes a unique chord, with precise yet individualistic wines. Crisp, tart, tongue-tickling flavors of green apple, grapefruit and orange peel are among the penetrating highlights. Concentrated and high in acid, this rocks on through a long finish.
This Riesling starts out strong, with a likable tangle of apricots, peaches and apples on the nose. The palate is a bit watery, though it offers up some nice flavors of lime rind and pomelo. Short finish. Drink soon, preferably with cold roast pork.
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.
This Right Bank-styled blend includes 19% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Despite its high (15.3%) alcohol, it's a meaty, complex wine that drinks much lighter. The berry/cherry fruit flavors are woven into a tapestry of earth, herb and spice, smooth and detailed, and the wine has a mouth-pleasing seamless quality that invites another sip, and another.
This rings true as a young Ribera. It has a mild foxy/herbal hint to the black-fruit nose, while the palate is wall-to-wall plump, with flavors that don't just settle on boring. With some pepper and heft on the finish, this is good everyday stuff. Nice texture; a bit herbal.
This Rioja Baja Garnacha is earthy on the nose, with aromas of stewed berry fruits, tomato and raisin. The palate is livelier than the aromas, but this still feels a bit heavy and stewed. Flavors of vanilla, root beer and saucy berry fruits lack pop on a finish that seems to be tiring.
This Rioja opens with a jumpy, lively, candied red-fruit aroma. It feels solid, rubbery and stout, with dark fruit flavors that are accented by mild resin and butter notes. Feels a little sticky on the finish, with firm tannins.
This Rioja reserva hits all the standard checkpoints with aplomb. Earthy loamy mossy aromas of plum and berry fruits feature a hint of tobacco and vanilla. In the mouth, this is full, with round but serious tannins. Tea, wild herb, black plum and berry flavors finish with savory soupy notes and prodding tannins. Drink through 2022.
This Ripasso-method Valpolicella is aged for two years in cherry wood to add complexity and intensity to its aromatic bouquet. You'll recognize tones of cola, dark spice, mature fruit, cassis and bitter almond.
This Ripasso delivers very nice fullness and intensity with well-integrated aromas of black fruit, suede, spice, nut, cola and leather. It's soft and velvety with a clean, slightly fresh menthol close.
This Ripasso opens with a solid, direct approach spearheaded by plump aromas of cherry, chocolate and a touch of root beer. In the mouth, it shows medium structure with a clean, polished close.
This Ripasso presents an interesting nose with clove, fresh curry leaf, cherry liqueur and bitter chocolate. It's smooth and balanced with a simple but genuine delivery overall.
This ripasso shows typical aromas of plum and prune, with earthy notes of turned soil. The palate offers ripe yet retrained raspberry and strawberry sensations, along with bitter almond and baking spice accents. It's straightforward, fresh and enjoyable.
This Ripasso will appeal to those who enjoy a bold, meaty style of wine. Definitely a solid choice for grilled steak, there are bold aromas of cured beef, spice, mature fruit and old leather.
This ripe and creamy wine is both rich and fruity. With touches of tropical fruits, apricots and full acidity, it's a structured and textured wine that will be better with further aging. Drink from 2016.
This ripe and creamy wine offers a good depth of flavor. It has plenty of fresh apple flavors, although the dominant fruits are riper, richer and tangy with orange zest and apricots. To balance all this fruit, the texture is tight with a good streak of minerality to give a crisp aftertaste.
This ripe and creamy wine offers yellow fruits and a soft texture. The acidity is just right for all the rich fruit, giving a lift of citrus to the smooth texture. It is ready to drink.
This ripe and fruity wine comes from Faiveley's wholly-owned vineyard in Mercurey. A touch of tannin gives structure to the cherry fruits and ripe acidity. It's a rounded wine to drink now, but better to age until 2015.
This ripe and fruity wine from vineyards in the east of the Entre-deux-Mers region has apple, citrus and lightly herbal characteristics. Its crisp texture is refreshing. Drink now.
This ripe and fruity wine has an edge of tannins to give it structure. It's full of juicy black fruits, rich berry flavors and fresh acidity. The wine will age as the tannins round out further, so drink from 2018.
This ripe and fruity wine has just the right amount of mineral texture to give it a zesty character. It offers hints of toast, attractive juicy acidity and a lively, bright aftertaste. The wine needs to lose the slight earthy flavor from bottling that should soon blow away.
This ripe and fruity wine is as reliable as always. With soft tannins and generous red-berry flavors, it is an attractive blend of Touriga Nacional and Syrah which have been infused with Alentejo warmth. Drink now.
This ripe and fruity wine is rich and full in the mouth. It's balanced in acidity and packed with layers of yellow fruits, quince and pears. It will still develop, bringing out a fuller character. Drink from late 2015.
This ripe and fruity wine is soft, rich and full of red berry fruit. Its acidity and tangy texture combine with the fruitiness to give a full, smooth-textured sip. Drink now.
This ripe and full-bodied wine from Cristiano van Zeller is powerfully concentrated, showing all the right weight while also providing generous fruitiness. Rich black fruits and sweet tannins are layered with acidity. This is a wine for long-term aging.
This ripe and full-bodied wine has a wonderful balance between pure acidity and ripe yellow fruits. From chalk and clay soils, it's both mineral and rich, both fresh and warm. It could be drunk now, although it will be much better from 2016.
This ripe and full-bodied wine has weight as well as fine fruits. It is juicy, still fresh with its acidity and still structured. Aging for 12 months in large barrels has given an extra richness as well as broadening the fruitiness. Drink from 2019.
This ripe and full wine has hints of toast and baked bread along with rich apricot and peach flavors. The texture is warm while the aromatic aftertaste is immediately attractive.
This ripe and full wine is balanced and textured. A mineral background gives a crisp character to the ripe yellow and pear fruit flavors. With long aging on lees, the wine has weight and richness. It should be aged further and drunk from 2016.
This ripe and juicy wine holds good acidity and tannins that give it a dry core. Already balanced, it's fruity with black currants and plenty of spice. Along with its structure, it has plenty more to give in the future. The name comes from the number of barrels used for the wine. Drink from 2018.
This ripe and juicy wine is full of black currant fruit. The spice from wood aging is still upfront and needs to integrate. When it does, expect ripe fruit with a fine backdrop of structure and tannins. Drink from 2019.
This ripe and rich wine balances its wood-aging flavors with its ripe tropical fruits. Pineapple, apricots and delicious acidity are all present. It will be a rich and delicious wine, but needs time, so drink from 2020. The first harvest at this château was in 1252. The property is now owned by Bernard Magrez, a wine, art, culture and gastronomy patron.
This ripe and rich wine has firm tannins and a smooth texture, making it a tasty match for rich protein dishes. It packs plump blackberry and juicy boysenberry flavors in a blend that tastes just slightly sweet, coating the palate and lingering on the finish.
This ripe and round wine offers good balance between lychee spiciness and acidity. It is warm and soft, approachable now with its smooth texture and fresh aftertaste.
This ripe and rounded wine features soft tannins and generous fruitiness. Cherries dominate along with juicy plums, all cut by acidity. An edge of tannins give weight and a concentrated feel. Drink now, but even better wait until 2015.
This ripe and smoky wine has some firm tannins while bringing out bright berry fruits. It's smooth and balanced, the structure enough to sustain the polished surface. Acidity at the end, along with the tannins, promise aging. Drink from the end of 2015.
This ripe and smooth wine is fragrant, spicy and delicious in apricot and peach flavors. There is a crisp texture to the wine, with streaks of freshness and minerality. The finish has refreshing acidity and a salty kick, making this ideal for pairing with food.
This ripe and soft wine has a great balance between the rich red berry fruits, bright cherries and acidity. The structure is full, generous and gives the wine a comfortable feel. Acidity at the end lends a fresher aspect. Drink from 2017.
This ripe and spicy wine from the Dop family's 27 acres offers layers of black fruits. It has a concentrated texture and a firm structure that is juicy while dense. With this richness, the wine will develop into a smooth and generous wine. Drink from 2019.
This ripe and spicy wine has fine tannins and smoky wood flavors that balance its rich black fruit. That indicates it will age well—rich in both structure and fruit. Drink from 2020.
This ripe and spicy wine has rich red fruitiness that's given a twist with a touch of saltiness from the nearby sea. The wine is balanced with intense acidity, while a densely fruity character brings out minerality and a strong texture. Drink from late 2015.
This ripe and spicy wine is full-bodied and structured. Apples and yellow fruits push the wine forward with balanced acidity and a more tense background. It can be drunk now, although it will be better from 2016.
This ripe and spicy wine shows blackberry fruit and balanced wood aging. From selected parcels, it's still young and will need time. Drink from 2019.
This ripe and structured wine has a good balance between rich tannins and full, jammy red-berry fruits. It's attractive, with layers of fruit cut with acidity. Drink now.
This ripe and structured wine is poised between rich berry fruits and a solid, dark tannic core. It has great fruitiness that envelops the dry center, showing wood and spice flavors that are coming together well. Drink this fine wine from 2018.
This ripe and sweet wine has only light acidity. That gives it a soft, light character, emphasizing fruitiness rather than the wood aging of an old tawny. The aftertaste is round and soft.
This ripe blackberry-flavored wine is deliciously ready to drink. It has soft tannins and a smooth texture that is now just right. The acidity and the jammy aftertaste make the wine attractive.
This ripe blend holds 80% Baga, with the rest Merlot. The Merlot softens the firmer tannins of the Baga, giving the wine its red-fruit character with a juicy aftertaste. Drink the wine now.
This ripe blend of four grapes was aged in wood for nine months. Filled by rich blackberry fruits, the generous texture is cut by acidity. Drink this smooth wine now.
This ripe but balanced wine has ripe wood aromas and a solid tannic structure. Its black currant fruitiness is still developing, promising future juiciness. Drink from 2019.
This ripe but fresh blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Syrah and 32% Petite Sirah shows blackberry-blueberry syrup as well as cedar and smoked pork on the nose. The palate offers rich and tasty flavors of olallieberry pie cut by a graphite-driven minerality.
This ripe Cabernet brims with forward flavors of blackberries, black currants, cola and smoky oak. This is soft enough to drink now, but the firm tannins will play against a great grilled steak, especially with a blue cheese sauce.
This ripe Cabernet has an expressive roasted aroma, and the sweet black-cherry and kirsch liqueur flavors are wrapped in thick, toasty tannins. Earthy and smoky through the finish, and tannins ultimately turn a bit rough and drying.
This ripe Carignan-Garnacha from a warm year smells of prune, vanilla, cola and violet petals. The palate is open and wide, with raw tannins and a sensation of resiny oak. Flavors of black plum, red and black currants, toast and barrel spice finish toasty, chocolaty and much like coffee, with tannic grab and just enough acidity to keep things lively. Drink through 2024.
This ripe Champagne is deliciously balanced between the rich white fruits and good acidity. Zingy texture gives it a crisp edge. Full, fruity and with the ability to age, it is ready to drink.
This ripe Chardonnay has a significant amount of reserve wine from older vintages in the blend. It is on the dry side of Brut, with a mineral, steely texture. That is balanced by the maturity of this bottling, giving hints of toast and ripe, sliced apple flavors.
This ripe Chardonnay has a soft texture and only the lightest minerality. It is fresh, tangy with lemon-zest flavors and refreshing acidity. The aftertaste with a burst of crispness is particularly attractive.
This ripe Chardonnay is a successful example of its style, with honeysuckle, white peach and marshmallow aromas on the nose. The palate offers apple custard and lemon curd flavors, held together with savory smoke and sea salt aspects.
This ripe Chardonnay is smooth, showing a subtle use of wood and good acidity to balance. Creamed apple and white peach are given brightness by the acidity. The wine is ready to drink.
This ripe creamy wine has sliced apple aromas and a smooth rich palate. The wine has apple and pear flavors, generous fruit along with a tang of acidity. A full mousse adds to the general feeling of richness. Drink now.
This ripe fruity wine has soft tannins and generous berry fruit flavors. It is perfumed with mint and spice aromas that fill the glass. It's an attractive wine, juicy at the end and ready to drink.
This ripe fruity wine is bursting with young red fruits. It has a fine structure that gives a core of dryness. It also has a crisp edge that brings out the fruit and the liveliness of this attractive wine. Ready to drink now.
This ripe Grenache is full-bodied and fruit-driven, but seems to have the stuffing to last at least 3–4 years. Cherry-berry flavors are punched up by herb and spice shadings that linger on the finish.
This ripe holdover from 2006 proves that Priorat wines can age well. This wine is full of licorice, spice cake and other heady aromas, while the palate is lush and chewy, but still hanging in there. Flavors of black fruits, chocolate, burnt toast, black coffee and licorice finish dense and long. Drink now through 2020.
This ripe Malbec offers jammy blueberry aromas that hint at raisin but pull back in the nick of time. A round pulpy palate is home to black cherry, berry and plum flavors supported by loamy earthy notes. A fleshy finish isn't exact but it's friendly. Drink through 2019.
This ripe offering opens with aromas of lightly stewed black fruits and baked beans. In the mouth, it's chewy and rich, with a syrupy leaning. Flavors of oak-based hickory, toast and savory spices accent blackberry fruit, while the finish is toasty, peppery and dark in character. Drink through 2017.
This ripe offering smells of corn, baked apple and oak. It's creamy and woody in the mouth, with modest acidity. Flavors of creamed corn, caramel and soft melon finish plump, with a baked quality. It lacks vivacity.
This ripe organic wine has benefited from the fine 2016 vintage to give rich black fruit and plenty of firm tannins. At its heart are berry flavors and acidity. It will age well over the next few years. Drink from 2019.
This ripe perfumed wine has yellow fruits and soft melon flavors. It comes from the cooler north of the Alentejo, preserving crispness at the end with attractive acidity. Drink now.
This ripe perfumed wine is soft with attractive melon and kiwi fruit flavors. It is gently textured, spicy and with just enough acidity. There is a touch of pepper at the end.
This ripe Pinot is as sweetly sappy as raspberry syrup. The oak brings additional sweetness, this time of caramel and buttered toast. A little clumsy now, but might gain traction in the cellar.
This ripe rich wood-aged blend of Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon is full of juicy berry fruits and plenty of acidity. The wine is full bodied, poised and ready to drink.
This ripe rosé is warm and soft. It has a generous strawberry flavor that is just lightly touched by acidity. The aftertaste continues the soft theme and adds some pepper. It comes from a 61-acre vineyard surrounded by hills.
This ripe rounded red-fruited wine is soft and smooth. With its creamy texture and light acidity it is a fine apéritif style. The name means happy cicada, a common feature of life in Provence. Drink now.
This ripe Saint-Émilion is generous with its rounded perfumed Merlot. It gives the wine richness, juicy acidity and an open texture. Touches of tannin do bring in some structure, but the emphasis is on the fruitiness and fresh aftertaste. Drink from late 2017.
This ripe selection conveys a superb sense of balance and refinement, with forward aromas and flavors of black cherry and brambly berry framed by notes of wood spice, mocha and pressed violet. Velvety in feel, the texture is plush and seductive, with fine yet structured tannins and ample acidity to keep the palate fresh through the close. It's certainly delicious now, but this should age well through 2022.
This ripe smoky wine has fine tannins and plenty of red-berry fruits. With its acidity, dusty texture and crisp aftertaste, it is not made for long aging. Drink from 2018.
This ripe tropical-fruit style of Sauvignon Blanc is delicious. Its crisp side with some citrus is balanced by the apricot and ripe mango flavors that give the wine richness and fine perfumes. This is a food style of wine, ready to drink from 2018.
This ripe Vermentino is warm yet also has attractive, crisp fruit. Apple, pear and apricot notes give it richness, while a shot of citrus adds fine acidity. It's full bodied and will be ready to drink from 2018.
This ripe while crisp wine has juicy red fruits and lively acidity. It is softly textured, smooth and with a full, aromatic aftertaste.
This ripe wine's delicious sweetness comes from the delicious honey, ripe apricot and mango flavors. Delicate acidity is balanced against these notes, giving the palate a citrusy edge.
This ripe wine comes from organic vineyards in the village of Brochon, next to Gevrey-Chambertin. It shows plenty of structure, a tantalizing smoky character from wood aging and juicy red fruit character. This will be a delicious wine to drink from 2018.
This ripe wine comes from the wide range of private collection wines by winemaker Domingos Soares Franco. It has acidity while also showing fine perfumes and a tangy texture. The wine is full in the mouth with a warm, rich aftertaste. Drink now.
This ripe wine comes from vines from two parcels: one normally in the wine, with vines more than more than 60-years-old, the other a hilltop vineyard added in 2014. It is full of rich white fruits that skirt on the zesty side of citrus, giving a crisp edge to this otherwise full wine. It is balanced, juicy and ready to drink.
This ripe wine from a very fine vintage in Bergerac, is fully structured while also having a fine black-currant fruitiness. Half-and-half Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it has a perfumed edge along with rich juicy acidity and fruits. Drink this fine wine from late 2017.
This ripe wine from a warm year is raisiny up front, with additional scents of molasses and baked plum. Choppy, clampy tannins frame oaky flavors of red plum and raspberry, while oak spice and resiny flavors push a woody finish that includes a strong minty accent. This is 85% Monastrell and 15% Syrah.
This ripe wine from Albin Roux's estate is generous and packed with rich apricot and pear fruits. There is a steely edge to the texture, giving a final bite to the acidity of this opulent wine.
This ripe wine from the Montagne de Reims is dominated by its 75% Pinot Noir. That gives a rich wine, full of ripe berry and citrus fruits and with a strong edge of tannin and minerality. It is young—a vintage that needs to age. Drink this firm, youthful wine from 2019.
This ripe wine from the Siozard family has a smooth texture. It has some spice, rich apple and apricot fruits and touches of more tropical fruits. While the wine is full in the mouth, it still guards some attractive freshness. Drink now.
This ripe wine fully expresses the fruitiness of the vintage while also having a firm, tannic structure. It does need to age, although juicy black currant is already showing through. Wait until 2017.
This ripe wine has a full-bodied character that is then cut with acidity. It's juicy and fruity, with a good depth of flavor. The texture is firm, still young and needing until 2015 to age.
This ripe wine has currant aromas and a soft texture offering perfumed pears and ripe apricots. It's richly endowed, rounded with a layer of acidity at the end. Drink now.
This ripe wine has good acidity that thrusts through the rich yellow fruits. It is ready to drink, with its tangy acidity and warm apricot and peach flavors.
This ripe wine has jammy red fruit flavors. The fruitiness is given structure by the stalky tannins and the dry, wood-aging flavors. Black cherries and juicy black currants show strongly. It needs to age, so drink from 2016.
This ripe wine has light tannins to go with its red currant and blackberry fruits. The blend is 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. It is developing fast. With its acidity and gentle tannins it will be ready from 2017.
This ripe wine has rich black fruits, a smoky character and a rounded, full-bodied texture. The old vines bring concentration, while the acidity gives freshness and drinkability now.
This ripe wine has rich white stone fruit and only light acidity. The warmth of the wine comes from the ripeness and the smooth texture that will allow it to age quickly. Drink now.
This ripe wine has spice as well as red-berry fruits. Good acidity combines with light tannins to deliver a balanced wine with a mineral edge that should age for a few more months. Drink from 2017.
This ripe wine has tropical fruits, pineapple and apricots as well as a fresher lime character. The wine is rounded with a crisper edge. Drink now.
This ripe wine is already delicious with its full, bold fruits and peach and mango flavors. It's full of rich fruits and touched lightly by spice. Drink this generous wine from 2018.
This ripe wine is attractively fruity. It has generous tannins that are balanced by black fruit. While not very powerful or dense, it's easy and will be ready to open from 2019.
This ripe wine is concentrated in blackberry tones, with added spice from 12 months in French and American oak. The tannins and the dry core are still developing into what will be a sumptuous wine. Drink from 2019.
This ripe wine is dense with firm tannins and bright with red-berry fruits. Dominated by 60% rich Merlot, it is structured while never losing sight of its fruit and spice. The wine is still developing, so don't drink before 2018.
This ripe wine is firm, with a core of dry tannins. Over this are delicious, juicy red-berry fruit flavors and acidity. The wine is still softening out, with fruit coming forward. It will be ready to drink from 2017. The property has been in the family for six generations; Robert Filliatreau is the current owner. Wine is vinified by Châteaux Solidaires co-operative.
This ripe wine is fruity, with both citrus and tropical flavors. Light and bright, with a crisp, tangy texture, it's ready to drink.
This ripe wine is full of apple and pear fruit with a touch of citrus. It is full, the acidity just pointing up the richness. There are almond flavors as well as spice from the wood aging. Drink from 2018.
This ripe wine is full of apple fruits with a tight streak of citrus acidity. It's a food wine, showing a creamy texture, a light texture and attractive acidity.
This ripe wine is full of citrus fruit, gooseberry flavors and fully integrated acidity. The crisp background is beginning to fill out and soften. Attractive freshness contrasts with the rich fruits and spice aftertaste.
This ripe wine is full of minerality and rich white and yellow fruit. Still young, it's deliciously creamy and bright, showing great potential for aging into something serious. Drink from 2020.
This ripe wine is full of the fruit that's typical of the vintage, with its bursts of red berry flavor and layers of wood. It has a crisp edge from plenty of acidity and a good concentration that gives it the weight it needs. Drink from 2020.
This ripe wine is full of tropical and citrus fruits, with some extra weight from the hint of wood. Fine and balanced, it reveals the smooth richness of 100% Sémillon.
This ripe wine is intense and full bodied, with sultry layers of baked apple and peach. A flinty note marks the finish.
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.
This ripe wine is smooth and creamy, fresh with acidity and rich with red fruits. Open and generous, it will make a great apéritif.
This ripe wine is smooth and rounded. Its melon and pear flavors give a generous, fruity character. Clean and crisp at the end, finished with acidity, it is ready to drink.
This ripe wine is still young. It has a taut texture that's dominated by the lively white fruit and crisp acidity. There's a mineral streak that cuts through the wine to give a steely texture that will soften over the next year. Drink from the end of 2018.
This ripe wine offers aromas of mature plum, blackberry, raisin and mocha. The soft palate doles out fleshy black cherry, blackberry and a hint of cinnamon alongside smooth but fleeting tannins.
This ripe wine offers flavors of Williams pear and honey as well as citrus and herbal characteristics. It is full while cut with orange zest and spiciness. The wine is refreshing, sophisticated and likely to age well. Drink now and until 2020.
This ripe wine offers great balance between the rich, structured Pinot Noir and the mineral Chardonnay. From a very fine vintage, it reveals intense flavors, layers of ripe apple and a taut texture that promises further aging. The wine can be drunk now, but it will be so much better from 2018.
This ripe wine offers swathes of red fruits and soft tannins. The structure is well embedded in the juicy red-cherry flavors that are further lifted by acidity. It's an attractive, smooth wine that will be ready from 2017.
This ripe wine offers yellow fruit and a generous texture. A touch of pepper accompanies the acidity, fruits and full-bodied structure. Drink this rich wine from 2017.
This ripe wine opens with a fragrance of mature red and black berry, clove and black pepper. These carry over to the warm palate alongside brooding and tightly-knit tannins. It has a forward character and soft acidity so enjoy this now and over the next few years.
This ripe wine opens with aromas of stewed black fruit, underbrush, prune, and a just whiff of farmyard. The palate reveals nearly overripe black cherry, cinnamon and clove alongside bracing, astringent tannins.
This ripe wine shows a good balance between its rich black fruits and the densely tannic structure. It is still young and for now the wine is firm and dry. The ripe fruit will blossom over the next few years to give warmth and richness. Drink from 2018.
This ripe wine shows plenty of blackberry fruits balanced well with some dry tannins. It is fresh, juicy with plenty of acidity, For a light vintage, it's perfumed, full of fresh flavors and will be ready to drink from 2017.
This ripe wine with acidity and citrus flavors has an attractive mineral texture and lively acidity. It is crisp with a fine tang of orange and lemon zest. Drink now.
This ripe wine with its red fruits and well-balanced texture is beautifully ready to drink, with just the right crisp acidity to balance the soft richness. There is no sign yet of maturity, the fruit from this great vintage showing at its perfumed best. Drink the wine now.
This ripe wine with open fruits has 40% Cabernet Franc in the blend, which lends an attractive perfumed character and gives the wine rich character and fruitiness. It will age for a few more years and be ready to drink from 2017.
This ripe wine, from young vines, has softened its Sauvignon Blanc herbal character and developed ripe apricots and a delicious richness. The wood-aging shows, although not so as to hide the fruit and the tighter, nervy texture. Still developing, it will be best from 2018.
This ripe wine, full of black fruits, is juicy, rich and ready to drink. Packed with fruit and acidity, it is balanced and smooth. It takes its name from the small town of Murça to the north of the main Douro region.
This ripe yet varietally true style features scents of baked pear, ripe melon, cinnamon and allspice. This is plump but lacking true depth, finishing short.
This ripe young wine, with its blueberry aroma and spicy palate, is dense and concentrated. It shows the richness of the vintage yet also offers juicy acidity to balance its black plum fruit. Drink from 2019.
This ripe, all-fruit wine tastes unoaked because a lush blend of apple, peach and pear crowds the aromas, and more of the same fruitiness expands in the flavors. The mouthfeel is especially gentle, and the finish almost sweet.
This ripe, almond- and pear-flavored wine has a fine balancing structure of green fruit skins. It's certainly rich, but it also has elegance, restraining its exuberance through the finishing acidity, which promises 5–7 years' aging.
This ripe, attractive wine leads with notes of red and black cherries, dried sage, crushed violets and pipe smoke on the fragrant, herbal nose. Once sipped, it's light and lofty for such a dense-smelling wine, with well-spiced cherry flavors and easy-to-enjoy tannins on the palate.
This ripe, balanced and mature wine is ready to drink. It has rich flavors of white fruits as well as more tropical hints. A pure line of acidity cuts through the riper fruit flavors and leaves a crisp texture with orange-zest flavor at the end.
This ripe, balanced wine is structured and packed with fruit. The firm tannins of Tannat are given a perfumed lift by Cabernet Franc, filling the palate with blackberry fruit and fine, balanced acidity. It's still young and bursting with fruit, ready to drink from 2018.
This ripe, black-fruit-flavored wine is concentrated and intense. Big, bold tannins partner with rich blackberry and black-plum fruits. The weight is balanced by acidity and bright fruit at the end. Drink this wine now.
This ripe, black-fruited wine is based mainly on Merlot and Abouriou. Full of juicy flavors with soft tannins, it's rich and ready to drink, and makes a great barbecue wine.
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 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 ripe, bold wine is rich in black fruits. They cushion the naturally prominent tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional that form part of the blend. It is a solid effort, juicy and ready to drink.
This ripe, boldly made wine offers a rich tease of Dr Pepper that pleases the palate, before complex characteristics takes over. Black tea, forest floor, currant and spicy acidity are memorably interwoven with dense black fruit.
This ripe, charred, dark-as-night Malbec captures the lush essence of Argentina at its finest. Deep aromas of licorice, blackberry, coffee and toast set up a full, layered palate, with vanilla, baking spice, black plum and blackberry flavors. A lusty finish with licorice, mocha and tobacco notes is generous and dandy. Drink through 2023.
This ripe, cherry-flavored wine has touches of toasty spice from wood aging. It's smooth and soft, with juicy acidity that offsets its rounded texture.
This ripe, complex wine offers a delicate combination of apple, lemon and honey, with a mineral texture. Balanced already although likely to age well, it is full of fruit, with a more steely texture at the end. Drink now for the fruit, but it will be better to wait until 2018.
This ripe, concentrated and structured wine is produced from old vines. Blackberry fruits and rich tannins give it a dry core. The acidity and the final balance suggest that this wine should age further. Drink from late 2017.
This ripe, concentrated wine brings out the fruit of the vintage, ripe blackberries and currants. Tannins integrate well into the fruity character of the wine. Black cherry acidity comes through strongly at the end.
This ripe, concentrated wine has rounded tannins plus a structure that gives weight as well as richness. It comes from vines close to Morey Saint-Denis. The richness promises good aging. Drink from 2017.
This ripe, concentrated wine is full of tannins and ripe blackberry fruit. It is still youthfully dry, but shows the potential to develop for 3–5 years.
This ripe, creamy wine contains the rare Vital in the blend. That grape gives crisp, tight acidity while the Chardonnay brings out the smoother, richer side of this balanced and fruity wine. Drink now.
This ripe, creamy wine has apricot flavors laced with citrus acidity. Lightly textured, it is still developing and needs to age for the next few months. Drink from the end of 2016.
This ripe, crisp and intensely fruity wine does have a touch of tannin, inevitable with Cabernet Franc, but it is really all about red fruits and refreshing acidity. Drink now.
This ripe, crisp wine features swathes of red currants and cherries. The fruitiness is balanced by good acidity and by a final, mineral texture that gives the wine balance. Drink now.
This ripe, dark Maipo Syrah opens with slightly generic aromas of blackberry and black cherry. Rich, resiny and creamy on the palate, this tastes oaky at first; next come roasted spicy blackberry flavors in front of a minty finish with wood-spice notes and barrel-related tannins. Drink through 2021.
This ripe, deliciously fruity wine has red plum and black currant fruits along with fragrant acidity and a gently tannic structure. It will be ready to drink from 2017. Canadian David Curl purchased Moya in 2008; Damien Landouar is the winery director. The vineyard was certified organic in 2013.
This ripe, earthy wine with spice delivers a lightly tannic character. Rich, it's made to go with food, full of red-berry fruits and acidity. The aftertaste has a tangy, peppery edge.
This ripe, easygoing red offers fruity yet fleeting aromas and flavors of fleshy black cherry and baked plum. It's made to be drunk young so enjoy now.
This ripe, fresh wine packs a punch of fruit. It's well structured and lightly mineral at the back. Swathes of apple, citrus and pink grapefruit occupy the foreground of this impressive wine that is ready for drinking.
This ripe, fruity and perfumed wine is delicious. Juicy red and black fruits ooze from every part of its smoky structure. It comes from vines on a small plateau called Pisse-Vieille in Brouilly. The wine is ready to drink for its fruity pleasure.
This ripe, fruity and structured wine is still young and the tannins need time to round out. However, it is already rich, with juicy red fruits and a core of fragrant acidity. The wine is dense and worth aging. Drink from 2017.
This ripe, fruity blend of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro is zesty and lightly spicy, with a warm, ripe character. The strawberry fruit is laced with acidity, allowing the smooth texture to shine. Drink now.
This ripe, fruity wine delivers tropical fruit, apricot and white plum flavors. Its warm acidity leaves a rounded, creamy aftertaste.
This ripe, fruity wine has a hint of wood, fine acidity, a soft, creamy texture and an attractive burst of lime juice flavor. The finish is warm and rich, marked by good acidity.
This ripe, fruity wine has attractive acidity that's balanced with yellow fruit and apple notes. It shows a bright character, with some good intensity of flavor and a crisp, refreshing finish.
This ripe, fruity wine has both freshness and a warmer, rounded character. Apricot and fresh white peach fruits are filled out with almond flavors as well as acidity. It's a wine to enjoy now, although it will be better from 2016
This ripe, fruity wine has soft tannins and a generous, warm character that makes it already drinkable. Better, however, to wait until its full potential is realized, from 2019.
This ripe, fruity wine has soft tannins and red-berry flavors. With just a touch of spice, it is ready to drink.
This ripe, fruity wine is developing a fine balance between fruit and structure. Its black currant flavors are bright, juicy and crisp, sustained by a core of dryness and delicious acidity. It will benefit from another year of age, so wait until late 2018 before drinking.
This ripe, fruity wine is full of red fruit flavors. It has spice, attractive tannic structure and ample acidity. With its balance coming together, the wine will be ready to drink from 2017.
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.
This ripe, fruity, rounded wine has a soft texture, rich apricot fruit and just enough acidity. The texture is immediately attractive—fruity with a touch of crispness at the end. Drink now.
This ripe, full-bodied rosé is made from 100% rich, perfumed Touriga Nacional. Good balance between ripe strawberry fruits and the crisp acidity make it both fruity and warm. Drink now.
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.
This ripe, full-bodied wine is made from biodynamically grown grapes. Although rich, it has enough acidity to keeps it crisp and fruity. The wine is balanced and delicious, ready to drink now.
This ripe, full and structured wine is developing well. Rich, dark fruits come complete with juicy acidity and a complex, dense texture. Structure and fruit together promise aging and this wine will be ready to drink in 2016.
This ripe, full wine has an attractive spice and toast character. Warm yellow fruits and a rich feel indicate the generous, rounded potential. The wine has a crisp side as well as a mineral touch. Drink now, but better from 2017.
This ripe, full wine has both great minerality and rich white fruits that are aromatic as well as very fresh. The fruits are laced with citrus to give a complex wine that deserves aging. Drink from 2017.
This ripe, full wine has layers of green fruits over the acidity and mineral texture. It is structured and shows plenty of tight texture. But the fruitiness dominates, giving a refreshing edge and a crisp aftertaste.
This ripe, full, almost toasty wine tastes of tropical fruit and spice, giving it an exotic feel. At the same time, the right amount of acidity acts as a fine balance. This concentrated wine, medium-sweet in style, should be aged for 2–3 years.
This ripe, generous wine is full of the bold red fruits of this fine vintage. It also has structure, spicy wood flavors and a rich, full character. With its juicy acidity in the background and its impressive density, the wine is going to age a little longer. It will be best from late 2018.
This ripe, generous wine made from 70% Viognier is full of apricot and apple flavors. Its bright acidity and touch of spice make it refreshing and ready to drink.
This ripe, healthy wine offers aromas of baked black fruits, licorice and raisin. In the mouth, it's more vital than on the nose; racy acidity and firm but pure tannins make sure of that. For flavors, look for savory tomato, plum, berry fruits, licorice and schisty minerality. Finishing notes of mocha, plum and coffee are braced by hard-driving tannins. Drink through 2024.
This ripe, honeyed wine is very rich and smooth. Apricot and mango flavors dominate. Balance comes with the final tang of lemon zest acidity.
This ripe, jammy wine is all about fruit. Its red berry flavors burst from the glass and are gently backed by tannins. It is already attractive, ripe and full. Drink from 2019.
This ripe, juicy and fruity wine has plenty of tannins, although they have easily integrated into the black fruits and fresh acidity. The wine is already surprisingly balanced, so although it will improve with age, it can be enjoyed now.
This ripe, juicy and smoky wine is rich in black fruit. It's structured and full, the fruit layered with wood. Perfumed now, it promises a good future ahead. Drink from 2021.
This ripe, juicy red opens with aromas of mature berry, fragrant blue flower and a hint of dried herb. The easygoing palate doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry and star anise alongside round tannins. It's already reached its peak drinking window so enjoy soon.
This ripe, juicy wine has flavors of spice and black cherry, along with soft tannins. Fruity and ready to drink, it has a bright line of acidity.
This ripe, juicy wine is already attractive and perfumed. Its tannins and wood-aging flavors give weight to its fruit. Spicy and full of black cherry and berry flavors, it's bold and will be ready to drink from 2019.
This ripe, juicy wine is full of rich tannins that are seamlessly integrated into its generous black fruit. It shows spice from wood aging, jammy fruitiness and balanced acidity. Ready to drink now for its delicious fruit, it will continue to develop until 2024.
This ripe, juicy wine is packed with red fruit. Its tannins are already soft, suggesting it will age quickly. With its crisp aftertaste and plenty of fruitiness, it will be best from 2019.
This ripe, juicy wine offers blackberry flavors and young acidity. It is developing balance, fresh fruits and supporting tannins. The structure is integrating into the fruit, which will dominate if you wait to drink until 2017. The blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.
This ripe, juicy wine offers immediately attractive red-berry fruits. With deep color from the red-juice Alicante Bouschet, the wine is perfumed and generous. Acidity gives a final lift.
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.
This ripe, juicy wine will develop quickly. Its tannins are there but already well integrated with the red cherry fruit and acidity. It's bright and ready to drink from 2019.
This ripe, lightly tannic wine has black fruit and a touch of spice. Its soft, rounded character makes it immediately drinkable, with a lift of acidity on the finish.
This ripe, lively wine is bursting with red fruits. Crisp and clean, it features a light mineral character that gives it tight texture balanced by refreshing raspberry and orange flavors. The aftertaste shines with crisp acidity.
This ripe, lovely wine shows classic Russian River Valley aromas of ripe, sweet, green apples. The winemaking adds smoky, vanilla-scented oak, a creamy, leesy smoothness and a rich softness that owes to malolactic fermentation. What strikes you, though, is the balance. All the parts come together in this super-enjoyable wine. At this price, it's a great value.
This ripe, mature wine is rich, smooth and full in the mouth. Fruit grown in the Château d'Aulnaye vineyard gives the wine a rounded character, with hints of tropical fruits as well as peaches, and a complex aftertaste. Drink now.
This ripe, medium-sweet Champagne is balanced and attractively fruity. It offers good contrast between acidity, rich apple and pear flavors, and a modicum of sweetness. It would work well as an apéritif or with some fish dishes.
This ripe, Merlot-dominated wine offers bold tannins and black plum-skin fruitiness. It has spice, toastiness from wood aging and the potential of a ripe and generous character. It is firm at this stage and needs to age, so drink from 2017.
This ripe, modern red shows all the positives of Toro and the 2009 vintage. Lusty, exuberant aromas of black fruits, vanilla and pipe tobacco are highly appealing, while the palate is muscular and tannic yet balanced. Blackberry, cassis, chocolate and lemon flavors finish firm and bold. Drink through 2020.
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.
This ripe, oak-aged wine has smooth tannins and rich black fruit. It's balanced between rich fruitiness and structure. Half Touriga Nacional and half Cabernet Sauvignon, the combination imparts a delicious, full-bodied aftertaste. Drink now.
This ripe, perfumed wine is an opulent blend of Touriga Nacional with smaller proportions of Tinta Roriz and Alfrocheiro. It is juicy, ripe, concentrated and dense, with abundant black fruits. This harmonious wine could age a little longer and will be at its best from 2018.
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.
This ripe, polished blend combines Zinfandel's spicy, briary quality with Syrah's peppery nobility. The wine is soft in both acids and tannins, and very flavorful, with exotic tastes of raspberries, root beer, chocolate mint and raisins.
This ripe, raisin- and perfumed black fruit-flavored wine shows dusty tannin character as well as intriguingly old-fashioned leather and high acidity. In a traditional mold, this works deliciously, making it a fine food wine.
This ripe, rich and Merlot-dominated wine comes from the western section of Lalande de Pomerol. Juicy black-fruit flavors are lifted by acidity and given structure by the firm wood-aging texture. The wood needs to integrate with the fruit, so drink from 2018.
This ripe, rich and soft wine has a good balance between its apple fruit flavors and crisper lemon and gooseberry. The definite tang to the aftertaste gives a great lift. Drink from 2017.
This ripe, rich wine can't quite get around its alcohol level, which is 15.8%. That gives it some heat, as well as a sweetness that makes the blackberries, cherries and raspberries taste like jam. Earns points for the clean, unapologetic interpretation of Paso Robles fruit.
This ripe, rich wine has solid tannins and still-young blackberry fruit. Although a basic Bordeaux, it is extra rich and extracted and, surprisingly, needs to age. Drink from 2019.
This ripe, rich wine is full of fruit. Sweet tannins have merged with the blackberry fruits, making it structured and dense. Spice, balancing acidity and a dark, firm aftertaste all promise further aging. Drink from 2018.
This ripe, rich, almost decadently thick wine is about as close as a Washington vintner can come to the decadently ripe style of the cultish Bordeaux blends of California. Along with the unctuous New World fruit, sap and flesh, there are thick, ripe tannins and a vivid acid underpinning. It drinks well right out of the bottle, the flavors beautifully wrapped together, mixing black fruits, black olives, herb and earth, smoke and coffee and toast.
This ripe, semisweet wine has oodles of fruit flavors, full body and a richness that's well suited for chocolate desserts or a cheese course.
This ripe, smoky wine is full of black fruits and soft, generous tannins. It is rich, juicy with black plum juice and berry jelly flavors that are still young and fresh. Age this wine until 2017.
This ripe, smoky wine is structured, full of new oak flavors and dense with both fruit and tannins. Its concentrated, bold blackberry flavors and firm tannins mix with smoky wood notes and acidity. Drink from 2020.
This ripe, smooth and creamy wine conveys flavors of tropical fruits, apricots and ripe pears. A lightly toasty character gives some spice and richness to the fruitiness. The wine is ready to drink, full of fruit and freshness at the end.
This ripe, smooth and generous wine also has a good sense of elegance. Acidity, ripe berry and plum fruits and a core of tannins all hang together well to give a wine that's both dense and sophisticated. Drink from 2016.
This ripe, smooth and lightly toasty wine is a rich product of this warm vintage for whites. Yellow and ripe melon fruits are balanced by sufficient crisp acidity to give the wine a bright edge. Drink from 2018.
This ripe, smooth wine is juicy with attractive red fruits. A barnyard character at the back spoils the natural fruitiness. Tannins and blackberry flavors provide a happier finish.
This ripe, smoothly textured wine is rich with apricot and white-peach fruits. Light wood flavors add spice and fill out the texture. With its generous weight, the wine is going to be full and ripe from 2018.
This ripe, soft selection is full of fresh white fruit and apricot flavors. An apéritif style, it's warm and fruity, its tight acidity balanced by the rich aftertaste.
This ripe, soft wine comes from a company based in Régua in the western end of the Douro vineyards. With light tannins that are dominated by the bold berry fruits, the wine is generous and full bodied. Acidity at the end will make this an impressive, balanced wine from 2019.
This ripe, soft wine has gentle tannins under the rich red-berry fruits, with an attractive smoky edge from the wood aging. Drink this fruity wine from 2019.
This ripe, soft wine is well balanced and offers attractive fruitiness. The creamy mousse and acidity bring richness and a fresh character. With its finely judged dosage, not too dry, not too sweet, the wine is very ready to drink.
This ripe, spicy blend of Niellucciu and Grenache has a rich while also fruity character. The tannins are generous, warm and allow the fruit and acidity to express themselves. It will be ready to drink from 2017.
This ripe, spicy wine offers apple, pear and apricot flavors, giving ripeness and warm juicy acidity. The wine is smooth and rounded, with a crisp aftertaste. Drink now.
This ripe, spicy wine offers strong wood flavors as well as bold red fruits, accompanied by acidity and rich tannins. Drink now.
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.
This ripe, strawberry-flavored blend of Touriga Nacional, Aragonez and Merlot is soft and smooth. It is rounded with an almost-sweet fruitiness. Drink now.
This ripe, structured blend of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional is full of black fruits. The texture behind the tannins is smooth with an immediate juicy character. There is a perfumed, ripe aftertaste that makes the wine ready to drink now.
This ripe, structured wine is full of cherry flavors and crisp acidity. Spice and dark chocolate notes make an appearance, but the wine is mainly about perfumed fruit.
This ripe, sun-drenched blend of Nero d'Avola, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon delivers generous tones of leather, tobacco, licorice, cassis berry, dried hay and spice. It has thick, dark concentration and a long finish.
This ripe, sweet-fruited wine is soft and quite mature. Red fruits have developed into a smooth and round texture with a delicate mushroom character. Drink now.
This ripe, sweet-tasting wine balances a new wood note against a red berry flavor. It's opulent, rich and generous, a delicious powerhouse of sumptuous flavors. It can be enjoyed soon, and it can age for many years.
This ripe, sweet wine is rich and full of dried and fresh fruit flavors. It is spicy, with a touch of spirit on the palate as well as bold black-plum fruit, dense tannins and a sweet aftertaste. Drink from 2017.
This ripe, tasty wine smells like smoke and black pepper, tastes like blackberries and pomegranate juice and has a hint of sweetness to round off any sharp edges. This is medium bodied, deep in color, firmly tannic and well concentrated in flavor.
This ripe, tropical fruit-driven style of Sauvignon Blanc from the south of France is tangy and ready to drink.
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 ripe, warm wine is balanced between rich fruits and acidity. A lightly toasty edge accompanies ripe apricot and pear flavors. The acidity is just in balance, giving an attractive edge. Drink from 2018.
This ripe, wood-aged wine comes from the plateau above the Douro Valley. It has a cool, mineral character that suits it well. Fresh with acidity and tight with its chalky texture, it's a delicious wine to drink now, fruity, tangy and complex.
This ripe, wood-aged wine has fragrant red-cherry flavors and good acidity. It's still young, so it does have some bitterness, although the rich fruits and structure all point to a good future. Drink from 2017.
This ripe, wood-aged wine is generous and smooth. Spice and toastiness are balanced by the apricot and citrus fruits. One gives richness, the other crispness. It is a wine with a future. Drink from 2020.
This ripe, wooded Chardonnay fits most consumers' expectations, delivering hints of smoke, peach and citrus fruit in a rounded, lush format. Fine for summertime sipping.
This ripe, yellow-fruit-flavored wine has a smooth, rich texture. Full and flavorsome, it conveys a ripe, nutty character. The wine with its warm fruitiness is ready to drink.
This Riserva's shy nose eventually reveals black-skinned fruit and a whiff of baking spice, while the palate offers straightforward plum and clove flavors. It's easy-drinking and has mellow tannins.
This Riserva Amarone shows a meaty, bold, sweet and jammy personality with loads of aromatic intensity. It's almost too much of a good thing with overripe flavors of prune and berry marmalade.
This Riserva Amarone shows drying aromas of polished mineral, ash, smoke, dried fruit and black licorice. There's a touch of sweetness on the close followed by brown sugar and teriyaki sauce. Drink now.
This Riserva Barbaresco from the warm 2005 vintage delivers subtle hints of wild berry and cassis backed by white truffle and earthy tones. At the far back are aromas of dried beef or smoked ham and the wine would pair well with veal in cream sauce. The acidity and tannins should keep your palate refreshed.
This Riserva Barbaresco hits a home run thanks to the pretty richness of its fruit and spice tones and the elegant aromatic accents offered in the form of violet, cola and licorice. The wine shows dark concentration, velvety richness and a sweet milk chocolate finish.
This Riserva Barolo offers a unique perspective on the Nebbiolo grape. There's a ton of natural spice in this expression but it's not the obvious vanilla and clove. Instead, this wine delivers dried currant, licorice, anise, earth and sweet cherry. It has a round, velvety feel and a soft finish. It's ready to drink now or could age more.
This Riserva blend of Negroamaro, Montepulciano and Malvasia Nera delivers very ripe and rich notes of strawberry jam and fruit preserves. The mouthfeel is polished and well-structured, but the wine exhibits a mature taste profile.
This Riserva boasts deep, rich concentration and its oak tones of spice, leather and toasted nut give the wine an opulent, sophisticated twist. There's meaty density here in the form of chewy cherry and long-lasting fruit flavors that are backed by smooth tannins and solid structure.
This Riserva Brunello delivers savory, brambly characteristics of moist earth and pressed blue flowers backed by forest berry and black cherry flavors. The mouthfeel is compact and clean with crisp acidity on the close.
This Riserva Brunello offers excellent dimension and depth thanks to its vibrant aromas of ripe cherry, natural rubber, cola, molasses and exotic spice. The wine is chewy with thick pulp and sweet tannins.
This riserva Brunello offers plenty of dark intensity and fruity concentration with tones of tobacco, cassis, plum, cigar box and blackberry preserves. The thickness and fullness of the bouquet is broken down by the freshness of the mouthfeel and those dry, elegant tannins.
This Riserva Brunello shows sharp, brambly characteristics of forest berry and white cherry. Although the nose is prickly and awkward, the wine wins points in the mouth thanks to its softness and plushness.
This Riserva Brunello shows the elegant and slightly astringent characteristics associated with the 2006 vintage. The wine is streamlined and tight with bright berry, cassis, cherry cola and licorice aromas. Let it age 5–10 years.
This Riserva Chianti Classico has started to show tertiary aromas of tar, resin and dried tobacco backed by prune and black fruit. It's a smooth and sophisticated wine with a polished touch of drying mineral on the close.
This Riserva Chianti Classico is exactly the kind of wine you'll want to pair with grilled sausage and white beans or lamb chops with rosemary marinade. It offers bright fruit tones backed by crisp acidity and medium structure.
This Riserva Chianti Classico opens with earthy, gritty aromas of forest floor, wild mushroom and deep, dark berry fruit. It shows a layered, sophisticated side of Sangiovese with lingering spice and cola on the close.
This Riserva Chianti Classico shows simple sweet cherry flavors packed within a clean, polished package. It's an easygoing wine that would pair with light meat or chicken dishes.
This Riserva Chianti Rufina offers clean, crisp aromas of wild berry and white cherry with distant renderings of spice and earth in the background. Pair this wine with roast chicken or pork.
This riserva delivers savory aromas of cured meat, leather and rum cake followed by fresh berry tones of cherry and wild blackberry. The complexity is excellent and the wine finishes with bright acidity and fine tannins.
This Riserva does a really nice job of blending dry mineral elements with succulent slices of red berry and wild strawberries. It's a bright tasting wine with a good level of acidity and fresh fruit to keep it lively and refreshing in the mouth.
This Riserva expression of Chianti Classico reveals ripe richness and plush layers of blackberry, cherry, spice, leather and tobacco. Smooth tannins and a compact texture would match white meat or pork.
This Riserva expression of Merlot from cool-climate Alto Adige delivers fantastic intensity and purity. The aromas of cherry, spice, leather and red rose are chiseled and crisp. The wine is soft and velvety in the mouth with a long parade of berry fruit flavors on the long finish. Serve this wine with sophisticated meat dishes or cellar age five to ten more years.
This Riserva from Calabria offers sweet aromas of Christmas spice and candied fruit backed by tobacco and tealeaf. It also offers earthy flavors of ripe fruit and prunes and ends with slightly astringent and sour tannins. Pair it with something sweet such as pasta with gorgonzola or piquant cheese.
This riserva from one of Barolo's most celebrated vineyards doesn't disappoint, even in the scorching 2007 vintage. It delivers succulent black cherry, herb and spearmint sensations along with brooding tannins and just enough freshness.
This riserva from the Rufina region (from old vines) shows bright acidity and very fine nuances of forest berry, cranberry, white almond and blue flowers. There's a medicinal element that recalls cola or chopped herbs on the close.
This Riserva is measured in terms of its aromatic intensity and although it does deliver cherry, spice and warm notes of leather and almond, it does so in a very understated manner. The more you get to know it in the glass, the more you can identify delicate floral and ethereal aromas that point to a traditional Chianti Classico style. Sharp acidity and bright fruit flavors tell the same story in the mouth.
This riserva is silky, firm and polished, with bright fruit nuances of wild berry, almond skin, cola and lingering menthol overtones. The mouthfeel is bright and crisp, with a very fine, smooth texture. Dusty mineral notes appear on the finish.
This Riserva Montepulciano may be an acquired taste to some but it definitely opens a fascinating window onto the potential of wine from Italy's Adriatic Coast. It offers big, round consistency with bold black fruit, spice and black chewing tobacco.
This Riserva Morellino offers a wonderful bouquet of bright cherry, mature blackberry, plum and light spice. You feel the warm sunshine of southern Tuscany here thanks to the wine's natural thickness and intensity.
This Riserva Nebbiolo delivers a compact, streamlined style with crisp freshness that drives aromas of forest berry and cassis. The wine shows a dry, austere style with a slightly gritty texture.
This Riserva opens with a garnet color and browning edges, followed by sophisticated aromas of old spice, cola, licorice and tar. The wine treads over the palate in light, delicate steps and leaves loads of menthol and eucalyptus-like intensity. Hold five years or more.
This riserva opens with a textured, granular mouthfeel that is packed tight with leather, tobacco, dried berry and cola flavors. The close is fresh and menthol-driven.
This riserva opens with intense tones of ripe cherry, chocolate, leather and light spice. The palate feels firm and smooth, with mild tannins and a rich, velvety texture.
This Riserva Pinot Bianco boasts inviting aromas of almond nut, stone fruit, honey and roasted chestnuts. The wine is full and round with thick density and a blast of mature fruit on the close. Pair it with duck or pork-based dishes.
This Riserva red wine from Puglia represents an 80-20 blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera and delivers a rich bouquet with a spicy oak element backed by loads of mature black fruit or candied cherry. It's a bold, ripe, chewy wine with tons of raisin and dried prune on the close.
This Riserva Roero is a low-key wine with subtle fruit and spice characteristics wrapped around a thin, streamlined mouthfeel. The best thing to do with a wine like this is pair it with a sweetish, fatty food such as oil roasted tomatoes stuffed with herbs and breadcrumbs.
This Riserva Sangiovese from Central Italy opens with sweet notes of candied fruit and cherry followed by a light and lean feeling in the mouth. Try pairing it with a simple pizza marinara (with tomato, garlic and oregano).
This Riserva Sangiovese opens with warming notes of black cherry, blackberry pie, exotic spice, leather and moist pipe tobacco. The wine shows fine tannins and a rich feel overall.
This Riserva Serraboella Barbaresco from the tricky 2005 vintage shows nice concentration and density backed by generous aromas of smoke, ripe cherry and smoked ham. There's a touch of overripe or candied fruit that only helps add to the overall intensity. In the mouth, this wine is silky and very smooth.
This riserva shows bright cherry fruit and enough natural freshness to guarantee successful cellar aging. Prune, plum, spice and leather give way to dark concentration and richness. On the close, the wine delivers loads of cherry, licorice and menthol nuances.
This riserva shows clean, polished lines, and it offers bright nuances of cherry, blackberry, leather and moist earth. The mouthfeel is crisp but powerful, and there's a lingering sensation of forest berry and chopped herb on the finish.
This riserva shows initial prune and tobacco aromas followed by dark cherry, blackberry and coffee flavors. The palate is lean and restrained, with smooth tannins and mineral notes. Showing the forward nature of the vintage, this is already drinking well and should be enjoyed soon.
This riserva shows ripe aromas of plum and wild cherry accompanied by notes of underbrush and oak. It has lush black-cherry, raspberry, mint and cinnamon flavors, and hints of vanilla and chocolate. It's enjoyable now, thanks to the soft, round tannins and easygoing palate.
This Riserva shows sweet ripe fruit, with rum cake, blackberry jam and cinnamon-cream notes. Some bright cherry and prune accents also appear.
This riserva shows tertiary aromas of leather and tobacco, behind notes of dried fruit and cassis. Also recognizable are bright tones of licorice and dried ginger that give the wine its lively personality. Drink now.
This riserva stands out for the intensity and purity of its characteristic Brunello aromas. There's dark cherry, dried rose petal, cured meat, tobacco, black pepper and cigar box. The mouthfeel is polished, tight and elegant thanks to the streamlined nature of the tannins.
This Riserva Syrah exhibits aged aromas of spice, old leather and dried pipe tobacco. Tertiary aromas (the tones that develop as the wine ages) are already showing, so you'd better drink up now. The finale is marked by loads of succulent black currant and plum.
This Riserva takes on an elegant, harmonious personality and boasts delicate notes of berry fruit and vanilla in the background. It's not particularly thick or extracted, nor is it meant to be. Instead, it is elegant and easy on the senses and offers tight, chewy tannins.
This rivals good Champagne in its toasty, buttery-brioche richness, then adds cashew and citrus for an assertive blast of balanced flavor. Drink this fine vintage sparkler over the next 10 years or so.
This riveting wine displays the exceptional finesse and precision that fruit from this AVA can deliver. It's Pinot Noir expressed in the most subtle and demanding way. Beautifully orchestrated red fruits, sappy acids, lush spices, perfect balance and an immaculate mineral-soaked finish are all on display. Drink 2018 through 2030.
This Rkatsiteli was cold soaked for 11 days on the skins (hence the name) and then aged in barrels for 15 months. The result is something a bit odd and disjointed, with oak tones of toasted coconut and sunscreen clashing with soft quince and green apple streaks.
This roasted and rustically pleasing Montepulciano, which is hard to find in California, has dry tannins, a layer of boysenberry and a leathery mouthfeel. Pair it with roasted chicken or rich risotto.
This robust Amarone has an earthy fragrance of underbrush, mushroom and tobacco leaf along with plum and spice notes. The dense, delicious palate offers rich black cherry, ripe raspberry, cinnamon and vanilla. It's concentrated, with a velvety texture.
This robust blend of 85% Aglianico and 15% Pallagrello Nero has aromas of toasted oak, stewed prune and baked plum. The palate offers bracing tannins and a blackberry core alongside notes of black pepper, vanilla and graphite.
This robust but one-dimensional wine opens with funky aromas that include game and leafy underbrush. Oak, espresso, coffee bean and vanilla dominate the palate. It lacks fruit richness and fresh acidity.
This robust concentrated red is made from an unusual field blend of Sereksiya Charni and Saperavi, two grape varieties more known in Eastern Europe than the United States. It's lush in black-cherry flavor, accented with chocolate, black pepper, vanilla and spice, but also densely tannic and searing in acidity. While unwieldy in its youth, it's a wine that consistently shows excellence with maturity. Hold till 2025.
This robust red opens with aromas of black-skinned berries, forest floor, herbs, cloves and balsamic notes. The brawny palate offers cherries marinated in spirits, licorice and espresso framed in firm polished tannins. You'll also the notice the heat of evident alcohol that throws the finish off balance.
This robust red opens with aromas of espresso, plum cake, toast and dark spice. The hearty palate offers blackberry jam, licorice, vanilla and mocha alongside firm fine-grained tannins. A coffee note closes the finish.
This robust red opens with aromas of ripe black-skinned fruit, scorched earth and dark cooking spice. The warm, forward palate offers black cherry marinated in spirits and licorice accompanied by ripe, velvety tannins. Unfortunately, the heat of searing alcohol throws it off balance and dominates the palate.
This robust red opens with aromas of stewed plum, raisin, dark spice and aromatic herb. The concentrated, full-bodied palate offers fig, dried cherry, nutmeg and mineral alongside austere tannins. A tobacco note closes the firm finish. Drink 2018–2030.
This robust red opens with aromas of toast, baked plum, menthol, espresso and vanilla that carry over to the warm, densely concentrated palate along with blackberry jam, licorice and oak-driven spice. You'll notice the heat of evident alcohol on the midpalate while close-grained tannins give it an astringent finish.
This robust red opens with aromas suggesting forest floor, truffle, pressed violet and used leather. The hefty palate shows scorching alcohol, licorice and a hint of raisin but not much fruit richness. Clenching tannins leave an extremely astringent finish.
This robust red opens with enticing aromas of mature black-skinned berry, pipe tobacco, baking spice and crushed violet. The dense hearty palate delivers ripe black cherry, fig, mocha and star anise framed in chewy tannins.
This robust red opens with scorched earth, new leather, underbrush and dark spice aromas. The palate is brawny and monolithic, offering licorice, dried cherry and clove flavors with the warmth of evident alcohol. It's framed by chewy tannins and should be drunk soon to capture the remaining fruit and freshness.
This robust red shows plenty of ripe berry flavors, firm texture and full body. It has a gripping mouthfeel and persistent raspberry and cranberry flavors that make the mouth water.
This robust rosato, made from the native grape Nerello Mascalese on the slopes of Mount Etna, is loaded with dark cherry and crushed strawberry sensations. The bright, juicy palate is accented by notes of cinnamon and vanilla. Pair this with appetizers, quiche or summer salads.
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.
This robust wine delivers aromas of spiced plum, stewed prune, vanilla and chocolate that carry through to the ripe, monolithic palate. Drink through 2020.
This robust wine features aromas of stewed plum, damp hay and anisette. These carry over to the warm palate, along with dried fruit flavors and the heat of evident alcohol that throws it off balance.
This robust wine has aromas of blackberry, plum, espresso and spice. The palate offers fleshy black cherry, raisin, roasted coffee bean and mocha notes alongside chewy tannins and soft acidity.
This robust wine impresses with its white pepper, leathery meat and bright blue fruit. Full powered, the oak is subtle and supportive and the tannins soft and unobtrusive.
This robust wine is made from 62% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot. Herbal in personality, it retains a full-bodied ripeness of concentrated fruit, showcased in tobacco, leather and licorice. The tannins are sizable and grippy.
This robust wine opens with aromas of dried rose, tar, leather, fig and allspice. The full-bodied palate delivers dried black cherries, licorice, underbrush and grilled sage alongside firm, velvety tannins.
This robust wine opens with aromas of forest floor, meat juices and game. The dense palate shows mature black cherry, plum, prune, cake spices and a hint of orange rind. It's extremely accessible so enjoy soon.
This robust wine opens with aromas of red berry, tilled earth, dark baking spice and a balsamic note. The ripe, hearty palate delivers syrupy black cherry, juicy raspberry, clove and anisette alongside firm tannins. Despite the tannic structure, the dense fruit and warmth of alcohol make it already almost accessible. Drink 2017–2026.
This robust wine opens with aromas of sawdust, oak, berry, mint and licorice. On the palate, it offers raw red cherry, toast and chopped herbs alongside dusty tannins and the heat of evident alcohol.
This robust wine opens with aromas of spiced plum, clove and a balsamic note. The spicy palate offers prune, dried blackberry, red currant and ground pepper alongside hearty tannins. A marked licorice note signals the close.
This robust wine opens with aromas of spiced plum, iris and grilled herb. The warm palate offers raisin, licorice, game, black pepper and the heat of evident alcohol. Reflecting the torrid vintage, this is evolving quickly and the fruit richness is already drying up, so drink sooner rather than later.
This robust Zin is meaty in Italian sausage aromas, with streaks of cedar and dark plum intertwined throughout. Balanced in terms of acidity and weight, it finishes in a generous helping of leathery tannins and oak.
This robust, full-bodied white is dark gold in hue, floral on the nose and voluptuously rich and layered. Honeyed creme brûlée flavors make it inviting and ripe, with an elegance on the finish.
This robust, one-dimensional wine delivers mature fruit sensations of stewed prune, fig and resin, along with oak extract, vanilla and espresso. The palate is sugary sweet but lacks fruit richness. Drying wood tannins leave an astringent finish.
This robust, refined wine, dusted in tiny additions of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, is impressively crafted, seamless in approach and velvety in texture. Juicy blackberry and black currant, along with softer notions of black cherry, highlight buoyant acidity and a lush, thick finish. This should show best between 2023 and 2028.
This robust, richly layered wine shows lemon chiffon and vanilla characteristics balanced by golden apple and pear undertones.
This robust, simple Rosso delivers coconut, plum, raisin and vanilla aromas. The palate rests heavily on its oak, displaying espresso, toast, licorice and baking spices but not a lot of fruit richness. You'll also detect the evident alcohol sensations. It's warm and forward so drink now.
This robustly generous wine is impactful in chocolate and sweet, soft plum. A complexity of cedar, herb and blackberry marks the palate, with integrated tannins and oak. The complementary elements provide intrigue and flavor in a heavyweight package, ready for cellaring through 2022.
This robustly ripe wine opens in a landscape of rustic earthiness before unleashing thick wallops of black licorice, leather and smoky oak. The tannins are grippy in a positive way, rising to meet the ripeness halfway.
This rock-solid Carignan feels raw and snappy. Its ripe cassis, prune and vanilla aromas are heady but not overtly oaky. Lightly herbal plum and black cherry flavors finish dry and tannic, with a cool-vintage sense of freshness.
This Rocks District offering has aromas of black pepper and stems, seeming a bit locked up at the moment. Flavors are palate-staining with smoked meat and assorted herbs along with a lightly tacky feel.
This rocky appellation delivers aromas of wet cement, lemon-lime ice, light mint and a tiny bit of asphalt on the nose. The palate shows cut apples, lemon peels and citrus-laced pear cider flavors.
This Roditis-Sauvignon blend starts with a soft, floral nose of lemon and peach and leads into crisp but rich flavors of citrus and flowers. Simple but a good everyday white, especially with light meals.
This Roederer nonvintage seems to be getting drier, bringing out more of the green fruits and less creamy character. It works well here because the wine has some bottle age, giving a beautifully balanced wine that has great class and elegance.
This Roero benefits from an added layer of spice, clove and cinnamon that sits tight over floral notes and wild berries (a tiny percent of Barbera is added to the blend). There's a charred, smoky tone in the mouth and the finish is tight but firm.
This Roero from the Canale area of Piedmont exhibits lactic notes of creamy spice and cinnamon yogurt over ripe berry and earthy tones. The mouthfeel is slightly bitter and sharp.
This Roero offers very good intensity of aromas that are characterized by layers of white cherry, wild berry and exotic spice. The wine offers a soft, velvety feel in the mouth although those tight tannins definitely appear on the close.
This Roero Riserva boasts a light, elegant appearance with defined aromas of citrus zest, pressed flowers and wild blueberries. The tight, drying tannins would pair well with aged cheese or creamy sauces.
This Romanian Cabernet Sauvignon smells like black raspberry, cherry vanilla and a touch of mint. There are flavors of red berries and red plum on the palate.
This Romanian Chardonnay has a perfumed nose of vanilla, white flowers and ripe banana. It is medium bodied with flavors of papaya, guava, mango and honeydew melon.
This Romanian Chardonnay is golden straw in color with green reflections. It has aromas of green apple and Bartlett pear and flavors of lemon, apple and peach juice. The finish is crisp, but just a touch too acidic.
This Romanian Pinot Noir has aromas of sweet black cherry, smoked meats and red raspberry. In the mouth there are flavors of smoke and black plums.
This Romanian Riesling has aromas of peach, lemon blossom and honeysuckle. In the mouth there are flavors of apricot and lemon zest. The finish is clean and a bit astringent.
This rooty smelling wine delivers herb, cola and cassis aromas in front of a wiry feeling palate that's loaded to the brim with hard-biting tannins. Flavors of mossy, baked berry fruits come with an herbal streak, and the finish is hard due to those grating tannins. For a five-year-old wine to feel this hard is telling.
This rosé blend of Grenache and Shiraz comes across as slightly herbal and grassy, with hints of thyme and eucalypt over ripe strawberry fruit. It's medium in body, with mouthwatering citrus notes on the finish.
This rosé blend of Magliocco, Greco Nero and Malvasia from Calabria offers lean intensity and aromas of rose petal and small berry. There's a touch of sour almond as well and the wine is slightly bitter and muddled in the mouth.
This rosé boasts a pale flamingo-pink hue and slightly acrid aromas upon opening. But it settles down to present tart, cranberry-like fruit and ample weight allied to a taut, fresh mouthfeel.
This rosé boasts slightly meaty aromas, plus a healthy dose of limes and berries. Feels big in the mouth and slightly soft, so maybe it's not totally dry, or maybe it's just an oversized rosé with relatively low acidity. Either way, it'll go down just fine this summer.
This rosé brings extra levels of finesse and detail along with the expected burst of fresh fruit. Elegant and sophisticated, it offers tart cherry fruit, some peppery herb and a hint of fresh-ground coffee. Barrel fermented in neutral oak, it's smooth as silk.
This rosé comes with a peachy, stone-fruited scent. The palate is taut and fresh, with a little spritz that further accentuates its lemony freshness. The peachy character makes another appearance on the fresh, dry finish.
This rosé dessert wine has a creamy fizz, with flavors of sweet raspberry and wild berry. Simple and sweet, it is dark raspberry in color.
This rosé features a copper cast to its salmon-pink hue, with simultaneously complex and delicate aromas of crushed stone, citrus and brine. It's refreshingly zesty on the finish, brought alive by its salty minerality. Try it over the next year with grilled sardines or fried fish.
This rosé from Campania in southern Italy offers beautifully toned aromas of berry fruit, raspberry, cranberry and blueberry. The wine exhibits a dark pink color and an easy, light approach in the mouth. Pair it with salads or light pasta lunches. A Marc de Grazia selection; various American importers.
This rosé from the Côtes du Rhône is ahead of the pack, with intense cherry and spice character, a dry, crisp palate and a lovely strawberry finish that hangs around just long enough.
This rosé gets its pretty eye-of-the-partridge color from having undergone cold soaking. Dry, soft and subtle, it shows peach, vanilla and spice flavors. Great with cioppino or grilled salmon.
This rosé has a gorgeous nose of strawberry, watermelon and white tea. Ultra refreshing in taste, the palate boasts pomelo, fresh berry and melon. Zippy and bright with tingly acidity, it has a long, evolving finish.
This rosé has aromas of toast and walnut. It's bitter and dry, and lacks the fruit richness to balance its lean and astringent sensations.
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 rosé is a field blend of Mourvèdre and Grenache. A very pretty pale-peach color, the aromas bring pleasing notes of herb, spice, strawberry, passion fruit and mineral. The flavors are dry and full in feel, showing weight and intensity but still a sense of lightness.
This rosé is almost as rich as a red wine, the difference being a fresher, red-fruit character. It has vanilla flavors, a dry texture and a touch of pepper.
This rosé is an extremely pale-pink color, with similarly light aromas of red cherry and currant on the nose. The palate is surprisingly round and somewhat flabby, with ripe red-fruit flavors and a touch of white chocolate on the finish.
This rosé is done by saignée, which means bleeding the juice from the primary fermentation before it has acquired more than a touch of color. It's fully ripened and a little coarse, with some stiffness to the tannins. The strawberry and cherry fruit component is full-bodied, with medium acidity.
This rosé is done by the saignée method, bleeding off excess juice from the fermenting tanks. It's 48% Syrah and 52% Cabernet Franc, yielding a hard-edged yet buttery wine with lightly peppery, watermelon flavors. Not for everyone, but distinctive.
This rosé is dry, crisp, tart and complex, offering raspberry, cherry, herb, white pepper and vanilla flavors.
This rosé is light in intensity on the nose, with delicate aromas of strawberry hull, white melon and underripe pear. The palate is similarly light and zippy, with prickly acidity and a mouthwatering finish. Drink now.
This rosé is made from Cabernet Franc grapes, and it's briny to an extreme, with vegetal aromas. The palate is scattered in feel and lacks grace, while pickled citrus dominates the flavor profile. A mustardy, briny finish with jalapeño notes is no savior.
This rosé is mouthfilling and round, with ample melon and berry fruit, a sprinkling of dried spices and minimal herb notes. It actually drinks almost like a red wine for its weight and berry-scented richness, but remains refreshing on the long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now.
This rosé is quite ripe tasting, like a white-sugared tropical-fruit-juice blend, with alcohol. On the plus side is clean acidity.
This rosé is slightly confected on the nose, but boasts ample weight and richness on the palate, along with appealing notes of raspberry, white chocolate and citrus.
This rosé is very Provencal in expression, with restrained aromas of orange mousse, nectarine, rose petals and wet cement on the nose. The palate is clean and crisp with a rainy concrete-like grip, showing slightly sour citrus and a twist of stone fruit on the sip.
This rosé is warm and soft, with an attractive perfume and lively acidity to balance. Its red berry fruit is finished with a touch of spice that gives a final lift to the smooth vanilla-inflected aftertaste.
This rosé lacks freshness from the start. The nose is mealy and smells of red-apple skins. An oily palate is grabby and flat, while briny melon flavors are also flat. Salty tasting on the finish.
This rosé needs to age. It has a zesty, crisp and mineral texture that is tight and nervy. As it softens, more red fruits will come to the front, although the structure will remain, making this a serious rosé for drinking with food.
This Rosé of Sangiovese is light in color and density, with fruit flavors of watermelon and a hint of peach. It's a fine, light and easy sipper.
This rosé opens with a floral and fruity fragrance of orange blossom and strawberry. The palate delivers white cherry, creamy berry, Alpine herb, clove and cinnamon notes. The wine is fresh and elegantly sparkling.
This rosé opens with a pretty shade of pink and offers aromas of forest berry, cherry, herbs and a touch of ash or white mineral. There's firm, crisp acidity that really keeps the palate refreshed. Shows loads of cheer and brightness in the mouth.
This rosé seems elegant all the way through. The color is a light salmon, the aromas are slightly earthy, with touches of baking spices, jasmine and fresh baked bread. A grand blend of rich flavors spreads across the palate while fresh acidity and lively bubbles give a vivid mouth feel and carry the mild cherry and cinnamon flavors to the finish.
This rosé sparker opens with a pale pink color and pretty aromas of stone fruit, pink grapefruit and toasted bread. It feels soft and creamy with tightly spaced and elegant perlage.
This Rosé sparkler opens with a pretty pink color and intense aromas of mature berry, raspberry candy and zesty grapefruit. A sweet but oddly spicy note characterizes the finish.
This Rosé sparkling wine offers a pretty pink color and easy aromas of citrus, pink grapefruit, peach and honey. Soft, creamy foam is backed by peachy sweetness.
This rosé starts with scents of anise, pepper and spice, followed by an earthy array of spice and cranberry and cherry flavors. Exotic but refined, the wine will pair well with aged cheeses and beef.
This rosé wine is semi-sweet, with fruit drink flavors of nectarines, tangerines and vanilla. It could almost be a dessert wine.
This rosé, a blend of Cinsault and Syrah, is a rather low-intensity offering with minor notes of red cherry and berry fruit accented by a white chocolate creaminess in the mouth. A versatile food wine with medium weight and an overall easiness.
This rosé, made from Cinsault and Syrah, offers assertive aromas of garrigue herbs—think rosemary and thyme—alongside fruity tones of minty cherry, strawberry and raspberry. The mouthfeel is light and fresh, with the mentholated character dominating the red berry core. Drink now.
This rosé, made from Pinot Noir and Syrah, is brilliant pink in color, with aromas of strawberry and cream. The silky palate shows pronounced red cherry and vanilla flavors.
This rosé—a blend of Tempranillo and Grenache—is light on flavor. A thin note of watermelon and a hint of peach pit quickly fade.
This rosés aromas are funky and pungent, with a prevalent roast-beef note. A muted black cherry flavor is overpowered by iron ore. The finish is flat, begging for a bit more verve.
This rosado smells of red apple cider, red licorice candy and cotton candy. It's full on the palate, with helpful acidity. Flavors of grapefruit and orange are limited, but overall this rosé of Malbec makes the grade.
This rosato has aromas of wild berry, citrus, almond flower and dried herb. Light and lean, this would pair with barbecued shrimp or fish kebab.
This Rosato is part of the natural wine movement, and it's apparent. Aromas of apple juice and citrus open the bouquet, with some evidence of volatility or instability. Fresh acidity is present, with notes of lemon and red raspberry.
This Rosato sparkling blend is comprised of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Merlot to offer a pale pink color and creamy, white foam. The bouquet presents a pungent note followed by crisp citrus and cranberry.
This rosso boasts fruity fragrances of ripe cherry and plum, with a hint of orange peel and toasted oak. The palate shows ripe plum and black cherry flavors laced with espresso and chocolate accents. Drink this young and pair it with pastas or grilled white meats. Vi Wines, J & J Importers.
This Rosso boasts impressively intense and pure Sangiovese aromas. The wine is compackt, with red berry, rum cake, dried rosemary, ginger and spice. It's a small step away from the quality of Brunello at a fraction of the price.
This Rosso Conero (mostly Montepulciano with a small element of Sangiovese) proves to be a simple and fresh option that would work with pasta or chicken roast.
This Rosso di Montepulciano offers pretty floral fragrances of violet and rose typical of Sangiovese and Mammolo grapes. The palate boasts wild cherry and white pepper flavors, with a hint of cinnamon. This is silky smooth and easy to drink; it's ready now, so enjoy soon.
This Rosso displays soft aromas of red cherry, chocolate and light spice that create a clean and balanced bouquet. Its smooth, fresh mouthfeel suggests it would pair with veal, roast turkey or pork.
This rosso has a pretty bouquet of fruit and floral aromas, with an underpinning of spice. The palate is soft, with ripe plum, cinnamon and chocolate flavors, and while well made, it doesn't have a lot of personality. This is ripe and ready, so enjoy soon.
This Rosso Piceno Superiore (made with 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese) opens with a hint of cooked vegetable backed by dense blackberries and cherry marmalade. The tannins are slightly astringent but the wine also offers good freshness too.
This Rosso represents a blend of Sangiovese (60%) with equal parts Sagrantino and Barbera. The wine offers meats and chewy cherry flavors with accents of spice and leather followed by a rich, velvety texture.
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.
This rough and tumble Cabernet is oaky and smoky in both scent and flavor. It's a rustic, country wine, big and bold and raw around the edges, but packed with flavor.
This round and easy-drinking wine, 95% Aglianico and 5% Sangiovese, is loaded with a juicy black-cherry flavor that's accented by hints of black pepper and mineral. It's soft, fresh and incredibly food friendly. Pair it with everything from hearty pasta dishes to barbecue.
This round and fruity blend mixes fruit from three vineyards: Lange Estate, Freedom Hill and Yamhill Vineyard. Ripe black fruits matched to firm, dusty tannins are highlighted with streaks of sassafras and underscored with vivid acidity.
This round and smooth wine has apricot, peach and pear flavors, which create a soft texture and attractive acidity. It has a warm, rich feel. This wine is for food.
This round wine features flavors of tropical fruit and apricot, combined with a mineral-driven texture. It is rich yet it retains a good touch of brightness. Ready to drink, but worth aging for a few months.
This round yet direct Cava offers stone-fruit aromas that are upright and clean. Simple citrus and nectarine flavors hold steady on the finish.
This round, approachable and likable wine blends 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Bright cherry and plum notes meet generous leather and tobacco flavors, finding a nice balance between fruit and spice.
This round, fruity and smooth-drinking Sémillon carries touches of herb and cucumber alongside its main fruit flavors of citrus and melon. There is a hint of heat on the finish.
This round, rich and spicy estate-grown Merlot greets you with all the right stuff (and stuffing) from the first sniff. Clean berry and cherry fruit, with a light touch of peppery herb, rolls into silky tannins and pretty baking spices. A fine value.
This round, soft, alcoholic wine deserves praise for its spicy-peppery warmth and abundant cherry fruit. Those same qualities are also its biggest shortcoming: The low acidity and high alcohol make it seem a bit heavy. —J.C
This round, sticky blend smells burnt and like underbrush, and is very woody, with milk chocolate and plastic aromas. Thick and sticky on the palate, with lactic oak, sweet spice, carob and berry flavors, this is dominated by creamy oak and generic fruit.
This round, structured Syrah opens with aromas of ripe black fruit, tilled soil and ground black pepper. The palate shows mature blackberry and raspberry together with notes of spice and clove. Velvety tannins provide the framework.
This rounded Chardonnay from winemaker Duncan Williams (also of Falkner in Temecula) shows creamy cherimoya and nectarine fruit, accented with cinnamon, clove and butter on the nose. The palate is delicate and supple, its salted almond and nectarine flavors riding a wave of vibrant acidity into the finish.
This rounded white starts with aromas of lemon peel, orange jam, spice and flowers, followed by appealing flavors of citrus and white fruit. It has body and structure, and will temper spicy food well: think Indian, Szechuan.
This rounded wine adds richness to its herbaceous character. Apple and quince flavors are razor-sharp in freshness, bright and deliciously lively. Drink now.
This rounded wine has spice, lychee and pineapple flavors. It is light, bright and fruity with a pepper aftertaste, and is ready to drink.
This rounded wine is dense, with firm tannins that are well molded into its sweet-tasting structure. Packed with ripe fruit, this will age relatively quickly, giving pleasure in 5–6 years.
This rounded wine is soft and ripe. Along with its smooth, warm texture it offers generous pear and melon flavors. Acidity adds an attractive final crispness. Drink now.
This rounded wine is still tight and closed. The texture shows strongly at the moment, but will soften to bring out the crisp fruits and perfumed acidity. A rustic edge needs to blow away as the wine matures. Drink from 2017.
This rounded wine offers ripe pineapple and citrus flavors. It's rich with attractive fruitiness and a broad, generous texture. It's fruity with a more textured side that promises aging for a few years.
This rounded, creamy wine is attractive, with rich apricots and balanced zesty acidity. It is ready to drink.
This rounded, full wine is densely packed with fruit, but also tannins that add balance. Blackberry flavors come through the dry structure to give both richness and freshness. The aftertaste is ripe, juicy and delicious. Drink now, but best from 2015.
This rounded, likable wine is integrated in oak and offers aromas of clarified butter, its fruitiness more tropical and stone fruit-driven than anything else. Concentrated, it finishes with simplicity.
This rounded, ripe SB makes the most of its peach and tropical fruit flavors. Green plums lend structure to this soft wine, but there's a full, crisp aftertaste. Screwcap.
This rounded, ripe wine has a considerable amount of creamy Alvarinho in the blend. With a year's aging, it is full-bodied, while retaining the cool, crisp character of wines from Portugal's north. Drink this fresh and rich wine now.
This rounded, smooth wine has attractive ripe fruitiness. A tangy edge adds extra interest to an easy, open wine. Drink now.
This rounded, well-textured wine is dominated by Pinot Noir, with a distinctly mineral streak from the Chardonnay. Poised between richness and elegance, it is ready to drink. Krug numbers the successive blends of its Grande Cuvée because it regards each blending as unique.
This rounded, wood-aged wine has just the right amount of structure and delicious acidity to accompany the full red- and black-berry notes. It's refreshing, while still concentrated and age worthy.
This rounded, yeasty wine features apple, bitter almond and some fruity acidity. It is full, rich and creamy-textured.
This Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul blend may be technically dry, but it's so rich in fruity extract, it tastes almost as sweet as an off-dry dessert wine. Yet the acidity is refreshing, giving balance to the peach pie, apricot, pineapple jam, vanilla and honeysuckle flavors.
This Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier blend is named for a cousin gifted in the art of matchmaking. It's a touch sweet, a little closed still, with notes of tar and caramel and the promise of lightly flavored apples and honeysuckle in the body of the wine.
This ruby-colored Amarone offers medium intensity and sightly disjointed aromas of spice, leather and candied fruit. The nicest element, however, is the crisp cherry freshness that peeps through on the finish.
This ruby-colored blend of Corvina and Sangiovese doesn't offer huge aromatic intensity, but it does deliver clean notes of cherry, dried fruit, spice and fresh tobacco leaf (it is aged in cherry wood casks). The wine imparts a sour note with nutty, earthy flavors on the finish.
This ruby-colored Brunello opens with bright cherry nuances and loads of toasted almond and cinnamon spice. From the lower, southern side of Montalcino, this interpretation focuses on quality fruit aromas, crispness and a sense of clean linearity.
This ruby-colored Brunello opens with notes of fresh fruit, forest floor, cedar wood, exotic spice and blackberry preserves. It shows a bright berry mouthfeel, with cherry intensity and a clean, fresh finish.
This ruby-colored Chianti Classico (with 5% other grapes added to a Sangiovese base) has a broad personality with deep tones of ripe cherry, spice and smoked meat or beef jerky in the background. It imparts flavors of sweet cherry, roasted nut and distant mineral tones.
This ruby-colored Lambrusco boasts soft, foamy bubbles and sweet notes of cherry and blackberry. Three qualities inherent to this wine— slight tannins, effervescence and acidity—make this the perfect pairing partner to buttery ravioli filled with ricotta cheese.
This ruby-colored Romanian Pinot Noir has scents of black plum and red cherry and flavors of bright red cherry before a tart finish.
This ruby-colored Valpolicella is distinguished by hot notes of cherry liqueur and spice backed by subtle tones of wild berry and fresh blueberry. It's an easy, soft wine in the mouth.
This ruby-colored Valpolicella opens with bursting tones of red cherry and blackberry with nice spice and toasted almond accents. The mouthfeel is not too rich or bold, but the wine does deliver pretty flavors of jammy fruit and pressed violet.
This ruby-colored wine offers aromas of black cherry and notes of green pepper and summer farmstand. It has flavors of black cherry, cherry cola and cassis, with soft tannins and a bright burst of acidity in the finish.
This ruby-garnet colored Barbera d'Alba offers spicy notes of clove and cinnamon backed by fresh cherry, blackberry and moist earth. This is Barbera done in a big, bold style with a thick and warming presence in the mouth and a crisp, drying close.
This ruby-garnet wine has a touch of oxidation on the nose with flavors of blackberry, black plum and black cherry in the mouth. It's not perfectly harmonious in the midpalate but there's a fair bit of acidity in the finish that makes it refreshing.
This ruby-hued blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio conveys aromas of bright berry, intense mint and a whiff of baking spice. The vibrant palate offers sour cherry, mineral and cinnamon flavors alongside fresh acidity.
This ruby-red sweet wine is nonvintage made and from Muscat Hamburg. It has aromas of cassis syrup and freshly ground dried herbs. In the mouth, there are flavors of sweet ripe cherry preserves, blackberry sauce and sweet pomegranate juice.
This ruby-red wine presents an enticing bouquet of strawberry, rose, flint and a whiff of smoke. The silky palate offers bright red cherry, crushed strawberry, mineral and white pepper. It's elegant and well balanced, with supple tannins and bright acidity. Drink through 2018.
This ruby colored Pinot Noir has aromas of black cherry and dried cherry, with flavors of cinnamon, clove and additional black cherry. The finish is fruit-driven and clean.
This ruby colored Syrah-led blend is stout, oaky, minerally and convincing, with ripe cassis, prune and licorice aromas. Full, rubbery tannins make for a choppy palate, while briny and earthy flavors of blackberry and plum finish with a punch of acidity.
This ruby hued Nero d'Avola opens with earthy aromas of mature red and black berries, underbrush and a whiff of white pepper. The lean palate isn't very expressive, showing raw red cherry and a hint of roasted coffee bean. It finishes on a green, bitter note.
This ruby red Merlot has aromas of cherry vanilla, black plum and black cherry and flavors of red plum and dried cherry. The finish is persistent with mouth drying tannins.
This runs to the tart, lemony style of Pinot Gris, common in cool vintages. Citrus and gooseberry flavors are balanced against refreshing minerality, and the acidity is neither harsh nor simply sour.
This Russian River blend rivals Loring's single-vineyard wines for 2014. An elegant and superbly balanced wine, it's the kind that never gets tiring. It has a slightly doughy aroma, complex fruity, spicy and savory flavors, and a particularly engaging mouthfeel that's both gripping and creamy at the same time.
This rustic Barbera tastes of blackberry. It's medium bodied with just-right acidity and tannins that are well-integrated and smooth. The finish gets a little bit meaty, which will work fine alongside meaty, smoky foods.
This rustic Cabernet has pretty good varietal flavors of blackberries and dried currants, enhanced with an oaky sweetness. It's full bodied and tannic, and fine for drinking now.
This rustic red has some high-toned berry and cherry fruit, cloaked in dusty tannins and brown spices. It falls apart quickly, as if heading over the hill. Drink up.
This rustic red starts with a nose of red berry, vanilla, pepper and mocha, followed by a full body of spicy dark chocolate, forest fruits and pepper. Pair with grilled meats.
This rustic wine from a site just outside of Healdsburg offers a dense taste of grenadine liqueur and cola. It has moderate structure and plum and nutmeg accents.
This rustic wine is overripe in prunes and raisins, and hot in alcohol. It's also as sweet as a minor Port.
This rustic wine is pure varietal and spent a year in 20% new French oak. Scents favor asphalt and tar rather than oak and toast, and the candied red fruits do not speak the usual varietal flavors. But this is perfectly fine for every day drinking.
This rustic wine opens with aromas of underbrush, petrol and tire rubber, all of which carry over to the palate along with notes of sweet and sour sauce. It has a bitter finish.
This rustic Zin is meant to wash down grilled meats, hard cheeses and tomato-based pasta dishes. It's very dry and a bit hot in high alcohol, with a peppery edge and firm, rasping tannins.
This rustic, herbal Tinto Fino has tarry blackberry and cassis aromas that turn horsey, minty and herbal on a nose that struggles to hold up. After hinting at savory berries, flavors turn green, bitter and underripe. It finishes with rough tannins and heat.
This rusty-colored Merlot is burnt smelling, with oregano and tomato-driven aromas. The palate feels dried out and raw, while flavors of burnt grass, roasted plum and tomato finish with an oxidized flavor.
This rusty-colored Merlot opens with roasted, herbal, burnt aromas of plum and currant. Light, fresh and saucy on the palate, this tastes of tomato sauce, pepper and barely ripe plum. Herbal, savory and green on the finish.
This rusty-colored Rioja shows funky aromas of leather mixed with hints of rose petal. A good mouthfeel with smooth tannins is suggestive of aged Burgundy or Merenzao (Trousseau), while rooty, earthy flavors of leaves and tea are interesting. Drink now.
This rusty-looking rosé smells rustic, with cherry and raspberry notes. In the mouth, it registers as full-bodied, while the flavor profile is chunky and dry, with early signs of oxidation that are confirmed on a low-steam finish. Drink right away.
This rusty colored Pinot opens with aromas of cherry candy and chocolate. There's power to the palate, but also abruptness. Dry, spicy flavors of chocolate, raspberry and orange rind carry over to a direct finish.
This rusty colored rosado is flat and neutral on the nose. In the mouth, it's full but also flabby, while slightly bitter stone-fruit and melon flavors finish long but with a lashing of bitterness and burn.
This rusty looking PN smells roasted and stewy, with forced oak. In the mouth, this is chunky and flat. Stewy oaky plum flavors run sweet and heavy on clove, while this reverts to creamy on the finish.
This rusty looking, aged Cabernet Sauvignon displays mature, cooked aromas of prune, raisin and not much else. The mouthfeel is dry and astringent, while flavors of burnt brown sugar, stewed berry and turned earth finish quick, without any backup.
This rusty, light-bodied Cab may be from the current vintage but it looks, smells and tastes like something left over from the past. The bouquet is raw, leathery and leafy, with few pleasantries. A dilute palate with dry, leathery cherry flavors is fresh and light, but strained.
This Sémillon-dominated blend is made in an easy-to-drink, fruit-forward style, showcasing white peach, melon and fig flavors and a plump, round texture in the mouth. Imported by Margaret River Wines.
This Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend hits the nose with near-petrol scents, and then slides into a slightly sour-orange zone. On the palate, that citrusy intrigue continues into a lime zest finish. It's a vibrant, refreshing sipper, though it leans on tingling acidity more than overall balance.
This Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend hits the nose with near-petrol scents, and then slides into a slightly sour orange juice zone. On the palate, that citrusy intrigue continues into a lime zest finish. It's a vibrant, refreshing sipper, though it leans on tingling acidity more than overall balance. Serve with cacio e pepe pasta, raw oysters, or anything needing a lemony boost.
This Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend is firm, powerful and polished. The fruit runs the gamut from citrus to melon to white peach, finishing with some youthful bite. Already a succulent, mouthfilling gem, but should improve for another five years.
This Sémillon is made from all Walla Walla Valley fruit, with 11% Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. It was barrel-fermented and -aged, and the time in barrel and on the lees has given the wine an extra dimension of texture. The fruit flavors mix white peach and ripe apple, with a streak of chamomile tea.
This Sémillon is quite dry, with an unusual mouthfeel that is a bit like chewing on beeswax, honeycomb without the sweetness of honey. It's a beautifully scented wine with a beguiling mix of floral and spice, suggestions of cinnamon, baking spice and body powder. Following on the palate are firm yet supple flavors of melon, pear and hints of baked apple, gliding into a smooth and satisfying finish, which resonates with hints of buttered toast.
This Sagrantino by the relatively new brand Tenuta Castelbuono (owned by the same family that runs Ferrari sparkling wine) opens with savory notes of cured meat, blackberry and tobacco. It feels rich and spicy on the finish.
This Sagrantino passito offers a thick, austere nose that is ripe with notes of blackberry pie, plum cake, Indian spice, bramble and delicate nut. You can taste the tannins that are characteristic of this variety and that give the wine its heft and structure. Pair it with aged pecorino.
This saignée-style rosé is 100% Pinot Noir; a small percentage was fermented in neutral oak. Light and pretty, it offers tart raspberry fruit with a bit of pie cherry also. Generously acidic, it's an excellent meal-starter or accompaniment to light poultry dishes.
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.
This saignée blend of Grenache and Syrah offers buttered strawberries and cherry juice on the playful and fun nose. There's a touch of effervescence on the lively, acidic palate, with flavors of berry-spiked lemonade and watermelon bubble gum.
This Salice Salentino hits a nice balance between mineral nuances and fruit tones, making for a very food-friendly combination. The wine has a smooth texture with flavors of spice, tea and currant berry.
This salmon-colored blend of 90% Cabernet Franc and just a touch of Merlot is light, crisp and perfumed. It has a creamy mousse and a bright, red currant-inflected aftertaste. Drink now.
This salmon-colored rosé is made from the País grape, a.k.a. the Mission Grape. On the nose, it's a cypher with weak fragrances of peach and mango. The palate is cidery and hard in feel, while briny, tart citrus flavors are pithy and fail to evolve or improve on the finish.
This salmon-colored rosé is made from the Trepat grape. It smells common, with yeasty bready notes of orange peel and orange blossom. A basic palate is balanced, while this tastes of leesy dried melon prior to a medium-long finish.
This salmon-colored rosé is past its peak. Gritty aromas are turning oily, while the feel is chunky and sticky, with a touch of lasting citric acidity. Flavors of melon and almond skins finish bitter.
This salmon-colored rosé opens with aromas of chewing gum and something candied but nonspecific. A juicy palate suggests citrus, while the flavor profile is tangy but generic in this simple wine that blends fresh and sweet qualities.
This salmon-colored rosé opens with pleasantly fruity aromas of tangerine, pineapple, papaya and honeydew. The palate, however, offers sharp and astringent notes of peach and apricot skin that lend a bitterness to the medium-length finish.
This salmon-colored rosé suggests aromas of powdered sugar, red raspberry and dried herbs. It is soft on the entry with a touch of sweetness and flavors of Red Delicious apple, Turkish delight and marzipan.
This salmon-colored sparkler is fruity up front, with berry and cotton candy aromas. The palate is crisp and well cut, while flavors of nectarine, mango and honey finish crisp. A good, basic sweet quaffer.
This salmon-colored wine has a bouquet of pear, rose petal and lime zest. It is a little tart at first sip, but is ultimately well balanced and refreshing, with flavors of strawberry, peach and rose that lead to a lime sorbet finish.
This salmon-colored wine is powdery on the nose, with aromatic hints of apple skins and raspberry. The palate feels lean, pinched and rubbery, while flavors of pithy citrus fruits finish chalky, with some tang.
This salmon-colored wine made from Tempranillo is neutral in aromas, with a touch of creaminess on an otherwise standard palate. Mild peach flavors are slightly bitter. The wine loses freshness and focus the longer it sits.
This salmon-colored wine opens with aromas of red berry and a whiff of Mediterranean herb. The easygoing palate offers wild cherry and a hint of cooking spice alongside bright acidity.
This salmon-colored, no-dosage bubbly is peachy, dusty and yeasty on the nose, with strong whiffs of sulfur and scrambled egg. A clunky, foamy palate comes across as clumsy, while peach and melon flavors are a touch bitter and mealy. Papaya and savory barbecued notes drive the finish, which has a bitter element.
This salmon-hued bottling from Pinot Noir shows cantaloupe, watermelon Jolly Rancher and pink rose petal scents on the nose. The palate delivers bright acidity, presenting more watermelon flavors, a compelling texture and a gunmetal finish.
This salmon-hued rosé Cava opens with aromas of cotton candy, vanilla and yeast. On the tongue, it's simple in structure and feels a lot like citrus juice with bubbles. Flavors of orange and nectarine finish crisp and with a note of apricot.
This salmon-pink-colored wine is refreshingly fruity, with attractively crisp acid offsetting the bright red fruit and apple flavors. Drier than in past vintages, it still has a ripe, soft finish.
This Salta blend of Malbec and Tannat smells a lot like fresh road tar. The palate is adequately cushioned, while hard, stalky, roasted berry flavors are oaky. This has a lot of disparate parts but the whole has issues and is sketchy.
This Salta Cabernet is closed on the nose, green and smelling like cigar ash. Hard, green tannins and astringency create a tough environment for stewy flavors.
This Sancerre-like effort shows amazing concentration and distinct, vineyard-driven flavors of grain and herb. Racy, textural, crisp and penetrating, it's lifted by a refreshing minerality. Lemon polish, citrus oil, a very delicate suggestion of honey in the nose and mouth, and above all a wonderful persistence make this a standout Sauvignon Blanc.
This Sangiovese-based Chianti is enhanced by small elements of Canaiolo and Colorino (it is vinified in stainless steel) to produce sweet cherry aromas and a bright, thin finish.
This Sangiovese-based rosato is vinified solely in stainless steel in order to preserve the freshness of its forest berry and cranberry flavors. A touch of bitter almond adds brightness to the finish.
This Sangiovese-based wine is redolent of smoked bacon, sweet barbecue sauce and campfire. Yet it goes down easy and smoothly thanks to the dense fruit flavors that enliven the palate.
This Sangiovese-based wine offers aromas of forest berry, cherry, red rose and rusty earth. The fresh acidity makes for a bright mouthfeel. Peter Warren Selections & Planet Wine.
This Sangiovese-based wine opens with loads of chewy fruit flavors, with cherry as the protagonist, and offers a spicy fade colored by cinnamon, tobacco and spice. A note of ripe strawberry also appears throughout.
This Sangiovese-Canaiolo blend has loads of sweet spice on the nose. There's so much spice, in fact, it's not easy to locate its natural core of red fruit. The mouthfeel is great with lingering tones of white mineral and toasted wood.
This Sangiovese-dominant blend opens with red cherry and dried tobacco leaf aromas. A hint of clove accents the palate, which is full of red plum fruit and smooth but rather fleeting tannins that give it an easygoing framework. Drink soon.
This Sangiovese-Syrah blend is the wine equivalent of a teenager that boasts youthful appeal. It has a solid core of fresh red fruit, especially cherries and blueberries. It lacks the sophistication of age and its aromas are so immediate; it's remotely reminiscent of a Beaujolais Nouveau. The mouthfeel is simple, fruity and fresh.
This Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon blend offers aromas that recall ripe black-skinned fruit, cedar, scorched earth, vanilla and ground pepper. The ripe, round palate delivers juicy black cherry, ripe plum, mocha and tobacco. Velvety tannins provide a polished framework.
This Sangiovese and Syrah blend opens with slightly burnt aromas of tar and campfire, and it has background notes of dried fruit and leather. It feels dry and a bit flat on the finish.
This Sangiovese from a hot vintage definitely seems past its peak. It has a very sweet-smelling, cherry-driven nose with a touch of marmalade that is blasted by a sudden rush of oak wood.
This Sangiovese from central Italy offers a very fresh and vibrant quality of fruit that is expressed as cherry, blackberry and sour plum. It's a simple, one-dimensional wine and its best attribute is precisely that.
This Sangiovese from central Italy offers abundant freshness and pretty aromas of wild berry, almond, cola and dried ginger. There's a touch of dried herb and licorice that gives the wine a bright, buoyant finish.
This Sangiovese from Lazio shows ripe aromas of sweet raspberry jam and strawberry followed by thick heaviness or waxiness on the finish.
This Sangiovese from Molise opens with a vibrant, almost purplish hue, and segues into aromas of bright cherry, raspberry, blueberry and soda pop. The purity of the fruit is commendable: It tastes smooth, easy and has silky tannins.
This Sangiovese from the far away 2005 vintage shows aged aromas of spice, candied fruit and polished mineral. It's bright in the mouth in terms of acidity, but not much fresh fruit is left.
This Sangiovese has a lot going for it: a sweet maple-tinged aroma, a pretty ruby color, round but snappy plum and raspberry flavors, and a long, layered finish. But in the end it doesn't really sing, it's a bit hollow at the core, and there's an oak-driven, buttered popcorn note on the finish that leaves a heavy, lasting flavor.
This Sangiovese hits the palate in a very direct and determined manner because of the biting acidity and high acidity that will make your mouth pucker. At the back are tones of bitter cherry and unripe plum.
This Sangiovese is deeply concentrated, redolent of raw blueberry, simple red fruit, spice, leather and perfumed candle. The sour cherry notes on the finish add a tart, crisp point on the tail end of this wine.
This Sangiovese opens with a saturated, deep color and segues into thick aromas of leather, black cherry, chocolate and tobacco. Fresh red fruit and cola co-exist with those heavier tones giving the wine heft and power. The mouthfeel is fruity and straightforward. Part of the Conte Ferdinando Guicciardini estates.
This Sangiovese opens with aromas of blue flowers, underbrush, dark-skinned berry and a whiff of roasted coffee beans, all of which carry over to the concentrated palate along with black pepper and clove. The tannins are still tightly wound but drink sooner rather than later to capture the remaining fruit richness.
This Sangiovese seems older than it is because of the hard candy, mineral and brambly notes that offset its aromas of dark chocolate and sweet spice. A tiny hint of apple cider gives the wine piquancy and bite but otherwise it remains a deep, full wine with no overtly sharp edges.
This Sangiovese tastes like the filling from a cherry pie, scooped out from the crust, then sprinkled with anise-flavored liqueur and pepper. That's a good flavor. The sweetness may be from residual sugar, but also from enormously high alcohol, approaching 16%.
This Sangiovese wants decanting for a few hours to let it breathe and open up. Right out of the bottle, it's acidic and tannic, with lots of astringency covering the cherry, red currant and tobacco flavors. Drink now, with rich, oily fare.
This Sangiovese was as usual co-fermented with Syrah (13%), and sourced from a mix of estate vineyards. Smooth and supple, it's a sweetly appealing wine, loaded with strawberry preserves, but also detailed with impressive notes of Italian herbs and a whiff of tomato paste. As befits the variety, the underpinning of natural acidity lifts the finish beautifully, and suggests aging it through 2020.
This Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend offers aromas of sweet berry, blackberry, pipe tobacco and molasses. It has great, thick concentration and bright fruit flavors.
This Sangiovese, which includes 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Syrah, is lightly scented with cracker, cola and strawberry; it's a gently spicy, simple but enjoyable red.
This satiny, slightly waxy Viognier is a blend from Ciel du Cheval, Red Willow and Olsen fruit; for the first time, roughly 10% was fermented in a concrete egg. Aromatic with yellow apples, lemon curd, bee pollen and floral highlights, it's underscored with a lick of wet stone.
This satisfyingly full-bodied, dense wine offers a wealth of baked strawberry complemented by a fistful of clove, cinnamon and Asian five-spice. The tannins are firm and supported by moderate acidity, while strong elements of forest floor and sautéed mushroom add to the savory nature of it all.
This saturated wine has that squeaky clean, polished aroma of rubber boots in the foreground of black cherry, currant berry and exotic spice. The wine has smoky tannins and nice spice flavors over an easy, approachable mouthfeel.
This saturated, golden Pecorino (a native white grape of central Italy) drinks like a red wine and would pair with roast chicken or veal in cream sauce. It shows density and determined flavors of apricot, melon and pineapple.
This Sauvignon Blanc-dominated wine has light wood aging to smooth out its herbal character and bring out the richer Sémillon. Spice, toast and crisp acidity are filled out with the ripeness of the vintage. Drink this from early 2017.
This Sauvignon Blanc-Verdejo blend has mild, prickly cactus and citrus aromas and a mix of tropical and green flavors with a slightly bitter finish. It's an everyday white with low acidity.
This Sauvignon Blanc and Roditis blend shows how successful the combination of indigenous and international varieties can be. Enticing aromas of peach, melon and a touch of apple are followed by a vibrant balance of flavors—fresh flowers, summer fruits and spice. Minerality keeps the wine dancing on the palate. Great on its own or paired with fish, salads, cheeses.
This Sauvignon Blanc from Bulgaria's Thracian Valley has bright aromas of lemon grass, citrus blossom and freshly mowed lawn. It is medium bodied in the mouth, with flavors of freshly cut pineapple, guava and lemon meringue pie. The finish is clean, crisp and fruit filled.
This Sauvignon Blanc has scents of lemon pith, honeydew and cantaloupe. It is soft on entry into the mouth with flavors of peach, apricot and lemon zest.
This Sauvignon Blanc has so much acidity, it's almost sparkling. While not unpleasant, this has to be regarded as a fault, which detracts from the score. Aside from that, the citrus, tropical fruit, honey and gooseberry flavors are delicious.
This Sauvignon Blanc has very strong, ripe flavors of grilled pineapples, peaches, lemons and mangoes. Crisp, citrusy acidity fortunately balances out the rich fruity sweetness. A lovely cocktail sipper with some real complexity.
This Sauvignon Blanc is neutral on the nose except for a smack of lime. Mild on the palate, this tastes of briny, salty citrus fruits and peels. A fresh finish confirms that this is straightforward but enjoyable.
This Sauvignon Blanc is totally herbaceous and much too young to drink. Fruity, packed with citrus and with a floral aroma, it's juicy, crisp and needs until 2016 to calm down and round out.
This Sauvignon Blanc looks only slightly more colorful than a glass of water. On the nose, it's crisp and green, while sharp acidity matched against a light body makes for a lean palate. Crisp salty citric flavors finish tight and linear.
This Sauvignon Blanc offers more weight and earthiness for fans of whites that steer away from lean, grassy flavors. Simply elegant and food-friendly, the wine has a balanced character and while still refreshing, has soul.
This Sauvignon Blanc opens with beautiful flowery aromas. It's crisp and complex, bearing intense notes of grapefruit and mineral, with a kick of lime on the finish. This would go very well with seafood or spicy Thai.
This Sauvignon Blanc smells of lemon, vanilla and pear. It's crisp and steely, with sourness on the finish.
This Sauvignon Blanc tastes is off-dry in style. It's also a little one-dimensional, with Meyer-lemon and yellow apricot flavors that are fortunately brightened with crisp acidity.
This Sauvignon Blanc tastes lightly grassy, with a creamy texture and plenty of bite. The flavors that pop include grapefruit, kiwi, cantaloupe and wet stone.
This Sauvignon Blanc, Malagousia and Robola blend is feminine and refined from start to finish. The nose offers white flowers and citrus, while on the palate, the fuller-bodied fruit character finishes with a perky brightness. The wine has a fruit-forward style that will appeal to an international market, but exhibits lovely Greek character.
This Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle blend is rounded and ripe, with yellow fruit flavors to go with the fresher acidity. It shows the ripe, tropical side of the Sauvignon Blanc—rich and full in the mouth. Drink from early 2016.
This Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blend is all stainless steel fermented, but carries some lovely spice and toasty notes along with soft, broadly fruity flavors of melon and citrus.
This Sauvignon Blancs boasts a great big hit of green gooseberry but tinged with ammonia. It's dry and zippy in acidity, with enough citrus and vanilla to keep it balanced.
This Sauvignon from northern Italy offers fragrant aromas of mango, kiwi and tomato leaf with a distant accent of white pepper. It's an interesting aromatic ensemble that ultimately has more impact on the nose than it does in the mouth.
This Sauvignon has a sweetly aromatic, candy-like nose with aromas of honey, white flowers and stone fruit. The aromatic intensity is wonderful and helps shape a cheerful, perky white with menthol freshness on the close.
This Sauvignon is just a little too green. The gooseberry flavors have a sharp, minty edge that detracts, and makes the wine taste medicinal.
This Sauvignon is lean in appearance and offers a dim golden color backed by pretty aromas of kiwi, passion fruit, mango and fresh herbs. The nose lacks the sharp highlights usually associated with the variety and is instead flatter, wider and creamier in approach.
This Sauvignon is not very intense in terms of its aromatic delivery although it does offer measured tones of lemongrass, peach, honey and fresh basil. It has a vibrant, luminous quality and crisp, easy finish.
This Sauvignon is tuned down in terms of its aromatics and not very intense overall. You will encounter measured notes of acacia flower, honey and exotic fruit and the wine is fresh and informal in delivery.
This Sauvignon offers subdued aromas of cantaloup and tomato vine while the palate shows melon, mineral and citrus notes. It's linear and lean, with a clean finish.
This Sauvignon opens with beautiful aromas of exotic fruit, citrus, dried sage and a touch of cinnamon spice at the back. The mouthfeel is smooth and dense with a crisp, but creamy aftertaste.
This savory and meaty red wine is made from air-dried Nebbiolo grapes much in the same style as Amarone. It opens with thick tones of pipe tobacco, smoked bacon and dried blackberry fruit. It shows power, density and personality.
This savory blend of 40% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Syrah opens with aromas of roasted coffee bean, leather, tobacco and dark woodland berry. The chewy palate offers juicy plum, cassis and clove alongside polished tannins. Drink through 2019.
This savory blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot has aromas of red currants, toast, cedar and baking spices. The juicy palate delivers ripe red cherries, clove and white pepper alongside firm but elegant tannins. Hold another year or two to fully develop. Drink 2015–2020.
This savory blend of 70% Nero d'Avola and 30% Syrah opens with aromas ripe blackberry, sour cherry and wild strawberry that all carry over to the palate alongside hints of black pepper and cocoa. The juicy fruit is balanced by smooth, supple tannins.
This savory blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo leads with earthy aromas of freshly tilled soil, underbrush, black berries and plum. The vibrant, structured palate offers sour cherry layered with white pepper, thyme and sage balanced by fresh acidity and a solidly tannic backbone. Hold to develop complexity. Drink 2015–2020.
This savory blend of Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Viognier (developed, Bridlewood claims, after tasting through the winery's lots 175 times) delivers black pepper, vanilla, stewed fig and roasted pork to the nose. It then clings to flavors like sage and sautéed plum that are more often found in cool-climate Syrah. The tannins are slightly rough, so this may be best in 2015, but it's drinking well now.
This savory Brunello has red berry, scorched soil and new leather aromas. It's full-bodied and finely tannic, offering black cherry, tobacco and clove flavors, while a licorice note marks the finish. Enjoy 2018–through 2023.
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 savory Nerello Mascalese leads with red cherry, raspberry and rosemary scents. The palate delivers red-skinned berry, cinnamon and Mediterranean scrub notes within a frame of polished tannins and fresh acidity. Enjoy through 2022.
This savory Pinot Grigio has a little weight on it thanks to grape selection and 20% aging in large barrels. It delivers classic Granny Smith apple, Bartlett pear, nutmeg and flint in a creamy texture brightened by fresh acidity.
This savory Pinot Noir features aromas of blistered tomatoes, Italian herbs, Dr. Pepper and strawberries stewed with anise. Oregano and rosemary give herbal backbone to the pomegranate fruit flavors, all culminating in a very sanguine finish.
This savory red boasts star anise, blue flower, new leather, red berry and eucalyptus aromas. On the palate, expect Marasca cherry, cranberry, cinnamon and clove flavors set against firm tannins and racy acidity.
This savory red delivers aromas and flavors of mature black plum, juicy blackberry, licorice and a hint of tobacco. A note of bitter prune accents the firm, succulent finish.
This savory red features aromas and flavors of violet, juicy blueberry, blackberry, plum and a whiff of cake spice. Firm but fine-grained tannins give support. While it's full-bodied, it's also easy to drink. A licorice note signals the close.
This savory red opens with aromas that recall underbrush, dark berry, spice and a hint of new leather. The easy-drinking, juicy palate offers wild cherry, raspberry and a dash of baking spice alongside polished tannins and lively acidity.
This savory Rosso opens with aromas of perfumed berries, violet, earth and a hint of cedar. The easygoing palate offers juicy dark cherry lightly accented with hints of sweet spice. It's made to be drunk young so enjoy through 2015.
This savory Rosso weaves together sensations of Morello cherry, wild strawberry and crushed raspberry lightly accented with notes of cinnamon and clove. It's round and ready to enjoy now with hearty Tuscan soups or mildly seasoned pecorino cheese.
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.
This savory selection offers earthy aromas of underbrush, truffle and leather. The zesty palate expresses tart red cherry flavor punctuated by mint, vanilla and espresso accents. It's nicely balanced, with firm but ripe tannins and ample freshness. Artisan Wines, Downey Selection.
This savory Verdicchio offers freshness and fleshy fruit flavors of creamy white peach, lemon and tropical fruit, all accented by mineral notes. The round structure is brightened by crisp acidity that leaves a cleansing finish.
This savory white opens with aromas of acacia flower, crushed stone and citrus zest. The ripe round palate gives pear, chopped herb, baked pineapple and a flinty (almost smoky) note.
This savory white opens with aromas of exotic fruit, apricot, hay and a whiff of wild flower that follow through to the palate along with grapefruit and a vegetal note. A mineral accent lifts the finish.
This savory white opens with refined fragrances of citrus blossom and orchard fruit. The juicy palate offers white peach, tart green apple, mouthwatering citrus and a note of Mediterranean herb. It's nicely balanced, with crisp acidity.
This savory white opens with toasted nut, mature apple and citrus zest aromas. Mirroring the nose, the round, juicy palate doles out ripe apple, peach and candied tangerine flavors with moderate freshness. A bitter almond note graces the finish.
This savory wine begins with aromas of peach blossom and citrus. The linear palate delivers golden apple, lemon zest, nectarine and almond alongside bright acidity.
This savory wine has earthy and fruity fragrances of underbrush, spice and plum. The palate delivers a lush dark cherry flavor, accented by white pepper, cinnamon and licorice spice. With its fresh acidity and firm but elegant tannins, this has complexity and modest aging potential.
This savory wine has earthy aromas of truffle, forest floor and woodland berries. The dense palate offers concentrated plum and raspberry flavors laced with accents of chocolate and pipe tobacco. This has a mature palate with tertiary sensations and depth. Drink now–2019.
This savory wine is made with the native Pallagrello Bianco grape that's making a comeback in Campania. It's loaded with citrus, tropical fruit, juicy Bartlett pear and almond sensations accented with aromatic herbs. Smoky mineral gives a linear character.
This savory wine offers red-skinned berry and baking spice aromas while the palate delivers ripe black cherry, clove and a hint of white pepper. Supple tannins provide support. Enjoy soon.
This savory wine opens with aromas of crushed red berries and violets. The soft, straightforward palate offers juicy black cherry layered with clove and mocha alongside velvety tannins. It's already extremely accessible so enjoy now.
This savory wine opens with aromas of cured meat, cedar, tobacco and black cherry. The tannins show a silky but firm structure.
This savory wine opens with aromas of violet, red rose, wet soil, woodland berries and a whiff of Mediterranean herbs. The fresh, inviting palate doles out juicy dark cherry accented with hints of cracked black pepper, sage and clove. It's straightforward, balanced and enjoyable now but will drink well for through 2017.
This savory wine opens with concentrated aromas of exotic fruit and green apples. The bright, juicy palate offers yellow peach, lemon zest and cantaloupe as well as crisp acidity. It closes on a note of bitter almond.
This savory young wine has forward flavors of pineapples, Meyer lemons and green apple sauce. However, there's a brisk, underlying minerality and great acidity, making the wine seem exceptionally clean. Try pairing it with broiled or fried chicken and cole slaw.
This savory Zin screams its varietal identity with a blast of pepper, nutmeg and clove that accompanies ripe blackberries, wild cherries, mulberries and smoky oak. The wine feels very soft and lightly elegant in the mouth, but fully dry. Perfect for restaurant wine lists.
This savory, easy-drinking red opens with earthy aromas of tilled soil, forest floor, menthol, leather and raspberry. The medium-bodied palate doles out succulent wild cherry, baking spice and chopped mint framed in silky tannins and bright acidity. While it has structure, it's made for sheer drinking pleasure. Enjoy through 2019.
This savory, firmly structured, full-bodied red opens with subtle dark berry, rose petal, pipe tobacco and crushed herb aromas. It delivers layers of juicy Marasca cherry, black raspberry, cinnamon and clove flavors, buttressed by youthfully assertive but refined tannins and nicely balanced, with fresh acidity. Drink 2023–2033.
This savory, salty and oaky white offers flavors of baked and dried apple and butterscotch. Medium to full bodied, it's a strong wine firm in tannin, with its sense of ripeness peaking on the finish.
This savory, spicy wine is relatively light but offers a tasty combination of non-fruit flavors such as black pepper, beef broth and wood smoke. It's medium bodied, lightly tannic and quite complex for its moderate concentration.
This savory, straightforward red opens with attractive aromas of ripe plum, blue flower and a hint of baking spice. The juicy, easygoing palate includes ripe blackberry, spiced blueberry, star anise and a peppery note alongside round, velvety tannins. It's made to be drunk young so enjoy soon.
This savory, straightforward white opens with fruity aromas that recall ripe peach and tropical fruit. The round, juicy palate offers mature yellow apple, passion fruit and white peach while fresh acidity lift the creamy flavors.
This saw no new wood at all, and comes out of the bottle somewhat reduced, with aromas of rubber and little fruit. Decant and/or aerate it, and the flavors of pomegranate juice and black licorice arise, along with a definite green streak. This should be consumed in the next two or three years.
This SB delivers citrus peel, grass and other common varietal aromas. The feel is a touch flabby and soft despite modest acidity, while flavors of citrus fruits and green herbs finish round and long.
This SB hails from Huasco, Chile's great northern frontier. It offers aromas of celery, white pepper and cool citrus. The mouthfeel is linear, maybe a touch monotone, while the palate and finish are made up of salty, briny citrus flavors and cutting acidity.
This SB has one of Chile's best track records for high quality. The nose and flavors both exceed norms, with the former showing bold citrus, lime and melon aromas and the latter revolving around grapefruit, lime and gooseberry. It's ripe, healthy, pithy, acid-driven and piercing. Summer sipping calls.
This SB is more plump and tropical than you might expect for Leyda, but it's still honest, grassy and quite good as a whole. Basic coastal aromas of grass and citrus give way to a round palate with honeyed citrus flavors and length. A focused, comfortable finish is perfectly good; drink right away.
This SB opens with melony aromas along with green, spunky notes. At first it's chunky and grabby feeling, and then it flattens out a bit. Flavors of scallion, bell pepper and citrus end mildly bitter, with some heat and burn.
This SB smells neutral except for a pinch of grassy green. The palate is tangy, while citrusy flavors are not specific. On the finish, this is zesty at first and then falls off.
This scents of citrus peel and lime, with a plump, oily and round palate that features orange and banana flavors. A blend of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Viognier, it turns melony on the short finish.
This score for a $22 Chilean Malbec may cause you to do a double-take, but this is really a great wine. The nose is chock full of berry aromas with earth and leather riding shotgun. Flavors and finishing notes of chocolate truffles, espresso, berry syrup and mocha sum it up. The structure is here, as is the core acidity. This wine has everything. Imported by Atlanta Improvement Co.
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.
This screaming vintage of Secreto is the living definition of pungency. Immediately it hits with fierce gooseberry and nettle aromas along with passion fruit and grapefruit. The palate is acidic and searing, with tangy, cool-climate flavors of lime and passion fruit. On the finish, this zinger is firm as concrete.
This screaming violet-colored chunkster is big and blocky up front, with aromas of vitamins and grapy black fruits. A giant palate holds big tannins, while heady flavors of black plum and oak spice finish minty, toasty and with power.
This screwcap red blend from northern Italy offers a fantastic little package at a very attractive low price. Pristine aromas of red berry and white cherry are offset by subtle shadings of sweet spice and crushed mineral. The wine drinks very well.
This screwcapped Cab means business from the start, with its arresting blast of delicious black pepper, coffee and spice. On the palate, it's a little less grounded and tends toward a less complex, fruity character, but overall, offers good, standard Cabernet flavors at a palatable price.
This seamless, tempting wine combines a hearty 15% Petit Verdot with the Cab. Thick and dense, it imparts memorable flavors of Dr Pepper, black leather, cigar and plenty of berry, currant and plum.
This second label of Château de Cérons is lightly honeyed, even though bone dry. It has a soft, ripe texture with yellow fruits as well as a streak of good acidity. The perfumed Sauvignon Gris adds attractiveness. Drink from late 2017.
This second red wine from the estate was aged in wood for six months. That shows in the smooth character of the ripe Merlot that dominates the blend. The wine is ripe with black-currant jelly fruits that are lifted by the acidity. Drink the wine young, from 2018.
This second wine from Alain Dominique Perrin's Lagrézette team comes from a separate vineyard to the grand vin. It is structured, ripe and fruity. The tannins are soft well integrated into the black fruits. The wine is still at the bright fruit stage and will age, so drink now for its fruit, but better to wait until 2018.
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.
This second wine from Dão Sul's Douro quinta shows the bright fruity side of the region. It's a lively, fresh, red fruit flavored wine, with soft tannins and a ready to drink feel.
This second wine from Duorum brings out ripe fruits, firm still young tannins and some concentrated acidity. It has touches of minerality along with bright red fruits and bold streaks of acidity. The wine is young although it is ready to drink now.
This second wine from Jorge Moreira's Poeira estate is dark, solid, structured and densely tannic. As a contrast, it also has ripe, full-bodied fruitiness, red berry acidity and ripe plums. While it could be drunk now with its delicious juiciness, it will be better from 2017.
This second wine from Quinta de Roriz is ripe, structured and rich with plum fruits and sweet tannins. Some minerality brings out the texture, but the main pleasure of this wine is the great smooth fruit. It's ready to drink, although it will be better from 2016.
This second wine from Quinta de Roriz is ripe, warm and ready to drink. With its ripe black fruits, soft tannins, layers of wood spices and just a hint of acidity, it's a rich offering from a big vintage.
This second wine from the estate offers spice and mushroom aromas that indicate it's now mature. Ripe and smooth, with attractive secondary flavors, it's spicy, meaty and ready to drink.
This second wine of Calon Ségur is beautifully proportioned. It is fruity with rich tannins. At the same time, the crisp fruit of the vintage gives a lift to the deep concentration. Let the wine develop over several years. Drink from 2024.
This second wine of Château Ausone is powerful, dominated by firmly tannic wood-aged Merlot. The wine also has an intense, juicy fruitiness and hints of spiced wood cake.
This second wine of Château Cheval Blanc is ripe, dominated by soft, juicy Merlot. It is rich, full of jammy red berry fruits and finely integrated, gentle tannins. It's full bodied, generous and developing well. Drink from 2017.
This second wine of Château de Belcier has a good texture, jammy ripe strawberry fruits and light tannins. A wine with acidity and a character, it will be ready to drink soon. Drink from mid-2016. MACIF, a mutual insurance company, bought the estate in the 1980s and restored the vineyards and château that was built by François de Belcier, a counter-revolutionary who was guillotined in 1794.
This second wine of Château du Cèdre is floral, with plenty of tannic structure and ripe, juicy black fruit. Drink from late 2018.
This second wine of Château Durfort-Vivens is ripe, firm and well structured. Beautiful ripe black currant and berry fruits are cut with intense acidity. From the great 2010 vintage, it is solid, dense and full of fruitiness as well as tannins. It still does need to age, so drink from 2017.
This second wine of Château Montrose is ripe and structured. In 2012, it formed 29% of total production at Montrose. It opens with severe tannins that transform into ripe blackberry as the wine opens out. Solidly structured and darkly tannic, it needs to age. Drink from 2018.
This second wine of Château Palmer is dense and structured. With ripe swathes of black fruits and juicy Merlot showing strongly, it already displays the potential of the vintage. Generous and ripe, the wine has a fine level of perfumed tannin. Drink from 2023.
This second wine of Château Potensac is soft, fruity with a hint of firmer structure. Juicy Cabernet gives the wine its shape and freshness. It is already drinkable, fruity and fresh.
This second wine of classed growth Château Dassault is still young. It has tannins and a dense texture that comes from its rich fruit and high alcohol. However, it's balanced and jammy, with ripe blackberry flavors and a sense of restrained power. Drink from 2020.
This second wine of Labégorce Margaux is named after the former neighboring estate Labégorce Zédé that was amalgamated after the 2009 vintage. This is a ripe wine, full of the fruit of the vintage as well as having a firm dry tannic structure that will allow it to age. With juicy blackberry fruits still so youthful, it is going to be ready drink from 2019.
This second wine of Lafite Rothschild is packed with acidity, nervy black currant fruits and extreme freshness. It's a light wine, all fruit and only hints of tannin and structure.
This second wine of the Haut-Brion's newly acquired Château Quintus is rich, with layers of black plums and dense juicy tannins. A dark Merlot-dominated wine, it's smooth and likely to be ready soon. Drink from 2017.
This second wine of this estate is aged in tank, making it all bright, ripe berry fruit and juicy acidity. The tannins are still there as it's still aging. Give this attractive, fruity wine until late 2018 before opening.
This second wine of whites from both Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion is both rich and intensely crisp. It has a fine blend between great acidity and grapefruit fruit and a more tropical element. The tangy texture is taut with a mineral edge. Drink from 2020.
This second wine, from Château Monbousquet, is spicy and ripe with a touch of pepper. It has fruits as well, giving a rich character to the wine. Great acidity gives the much-needed a lift at the end. Drink from 2022.
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.
This seductive Brunello portrays aromas of black fruit, vanilla, brown sugar, plums and prunes wrapped within a thin veil of smoke. It's a wine that reaches a comfortable level of intensity and balance and that offers mouth-puckering flavors of sour cherry on the finish.
This seductive Cabernet Franc opens up with aromas of cherry, vanilla and spice leading into layers of blackberry, plum, cinnamon and cedar on the palate. Fruit and spice are balanced here, and medium tannins means the wine can age. Paired with roasted duck or beef, the wine is a sure hit.
This seductive wine has a deep ruby color, jazzy cherry and plum aromas and an elegantly balanced mouthfeel. It offers plenty of fruit flavors that are fresh and just a touch tart like they should be, firm tannins and full body. Best after 2018.
This seductive wine has aromas of mint and cassis leading to deliciously ripe and complex fruit flavors within a creamy texture. While braced by fine-grained tannins, the wine remains almost silky on the palate, bringing cherry, blueberry and mocha flavors that linger on the finish.
This seductively fragrant Muscat features bergamot and white fruit flavors. The floral character of the wine is balanced by dry, crisp acidity, which provides freshness as well as ripeness.
This seemingly forward Hermitage boasts bold notes of lime, pineapple and melon, wrapped in a soft blanket of toastiness and restrained oak. It's round in the mouth and ample in body, with a long finish faintly suggestive of coffee. Drink now.
This seemingly sweet wine shows lots of ripe, rich raspberries and vanilla, with a nice yeasty doughiness. Yet there's good acidity, and the finish is very clean.
This seems a bit fiery on the nose, with tomato, exotic berry, herb, coffee and earth aromas. It feels raw and tannic but serious, with zesty, herbal flavors of briary berry and oak. The herbal Elqui character appears on the the finish.
This seems a bit oaky on the nose, where scents of baking spices and cedar dominate, but those elements are balanced out on the palate, where blackberries, plums and black currants comes to the fore. This is a full-bodied, ripe-textured wine worth a look. Drink now–2025.
This seems a bit overripe in the nose; definitely an ultraripe style, with flavors of peach, apricot and mango. Real tropical, still has decent acids, but the fruit went a bit too far, and there is a definite sweetness too, along with some breakfast toast oak.
This seems a bit riper and rounder than most Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, but it remains varietally on target. Gooseberry and pink grapefruit aromas and flavors finish on a mouthwatering note. Drink now.
This seems a tad more restrained than usual for La Doriane, which has typically been extremely lush and exotic in the past. The 2012 isn't as over the top, but still shows plenty of ripe apricot and tropical fruit framed by smoky oak and baking spices. The finish is long and mouthwatering, suggesting at least a few years of longevity.
This seems as if it was assembled from lesser barrels. It's pleasant, very light, simple and tart; the dominant flavor is cranberry juice.
This seems as sweet as a fruit tart, featuring pineapple and orange jam flavors, with an oaky hit of buttered toast. Brisk acidity provides needed balance, but it's still pretty simple.
This seems as sweet as fruit juice, with flavors of orange, pineapple and banana. It's creamy and warm, in the way of the modern Chardonnay style.
This seems awfully civilized for Cornas, with bold, clean blueberry fruit front and center, anchored by a framework of cedar and vanilla. This full-bodied, lush, creamy expression of Northern Rhône Syrah should drink well through 2025. Imported by DHI Selections, T. Edward Wines Ltd
This seems candy-sweet with flavors of raspberry, red licorice and spice. Simple, it is fine for everyday drinking.
This seems designed to appeal to the Moscato-loving crowd. It has sweet flavors, with apricot and tangerine notes that taste like fruit juice.
This seems heavy and sweet for a Pinot Gris, with flavors of white sugar, orange and vanilla.
This seems like a warm-climate bottling, showing lots of tar, beef char and deep black fruit on the nose. The palate is thick with sticky tannins, though the overall mouthfeel is soft. Flavors of blackberries and roast beef ensue.
This seems like it came from a considerably cooler vintage and also like it has had some age. Light aromas of herb, wood spice, medicine cabinet, leather and mesquite are followed by tart light-bodied cranberry flavors. The tannins bring a slight sense of astringency.
This seems like it was probably better earlier in its life. Now, it's kind of wan and fading, with a maderized note of vanilla, plus white fruit.
This seems like one of the sweeter Gewürztraminers out there, with flavors of white sugar, Asian pear, lychee and spice. The sweetness is balanced with crisp acidity.
This seems prematurely evolved with its lifted, kerosene-like whiff on the nose, but is no less pleasant for that. Ripe stone fruit melds into a slick, oily palate guided by a seam of bright, lemony freshness. The finish is dry and bright, and flavors fill the mouth long after the last sip.
This seems slightly fresher than the basic Muscadelle, offering more balanced flavors, including a touch of orange zest. It's sweet and long, with notes of brown sugar and citrus lingering on the long, more-ish finish.
This seems so sweet, it's practically a Port dessert wine. It's soft and simple, with chocolate and blackberry jam flavors.
This seems so sweet, you could almost classify it as a dessert wine. It has simple orange, pineapple and vanilla flavors.
This seems sweet in jammy pineapple and lemon fruit. It's an easy wine, balanced by crisp acidity and a clean finish.
This seems sweet like a Port. It tastes like raspberry and cherry jam, with lots of heat from the alcohol.
This seems to be a bottling of some of the best blocks from the winery's Firepeak estate vineyard. Although it's modest in alcohol and quite acidic, it's richer and deeper than Baileyana's El Pico Pinot, with waves of cherries, cola, rhubarb and spice. Should develop bottle complexity over the next 3–5 years.
This seems to be a little on the watery side; it does not have the floral highlights that Chenin can sometimes show, nor the fruit concentration that would elevate the score. It's clean and quaffable, with very light citrus and apple fruit flavors.
This seems to be an attempt at an Italianate style, with modest alcohol levels (11%) and the accompanying lack of fruit expression. It's largely neutral, with hints of underripe pear and white pepper that combine with chalky notes on the finish.
This seems to be an attempt to mock the Moscato d'Asti style from Italy, but it doesn't quite pull it off. The nose is powdery and full of gardenias, but the feel is thick and it doesn't have that clean, ethereal personality that the best Moscatos exhibit. Not a bad wine by any means, and probably best with desserts.
This seems to be hurrying along its aging curve, showing a burnished gold color. It's smoky and intense, with citrusy fruit that's more like grapefruit than anything else, plus plenty of weight and bright acidity. Drink up.
This seems to be losing its freshness and appears to be on the down side; the nose is a mixed bag of burnt toast, sulfur and dried straw. The palate offers more likable characteristics, such as green apple and citrus. But the finish is heavily wooded, and there's an element of cheese here.
This seems to have some residual sugar, as there is a grainy, sugary aspect to the light pear and melon flavors. It doesn't quite come together.
This seems to take a page out of Australia's Clare Valley Riesling style book, offering floral notes, green apple and citrus aromas and a reasonably dry, muscular style. Lime sherbet flavors dominate, finishing crisp and tart.
This seems very ripe, and offers notes of cooked cherry, backed by loads of exotic spice, cherry cola, prune, plum, crème de cassis and graphite. It exhibits a velvety mouthfeel and pretty good length on the finish.
This sees less new oak than the Jones Block, so the quality of the biodynamically grown fruit shines. Herbal notes reminiscent of rosemary and thyme accent raspberry and cherry fruit, and while there's ample weight and ripeness, the overall impression is of drinkability and ease.
This sees long months of oak aging that help to shape the dark, savory aromas of cured meat, spice and worn leather. The tannins are textured, exhibiting a dusty, polished feel.
This selection from a 40-year-old vineyard manages to convey both power and complexity in a transparent, nearly ephemeral style. Like gazing into a clear pool of deep water, you plunge through a surface patina of ripe, crushed raspberries into a textural, evanescent palate framed in dark chocolate. Drink now through 2030 and beyond.
This selection from eight parcels of vines was made by one of the top Bordeaux consultants. The result is a ripe, warm wine that has great swathes of plum fruits alongside some firm, dry tannins. It is rich while retaining plenty of fresh acidity. Drink now.
This selection is from Terravant Wine Company, a custom-crush facility in Santa Barbara County. Dry and tannic, it shows classic Cabernet Sauvignon character. It has a smoothness often associated with Napa Valley wines and flavors of blackberry, black currant and oak.
This selection is from the winery's first planted vineyard, now nearing 20 years of age. It's all Pommard clone, offering a burst of pretty cherry fruit backed with stiff tannins and a streak of iron. Still showing some sharp edges, it's just out of 15 months in 50% new oak, and will benefit from aerating or further bottle age.
This selection is fruity and refreshing, yet it has a full body and a ripe character. Taut and tangy on the finish, this wine can age for another 6–9 months to allow the structure to soften.
This selection is named after the cherry trees that border the vineyard, and it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination to find a red cherry flavor in the wine. Red berry fruits are there as well, backed up by dry, firm tannins.
This selection offers balance and integrated aromas of spice, dark fruit, leather, tobacco, cola and rum cake. The wine shows power and heft both in terms of alcohol and consistency. Smoothly polished, fine tannins appear on the close.
This selection opens with aromas of blackberry and black pepper, along with whiffs of oak and vanilla. It has a chewy palate, with well-integreated oak and a black-cherry core accented by a hint of chocolate. The finish is somewhat abrupt.
This selection opens with bold aromas of black cherry, spice, dark chocolate and tobacco. On the palate, dark berry notes dominate, accented by savory tones. The wine is fresh and extracted.
This selection shows pure black-cherry fruit on the nose, then it folds in hints of flowers, spices, chocolate and coffee on the palate. It's full bodied and creamy in texture without being heavy, then finishes long. Ready to drink, but should easily hold another 5–6 years.
This self-described “soft” Cabernet is light and low in alcohol. Aromas of herbal berry fruits precede a round plump palate with jammy plum and currant flavors. While quaffable and a touch sweet, this bears little resemblance to what most people expect from Cab Sauvignon.
This self-described, entry-level blend boasts floral aromatics and spicy, peppery fruit flavors of cranberry, strawberry and raspberry. Ribbon Ridge Pinots show great character, especially when from estate-grown, biodynamically-certified grapes like this offering.
This semi-dry red wine is garnet in color, with aromas of red cherry and red raspberry plus lifted top notes of eucalyptus and mint. In the mouth, flavors of red raspberry and black currant shine brightly before the juicy finish.
This semi-dry rosé offers strawberry, rhubarb and a touch of medicinal spice on the nose, followed by strawberry and sweet cherry on the palate. A hint of spice livens things.
This semi-dry Saperavi offers a bouquet of blueberry, geranium leaf and white chocolate. It is well-rounded on the palate, with flavors of blackberry, strawberry, anise, chocolate and violet. Strong tannins do not overtake the sense of brightness that remains on the tongue from entry to finish.
This semi-sweet Cava boasts a mostly neutral nose. On the palate, it feels like flat soda, with candied lemon-lime flavors that finish lightly oxidized and wheaty.
This semi-sweet wine is dark in color, full bodied, peppery in aroma, and full of berry flavors on the palate. A thick texture coats the mouth with jammy sensations that slowly recede on the finish.
This semisweet blend of Malvasia and Viura is not everyday stuff, but if you have a taste for something sweet and different, give it a try. The nose is floral and waxy, while flavors of honey and ultraripe pineapple are heady and sugary. Not a drop-dead winner but unique and interesting.
This semisweet Cava is neutral on the nose except for notes of grass and yeasty vanilla. The mouthfeel is acceptable, while the flavor profile seems caught between sweet lime and lychee and bitterness.
This semisweet late harvest Hungarian wine has aromas of apricot, caramelized pear and pear tart. There are lovely flavors of canned apricots, sweet ripe pear, white flowers and honeycomb. The finish is sweet but has balanced acidity.
This semisweet Muscat is gold in color and has aromas of caramelized peaches and honeysuckle. Flavors suggest dried apricots and canned peaches.
This semisweet Riesling balances an intensely fruit-forward profile of ripe yellow cherry and quince flavors against a backdrop of crisp, tart tangerine acidity. It's sunny and bright, yet elegantly composed, with a bristle of fresh herb notes that linger on the finish.
This semisweet sparkling wine has vanilla bean and orange sorbet aromas. It has a good level of bubbles and marzipan and sweet tropical fruit flavors that persist into the finish.
This semisweet Viura-Malvasia blend is neutral on the nose, then sweet as expected on the palate, with upfront residual sugar driving a flavor profile that includes mango, banana and apple juice. Sugary and bit cloying from start to finish, but good acidity keeps it in balance.
This sends up scents of grape jam, plum and cherry, and those round and forward fruit flavors combine in the mouth. It's a tasty young wine, with plenty of immediate appeal from its lollipop-rainbow flavors.
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.
This sensational effort comes from 20-year-old vines. It's a glorious wine; textural, generous and complex. The bright and fruity midpalate blends flavors of peach, quince, honey, tea and caramel, buoyed by juicy acidity and a touch of minerality.
This sensational effort was fermented and briefly aged in neutral oak. The striking package sets it apart from all other Rex Hill wines, and the rich, complex flavors add to the impression that this is something truly special. Red berries, blood orange, a touch of Grand Marnier, impressive body and spicy highlights all combine in a darn near irresistible rosé with the power to be a four season wine.
This Serbian 100% Portuguiser offers scents of dried cherry, dried herbs and fresh tarragon, and follows up with tastes of red plum and dried strawberry.
This series of wines, under the Badger Mountain label of Powers winery, uses grapes that are organically grown. Minimal sulfites are added. This a fresh, forward, deliciously fruity Chardonnay, loaded with a classy mix of apple, pear and peach fruit. A great springtime sipper.
This serious and concentrated wine has plenty of ripe fruit aromas and flavors, with a smooth texture, and lingering fruitiness on the finish. It resembles black plums and cloves in flavor, and has excellent balance and depth.
This serious red blend puts together a texture firmed up with gripping tannins and acidity, flavors brimming with blackberry and sweet spices and a lingering finish. Too structured to appreciate alone, it will need pairing with roast beef, lasagna, ribs or the like.
This serious wine is beginning to mature. Its spicy wood and mint flavors are now integrating with the rich structure. The finish is bright in a final burst of fruit. Drink from 2018.
This serious wine is spicy both from wood aging and from the natural character of the Cabernet Franc. It is rich, intense and with layers of red fruits balanced with a strongly smoky character. The wine has a tight texture, suggesting it needs further aging. Drink from 2019.
This serious wine is still developing even after five years. It is rich, dense and concentrated with firm tannins that lie under the ripe black fruits and acidity. From vineyards to the east of Aix-en-Provence, the wine has a mineral, structured character that needs to age. Drink from 2018.
This serious wine is still very young. Its black fruits and firm tannins are showing considerable potential, with acidity and a firm core still developing. This will be a powerful wine and one that needs to age. Drink from 2016.
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 serious, ageworthy wine is the top in the series of three wines from the Moinié estate. It's powerful and perfumed, with rich dark chocolate and superripe black plum and berry flavors. The tannins are still firm, showing its considerable potential. Wait until at least 2021 before drinking.
This serious, ripe offering is packed with red berry and stone fruit flavors. It also has complex touches of toast and acidity, producing a sense of dryness. This is finely balanced and is now ready to drink, but it will also likely age for a few more years.
This serious, solid wine has all the structure of Morgon with its firm, mineral texture. Rich and full-bodied, it's packed with dark plum and blackberry fruits as well as firm, ageworthy tannins. Drink from 2015.
This serious, solid wine has plenty of smoky flavors, juicy black fruit and a firm background of tannins. Ripe, full of fruit and with fine acidity at the end, it will be ready from 2019.
This seriously good Zin shows off its ancient vineyard's terroir as well as Dry Creek's amenability for Zinfandel. Rich and complex, the wine is very spicy, flooding the mouth with creamy flavors of grilled red cherries, red currants, Fig Newton cookies, mocha and even a hint of sweet, char-broiled beefsteak. Now through 2012.
This seriously overripe wine offers baked, stewy aromas. Scratchy tannins, reduction and overripeness characterize this baked, raisiny, chocolaty wine from front to finish.
This serviceable red blend includes smaller amounts of Merlot and Syrah, with tart red fruits and drying tannins. It dries out the mouth with a chalky sensation, suggesting it would be best enjoyed with red meat.
This seven-acre Petit family estate is dominated by Merlot that gives the wine its rich generous character. In this vintage it was balanced by crisp acidity and a lively aftertaste. The tannins promise further aging. Drink from 2020.
This Seyval Blanc sparkling opens with notes of savory pressed apple and wood. The palate is thin in concentration, but biting lemon-lime acidity adds refreshment. The finish is animated in effervescence and pleasantly delicate in foam.
This shamelessly appealing wine brings aromas of black currant, black olive, herbs, cocoa and plum. The blackberry and cherry flavors are ripe and generous, showing a classic Cabernet profile with lightly chalky tannins rounding it out.
This shapely, opulent Brunello delivers soft texture and rich intensity that is highlighted by crisp aromas of sweet cherry, spice and dark vanilla bean. That soft roundness continues to the palate where the wine exhibits a smooth, velvety texture.
This sharp, spicy, herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc showcases the flavors of the Columbia Gorge AVA. It's a pungent wine, with sweet grassy flavors and a hint of toast, despite fermentation in stainless steel. Unusual but interesting.
This shimmering barrel-fermented blend of 75% Viura and 25% Tempranillo Blanco opens with stable aromas of apple, butter and fresh corn. An elegant fairly light palate delivers a mix of dry oak, nectarine, peach and apple flavors. This is lithe and comfortable on the finish, with modest but noticeable residual oak.
This Shiraz-based blend, with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, is bold and layered, taking time to unfold and develop in the glass. Blackberry, currant and wild raspberry notes lead the bouquet, but additional accents of game and herbs unfold and mount in intensity. Flavors of red cherry and currant fill the palate, with hints of fynbos, cocoa and licorice stick staying well into the long finish. Firmly structured, with gripping tannins and concentrated flavors.
This Shiraz-based blend—with splashes of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier—is lush and rich, with notes of ripe blackberry, cherry and strawberry preserves backed by hints of fruit-cake spice and black pepper. The plush mouthfeel boasts similarly concentrated dark-fruit flavors, and the finish boasts a decadent fudgy chocolate note that shows good staying power. Drink now–2016.
This Shiraz-dominated (70%) blend is a bit darker than one might anticipate, with black currant liqueur, pepper, anise and plum skins taking center stage in the profile. Well-balanced with medium dusty tannins and a lingering finish infused with toasty oak spice. Try pairing with braised short ribs or spiced lamb loin.
This Shiraz does a nice job of balancing its fruit-sweet characters of blackberry and blueberry with savory elements of herbs and green olives. It's full-bodied, warm and creamy-textured, with a warm, chocolaty finish. Drink it now and over the next few years.
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.
This Shiraz offers wonderful purity of fruit, ranging from blueberries to raspberries, just touched with hints of cracked pepper, cinnamon and toast. Atypically structured for a wine under $20, this medium-bodied example of Margaret River Shiraz should drink well from 2013-2023.
This Shiraz spends 13 months in French and American oak, and it shows, thanks to decadent notes of chocolate-covered cherry, cocoa powder and tree bark. The palate exhibits a bit more fruitiness, with flavors of red plum and cherry flesh. A hint of white pepper stays through the medium-length close.
This should have fairly widespread appeal for its bold cherry fruit aromas and balanced feel. Floral notes add interest on the nose, while the palate shows some savory mushroom and dusty earth character. The tannins are slightly astringent on the finish, so opt for red meat rather than a more delicate dish. Drink now.
This should prove to be quite popular, as it's loaded with blackberry and sweet black cherry fruit flavors. It carries the fruit with stiff but polished tannins, and brings in accents of licorice, coffee and dark chocolate. Nothing is overdone; the balance here is just right, and the addition of 16% Syrah brings with it a dash of pepper.
This showcases a highly sought-after vineyard site known for its tension of big, bold, ripe fruit and notable acidity. Red currant, cranberry and leather find a well-composed rendering of leathery clove and other lively hits of spice, including black and white pepper.
This showcases the sweet-tasting, ripe fruit and powerful oak that characterizes all of Trinchero's 2009 reds. For a 100% Petit Verdot, it's unusually complete, with intense flavors of blackberry and blueberry jam, mocha, violet, smoky vanilla and toast. Drink now, after decanting, and over the next six years.
This showcases the varietal's rustic side, with edgy tannins and a briary mouthfeel framing cherry, raspberry, spice and tobacco flavors. It's dry and very high in alcohol, which gives it a glycerine-based sweetness. This does a good job expressing the essential Dry Creek Zinfandel character.
This showcases the winery's style of ripe fruit, soft texture and considerable oak than it does Mount Veeder's terroir, but nonetheless, it's delicious. Made from 100% Cabernet, it's power-packed with flavors of blackberry and cherry jam, chocolate and vanilla-tinged toast. Drink now–2015.
This showcases Viognier's rich, exotic side, with flavors of tropical fruit, orange, vanilla-cream, honeysuckle and spice. It's a big, flamboyant wine, but dry, and nicely balanced with crisp acidity and a touch of mineral.
This shows a bit more of the herbal side of the 2011s, wrapping peppery notes around light strawberry fruit. Barrel-aged for 15 months in 44% new French oak, it's still filling in and benefits from extended breathing.
This shows a bold and modern personality, with spicy oak tones behind bright notes of cherry, chocolate and chewy raspberry. It shows savory endnotes of pipe tobacco, leather and prune.
This shows a bold, overdone bouquet of Indian spice, bitter chocolate, crushed clove and black pepper. The tannins are firm and astringent, and the wine leaves a huge impression on the palate: it's almost too much of a good thing.
This shows a bright quality of fruit, with fine nuances of berry, tart cherry and plum. The acidity would pair with oven-roasted lasagna with a cheesy crust.
This shows a bright vein of acidity that's backed by fragrant aromas of lemon zest, kiwi, green sage and grapefruit.
This shows a bright yellow-gold color and light lemon and butter aromas. Pronounced butter, lemon and almond flavors almost overwhelm the lean texture. Tart in taste and light in texture, it refreshes the mouth.
This shows a brownish cast to the garnet color, then reveals wonderful aromas of dried cherry and forest floor. These partner with a firm, dry and appetizing texture and lean but bright cranberry, black tea and cardamom flavors.
This shows a certain richness, with black currant, cola and cedar flavors. It's easy to drink with just about anything that calls for a dry, full-bodied red.
This shows a combination of deep fruit flavors and a firm, tight-grained texture that make it classic in style. Black cherry and black currant flavors are wonderfully accented by impressions of pine forest and dried mushrooms. Baxter matured this wine in 100% neutral French oak barrels, so the taste is all about the Langley grapes and not new oak.
This shows a darker shade than most young whites, almost a burnished gold. Soft and complex, with ripe, slightly confected fruit flavors, it's super smooth, with honeysuckle highlights around waxy stone fruits. Excellent length.
This shows a delicate silkiness and a sweet essence of wild raspberries that make it fully ready to drink now. But that quality obscures its subtleties of mineral, mushroomy earth and flower notes that add to this Pinot's great complexity. As good as it is now, it will have no trouble negotiating the next decade.
This shows a distinctive green element of bell pepper and wild sage, with opulent notes of blackberry and cherry. The finish adds tones of bitter almond and menthol freshness.
This shows a dry, leathery flavor, plus notes of sour cherry candy, mineral and cola. There are also oak-derived tones of caramel and vanilla. The mouthfeel is tart and tannic, but it's also elegant. Let this Pinot Noir decant, which will help it mellow.
This shows a fine balance of citrus and tropical fruit richness with a firm minerality, and the oak is pleasantly in the background. A touch of lees character gives it a Champagne-like doughiness.
This shows a fine, silky texture from a vintage that resulted in some tough-textured wines. Raspberry and garrigue combine on the nose, while the palate adds hints of sun-baked earth on the long, softly dusty finish. Drink now–2023.
This shows a focused quality, with aromas of wild berry, medicinal herb and button mushroom. Although this thickly extracted wine delivers density and power, it also offers balanced acidity that keeps the palate refreshed.
This shows a good amount of funk with its matchstick, mushroom and toast aromas. There's a speckle of lime leaf and grass to remind you that this is Sauvignon Blanc, after all, but mostly it is its own beast entirely. Oily yet grainy in texture with a whiff of smoke on the finish, there's just enough acid to keep you going back for more.
This shows a hint of green in its scents and tannins. Firm berry and cassis fruit anchors the palate, with tannins that remain a bit unyielding. Give this one a decanting, and it will soften up. A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon,
This shows a hint of mineral along with tropical fruit. This is a seductive combination that shows richness and a taut, nervy character. Age for at least six years.
This shows a lean, silky texture, with a touch of bright alcohol on the finish. Its a finely-textured wine that's redolent of wild berry, cola and white cherry.
This shows a mild SB character on the nose. It's citric on the palate, with lime, lemon and tangerine flavors. Just enough crispness and scour make it a worthwhile quaffer.
This shows a more serious side to Gamay. Black cherry and plum fruits are sustained by firm tannins and tight, mineral acidity. It needs a few months to develop. Drink from 2015.
This shows a pretty ripeness, with tones of red cherry and blackberry that are followed by a soft, smooth mouthfeel. There's a touch of sweetness that should pair with pork and roasted fennel.
This shows a riper, softer personality compared to previous vintages of this wine. The finish is plush and rich and should pair with succulent cuts of red meat.
This shows a slight, volatile lift on the nose. That headiness is also present on the palate, which is slender, with a refreshing core of lime and lemon mflavors. It finishes clean.
This shows a soft, velvety personality, with loads of ripe fruit, blackberry and cherry liqueur. Leather, exotic spice and dark chocolate notes complete the picture, giving the wine a rich, generous personality.
This shows a somewhat more concentrated midpalate than the regular bottling, though all of the Anam Cara Pinots share common ground. This is a balanced, elegant wine, offering a mix of strawberry, earth and pepper flavors all done with a delicate hand.
This shows a strong Bourbon barrel flavor from the new oak that is still being integrated into the fruit. Tart wild-berry flavors surfacewith air, but the impression is of a high-acid, sharply-defined Merlot; it's structured for aging.
This shows a tart, green gooseberry flavor that is similar to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Other notes include tropical fruit, orange and honey. Unoaked, with a splash of Muscat, this has commendable dryness and acidity.
This shows a tiny hint of tertiary aromatic evolution in the form of dried fruit, tobacco leaf, dusty mineral and licorice. It delivers a smooth, polished mouthfeel as well.
This shows a touch less oak than the Maté's Vineyard, with more emphasis on pineapple and citrus. It's medium-bodied, with a slightly custardy texture, and turns tangy and crisp on the finish. Drink now–2020.
This shows a touch of evolution in its faded rim, but the aromas of cherries, cinnamon and mocha remain pristine. The tannins are smooth and supple, subtly framing expressive flavors of cherries, chocolate, espresso and baking spices. Drink now–2022.
This shows ample mushroomy complexity without showing any evidence of tiring. Hints of shiitakes add richness and depth to the black cherry flavors, while a dried-mushroom dustiness adds length and interest to the finish. Drink now–2020.
This shows an evident layer of oak in the form of buttered toast and vanilla notes, but the underlying wine is strong in pineapple and golden mango flavors. Fine coastal acidity and a hint of mineral provide structural balance.
This shows an intriguing bouquet of violet and truffle, with hints of meat juices thrown in for good measure. The palate is long and linear, delivering ripe berry, mint and peppery notes. The tannins are still tight and need a few more years to soften.
This shows an old-fashioned Spring Mountain dryness and tannic astringency, which makes it hard to enjoy at the moment. Decant it for several hours to let it mellow so you can enjoy the deep core of black currant flavor.
This shows apple and pear flavors in a soft shell of a body. The finish is light and gently fragrant.
This shows aromas of candied fruit and honey, with zesty touches of dried herb, citrus and spice at the back. The mouthful is velvety smooth, and the finish is long.
This shows beautiful aromatic intensity, with plush ripeness and sweet tones of wild berry and spice. There's a blast of moist tobacco on the close followed by tight tannins and fine structure.
This shows beautiful balance and intensity, with notes of black fruit, espresso, leather and a touch of drying mineral. The blend is Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon.
This shows beautiful touches of cured meat, dried berry, ginger, rosemary oil and cigar box. It is soft and succulent on the finish, but the solid tannins hold it together very nicely.
This shows beautifully elegant aromas of spice, black pepper, crushed granite, dried spice and fresh forest berry. There is are recognizable notes of jammy red fruit and marmalade, but the bouquet remains tightly pulled together and balanced nonetheless. It imparts a crisp, clean sensation on the palate, with a long, polished finish.
This shows bold oak tones of toast and spice that will unwind with 3–5 more years of bottle age. Beyond the notes of cinnamon and tobacco, this blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc shows austerity and complexity, with touches of dark plum and tangy barbecue sauce. Give it a few more years.
This shows both the finesse of the Anderson Valley and the '09 vintage that was so kind to coastal Pinot Noir. It has rich flavors of cherry jam and ripe pomegranate, with fine acidity, but there's an excessive oakiness that gives it a toothpicky sweetness.
This shows both the fruit of the vintage and a more structured tannic side. Black currant flavors are up front, offering a generous feeling. They are balanced by the backdrop of tannins and tight acidity. Together they make a wine that is concentrated and likely to be ready to drink soon. Drink from 2016.
This shows bright floral tones of honeysuckle and citrus blossom backed by notes of stone fruit and dried grass. It's creamy and smooth, with a distant touch of sweetness on the finish.
This shows bright tones of wild berry and cherry cola, with slight hints of barbecue smoke and licorice in the background. There's even a touch of medicinal herb on the short finish.
This shows brisk, mouthwatering Central Coast acidity, which brightens the slightly sweet lemon and lime flavors.
This shows cherry aromas and toasted notes of espresso. The palate is subdued and lean, but delivers some orange peel and berry flavors, then finishes abruptly.
This shows classic Cabernet Sauvignon character, and there's even a Bordeaux-like earthiness that grounds the cherry, currant and cedar flavors. Made from fruit grown in the winery's Alexander Valley vineyard, this is ideal for drinking now.
This shows classic coastal crispness and delicacy, with a silkiness that makes it feel easy on the palate. It's also delicious in flavors of cherries, bacon, cola and spices. The blend happens to be fattened up by Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Syrah
This shows classic Oakville tannins, acidity and rich blackberry and cassis flavors, with a nice, spicy finish. But, it doesn't show the flashy concentration or the ageworthiness of the region's best Cabernets. Give it a decanting and drink up.
This shows classic valley-floor aspects of dusty tannin, brushy sage and cedar, staying true to the Bordeaux varieties it holds. Pencil lead and mocha accent the medium-bodied background, while soft, pillowy tannins are approachable.
This shows clean and polished aromas of crème de cassis, wild berry, cola, ginger and dried mint. The mouthfeel is linear and bright but also firm.
This shows clean aromas of blue flower, wild berry and cola, with a touch of moist earth or tobacco. The close is simple and slightly sour.
This shows cranberry and herb aromas, along with a floral top note. The palate comes off as sweet and liquorous, with lightly grainy tannins providing support.
This shows dark berry aromas with hints of toast and sandalwood. The palate delivers black fruits layered with licorice, spice and espresso, but it's a bit shy on length.
This shows dark concentration, with dense aromas of sweet cherry, tobacco, prune and blackberry. On the palate, it delivers a ripe impression of sweetness and a soft, plush texture.
This shows deep, classic flavors of sweet blackberries and black currants, with rich, thick tannins. While it doesn't seem to be an ager, it's a lovely wine to decant over a few hours. Drink now.
This shows delicate floral aromas along with dominant bell pepper and sawdust sensations. The palate is dominated by oaky flavors of roasted coffee beans and espresso, giving the wine an anonymous personality and style.
This shows dense notes of plum and cedar, with firm, sizable tannin. The body and ripeness mark the vintage but find balance within a structure of subtle oak. Enjoy best from 2021 through 2023.
This shows distinctive dryness and tannins, with an elegant mouthfeel framing black currant and oak flavors. But it's a little shy of being ageworthy, so drink up.
This shows earthy aromas of forest floor, plum and leather, with intense notes of bell pepper and whiffs of red currant, all of which carry through to the savory palate. The fresh acidity makes it a perfect match for mildly seasoned cheeses or grilled burgers. Siena Imports, Barsotti Wines.
This shows easy characteristics of red cherry, bitter almond, cola and spice, with a bright and cleansing finish. It would pair nicely with pasta or pizza.
This shows enormous personality and distinctive aromas of rosemary, bay leaf, sweet cherry, prune, spice, cola and tobacco. Made in a large, bold style, it delivers plush layers of sweetness and softness, with a touch of heat on the finish.
This shows enticing aromas of mint, spice and balsamic herbs and delivers a restrained palate of black cherry, with undertones of sage, white pepper, coffee and espresso. This is still aggressively tannic and needs time to soften.
This shows evolved aromas of stewed plum, resin, varnish and leather with a whiff of vanilla. The palate offers dried black cherry steeped in spirits, black pepper, notes of espresso, mocha and baking spice alongside soft, muted tannins. Drink through 2018.
This shows excellent focus and spice in the nose, with scents of cardamom and clove reminiscent of a good Mendocino Pinot. Plenty of flavor up front, but the wine loses it in the middle palate. It finishes with a soft, spicy, slightly banana flavor, a bit out of balance.
This shows flavors of honey, tropical fruit, vanilla and smoky oak that are wrapped into a creamy texture. It will satisfy your basic Chardonnay needs.
This shows floral and underbrush aromas of violet, forest floor and woodland berries. The palate offers ripe black cherry, red currant, Asian spice and toasted notes. It's structured yet elegant, with firm but fine tannins and nice depth. It's ready now, so enjoy soon.
This shows fresh, crisp apple and lemon-cream aromas, with clean appley flavors and buttery accents. Medium bodied, it tends toward the soft, rather than crisp, side. Lively fruit flavors make it refreshing.
This shows full-bodied blackberry, black currant, smoky bacon and pepper flavors, wrapped in firm tannins. It's a versatile, easy-to-like wine.
This shows good blackberry and black currant flavors, with the smooth, rich tannins for which Oakville is noted. But there's no particular intensity or ageworthiness. Drink up.
This shows good crispness, with an apple flavor and zesty acidity. The fruitiness is balanced by a mineral edge and a touch of caramel.
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.
This shows green unripe notes that go beyond gooseberry. Still, it gets a pass for cleanness and dryness.
This shows hallmark Nebbiolo aromas of violet, rose, earth and forest floor. The silky palate delivers ripe black cherry and balsamic notes, smooth tannins and just enough fresh acidity. This is ready now.
This shows high alcohol and a full-bodied mouthfeel, plus massive concentration of ripe, slightly roasted fruit. It's enormous in flavors of blackberries, sweet black currants and licorice, sprinkled with cocoa and black pepper.
This shows how a wine can be both immediately delicious and drinkable, yet possess that extra stuffing to make it complex and ageable. It offers generous raspberry, cherry, chocolate, vanilla and spice flavors, balanced with gorgeous acidity and a hint of dusty tannins. Drink now–2018.
This shows its age a bit, as the citrus, lemongrass and tropical flavors pick up a dried fruit edge. But it's clean and vibrant, offering plenty of Napa complexity. Drink now.
This shows its cool-climate origins thanks to the brisk acidity and keen minerality that accompany the orange, peach and oak flavors. It's elegant and rich, but don't drink it too cold.
This shows its residual sugar without quite masking the very tart fruit. Flavors are simple and clean, hinting at barely ripe melon, sweetened with a bit of sugar.
This shows jelly-like flavors of orange and pear, with some earthy tones. The mouthfeel is soft and there's a bounty of oak in the form of buttered toast and caramel notes.
This shows just how good Gimblett Gravels reds can be even at such a fair price point. Senior Winemaker Gordon Russell has fashioned a full-bodied, dark and dense wine that shows hints of vanilla and cedar which frame dark plum and cassis fruit, then slowly fade into a long, velvety finish. Drink 2020–2030.
This shows less intensity than displayed in past vintages. Instead of brawn and power, this is elegant and polished, with aromas of dried fruit, crushed stone and dried herb.
This shows light lime, green apple and herb aromas. It drinks dry, with abundant apple flavors supported by tart acidity.
This shows light, tangy cranberry and raspberry flavors on the fresh, straightforward attack. Beyond that, it doesn't offer much detail, finishing with a touch of acidity.
This shows lively acidity, with ripe but tart fruit and an alcohol level just slightly above 12%. The grapes used were sourced from the Benches (German clones) and old vine plantings at Dionysus. It's a lush Poet's Leap, lightly tasting of honey, and loaded with pretty flavors of Meyer lemon, ripe orange, and candied pineapple.
This shows lots of blackberry and currant flavors, along with a polished jacket of smoky oak. It's bone dry but a little heavy. Perfect for easy drinking when you need a nice Cabernet and don't want to mortgage the house.
This shows lots of Chardonnay charm and lusciousness. The texture is creamy and buttery, the flavors are suggestive of ripe pineapples and oranges, plus layers of vanilla and butterscotch are just right.
This shows lovely floral aromas and hints of chocolate and berry. The palate offers ripe black cherry, spice and coffee, and while this is still tannic, the tannins are ripe and composed. This is already drinking well, so enjoy it soon.
This shows Merry Edwards' signature of exceptional deliciousness and drinkability, coupled with seemingly neverending depth. Made using fruit sourced from the winery's vineyard in the cooler southwestern part of the valley, near Sebastopol, this is rich in acids and soft tannins, but the flavors set it apart. Notes of raspberry, cherry, cola, tea, licorice, pepper and sandalwood abound and evolve with every sip. Drink now–2018.
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 shows more oak-driven sensations than you would expect from a wine aged in large casks, opening with aromas of oak, coconut, vanilla and an underpinning of ripe dark berry. The firm palate offers dried black cherry, espresso, chopped sage and licorice alongside rather austere, close-grained tannins.
This shows more oak than fruit. It opens with aromas of toasted oak, chocolate, vanilla and espresso that all carry over to the palate along with a note of spearmint chewing gum. Plum notes are strangled beneath and it closes on a note of bitter wood tannins.
This shows more texture than fruit, but it has weight and richness that will come forward in the next two years. Its clean apple fruit is likely to be the dominant factor.
This shows Nebbiolo in its glorious infancy, with tight aromas of currant and wild berry followed by background tones of tar, licorice and softly toasted spice. The tannins are firm and will soften with a few more years of aging.
This shows nice elegance and restraint. It has earthy aromas, along with black berry and tobacco notes. The palate delivers a core of tight black berry, plum, raisin pepper and cinnamon. While this doesn't have the longest finish, it's enjoyable.
This shows notes of prune and chocolate, but not much complexity or finesse. It has delicious fruit and an approachable palate, but it's a bit one dimensional.
This shows off the lovely weight and supple texture of Langhorne Creek fruit alongside bold flavors of chocolate and cassis. Despite that, there's also a nagging bit of green bell pepper that may not be to everyone's taste. Drink now.
This shows opulent blackberry and chocolate flavors that are delicious and heady. But it's very high in alcohol, which gives it a burn and a glycerine-like sweetness. It's a Bordeaux blend, with the addition of Syrah.
This shows oxidation and nuttiness on a pulpy, fleshy, cheesy-smelling bouquet. As Chardonnay goes, this is heavy and breaks down on the palate. Flavors of orange and mango finish wheaty and oxidized.
This shows patented bold blackberry aromas of Cabernet but also herbal, spicy, leafy notes as well. A crisp but thorough palate features pointy acidity, while herbal flavors of cassis, plum, spice, pepper and chocolate finish crisp and a bit sharp. Drink through 2022.
This shows petrol, honey and brie cheese rind notes on the nose, and is quite creamy once sipped, yet the edges are punctuated with orange peel bitterness. The tartness ensures cellaring potential, so drink 2018–2025.
This shows plenty of Chardonnay character with citrus and tropical fruit, cream, vanilla and buttered toast flavors. The wine is dry with crisp acidity, but a bit watery in mouthfeel.
This shows plenty of grip as soon as it hits the tongue, with chewy tannins surrounding flavors of tobacco, earth and herb. The fruit is reminiscent of light plum, but it's the earthy, stemmy flavors that dominate, lending bitterness to the finish.
This shows power and muscle, but the delivery is surprisingly soft and supple. The wine's overall roundness is further reinforced by the irresistible tones of soft chocolate, cigar tobacco and black cherry, which lift straight out of the glass.
This shows pristine aromas of white flower, almond paste and summer peach. The cool northern Italian climate has helped shape the beautifully aromatic bouquet.
This shows pristine qualities, with white flower, citrus, peach and honey notes. The density it imparts on the palate is also impressive and creamy.
This shows real Chardonnay character with its pure, crisp essence of lime and orange that marks this smoky, slightly sweet bubbly. It's a little rough around the edges, but fine for drinking now.
This shows real Chardonnay character, with a creamy texture housing flavors of Meyer lemon tart, vanilla and buttered toast, brightened with lively acidity. It's great to see veteran Bouchaine performing at such a high level.
This shows real Sauvignon character in its brisk, mouthwatering acidity. Its green grass and gooseberry notes accompany riper lemon and lime fruit.
This shows real Sonoma Coast character in its silky texture, strong acidity and transparency of its raspberry and cherry notes, which allow for a mineral-driven taste of the soil to shine. The wine improves in the glass as it airs, picking up extra layers of complexity.
This shows real varietal character with spicy peaches-and-cream flavors and a nice vein of smoky oak, and a honeyed, crisp finish.
This shows really attractive floral notes on the nose, followed by smoldering, dark flavors of roasted root vegetables and caramelized black cherries. It's full-bodied and maybe even a bit chunky on the palate, so give it until 2016–2017 to settle down and smooth out.
This shows red cherry fruit accented by a black sage and sweet pine twist on the nose. It's rich and spicy once sipped, with clove, cinnamon, gingerbread and other Christmas spices giving character to the red- and black-cherry fruits.
This shows rich blackberry, black currant, chocolate and cedar flavors that are wrapped into smooth, fine tannins, with a long, distinguished finish. It's a little warm in alcohol, but altogether this is a fine Cabernet for drinking now.
This shows ripe cherry aromas and hints of roasted coffee bean and underbrush. The palate is still a bit closed, but offers ripe cherry flavors, hints of orange peel, anisette and a coffee note. This is still young and tightly tannic, but should evolve nicely.
This shows ripe cherry, plum and spice aromas, with hints of oak and mint. The palate is still a bit shy but reveals restrained notes of wild cherry, pepper and toasty, well-integrated oak. Drink 2015–2020.
This shows ripe fruit aromas of blackberry and dried raspberry with background tones of spice, leather and black licorice. There's a very nice chewy, almost sweet quality, on the palate.
This shows ripe fruit aromas of cherry and blackberry backed by leather, smoke and teriyaki notes. Thick and smooth, it has a velvety, fruit-driven finish.
This shows ripe prune and oak aromas and hints of burnt rubber and smoke. The palate shows very ripe black fruit, espresso and a warm midpalate. This wine shows some green notes and finishes with bitter, astringent tannins.
This shows rustic aromas of barnyard and wet fur combined with espresso and toast. Despite a dense core of black fruit, this is bitter and astringent, with an abrupt finish.
This shows rustic sensations of overripe black fruit, animal and hints of barnyard that contrast with harsh and astringent tannins.
This shows Savigny's softness and approachability, along with tannins and acids. It is firmly concentrated, creating a wine that feels complete, juicy and rich.
This shows simple flavors of orange and apricot juice wrapped into a creamy texture that seemingly finishes slightly sweet. The best thing is the acidity, which is brisk and stimulating.
This shows simple, candied raspberry and cherry flavors, with a nice spiciness. The mouthfeel is creamy and silky.
This shows slightly volatile aromas of bitter almond, apple skin and apricot.
This shows smooth density and bright fruit flavors of blueberry and dried raspberry, with soft hints of cinnamon and dark chocolate. The wine's fine texture and freshness make it a perfect partner to fettuccine with meat sauce and grated pecorino cheese.
This shows smooth, varietally correct fruit, however, the flavors are a bit muted. The softness is pleasant, but takes the lift out of the wine, finishing with drying tannins.
This shows solid secondary fruity flavors of strawberry compôte and a thin slice of cherry pie. It offers a whiff of leather and some drying tannins, with a finish of black tea. Drink this up soon.
This shows some aggressive tannins now, and the fruit is a little overripe, suggesting red currants and shrivelled raisins. It's also a touch high in alcohol. The tannins are fine and sturdy, but the wine lacks the balance to age. Drink now.
This shows some extra concentration in its plum and cherry fruit. The mouthfeel has a pleasing texture, and the streaks of herb and cola are nicely integrated. As with many of the wines of this vintage, it's forward and fruit-driven and ready for immediate enjoyment.
This shows some of the heat of the 2005 vintage. It is bold and black, with enduring aromas of cherry, prune, leather, spice and licorice. The mouthfeel is smooth and rich.
This shows some pungent, boxwood-like scents up front, followed by modest passion fruit and a bit of citrus, falling away on the finish. Drink now.
This shows some volatility at the moment, but it's layered with notes of blackberry, smoke and game. The acidity feels a bit sharp, which leaves you smacking your lips on the finish.
This shows something of Margaux's—the neighboring appellation—delicacy, allied with firm, dry tannins. It has the dense structure and ripeness characteristic of the vintage, with a rich black-fruit flavor and acidity. It's a wine for long-term aging.
This shows sophisticated aromas of cured meat, Indian spice and dried tobacco that sit as subtle afterthoughts at the back of the bouquet. The core of the wine is dominated by dark cherry and plum fruit. Firmly structured and still young, the wine needs a few more years to evolve.
This shows Spatlese-level sweetness (46 g/L) and alcohol (8.7%). It's poised with moderate acidity and a soft, elegant entry. Flavors of oranges and peaches are underscored with light minerality. A fine, yet straightforward sipper, it persists generously on the palate.
This shows stalky, corny notes on the nose along with mineral and white-fruit scents. There's a lemony quality to an otherwise neutral palate, while saline, lemon and mild but increasing bitterness control the flavor profile and finish.
This shows sweet, plush fruit aromas, with background tones of leather and tobacco. By no means is this wine over the top, in fact, it shows a firm but elegant quality throughout.
This shows tangy aromas of green olive, caper, wild berry, anise seed and a touch of licorice. There's a touch of heat on the close, and the mouthfeel is lean.
This shows that apricotty, botrytised aroma and flavor often found in Santa Lucia Chardonnays from the cooler parts of the appellation, but it's not at all sweet. Instead, it's a bone-dry wine, with vibrant acidity.
This shows the acidity, dryness and body that often mark Merlot from California. The flavors are complex, showing sour cherry and blackberry richness with quite a bit of herbaceousness. Appreciation of this wine demands some participation on the part of the drinker.
This shows the bright acidity and pure fruit of Edna Valley, with laser-like orange, pineapple and mango fruit, touched with honey, butter and smoky oak. Very pure and focused, it's a distinctive wine that smacks of its terroir.
This shows the briny citrus and bell pepper aromas typical for Chilean SB. This is tangy and feels good, with snappy cactus, lime and tangerine flavors. A mild but fairly long finish is citrusy and juicy.
This shows the chilly vintage in the bright acidity that makes this wine's finish so zesty clean. The flavors are tantalizing, suggesting golden apricots, limes and honey, but are complex in minerals and creamy in lees, making it an intellectual wine.
This shows the combo of a cool vintage and deft winemaking. It's impressively deep in citrus, fig and pepper flavors, with just a touch of oak that adds a nice, smoky edge. With high acidity, it really gets those tastebuds whistling. Best of all, the wine achieves the Holy Grail: low alcohol, only 13%, and bone dryness.
This shows the creamy texture of Chardonnay, but with exotic flavors of tropical fruit, sweet nut and pear butter.
This shows the depth of structure that can be found in a villages-level wine, even when it's a Nouveau. It has weight and spicy fruit, with upfront, juicy cherry and banana flavors.
This shows the Diamond Creek signature of dryness, mountain tannins and voluptuously ripe, concentrated fruit. It's dense in blackberry jam and cassis flavors, with firm minerality and a lush toast note from the oak. Near perfection in all of its parts, it possesses those hard-to-define qualities of balance and elegance. Wonderful as it is now, the tannins suggest aging it for many years.
This shows the dried herb character that often characterizes Napa Chardonnay, giving the pineapple and orange flavors an earthiness. It's very dry and crisp in acidity, but it ultimately trades opulence for elegance. Drink now.
This shows the dry tannins and heady alcohol that so often mark a young Petite Sirah. It's full bodied and lusty, with ripe blackberry jam, currant and oak flavors. It's a little on the rustic side, but fine with barbecue.
This shows the excellent potential for this emerging grape in Southern Oregon. A mix of citrus, with the emphasis on orange and grapefruit, displays as much of the flavors of skin as flesh. The balance and length are in perfect proportion. Drink now through 2018.
This shows the extraordinary richness and complexity that the winery's estate vineyard has exhibited over its lifetime. It's vast in cherry, red currant and licorice flavors, plus multiple layers of sautéed mushroom, exotic baking spice, mineral and sweet, smoky sandalwood. It's also very tannic, with a brisk spine of acidity. Good as it is, it needs time for all the parts to knit together. Better after 2018.
This shows the finesse of the vineyard, not to mention the winemaker's talent. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it's bone dry and brisk in acidity, with firm tannins that make it one for the cellar. It has a huge core of blackberry and black currant fruit that's waiting to emerge. Try after 2018.
This shows the fleshiness of Merlot. But it's also enormously tannic, with a mouth-numbing astringency, and the finish is severely dry. With black cherry and herb flavors, it wants an hour or two in the decanter, but it's not an ager.
This shows the floral, red-fruit side of Priorato. Violet, berry and plum aromas are schisty and almost delicate. A restrained but tannic palate features cherry compote, cassis and mild toast flavors. On the finish, this mellows out and hums smoothly. Drink through 2020.
This shows the fruity side of Cabernet Franc. No wood aging, just red fruits, spice and stalky tannins, with a hint of smokiness and a light structure. Drink from 2015.
This shows the greenish scent of conference pear peel and its juicy, tart but ripe flesh. After up-front fruit, it refreshes with a superlight, lemony-fresh body. If you are looking for featherlight refreshment, the Grüners from the 2014 vintage will deliver zippy fruit.
This shows the herbal, somewhat stemmy character of Yakima Valley fruit in a cool vintage. It's well made, with good balance, but not quite ripe enough. Leaf and stem and herb dominate, with just a suggestion of tart berry.
This shows the immediate appeal of Central Otago's 2013 vintage. Yes, the acids and tannins stick out a bit, but they're cushioned by loads of ripe berry fruit. Hints of dried bracken and chocolate add complexity, while the finish glides to long, dusty completion. Drink now–2018.
This shows the impressive acidity and spice flavor that this cool part of Santa Barbara County coaxes out of its wines. With a touch of new oak, it provides balanced flavors of pineapple, lime, green apple, buttered toast, vanilla, crème brûlée and honeysuckle.
This shows the intense mountain flavors of previous releases, with dense flavors of blackberry, cherry and currant, and plenty of smoky oak. The tannins are dense but negotiable. There's a sharpness throughout that may its limit ageability.
This shows the lean character that comes from the vintage. But it's balanced with juicy black-fruit flavors and soft tannins that are now maturing. This is attractrive for a light, ready-to-drink wine.
This shows the lovely balance of both the winery and the appellation, with a silky, lightly tannic mouthfeel brightened by plenty of acidity. The flavors are delicate and complex, suggesting wild raspberries, thyme, cranberries and toast. No reason to age this puppy, so drink now–2016.
This shows the meatier side of Mourvèdre, with flavors of soft leather, purple berries, fragrant wildflowers and earth. The finish is long and savory.
This shows the power and purity of the winery's coastal Pastorale and Quarter Moon vineyards, in this cool vintage that allowed for long hang time. Although some coastal Pinots were plagued by rot, this one was not, resulting in a wine with delicious raspberry and cherry notes, accented by new French oak. It's very fine, complex and enjoyable now.
This shows the problems of overripe fruit that plagued many 2009s. It is soft, giving the impression of sweetness, with the structure vastly understated. Juicy and fruity, this is ready to drink now.
This shows the proper attention to structure that is the inheritance of any Nuits-Saint-Georges. But around that structure, Gilles Jayer builds a velvet curtain of ripe black fruits, touched with spice and leavened with acidity. It's a wine that is delicious now, but certainly should be aged.
This shows the results of how well Grand-Puy-Ducasse has developed over recent years. This 2006 shows the fruit of the vintage—black cherries, berries and dark Cabernet plums. It has a good density of texture, which promises some aging.
This shows the rich density of Merlot in 2009, giving a solid structure, with dried fruit and red berry flavors and a concentrated line of tannins. Big and dense, this is ready to age.
This shows the rich, ripe, opulent fruit that always accompanies the Chardonnays of this vineyard. Spicy, tart pineapples, oranges and mangoes are the flavors, with a jacket of sweet, smoky oak. The acidity is bright, giving it balance. Drink now.
This shows the richness and power associated with Piña Cabernet, but is just a touch drier and more acidic than the winery's offerings from warmer parts of Napa. With blackberry, cassis and dark chocolate flavors that are wrapped into ample tannins, it's a wine that seriously wants at least 6–8 years in the cellar.
This shows the richness of the vintage in its ripe red fruits. It has weight as well as tannins, with a solid, firmly structured base of red plum fruit.
This shows the sharper, more herbaceous side of the grape, though perhaps without being fully ripe. It seems to fall away quickly into simple lemon juice flavors, with a hint of herb.
This shows the soft, juicy side of Malbec. No serious tannins here, just red berry fruit and fine acidity. That means it's ready to drink this winter.
This shows the softness and red cherry flavors of a nice Merlot, with rich Napa tannins and a hint of green mint. It's a clean, dry wine for drinking now.
This shows the streamlined acidity and minerality of a fine coastal Chardonnay, as well as the dryness. But the ripeness is impressive, suggesting notes of Key lime pie, lemon meringue and ripe, sweet kiwi, with subtle oak influence. An impressive wine from start to finish.
This shows the subtlest hints of the apricot character so often found in Viognier. That gives richness to contrast its crisp acidity and apple and pear flavors. The finish is long and perfumed. Drink now.
This shows the sunny opulence of the vintage, brimming with tropical- and stone-fruit notes. Guava and nectarine flavors meet ample weight on the palate, balanced by a slightly chalky finish.
This shows the superhigh alcohol that Zins from this vineyard often achieve. It's bone dry, but it has a heaviness and heat that make it Port-like, with black currant, prune and dark chocolate flavors.
This shows the tannic chewy, vegetal nature of the grape, without off-setting it with other flavors. One-third new French oak has made little impact, and the wine is rough and astringent through a quick finish.
This shows the textural depth of all the Efesté wines. A floral top note gives way to firm, dark, cassis and blackberry flavors. Light notes of herb, anise and earth are introduced and set comfortably into the lengthy finish. It has great power and flavor, with the possibility of cellaring for a decade or more.
This shows the trifecta of winemaker Ehren Jordan's deft hand, the fabulous Hirsch Vineyard and the wonderful 2010 vintage. Even if you knew nothing of the wine's pedigree, you'd be dazzled by its sheer richness of raspberry, cherry, cola and herb flavors, plus the firm, stone-driven minerality, the dryness, the feral mountain hints, the acidity and the overall dazzling structure. The alcohol level is comparatively restrained, providing just the right touch of warmth. New oak clocks in at only 30%, imbuing the wine with a nice seasoning of smoke. Definitely worth searching for, but only 375 cases were produced. Drink this wine now–2022.
This shows the varietal's spicy, earthy aromas in a fresh way. The mouthfeel is crisp, while herbal, peppery flavors blend properly with the spice and plum notes typical of Carmenère. The finish is brambly and drifts toward spunky red fruit.
This shows the variety's delicious spiciness, as well as ripened pear and honeysuckle flavors. Treading that fine line between dry and off-dry, it's an exotic accompaniment to Vietnamese, Ethiopean and Indian foods.
This shows tight lines and pretty aromas of wild cherry, spice, sweet fruit and blue flower. The palate delivers power and elegance.
This shows toasted aromas along with underbrush and truffle. The palate delivers ripe plum, vanilla, chocolate espresso and toasted oak flavors. It's international in style, well made and enjoyable.
This shows tremendous color and a luxurious mouthful of blueberry and cinnamon, with a twinge of tree-tapped molasses. There's plenty of power yet also restraint in this well-structured wine that's built to cellar, through 2020, a finish of mocha set aside for the future.
This shows underbrush aromas layered with hints of espresso and oak, all accompanied by juicy cherry, mint and vanilla flavors. It's not the most typical Chianti Classico, but supple and delicious nonetheless. It would pair well with chicken cacciatore. Amici Imports, Siema Wines.
This shows vanilla, clove, barrel spice and dark fruit aromas. Its fruit flavors are full and laced with upfront barrel notes. It seems a little boozy.
This shows very evident oak aromas along with toast, coffee, vanilla and incense notes. The palate reflects the heavy wood influence that muffles the dark fruit just below the surface. Drying wood tannins cut the finish short.
This shows very sweet fruit that's ripe, dense and already delicious. That doesn't mean the tannins don't bring out the firmness at the core of this powerful wine. It is integrated, packed with black plum flavors, and full bodied. For long-term aging.
This shows what extended aging can do for a vintage sparkling wine, as it gives off delicate, ripe, mellow aromas like toasted baguette, honey, toasted almonds, white tea and apple cider. The mouthfeel is elegant and smooth, while the bubbles are soft and slow. Enjoy this before or after dinner now; it's at its aging peak.
This shows wonderfully layered, complex flavors, in addition to great structure. Thoroughly dry, with rich, fine tannins, it flatters with red and black currant, red cherry, milk chocolate, licorice, root beer, vanilla, dusty spice and smoky oak flavors. Luscious now and through 2010.
This showy wine has maple syrup aromas, extremely ripe and almost unctuous flavors, lots of spicy oak influence and full body. While it offers a lot of flash, it also has lots of substance underneath. A velvety, grippy texture owes a lot to layered tannins, and a base note of ripe berries carries through the finish.
This shy, robust red reveals faint whiffs of underbrush, leather and Mediterranean brush. The subdued, one-dimensional palate offers raisin and licorice flavors, an alcoholic warmth and brawny tannins.
This Sicilian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Nero d'Avola and Merlot offers plush and bright aromas of green spice, sage, rosemary and blackberry. The blend is balanced and soft and leaves a long finish of ripe fruit flavors.
This Sicilian Chardonnay presents stone fruit, pear and honey backed by a slightly pungent, acetone-like note in the background that doesn't disturb too much. It tastes smooth, fresh and offers tingling spice on the finale.
This Sicilian Grillo has bright aromas of candied fruit, lemon zest and caramel. The mouthfeel is syrupy and oily.
This Sicilian Inzolia releases fresh aromas of citrus, sage, passion fruit, pear and apple. The wine feels fresh, zippy and clean overall.
This Sicilian Syrah shows ripe fruit aromas of red cherry, blueberry and succulent spice. It's a plush, chewy wine with mature flavors of blackberry jam.
This Sierra Foothills-based winery makes a compelling if atypical Sangiovese that offers black cherry, soy, crushed rock and rose petal scents. Upright tannins present strawberry, black plum and loamy soil flavors, finishing on a sweet-savory hoisin sauce note.
This Sierra Foothills producer offers an estate-bottled and produced Zin with 15% Petite Sirah that's wanting in fruit and texture. A bit thin, there's not much in the way of aromatics or texture to hold on to.
This signature blend combines a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It takes a classical approach to the Bordeaux-inspired blend, capturing dried herb and peppercorn in abundance. The wild bouquet delves into floral, feral elements of forest and concentrated cassis, finishing lean.
This silky-textured, medium-bodied wine starts off with aromas of toasted marshmallow and ripe citrus. The flavors show more range, covering hints of melon, white peach, lime, pineapple and roasted cashew, before finishing long and crisp.
This silky Rosso offers a lean, compact mouthfeel and intense aromas of red fruit, smoked almond, black olive and sour cherry. There's a savory note of cured meat on the finish.
This silky, medium-bodied Pinot Noir represents much of what Marlborough Pinot has to offer: generous cherry fruit, modest complexity largely imparted by oak and supple tannins, all at a reasonable tariff. Drink now–2018.
This simple and fresh Prosecco Superiore opens with subtle tones of lime and honeydew melon backed by zesty freshness and creamy mousse. It shows nice peach tones on the close.
This simple and fruity wine is made to be drunk young. And with its red fruits, light acidity and crisp texture, it succeeds. Drink the wine with summer barbecues.
This simple and straightforward sparkler offers clean tones of citrus and stone fruit with talc powder and bitter almond. The wine would work perfectly on hot summer afternoons.
This simple and sweet wine has a light peach flavor with a sugary—not syrupy—finish. It might be a good wine to soak fruit in for a light dessert.
This simple blend of 50% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas of dried black cherry, vanilla and a whiff of coconut. The round, soft palate shows mature black fruit and coffee alongside ripe tannins. Enjoy soon.
This simple blend of Zinfandel, Syrah and several other red varieties is rich in red berry jam and spice flavors. As the name implies, it's a pantry-style red for everyday drinking.
This simple but inviting wine is made from a blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The bright palate boasts sour cherry, red currants and light note of white pepper alongside fresh acidity. It's perfect for everyday fare.
This simple but well-made Vermentino has a pretty floral fragrance that recalls white spring flowers. The palate offers white peach and citrus notes that finish on a crisp, dry note.
This simple Cabernet Sauvignon is lightly fruity and forward, with berry flavors that seem to fade on the midpalate. It resolves in a wash of drying, herbal tannins.
This simple Chardonnay delivers with buttered toast, butterscotch and pineapple-orange-mango juice flavors. It's on the soft side.
This simple Chardonnay has candied flavors of pineapples, lemons, vanilla, honey and buttered toast.
This simple Chardonnay has sweet flavors of buttered popcorn, toast, orange soda and vanilla. It's made in the popular style.
This simple Chardonnay is lush and ripe like a pineapple, mango and peach juice drink. Unabashedly fruity with sweetness on the finish.
This simple Chardonnay is tropical fruit driven, with a floral aroma and a twang of resiny oak. The palate seems slightly disjointed in feel, briny in flavor and citric on the finish.
This simple Extra Dry Prosecco Superiore opens with peach, nectarine, simple lines and a watery mouthfeel. The sparkler's momentum is achieved mostly by the creaminess of its bubbles.
This simple fruity wine is perfumed and attractively fragrant. With a blend that includes the unusual Perrum grape (also known as Pedro Ximenez in the Sherry region of Spain), it is smooth, refreshingly creamy and ready to drink.
This simple Grenache has cherry pie and sandalwood flavors, cut through with a vegetal unripeness suggesting boiled asparagus. It's soft in texture and high in alcohol.
This simple light-bodied red offers delicate whiffs of tart sour cherry and a whisper of clove. The delicate aromas are also found on the diluted palate alongside firm acidity and fleeting tannins.
This simple little Pinot Noir has thin flavors of sour cherry candy and spices. It's properly made and clean, just not very interesting.
This simple Merlot has candied flavors of cherries and red licorice, sprinkled with savory spices. The tannins are soft, and an herbal note leads to a fruity finish. Drink up.
This simple Nebbiolo retains a floral, strawberry character but is already losing its youthful charm and freshness. Drink now.
This simple off-dry sparkler has sweet peach, green apple and candied nectarine flavors. It's vigorous, with zesty acidity and brisk bubbles.
This simple offering opens with aromas of stone fruit and toasted almond. The palate offers yellow peach, apricot and citrus, with a hint of flint on the close.
This simple Pinot Grigio has aromas of pears and yellow spring flowers. The palate offers tart green apple and a hint of unripened yellow peach along with fresh acidity. Pair this with light pasta dishes or pizzas.
This simple Pinot Grigio offers some amber-golden highlights and aromas of peach, citrus and ash. The wine is clean and zippy in the mouth and works well with appetizers or as a cocktail selection.
This simple red is a great food wine, and it would pair with just about anything containing meat or cheese. It has heft and determination, with bright accents of cherry, red rose and dried apple.
This simple red leads with baking spice, underbrush and red-skinned berry aromas. The palate delivers orange peel, black cherry and clove flavors, with round tannins. Drink soon.
This simple red opens with aromas of red berry, prune and a hint of Mediterranean spice while the short, informal palate offers blackberry and a hint of orange zest. Pair it with pizza or pasta dishes.
This simple red opens with prune and baking spice scents that follow through to the round, accessible palate, along with blackberry jam and cut grass notes. Drink soon.
This simple rosato has subdued aromas suggesting red berry and a whiff of wild flower. The light informal palate evokes sour cherry and orange zest alongside tangy acidity.
This simple salmon-colored rosado offers peach and nectarine aromas along with dusty notes. The palate is plump and shows moderate acidity. Flavors of pink grapefruit, melon and red apple finish soft. Drink immediately.
This simple Sicilian red delivers bright berry fruit, blue flower and white almond skin. It shows almost Pinot Noir-like aromas and the power and gritty mouthfeel usually associated with Nero d'Avola.
This simple sparker from central Italy's Marche region offers ripe pear and lemon peel sensations accompanied by large, persistent bubbles. It ends on a bitter almond note.
This simple sparkler from Campania opens with subdued acacia and honey aromas. They carry over to the palate, joining yellow apple fruit, brisk acidity and sharp, rather aggressive bubbles. An almond note leaves a bitter finish.
This simple sparkler opens with fresh citrus and peach followed by bright acidity and smooth effervescence. Those easy-drinking and refreshing qualities make this Prosecco the perfect summer sipper.
This simple style of Marlborough Pinot delivers notes of bramble berry, licorice and cola on the nose, with a slightly more complex palate of dark cherry, mocha spice and dried leaves. The oak is a little prevalent throughout and texturally it's on the lean and mean side, but the fruit carries through until the end, keeping the gluggability factor up.
This simple summer sipper won't rock any worlds, but it pleases with candied pineapple, ginger, a hint of lime leaf and grass on the palate. Zippy acidity makes for easy weeknight glugging.
This simple white has subdued aromas of white spring flower and white stone fruit. The no-fuss, rather diluted palate offers hints of white peach, green apple and a whisper of white almond.
This simple white is creamy and crisp with layers of peach flavor. It would be enjoyable alongside shellfish of just about any kind, but especially with raw oysters in a mignonette sauce. The wine's textures can hold up against both the richness of the sauce and oysters' salty brine.
This simple white isn't very expressive, but the palate eventually reveals unripe yellow apple and green pear. It's diluted, with a short finish.
This simple white offers delicate hints of pear and citrus while vibrant acidity gives it a crisp, short finish. It's a quaffing wine to pour at picnics and other informal get-togethers.
This simple white offers exotic fruit aromas while the bright palate shows banana and pineapple notes. Zesty acidity gives it a refreshing finish.
This simple white opens with aromas of honeysuckle and pear while the easygoing palate offers hints of nectarine and green apple. Fresh acidity gives it a brisk finish. Drink soon.
This simple white opens with faint aromas that recall hazelnut, coffee bean and toast. The aromas make their way to the lean, rather diluted palate along with yellow apple skin. Bracing acidity gives it a brisk finish.
This simple white opens with scents of honeysuckle and ripe orchard fruit while the easygoing palate offers hints of nectarine and green apple. Fresh acidity gives it a brisk finish.
This simple wine blends the typical Dão grapes of Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional into a spicy fruity whole. Young and fruity with black currant and spice, it's finished with toast. This is ready to drink.
This simple wine delivers a one-dimensional nose of wild berries and strawberries followed by very sweet flavors of candied cherry and blueberry jelly. If it didn't have alcohol, you could mistake it as a fruity soda pop for children.
This simple wine delivers currant, dried raspberry and ginger aromas. Medium in build and in intensity, it offers toasted accents on the finish.
This simple wine gets the basic Zin concept across, offering briary cherry, red currant, spice and oak flavors. It offers good value in a dry, medium-bodied wine that will drink well with a vast array of food.
This simple wine has aromas that recall red berries, espresso and toast. The palate is on the lean side, displaying notes of clove, cinnamon and coffee bean. Pair it with hearty first courses, like pasta topped with ragù.
This simple wine has juicy blueberry and baked cherry flavors at its core, a lushness on the palate that is supported by firm tannins and oak.
This simple wine has some attractive citrus fruit. It is light, bright with plenty of acidity to keep it all fresh. It should be drunk now.
This simple wine has subdued aromas of black-skinned berry and a whiff of wildflower. The easy, diluted palate offers black cherry alongside soft, fleeting tannins.
This simple wine holds somewhat oxidized aromas of caramelized orange slices and flint that carry over to the palate along with lemon-lime.
This simple wine is a blend of Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. There's a white sugar finish to the cherry candy and oak flavors.
This simple wine is all about crisp citrus and apple fruits that keep it bright and lively. It offers a tight texture and good fruitiness at the end. Drink now.
This simple wine is full of fruit. There is no wood aging here, just ripe pear and apricot flavors that are gently textured. The wine, with its crisp final acidity, is ready to drink.
This simple wine is thick with fruit-forward dark cherry and currant elements that find companionship in coffee, graphite and dried herb accents.
This simple wine offers aromas of citrus, dried chamomile and a whiff of hay. The easy palate offers nectarine and lemon zest alongside brisk acidity.
This simple wine offers subdued charred earth and dark-skinned berry aromas. On the palate, an unusual medicinal note and green hint of sage accent the faint sour cherry fruit. The tannins are astringent yet fleeting.
This simple wine offers up subdued sensations of raw berries and a hint of mocha but it lacks fruit richness. It's already very evolved and should be drunk soon.
This simple wine opens with aromas of damp soil, wet leaves and red berry. The short, somewhat diluted palate offers notes of wild cherry and clove alongside sharp acidity.
This simple wine opens with subdued aromas of blue flowers, red berry and a whiff of menthol. The informal palate offers raw, red cherry alongside hints of mint and anise. Brisk acidity and rather fleeting tannins lead to a short, drying finish.
This simple wine tastes overly oaked, with woody notes overwhelming diluted citrus, tropical fruit and lees flavors. The acidity is great.
This simple, bright Dolcetto is packed tight with plump fruit tones, spice, leather and a touch of moist pipe tobacco. It's a thick, dense wine that offers loads of mature blackberry and cherry on the finish.
This simple, direct Cabernet appeals for its blackberry, licorice and sweet mocha flavors. It's a soft wine for drinking with everyday fare.
This simple, easy-drinking expression of Morellino offers aromas and flavors of black cherry and raspberry alongside fresh acidity and wispy, fleeting tannins.
This simple, easy-going Nero d'Avola opens with a slightly burnt or charred characteristic that recalls asphalt and rubber tire. Wait a few minutes for the red fruit and almond to come through.
This simple, easygoing red doles out juicy black cherry, fleshy blackberry, vanilla and a confectionary note. It's made to be drunk young so enjoy soon.
This simple, everyday white offers subdued aromas suggesting peach and citrus that carry over to the shy palate. Bright acidity lends a tangy finish.
This simple, fruity and rounded wine has light acidity, apricot and pear flavors and a tang of orange zest. It is full, fruity and ready to drink.
This simple, fruity Chardonnay delivers ample pear, melon and peach notes. It's plump, medium bodied and finishes pleasantly crisp and clean. Drink it over the next couple of years.
This simple, fruity wine has both crisp, citrusy acidity and riper apricot and pear flavors. It's soft and finishes with attractive tangy acidity. Drink now.
This simple, fruity wine is a long way from real Champagne, despite the presence of that word on the label. There’s a touch of sweetness, and the flavors of baked apples lead into a somewhat clumsy finish.
This simple, fruity wine, with its attractive apple and citrus flavors, is made predominantly from Loire Valley grapes. That lends a crisp, cool character, making it refreshing to drink now.
This simple, fruity, red-berry-flavored wine has bright acidity along with soft tannins. It's a great barbecue style of wine, fruity and ready to go with grilled meat.
This simple, informal red opens with delicate aromas of berry, violet and clove. The lively but rather diluted palate offers tart cherry and orange peel alongside racy acidity.
This simple, lighter take on the variety belies its ripe fruit, the weight of the wine taking on girth as it goes. Black cherry, spicy cinnamon and toasted oak intermingle on the palate, before a medium-length finish.
This simple, no-fuss Prosecco opens with cheery aromas of peach, yellow rose and a touch of bitter almond. This expression also offers mature flavors of melon and apricot on the finish.
This simple, open and fruity wine has gentle tannins. It is all about ripe berries and acidity. Made to be drunk young for its fruitiness, it is ready now.
This simple, quaffable red is a solid introduction to the Wirra Wirra stable. Ribena-like cassis notes dominate, picking up hints of vanilla on the palate and finishing crisp and dry.
This simple, refreshing offering opens with a pungent note of crushed white pepper and citrus; the palate bears a tonic, steely effervescence. It's easy going and crisp.
This simple, refreshing white has a subdued nose while the palate offers delicate flavors suggesting peach, green apple and a hint of citrus. Bright acidity leads to a clean finish.
This simple, rich white wine features a cheesecake graphic on the label, hence the name. The blend is a mix of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Fine for sipping cold if you're in the mood for a more luscious white.
This simple, ripe and fruity wine is destined for early drinking. It has rich dark plum fruits, a sprinkling of tannins and a fine juicy character. Very ready to drink now.
This simple, ripe and fruity wine is soft and juicy. Its red fruits, balanced acidity and blend of Trincadeira and Aragonâs are totally ready for instant drinking.
This simple, semisweet wine opens with aromas of blue flower and ripe red berry. The easygoing palate offers sweet candied cherry, strawberry, papaya and confectionary notes alongside fresh acidity.
This simple, slightly sweet Pinot Grigio has some veggie-like underripeness, but offers enough orange and peach fruit to satisfy.
This simple, soft and fruity wine has attractive acidity as well as red currant fruit flavors. With its final tang of acidity, it's well placed as an apéritif.
This simple, soft wine has a ripe, chocolaty blackberry flavor. Not showing much structure, this is Malbec in name only.
This simple, sweet Syrah will appeal to plenty of people for its fruit-forward raspberry and cherry flavors. It's softly tannic, and ready to drink now.
This simplest, freshest and lightest of Chablis styles has a refreshing lemon character, a light touch of melon and crisp acidity. Drink now.
This single-block bottling, though tasty, is a less complete wine than the Cuvée. Here the bright raspberry fruit is tight and constrained a bit, with an abundance of tart acids. Just a light hint of chocolate comes up in the finish.
This single-block, one-barrel reserve is the best of the 2010 reserve Pinots from Coeur de Terre. It's medium ripe, with pretty accents of rose petals and milk chocolate, around raspberry fruit. Showing well already, it's a wine to drink young.
This single-clone cuvée really shines in 2014, with concentrated berry and cherry fruit, accented with toasty oak. The persistence and follow-through takes you down a lush flavor trail, with touches of caramel, sassafras and cola along the way.
This single-clone, estate-grown wine shows exemplary concentration. Deeply sculpted fruit flavors roll from peach to papaya, with streaks of buttery caramel. Everything is in proportion, with a most pleasing finish.
This single-estate wine is rich and opulent. Dark tannins and generous black fruits enhance this juicy wood-aged wine. A touch of mint gives a highlight to the polished feel. It needs aging, so drink from 2017.
This single-pago wine is earthy, rooty, herbal and almost grassy smelling. The mouthfeel is clampy, with dried berry, herbal shadings and a chunky, earthy finish. As a whole there's a malty character to this wine, but it has elements of quality and character.
This single-parcel wine gives fresh youthful acidity and bright white and citrus fruitiness. It's chalky textured, steely in its character and crisp and nervy at the end. Drink from late 2015
This single-parcel wine is rich and with layers of wood aging in the flavor, giving a spicy slightly toasty character. Behind that, there is a more herbal green-fruit character that is crisp with acidity and with a tangy, zesty aftertaste. Drink from 2017.
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.
This single-quinta wine comes from central Alentejo. Its generous tannins and ripe black fruits are typical of the warm growing conditions of the region. Packed with fruit which is balanced with acidity and a solid core, the wine will be ready to drink from 2018.
This single-variety wine from Alorna has a sophisticated quality that's found in the estate's other cuvées. It is structured, with spicy wood accents balancing the black currant flavors. A bitter chocolate note lends an edge to this finely made wine.
This single-vineyard-focused winery controls four specific vineyards as monopole bottlings. This is one, showing black cherry, vanilla bean, nutmeg and a stony slate component on the nose. There is a soft density to the sip, with cranberries, graphite flakes and a sandalwood touch to the palate.
This single-vineyard 100% Cabernet Franc is firm, juicy and focused. It has a phenolic bite at the back end, along with lemony acids. The concentration of fruit and herb flavors is excellent, which makes it a fine steak wine and also a bottle to stow away for a few more years.
This single-vineyard Agiorgitiko has an earthy olive nose and smooth, integrated flavors of red berry, herbs and spice. Soft but structured tannins and a spin of spice on the finish recommend it for heartier dishes, but it's good enough to savor on its own. Elegant, but with some muscle.
This single-vineyard Barbaresco offers underbrush and tobacco leaf aromas layered with toast, espresso and oak. The palate is succulent, featuring black cherry, licorice, spice and eucalyptus notes. Nicely balanced, but still young and aggressive; best after 2015.
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.
This single-vineyard Barolo is fragrant, with violet, leather and underbrush aromas. The palate shows bright red-cherry flavors and layers of cinnamon and other spices. Despite the forward nature of the vintage, this actually needs a few more years to open up.
This single-vineyard Barolo shows balsamic aromas of sage, eucalyptus and leather with raspberry notes. The palate delivers succulent black cherries layered with spice, mint and Alpine herbs. Reflecting the forward nature of the vintage, this is already drinking well. Enjoy now and over the next few years.
This single-vineyard Barolo shows ripe berry aromas and whiffs of incense and espresso. The palate shows almost overripe cherry fruit, layered with herbs, coffee and underbrush notes. It has big but ripe tannins and is fast approaching optimum drinkability. Enjoy it over the next few years.
This single-vineyard beauty continues its run of excellence. The '07 is dense, toasty and powerful, with bacon, vanilla, cigar box and wild berry aromas that set up a strong-boned, fully structured palate overflowing with dark cherry, boysenberry, tobacco and sweet vanilla flavors. Needs time; drink from 2012 through 2022.
This single-vineyard blend's flavors run through all the berries right into dense cassis. It gathers more strength as it rolls through the midpalate, layering in earth and black cherries, with char and toast more noticeable than in the other Tamarack reds.
This single-vineyard blend includes Jaen's fruitiness and Touriga Nacional's strength. That makes for a smooth, juicy wine, richly endowed with the spice of wood aging but more generously with the red fruits of the Jaen grape. Dusty tannins show behind all this delicious fruit. Drink this concentrated wine now.
This single-vineyard blend includes Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Musque, from a one-acre site in the Columbia Gorge AVA. It's labeled as a field blend, which suggests that the grapes were co-fermented; the results are harmonious and quite appealing. The mix of crisp citrus and tart pear fruit is set against flinty acids that set up the taste buds for chèvre or light seafood.
This single-vineyard bottling begins with aromas of nearly overripe plum and black berries accompanied by whiffs of farmyard and wet soil. The palate loses this rustic note and delivers juicy red cherry layered with vanilla, espresso and toasted oak. It's a bit shy on freshness and finishes on a sweet note but it's still very enjoyable thanks to succulent primary fruit flavors.
This single-vineyard bottling by the downtown Santa Barbara-based winery boasts a beautifully dark nose of black cherries, white pepper and elegant brown to black spices. Flavors are dominated by blackberries that rise to a grippy, mouthwatering finish. The tannins are still strong, so expect this to last for years. Drink 2017–2024.
This single-vineyard bottling comes from Pinot Noir expert Norm Yost. Baking spices and cinnamon greet the nose, followed by sweet-tart boysenberry and freshly turned soil. On the palate, black licorice leads, followed by an impressively smooth, black cherry-laden midpalate, ending with tantalizing spices on the back end.
This single-vineyard bottling opens with aromas of fragrant white flower, yellow stone fruit, dried herb and a whiff of tropical fruit. The concentrated, elegantly structured palate delivers creamy white peach, mature apple, crystallized ginger and mineral. Fresh acidity lifts the rich flavors while an almond note closes the lingering finish.
This single-vineyard Cab is dark, dense and chewy, with bitter tannins and a roasted coffee finish.
This single-vineyard Cabernet is a bit less impressive than the winery's Katzrin bottling. That said, it is still a beautifully crafted wine with impressive cassis, licorice and vanilla flavors and a dash of orange rind on the nose. Imported by Yarden Inc.
This single-vineyard Cabernet is softening and mellowing, with flavors of cherry, mocha and oak that are picking up sweet, mushroomy, gamy notes. Carmel Valley is a small appellation in a warm part of inland Monterey County that specializes in Bordeaux red wines. It's drinking well now.
This single-vineyard Carignan is living proof of how impressive the variety can be, especially when hailing from a top year like 2012. Schisty aromas of blackberry, chocolate and mocha are smooth and alluring. This feels focused, pure and juicy, while dense blackberry, mocha and baking spice flavors tail off with exotic notes of Malabar pepper, toast and the finest black coffee. Drink through 2023.
This single-vineyard Chablis is produced from organically grown grapes. It is intensely fruity, crisp with refreshing apple and lime flavors. The acidity is still bursting out of the glass and needs to calm down to bring out the steely texture. Drink from 2017.
This single-vineyard Chard with no oak has a light bouquet with nuances of white florals and red apple. The palate offers more heft and concentration with flavors of peach preserves and clementine supremes. Lower alcohol with a medium-length finish; rich and tasty without being overdone.
This single-vineyard cuvée brings bold red fruit backed with steely minerality. After 14 months in 50% new French oak, the barrel flavors remain unintrusive, allowing pretty aromas of roses, raspberries, cherries and chocolate to emerge. It's drinking well already, and should continue to shine through 2026.
This single-vineyard cuvée is built upon own-rooted Pommard clone fruit, from vines that were planted in 1990. Scents and flavors of beet root, stem and herb poke through tart raspberry and pomegranate fruit. The mouthfeel is a bit stiff and tannic.
This single-vineyard designate is labeled simply Oregon, but is actually Dundee Hills. Somewhat dilute fruit flavors suggest pomegranate and tart strawberries. Despite 18 months in half new French oak, the wood does not overwhelm the fruit, and the wine actually improves overnight. Give it a good decanting for optimum drinking.
This single-vineyard Dolcetto is concentrated, juicy and impressive. The raspberry and black cherry flavors are rounded out by developed notes of leather and earth while finely polished tannins and good palate length make for a sophisticated mouthfeel. The finish is strikingly long and textured, with excellent depth of flavor. At five years old, this wine is fully mature and drinking well now.
This single-vineyard estate wine is made by Nils Venge and Tom Rinaldi, who have somehow managed to capture quiet elegance and powerful fruit at the same time. Red-fruit driven, it's round and rich, with moderate tannin and cassis, clove and black pepper highlights.
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.
This single-vineyard expression opens with enormous purity and intensity. The aromas recall blackberry, spice, leather, tobacco and Spanish cedar. The finish is rich, well structured and longlasting.
This single-vineyard Grüner is powerful, with concentrated white fruit flavors, floral aromas and great, crisp, fresh acidity. The fruit is ripe, hinting at creamy, with a soft green aftertaste. Screwcap.
This single-vineyard Malbec blend from vineyards that sit at 6,500 feet smells dark, grilled and rubbery, but also meaty and full of fruit. A full, lush palate avoids fierceness and lays on the richness. Toasty, lightly herbal berry and plum flavors are highly appealing. The wine tastes of herbs, salted meat and spices on a complex finish. Drink through 2024.
This single-vineyard Malbec may come from a young vineyard (planted in 2000), but it's still dark, concentrated and masculine. Purple in color, with thick, grapey aromas that lead to lush blackberry, cola and chocolate flavors. Rich, deep and well developed for Chilean Malbec.
This single-vineyard Malbec proves once again that Achaval-Ferrer does not specialize in textbook wines. It's a terroir-driven hard-body with tight blueberry and cherry aromas and flavors. There's a lot of zest, drive and crispness to the palate, and the finish is tight, layered and long. Drinkable now through 2018.
This single-vineyard Merlot smells sweetly of ripe black plums with just a whisper of menthol and Band Aid. Soft on the palate, there's a good amount of dark fruit, but it's a tad tired and dusty. The finish is strong with a high-toned acidity and firm tannins.
This single-vineyard offering from northern Michigan sees 20 months in oak, of which 39% is new. At this stage, the medium toast of the oak stands out on the nose, giving aromas of charred red and black berries. The palate is more fresh in nature, with streaks of granite and black pepper lighting the way over a dark-berry core.
This single-vineyard offering is almost transparent. Thin fruit runs quickly into a buttery finish.
This single-vineyard offering opens with aromas of blue flower, tilled soil, ripe berry, balsamic notes and a hint of leather. The palate is still young and needs time to develop fully but already delivers layers of dark cherry, licorice, grilled herb and black pepper alongside brooding tannins. Drink 2016–2026.
This single-vineyard offering opens with aromas of very mature—nearly overripe—black fruit and tilled soil. The palate is already evolved, showing fig, prune and cooked fruit along with espresso and oak. It finishes on a note of astringent wood tannins.
This single-vineyard Pinot Blanc crisply reflects both vintage and site, with tart apple and citrus flavors that are slightly grassy, herbaceous, and peppery. There is a smooth, somewhat oily or glossy finish to it, as if some of the rough edges had been sanded away; yet the acidity that remains is more than adequate to keep it fresh and the fruit flavors vivid.
This single-vineyard Pinot Gris is smooth as silk, loaded with fresh, well-defined flavors of melon. A touch of spring herb is delicately applied. Not a big, fruity wine, but delicious in a rather quiet way.
This single-vineyard Pinot is a bit tough. The main issue is the tannins, which are edgy. It's ripe in raspberries, pomegranates and cola, with good acidity and a jacket of oak. Drink up.
This single-vineyard Pinot Noir shows fine coastal acidity and dryness, and a transparency of taste that comes from the terroir. It's very delicious, with jammy raspberry and cherry fruit flavors enriched with oaky vanillins and smoky, buttery caramel. Gorgeous and compelling, combining power and nuance, it's a wine to drink now and through 2015, at least.
This single-vineyard Pinot Noir shows the crisp acidity and clean varietal profile that this cool-climate appellation brings to its wines. Offering forward flavors of cherries, currants, cola, mocha and Asian spices, it's nice and dry and ready to drink now.
This single-vineyard red, made only in top vintages, opens with aromas of steeped prune, anise, Mediterranean herbs, leather, camphor and tobacco. The polished palate offers dried black cherry, fig, licorice, and black pepper. Fine-grained tannins give the finish grip. Drink 2017–2027.
This single-vineyard Rioja always impresses through its impeccable balance, depth of aromas and richness. Aromas of jammy blackberry come with blueberry, orange peel, graham cracker and graphite. It's tight and mildly tannic, with pure boysenberry, cassis, roasted plum, charred spice and toast flavors. Coconut, vanilla and coffee flavors are on the front side of the finish. A beautiful wine that will be best from 2013–2016.
This single-vineyard Rioja is smooth, pure and elegant. Aromas of lemon peel, tobacco, cookie dough, marzipan, spiced plum and cassis set up a lush, deep palate with saturated flavors of wild raspberry, ripe plum, chocolate and fig. Compelling notes of licorice and chocolate are accompanied by a touch of youthful heat and burn on the finish. Best from 2015 through 2025.
This single-vineyard Salta Torrontés is virtually as good as it gets for the variety. Pure lychee, lime and mineral aromas precede a crisp, focused palate. Flavors of steely citrus are chiseled, while the finish is long and juicy. Drink prior to fall 2014.
This single-vineyard Sangiovese is aged 30 months in neutral oak. Sweet tomato and wild strawberry fruit carries notes of ground oregano. Despite the high alcohol, it doesn't finish with any heat, just a hint of dark chocolate.
This single-vineyard Sangiovese—made with organically farmed grapes grown 1,470 feet above sea level—offers aromas of ripe black-skinned fruit, pipe tobacco, scorched earth, menthol and a whiff of leather. The full-bodied palate delivers dried black cherry, licorice, clove and ground black pepper alongside brooding tannins. Drink 2017–2023.
This single-vineyard selection brings black cherry and graham cracker flavors, with a background of stem and herb. Somewhat muted, it could benefit holding to 2017–2018 in bottle.
This single-vineyard selection from the Jackson Family's Santa Maria Valley winery kicks off with scents ranging from red, blistered tomato to pomegranate reduction and mole sauce. On the palate, flavors vary from sweeter berry to tart cherry, with a savory, roasted pork element rounding out the wine.
This single-vineyard selection is 100% varietal, with deep cassis, dark chocolate and espresso flavors. The alcohol comes out as a slight burn, but the tannins have been nicely rounded off and this will drink well immediately.
This single-vineyard selection shines, with nuanced layers of granite, lead pencil, pepper and espresso around a core of dense black cherry and cassis. The power and concentration mark it as special. Still compact and lightly earthy, it's blessed with perfectly ripe and proportionate tannins, ensuring a good long life ahead.
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.
This single-vineyard Tempranillo is masculine and dark, as evidenced by aromas of licorice, pepper, blackberry, coconut and campfire. It's mouthfilling and oaky, with toasty, dark, baked-fruit flavors that lead to a finish defined by licorice and clove. Overall it's black, spicy and impressive; drink from 2015–2020.
This single-vineyard Tempranillo opens with smooth, straightforward dark-fruit aromas that are calm and collected. A deeply stacked palate is a touch fierce but well structured. Toasty blackberry and cherry flavors linger on a toast-etched finish. Drink through 2032.
This single-vineyard village wine comes from a small parcel close to woods on the western edge of the Mercurey appellation. With soft red fruits and attractive acidity, the wine is fruity, easy and with a crisp aftertaste. It will be ready to drink from 2018.
This single-vineyard white is dominated by the lemon spice and salt that pronounces a Santorini white. Lean and zesty, it's a focused white with a slate finish. Good for grilled fish, and extremely refreshing on a hot day.
This single-vineyard wine blends 60% Pinot Bianco with 30% Chardonnay, plus smaller amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Complex flavors come from this blend and from the wood aging, giving a wine that is rich and ripe with acidity at the same time.
This single-vineyard wine feels light and silky in the mouth, like the passing of a cloud. Yet incredibly ripe cherry, raspberry, strawberry and cola flavors give it weight and importance, making it sweetly delicious. Brilliant acidity provides balance, suggesting pairing it with barbecued steak. But there's also as guarantee foraging as you can get in a California Pinot Noir. Should still be gathering steam in 2023.
This single-vineyard wine from Dogliani, the spiritual home of Dolcetto, is made with wild yeasts. It's fragrant and structured, concluding with restrained wild-cherry, spice and mineral notes that come together with flair and finesse.
This single-vineyard wine from Foxen's estate is a little too sweet. It seems to contain residual sugar, to judge by the jellied pineapple and apricot flavors. If you don't mind that, you'll find a crisply acidic, clean wine, with oak and lees complexities.
This single-vineyard wine from Lonesome Spring Ranch was entirely fermented and aged in stainless steel. Aromas of plum, tobacco, flowers and orange peel lead to fresh, tart, rounded fruit flavors, with bitters on the finish. Pair it with pasta with a red sauce.
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.
This single-vineyard wine has great aging potential. The minerality and tension in this wine with its apple fruit and texture is still resolving itself. Wait at least until 2019 before drinking.
This single-vineyard wine is a little plodding and direct now. It's dry and acidic, with high-toned flavors of cranberry and sour cherry candy that turn heavy and seemingly sweet as you swallow.
This single-vineyard wine is a showcase of ripeness—fruity and smooth with great plum and wild strawberry flavors. It's intensely structured and dense on the palate, however, making it a wine for aging. Drink from 2016.
This single-vineyard wine is always dense and powerful. This edition opens with prune, blackberry, Graham cracker and earthy aromas. In the mouth, it's pinched, with rubbery tannins. Salty, roasted flavors are true to the Salta region, while the finish is black in flavor and bulky in feel.
This single-vineyard wine is given added concentration and strength via 14% Petit Verdot. Juicy, soft and plush in black fruit and tar, it tangles on the palate in generous oak, with a thread of black licorice and a shot of espresso.
This single-vineyard wine is made from biodynamically grown grapes. It's rich while still stylish and fresh. Ripe apple fruit flavors are lifted by acidity and given a twist with spice, pepper and hints of tropical fruits. Drink from 2016.
This single-vineyard wine is rich and crisply fruity. It has the bright, tight texture of the vintage, giving a tense character while retaining the lush, poised fruit of the vintage. It's delicious now and ready to drink.
This single-vineyard wine is richly structured and seriously impressive, coming from a parcel planted with Syrah and Touriga Franca. Wood aging for 20 months has given the wine both spice and concentration. With the acidity and the firm tannins at the end, the wine will be ready to drink from 2019.
This single-vineyard wine is ripe and rich, with structure and plenty of dense fruitiness. Pears and a touch of lychee give a round texture that is smooth and soft. It's ready to drink, although it will develop well through 2017–2018.
This single-vineyard wine is ripe, toasty and already delicious. With a honeyed aroma, wood-aging spice and rich apricot and almond flavors, it is full of character. The acidity and mineral texture show it will age. Drink from late 2018.
This single-vineyard wine is structured and dense. Powerful tannins come both from fruit and from wood aging. Underneath the black cherry fruit and fresh acidity are developing. Drink this complex wine from 2016.
This single-vineyard wine offers high-toned citrus, almond and vanilla bean flavors. Fresh and fruity, it's light  bodied yet doesn't skimp on flavor or texture, finishing on a tart note of lemon pith.
This single-vineyard wine offers wild blueberry with vanilla and herb accents. It's full bodied and high-octane in feel with the flavors running straight down the fairway.
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 single-vineyard wine tastes young and dense in youth. It shows deliciously ripe and forward cherry, raspberry, bacon and spice flavors, in a silky clean texture. There's an edge of tannins, but not so much that you couldn't enjoy it now and over the next six years.
This single-vineyard wine, packed in its grossly heavy bottle, is big in every sense. It has great power and concentration, flavors of chocolate extraction that just escape overwhelming the fruit. Rich black-plum flavors are balanced by a series of tannic waves. This impressive wine is still all potential, so drink from 2018.
This single-vineyard wine, rounded and rich, is smooth, spicy and full of quince and lychee flavors that are developing well. Concentrated and dense, it will be best in late 2014.
This single-vineyard Zin is a considerable improvement over the ‘04. The alcohol in the ‘05 is far lower, almost a full percent, yielding a more balanced and harmonious wine. But it's hardly shy. It's powerful in wild blackberry, cassis, raspberry, root beer, tangerine, chocolate and sweet thyme, while the tannic structure is rich enough to warrant bottle aging for a decade.
This single-vineyard Zinfandel manages to rein its wild power, taming it down and allowing the wine to feel elegant. That's not so easy, when you have a wine with such high alcohol and superripe fruit. The wild blueberry and blackberry fruit has a brambly edge, but the tannin-acid balance is fine. Drink over the next eight years as the wine subtlely loses fruit and gains earthy complexities.
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.
This single -vineyard Syrah, from an AVA known for doing especially well with that grape, has a lightly meaty varietal character with accents of earth and tobacco. The core of cherry fruit holds up through a medium-length finish.
This single block selection is a truly pretty wine, with scents and flavors of rose petals, raspberries, brown spices, nutmeg and mocha. It's complex and elegant, with a mouth-pleasing creaminess.
This single clone estate-grown wine was vinified 50-50 in stainless and mainly neutral oak. It's classic, classy and clean, with well-delineated components. Green melon, apple and citrus, along with ample acid and some phenolic bite are in harmonious balance. Another year or two in the bottle could improve it still further.
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.
This single clone, single-block wine offers a well-defined, tight and concentrated streak of pretty cherry fruit. It's underpinned with minerality, and carries on through a clear, crisp finish.
This single quinta Vintage Port comes from a site in the hot, steep Rio Torto valley more often associated with the producer's 20-year-old tawnies. It's a smoothly ripe wine with dry tannins and black fruit, contrasted with a sweeter jammy character and well-integrated spirit. It will age for many years and will be best from 2025.
This single vineyard Carmenere from the Horse Heaven Hills is 100% varietal with notes of freshly cut bell pepper and cherry. It's tart fruit flavors are backed by (quite) dry, grainy tannins.
This single vineyard cuvée has a lovely purity of expression. It's Fred Astaire in a bottle, with sculpted smooth apple fruit that glides across the palate. Dotted with light hints of baking spices, it finishes with a lush lingering pat of butter.
This single vineyard cuvée is quite light, yet retains your interest with a thin dusting of cocoa and ground coffee around the tangy berry fruit. It's a bit earthy, but a pleasant quaffer, along the lines of a generic Bourgogne.
This single vineyard in the Dundee Hills recalls Oregon Pinots from days gone by. It's not too big, not too oaky, plenty ripe and delivers spicy berry fruit along with earthier streaks of leaf, herb, baking spices and a whiff of cinnamon. Stiff acids and earthy tannins betray its youth, but though still a little rough around the edges, this could be cellared for a decade or more.
This single vineyard Malbec belongs with Washington's best. The mix of purple fruits and intense barrel flavors of clove, cocoa and dusty mocha inspires an impromptu “wow” once in the mouth. Smooth, satiny and seamless, it has a gentle hint of earth and herb threaded through the finish.
This single vineyard selection is softly herbal, with peppery strawberry fruit. The finish leaves an impression of water crackers.
This single vineyard Vinho Verde is complex and powerful. The texture is creamy, rich, with hints of pineapple as well as grapefruit. There is an edgy texture, balanced with the crispest final acidity.
This single vineyard wine comes from a steep parcel that is wedged between crus Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent. It is deliciously packed with crisp cherry fruits and fine acidity. At the same time, it is structured, solid and with a core of tannins. It is a wine that will age for a while longer, so drink from late 2017.
This single vineyard wine has delicious white fruit and lime flavors. Tangy with acidity and a touch of crisp minerality, it's ready for summer drinking.
This single vineyard wine has enormous potential. At this stage it is dry and not quite integrated. But with the rich fruitiness, the hints of yellow fruits and the tight mineral character, this wine will age extremely well. Drink from 2021.
This single vineyard wine is a blend of six separate blocks, each planted to a different clone. It deftly combines savory herb flavors with ripe Bing cherry fruit. The tannins are polished, textured and balanced, leading into a long finish that leaves a final impression of composted earth.
This single vineyard wine is full bodied but crisp, with savory notes of roasted meat and campfire more in evidence than bold fruit. It finishes long and a bit tart.
This single vineyard wine is powerful with its concentrated tannins and dark cherry fruits. Good acidity goes with the fruit and the dry core. A shame that a hint of banana spoils the aftertaste.
This single vineyard wine shows its pedigree with firm tannins and structured fruit. It is serious wine, designed for aging with its structure, wood aging aromas and perfumed fruits. It is a blend of Tinta Roriz and Castelão which together bring out both tight texture and fruitiness. The wine needs to age, so drink from 2018.
This site continues to wow, especially when featured by this grower-producer. Light, bright and lemony in initial aroma and flavor, it develops additional complexity and nuance in the glass, alighting in apple crumble, anise and mouthfilling succulence, the minerality well defined and vibrantly fresh.
This site is seeing an increasing number of vineyard-designated bottles made from it. This one brings brooding aromas of dark fruit, licorice and spice that lead to full-bodied, almost jammy fruit flavors. It shows a lot of hedonism but retains its impeccable balance.
This six-grape blend is led by Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of toasty, rooty berry fruits come with an essence of cola. The palate is layered and mellow, offering mild tannins. An oaky flavor profile includes coconut and vanilla, while the finish is spicy, mildly herbal and a touch chocolaty.
This six-grape blend opens with aromas of charred oak, shoe polish, lemon rind, plum and currant. It's tight, tannic and clampy in feel, with charred berry, spicy herb and citric notes. Bell pepper, spaghetti sauce and rawness define the finish on this snappy, coarse blend. Drink through 2017.
This six-grape blend with large amounts of Syrah and Carmenère smells fruity and jumpy, like wet dog fur and candied berry and cherry. The palate is solid, tannic and rubbery, with dark, exotic, offbeat flavors of herbal plum, blackberry and cassis. A toasty finish is solid in feel and gets a boost from residual acidity. Drink through 2020.
This six-vineyard blend bears a sharp herbal edge that adds grip to the tannins. Beet and green tea flavors mix with tart wild berry fruit. Another year or two of bottle age is recommended.
This six-year-old blend of 46% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot is showing its age, with aromas of reduced cherry sauce, tar and cocoa dust. The rustic palate is full of leather, tobacco, dried cherries and dusty earth flavors. Still interesting, but drink up soon.
This six-year-old wine is 40% Tempranillo, 40% Carmenère and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Carmenère dominates, pushing stiff, tannic, stemmy flavors into the core. It's not in danger of aging too quickly, but the tannins seem unlikely to soften.
This sleek and herbal Zinfandel shows good balance, matching tart red fruits against suggestions of dried leaves and spices. There is a smooth, chocolate and vanilla coating that masks the bitter edge on the finish.
This sleek clonal blend spent five months in neutral oak. Skin flavors highlight the mix of apple, pear and peach fruit. The wine fades gracefully into a gentle finish.
This sleek wine carries ripe, complex fruit aromas and delicious cherry and blackberry flavors on a silky-smooth texture, despite high alcohol. There is definitely an exotic touch to the fruit character, and it seems perfectly supported by fine-grained tannins, lip-smacking acidity and good length on the finish. Drink now through 2020.
This sleek, easy-to-drink wine starts off with aromas of plum and lack cherry allied to subtle scents of sandalwood. The wood continues on the palate, but just as an accent—the emphasis is on the fruit.
This sleekly styled wine displays aromas of citrus peel, green apple and Bosc pear. The citrus flavors are lightly spritzy, bringing a sense of lightness and freshness. It's perfect for a summer day.
This sleeping beauty of a chateau is showing signs of awakening. With its great terroir, it deserves to make wine like this 2005, dense, perfumed, very ripe, powered with sweet, purple fruit and juicy flavors. It will develop relatively quickly, but then should age over many years.
This slender and streamlined Morellino offers light cherry and blackberry flavors, with a clean finish. Made from organic fruit, this selection would pair well with grilled hamburgers or homemade lasagnas.
This slender but expressive Pinot Blanc is possessed of a wonderfully light touch. Right now, yeasty tones still swing alongside the bright stone fruit but this will soon come into its own and show off the slender but distinct and food friendly nature of Pinot Blanc. Revel in the subtle stony depth and elegance of this wine. Its long finish tells you everything.
This slender, barely-there wine offers almost weightless lightness, fresh citrus notes and a soft finish of lime zest. It delivers simple, clean refreshment.
This slender, straightlaced white blend is not as aromatic as in riper years. But its subtlety and lightness make it an ideal choice for a lunchtime, along with crisp salads or light seafood dishes. Drink this fresh wine soon.
This slightly brooding red has a sweet and sour, tart cherry and toasty wood profile. As this shows some depth and has tannins to lose, it may benefit from aging another year. The tart fruit and good acidity make it a good choice to pair with lamb or other fatty meats. Drink now–2005+. —M.M.
This slightly disjointed wine brings a lot of good things to the table which should integrate with time. For now, there's mushroomy complexity, candied cherry fruit, tart acids and a long, warm finish. Drink 2016–2020.
This slightly flowery wine truly speaks of its variety, bursting with aromas of orange zest and peppery spice. It's medium in body, with some attractive fleshy pear notes, but falls away a bit quickly on the finish. Best as an apéritif.
This slightly sparkling wine opens with heady aromas of spring wild flowers, white peach and Bartlett pear. The vibrant palate doles out beeswax, chamomile, acacia, green apple and citrus zest alongside tangy acidity and small bubbles.
This slightly sweet but utterly fresh bottling shows lime zest, honey dust, ripe red apples, lemon candy and spicy jasmine on the nose. There is nearly effervescent acidity on the palate, with strong night-jasmine notes, orange blossom and lemon verbena spicing up the apple-driven fruit core.
This slightly sweet Moscato has aromas of fresh cut pineapple, magnolia, peaches, honeysuckle and dried anise seed. The palate gets lychee and apricot.
This slightly sweet white starts with a lush nose of flowers, orange marmalade and spice, followed by floral flavors edged with spice and minerals. Not overly complex, but paired with grilled fish or squid, a unique and tasty sip.
This Slovenian Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of bramble, pencil lead and red plum. It is soft on entry into the mouth with flavors of black plum, black raspberry and a soft, sweet tannic finish.
This Slovenian Chardonnay has aromas of orange, vanilla, toasted almonds and citrus blossom. The mouth delivers flavors of honeydew melon, pear and apple before a crisp acidic finish.
This Slovenian red blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot has aromas of raspberry, cherry and a touch of green bramble. In the mouth, there is balanced acidity with flavors of cherry pie and dried plums. The finish is persistent with grippy tannins.
This Slovenian Ribolla Gialla has aromas of peach and vanilla, with flavors of freshly baked peach pie, canned apricots and green apple. It is soft on entry, rounded in the mouth and shows good minerality on the finish.
This Slovenian Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of lemon grass and freshly mowed lawn. It is sharp on entry with flavors of lime juice, orange zest and grapefruit before the bright acidic finish.
This Slovenian sparkling wine is made from 100% Ribolla Gialla in the Charmat method. It has aromas of green apple, brioche, toast and hazelnut. In the mouth, the bubbles are pleasant and prepare your palate for flavors of apple, hazelnut and toasted almond.
This slowly opens in the glass to reveal aromas of espresso, dark spice, menthol and ripe black-skinned fruit. On the firmly structured palate, integrated, close-grained tannins frame mature black cherry, licorice, clove and grilled herb. Give it time to unwind and fully develop. Drink 2022–2035.
This slowly reveals aromas of pressed rose, star anise, ripe berry and a menthol note. On the firm, straightforward palate, hints of licorice and clove add interest to dried black cherry. Give the bracing tannins a few more years to unclench and then drink up to capture the remaining fruit.
This slowly reveals subdued aromas suggesting ripe black-skinned fruit, scorched soil, violet, dark spice and a hint of espresso. The palate is on the lean side, with a sprinkling of clove, white pepper and a coffee note adding interest to the core of dried black cherry. Dusty tannins grip the close.
This small-batch Merlot (57 cases total) is concentrated up front, with aromas of balsam wood, cigar box, asphalt and hard-charging black fruits. The palate is hard as rocks, with intense but narrow dark-berry flavors in front of a pinched finish loaded with blackberry, pepper and chocolate flavors as well as fierce leftover tannins. Drink through 2020.
This small-lot Bonarda is one of Argentina's bright examples of the variety. It's ripe but brushy smelling, with chocolate and vanilla aromas blending with blackberry and herbs. Feels super fresh and juicy, with boysenberry, blackberry and chocolaty flavors. Very good overall.
This small-lot Cab (350 cases) is classically Chilean at all check points. The nose is spicy and full of cassis and berry flavors along with tobacco, olive and mild eucalyptus notes. A bright, lively palate is bolstered by acidity, while plum and red-berry flavors are oaky, spicy and peppery, with a toasty, slightly rooty finish. Drink through 2020.
This small-lot Petit Verdot needs another 5–7 years to shine. There's an intensity of licorice, black fruit and chocolate that's detectable, but the oak and tannin structure loom ominously over the fruit right now. Heaviness on the palate is balanced as well by the wine's acidity, a feat for such a big-boned grape variety.
This small-lot, dry Pedro Ximénez is maderized and oxidized, but also interesting. The nose is waxy and resiny, with dusty peach and apricot aromas. In the mouth, it's complex and mature, however the flavors are bitter and subdued, with corn and wheaty notes. A bready, honeyed finish brings things around. Just 90 cases made.
This small-production (200 cases), barrel-aged Xarel-lo is well made but fails to strike a chord. It's yellow in color, with oily aromas of petrol, orange peel and wood resin. It feels sticky despite its supporting acids, and it tastes primarily of wood and white pepper, with a lasting bitterness.
This small-production barrel selection is wildly delicious to drink. It offers wave after wave of sweet raspberry jam, cherry pie, milk chocolate, peppered beef jerky and exotic baking spices, wrapped into smooth, fine tannins. It's one of the most complex, drinkable Zins out there. Drink now–2015.
This small-production blend from Ribeiro is fragrant, with vibrant red-berry and floral aromas. In the mouth, it's tangy and lean, with more acidity than body. Flavors are mostly generic in nature, leaning towards cherry and plum, while the finish is raw. This is more of a food wine than a sipper.
This small-production blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot from winemaker Tom Rinaldi is rounded and juicy, with moderate acidity. It shows generous clove, cinnamon and black cherry flavors, the structure supportive and graceful.
This small-production blend of Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is deep, layered and exciting. The nose is creamy but diligent, with plum, cassis, chocolate and a touch of popcorn coming from the oak. The palate is smooth and healthy, with cassis, cherry, plum, tobacco and herb flavors in front of a bright, alert, cola-driven finish. Really good for a Chilean blend. 500 cases produced.
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.
This small-production Cava from Muga in Rioja is elegant, lemony and tight as a drum. Aromas of apple, lime and yeast set up an acidic palate with modest lemon and apple flavors and a linear, focused feel. Finishes with zest and kick.
This small-production Chard is a real success for J. It's comprised of their best fruit from warmer and cooler parts of the valley. The flavors are complex, ranging from apricots and tangerines to lemons and golden mangoes, while oak adds lovely notes of buttered toast and créme brûlée. Drink now.
This small-production Chardonnay (only 272 cases) is exceptionally rich and ripe, as Williams Selyem Chardonnays consistently are. Intense flavors of tropical fruit and pear pie (with a smoky, buttery crust) make for a powerful palate. The acidity is mouthwatering. This is the ideal wine for cracked crab and a sourdough baguette with butter.
This small-production Malbec (75 cases) dances in and out in terms of balance. On the nose, prune, raisin and blueberry aromas are ripe and effusive. On the palate, however, high acidity makes this jumpy. Plum, berry and cassis flavors qualify as fruity, while the finish drills away due to potent, cutting acidity.
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.
This small-production Pinot is ripe and intense. It immediately strikes you with the sheer opulence of its cherry and blueberry flavors. But the structure is immaculate, with pure, refined tannins, plus bright, zesty acids. It has a lot of alcohol, and the wine is a bit warm, but Pinot-friendly foods like steak and lamb will help to balance it. Drink now–2016.
This small-production Rioja (under 200 cases) is focused, minerally and lightly charred up front, with blackberry, cassis and vanilla aromas. A flush, bright not-too-heavy palate offers lively black cherry and blackberry flavors accented by creamy vanilla and char. A medium-long, elegant finish with healthy acidity indicates that this will age nicely through about 2023.
This small-production Sauvignon Blanc (700 cases) overdelivers on its price by a factor of two or three times. It gets going with crisp, crystalline aromas of passion fruit and briny grapefruit. A pure, juicy, ripped palate offers lime, grapefruit, tangerine and herb flavors, while the finish is minerally and clean.
This small-production single-vineyard Pinot Noir is dry, elegant and may be deceptively simple in its youth. It feels delicate now, almost fragile, with the suggestion of barely ripe cherries and cola that's been left out overnight so it loses its spritz. It's a wine of nuance, not power, and could easily develop dramatically over the next six years.
This small-production Syrah from Aconcagua (250 cases) is rosy and rusty in color, with leathery, roasted, almost cheesy aromas of spicy, savory berry fruits. The palate shows tomatoey zest along with herbal, brambly, spicy flavors of plum and raspberry. On the finish, this is rooty, herbal and tomatoey in flavor, with a touch of chocolate and a foresty quality. Drink through 2019.
This small-production Tuscan-inspired wine shows sour cherry fruit and a funky note of peat. Low in oak and tannin, it's softly layered and slightly salty, appealing in its Old World style.
This small-production wine features light but potent aromas of lychee, orange, honey, wild flowers and spice. It's fairly lean and elegant on the palate, with exotic spice and tropical fruit flavors. Short and pithy on the finish but nice for Chilean Gewürztraminer.
This small-production wine from the Lake County-based producer is made mostly of Petit Verdot, with 32% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Its concentrated blackberry fruit is accented with smoky oak and dusty tannin.
This small-production wine from two spectacular sites in the Petaluma Gap is robustly earthy and spicy, showing compost and blue fruit flavor. Broadly structured, it expands on the palate, its finish dotted with black tea and clove.
This small-production wine has an oaky, earthy complexity from the aroma through the finish. It is full bodied, ripe and rich, leading with toasted oak and a flinty quality. The fruit flavors are muted at first but develop nicely with each sip.
This small-production wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller percents of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Pencil lead, cedar and tobacco leaf greet on entry before soft yet generous layers of tannin swirl on the palate, informed by a depth of blackberry. A mix of savory and fruity, the finish is subtle in white pepper. Cellar through 2022.
This small-production wine is a selection of the best grapes from the harvest. Aged in wood for 12 months, the wine has great richness and a densely smooth texture. It is big, generous with black fruits and concentration. There is a typically Portuguese juicy acidity that gives this wine a great aftertaste. Drink from 2018.
This small-production wine is dense in currant and licorice tones, both generous and lengthy on the palate. Firm tannins lend solid structure, with ample acidity to balance. A clove flavor adds depth to the fruit and lingers on the enduiring finish.
This small-production wine is lightly spiced, robust and herbal. Dense and powerful wild strawberry and earth notes give it a sense of place.
This small-production, barrel-fermented blend of white Tempranillo and Sauvignon Blanc smells neutral and fresh except for some barrel notes. It has a mix of spice, toast, citrus, almond and melon flavors. It spreads out on the finish, tasting spicy and cidery.
This small-production, estate-grown wine needs more time in bottle to lose some of the beery yeastiness it currently shows. Along with those strong flavors are lighter threads of yellow apple and grapefruit rind.
This small-production, light and bright white wine is worth seeking out and succumbing to, lovely in green apple, peach, almond and apricot. It was fermented in neutral-oak barrels, the oak adding just enough body to what is otherwise a balanced and restrained wine encased in minerality.
This small-production, nouveau-style wine was made without oak or filtering. Simple and juicy, it's festive, with effusive dried cranberry and cola spice notes that are soft and easygoing.
This small-production, single-vineyard Grenache is direct and appealing with notes of raspberry compote, strawberry, orange peel, violets and tapenade. The palate is pure silk, elegant in its styling with an extended finish.
This small-production, single-vineyard white hails from a site at the southern end of the appellation, close to Carneros. It shines in golden apple, honey graham cracker and a rich texture that impresses from start to finish. A floral element persists and intrigues, a mix of wildflower and fennel.
This small-production, vineyard-designate is impressive in dried cherry and raspberry layers of flavor, supported by integrated oak. Juicy and explosive on the palate, it offers a spicy forest-floor note that complements the fruit.
This small-quantity selection from within the Charles Vineyard was fermented by native yeast, and neither fined nor filtered. It is quite aromatic, full bodied and moderately fruity, and has a nice rounded mouthfeel, generous red-cherry and spice flavors and good structure from acidity and mild tannins. Tart cherry lingers on the finish.
This small 10-acre property has produced an attractively fruity wine with soft tannins and juicy black-fruit flavors. It is lightly structured—displaying more fruit than tannin—and has a fresh, bright aftertaste. Drink from 2017.
This small 24-acre property has produced a powerful, rich 2010 that layers its big black-plum flavor with complex tannins and wood notes. Dry and firm, it is still defiantly young and needs several years to round out.
This small appellation is an enclave in the middle of Côtes de Provence. Its style is very similar and this wine, named after the owner, is a structured blend of Syrah and Grenache. The wine from organic grapes has a pepper and spice edge over the crisp acidity of the red fruits. Drink now.
This small appellation is in the hills behind the Côte Beaune. The wine has the cool character of many of these wines, with red-currant fruitiness. Layers of acidity give the wine a youthful, ready-to-drink fresh character.
This small appellation is situated on the south and north banks of the Garonne river near Agen. Using grapes from three-year-old vines, this wine is ripe and juicy in red fruit flavors, with layering acidity that gives a fresh aftertaste. Drink from 2018.
This small area in the Loir Valley (north of the Loire) produces fine cool-climate wines. This wine is named after a small parcel of vines on the north bank of the river. It is crisp with a touch of honey and spice as well as aromatic green and white fruits. Drink the wine now.
This small domaine in the Mâcon region has produced a soft, ripe wine with attractive strawberry fruits. It's rounded, with just light acidity over the fruit flavors. At the end, it feels warm and ripe. Drink now.
This small estate is outside the main classified growth areas of Sauternes, close to the river Garonne. That makes it a wine that is accessible earlier, with plenty of honey and botrytis. It is already balancing out into a fine orange-marmalade-flavored wine with just the right acidity. Drink now.
This small estate is wedged between some of the classed growths of Pauillac. Firm and structured, the wine is solid with tannins and backed with concentrated blackberry fruits. The 60% Cabernet in the blend gives great acidity as well as the tannins. These two elements will allow the wine to age, so drink from 2018.
This small merchant house is best known for its great Vendanges Tardives. But at the simpler level, this Riesling Collection is dry and fresh, with a great floral character, deceptively light acidity and a subtly spicy aftertaste.
This small négociant house blends wines from 37 different villages to produce its nonvintage cuvée. The wine is balanced, fresh while also ripe with attractive acidity and grapefruit and lemon flavors. A fine orange tang at the end leaves a wine that is bright and deliciously lively.
This small Pauillac property, close to Château Pontet-Canet, has produced an impressive 2006, structured with firm tannins under the black currant fruit.
This small planting at Celilo can stand as the textbook example of what Washington Pinot Noir should be: elegant, refined, aromatic, svelte and graceful. It's definitely a feminine wine, in all the best senses of the word. Though light, it's not thin or wimpy. The tart red fruits lead into streaks of earth and metal in the finish, which has surprising length and grip.
This small Premier Cru vineyard is wholly owned by the Devillard family. It is a rich wine, boasting layers of beautiful jammy red fruits and just the lightest touch of wood. Tannins are there, forming a core that will stand the wine in good stead as it ages. Drink from 2023.
This small producer continues to impress with this floral, impressively made effort, sourced from several vineyards, including Terra de Promissio. Sly layers of raspberry define juicy acidity and sizable tannin and oak that support but don't intrude. The finish continues the theme of vibrancy, lingering in cherry and dried cranberry.
This small producer devoted to the variety continues to impress with this vintage, crafting here a balanced beauty, with vibrant white pepper, garrigue and herbes de Provence aromas. Pungently earthy, it offers a voluptuous texture yet relatively light body, meaty flavor and finesse.
This small producer has adopted WWI motifs for its labels; the wines are less striking. Here, a soft entry followed by a thick streak of vanilla. Oak treatment buries the fruit, making it drink like a cheaper, more generic wine than it purports to be.
This small producer holds some wines back for late release, and in this instance it's a wonderful gift to consumers. Drinking splendidly, the 2009 has rounded, well-integrated, generous flavors of plum and cherry, dusty gravel, and firm, polished tannins. There's a light hint of bark, and overall a marvelous balance. It's maturing, but not anywhere near done.
This small producer in the Marne Valley boasts 15 acres of vines. This Blanc de Noirs, made entirely from red grapes, has the good richness, allied with acidity, that turns it into an excellent food wine. Flavors of red plums and berries are boosted with toastiness.
This small producer, based in the Marne Valley, has a strong predilection for Pinot Meunier, which forms 70% of this blend. It gives a soft, ripe character to the wine while allowing plenty of space for crisp apples, lemon and minerality. This bottling is young and should mature for a few more months before drinking in 2017.
This small production (200 cases) Pinot Noir is a mix of older and younger estate vines, a selection of lots given 22 months in 60 and 132 gallon French oak casks. It's still tasting quite young, sharp and chewy, with spicy fruit backed up against earthy tannins. Give it plenty of breathing time.
This small production blend of 90% Viognier and 10% Sauvignon Blanc leads with fragrant, inviting floral qualities and well-defined layers of peach and apricot fruit. Light and bright, it's balanced, focused and utterly delicious.
This small production wine has a crisp crackly character with great fruitiness, as well as a tight mineral texture from the chalk soil. Its citrus and herbal flavor is balanced with taut acidity. The wine, one of two from this producer reflecting different soil types, is young. Drink from 2019.
This small production wine is the equivalent of a second wine for Count Leo de Malet-Roquefort's Premier Grand Cru Classé estate. The wine is smooth, elegant and ripe. Black plums and perfumed acidity are accompanied by some wood aging flavors and fresher black-currant fruitiness. It is a sophisticated wine that still needs to age. Drink from 2019.
This small production wine showcases the qualities of Pinot Meunier. It's rich and smooth, with plenty of white fruit and an intense streak of lime crispness. Having already had time to mature, it hints at toastiness on the finish. Drink now.
This small property is in the same ownership as nearby Château Clauzet. The wine, half-and-half Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, is dense with bright black-currant flavors under the firm tannins. These and the wood-aging flavors will integrate well, giving a concentrated wine to drink from 2021.
This small property with its own château lies within the lower portion of Vaudésir but is considered a Grand Cru in its own right. The wine—the flagship of the cooperative—is opulent, showing strong wood aging flavors that will soften with time. Ripe and generous with yellow fruit flavor, it also boasts a tight mineral acidity and crispness, making it a good candidate for cellaring. Drink from 2021.
This small vineyard is right on the edge of the village of Givry. From vines aged on average 30 years, the wine is ripe, full in the mouth and with fine balancing acidity. It has light tannins and spicy flavors that give the wine extra structure. Drink from 2018.
This small winery and family-run bed-and-breakfast takes an artisanal approach to winemaking with this sparkler, which offers a yellow fruit flavor, with accents of spice and bitter almond.
This small, discrete Champagne house, owned by Freixenet of Cava fame, makes an equally understated nonvintage Brut. Ripe and finely balanced, it brings apple and pear flavors along with a touch of minerality and crisp acidity at the end.
This small, estate-grown red from the eastern edge of St. Helena shows meticulous care taken both in the vineyard and cellar, with its remarkably soft, integrated tannin, especially in this warm, ripe vintage. Given just 2% Petit Verdot, it shines in black pepper, black cherry and a tiny suggestion of vanilla.
This small, family-owned, biodynamically farmed vineyard and winery is quickly becoming a southern Oregon cult producer. Certainly one of the finest Viogniers produced anywhere in the Northwest, this extraordinarily aromatic wine showers the palate with luscious and tangy lemon, pineapple, Satsuma orange and pear fruit flavors. Then the spices pile on, lending an exotic twist to a lengthy midpalate, and leading into a lightly toasty finish.
This small, independent producer has made a rich, unctuous, mouth-filling wine, with intense fruit and honey flavors, only just hinting at the spirit. A big, ripe wine, intensely flavored.
This small, seven-acre property has an unusually high (20%) proportion of Petit Verdot in its wine, giving it big color and structure. Ripe black currant fruits balance the tannins. Drink from 2018.
This small, Sonoma County-focused producer headed south to make a rich, attention-grabbing wine, with aromas of dark raspberries, blackberries, pulverized cloves, black sage and tobacco leaf. The palate shows smoked beef with cherry syrup, lifted by juniper and pine sap on the midpalate and boisterous acidity. It's distinctive yet not showy.
This smartly priced bend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah offers showy aromas of ollallieberry and rose petals. Grape candy and crushed peppercorns entertain the palate on this well-balanced though not overly complex wine, perfect for weekly dinners and barbecue parties.
This smartly priced blend of 35% Viognier, 35% Marsanne and 20% Grenache Blanc is quite steely and focused on the nose, with apple blossoms and a suave florality. Flavors are tight and clean with sour apples and citrus pith, proving lively and refreshing.
This smells a bit charred at first, then turns syrupy and richly oaked. It feels fresh but hard, with spiky acidity that pushes the citrusy, vanilla-accented red-fruit. It finishes crisp and a little tart, with cherry, plum and herb flavors.
This smells a bit cheesy and leesy, with notes of popcorn and baguette that dominate the nose. On the medium-bodied palate, fresh acidity gives lift to the hints of lemon and unbuttered popcorn.
This smells a bit green and leathery, with a hint of volatility and jammy blueberry for an offset. A grabby, jammy palate is reasonably good in feel, while stewed berry flavors finish herbal, oaky and mildly bitter.
This smells a bit green, with aromas of herb, juniper, cola and earthy black fruit. It feels tannic, with an herbal core. A minty, briary flavor of herb-scented blackberry leads to the firm, tight finish.
This smells a bit like asphalt and peanuts. It feels angular, with plum, berry and pepper flavors. The finish is spicy, with drying tannins and a lasting leafy flavor.
This smells a bit smoky, tastes ripe and almost sweet and feels smooth, juicy and not too full bodied. It has a tempting cherry syrup flavor, light tannins and welcome acidity to buoy up all the fruit flavors.
This smells a bit stalky and murky, without much pop or freshness to the nose. A medium-bodied palate feels about right, while this tastes earthy, stalky and like roasted plum. Herbal notes come up on the finish.
This smells a bit stalky, leathery and warm at first, but airing brings it along. While it's never all that vivid on the nose, it does smell of baked berry and plum. It feels wide and neither tannic nor tough, with lightly herbal, rustic flavors of plum and berry.
This smells a bit wayward and sulfuric, but it's juicy and acidic on the tongue, with lemony and oily, nutty flavors. It holds steady on the finish, which is lemony in character.
This smells a lot like mustard, with short, bitter flavors of red apple skins. Sweet touches of caramel and cocoa can be found on the finish.
This smells a touch rubbery on the nose, but mostly it is an excellent high-end Rioja with leather, tobacco and red fruit aromas. The wine shows structure and solidity on the tongue, with dry, spicy red-berry flavors matched by a note of tobacco. Tight, dry and healthy-feeling on the finish. Drink now–2020.
This smells and tastes baked, with an overripe raisin flavor. It will not improve with further aging.
This smells and tastes like a pale Pinot Noir and has some of the body and smooth texture of a red wine, too. Tasty cinnamon, nutmeg and red-cherry flavors get plenty of uplift from zingy acidity, so the balance is great and the finish lingers.
This smells and tastes like cherry candy, butter and vanilla. It's rather light in body and concentration but has plenty of oak accents and a touch of sweetness.
This smells and tastes like cherry Powerade—soft and merely fruity. Not for aging.
This smells and tastes like raspberry bubblegum, with a taste of white sugar.
This smells and tastes like vanilla, mango and honeysuckle. While the alcohol level is relatively modest, it is apparent.
This smells and tastes quite buttery, which is unusual for the variety, and has a thick texture to go with it. Fruit aromas and flavors are pretty sparse, and the balance leans toward soft.
This smells and tastes rather vegetal; it lacks richness and comes across a bit sweet.
This smells and tastes rich and abundant, yet it is not overtly fruity or full bodied. The nuances are more like fig and toasted almond with a subtle buttery note. A slight brassy effect in the golden color seems to agree with the mature, complex flavor components.
This smells and tastes ripe and rustic. Earthy, mulchy aromas of leathery berry fruits are telling. The palate weighs in heavy and syrupy in feel, while flavors of stalky blackberry and plum come with coffee, bitter chocolate and earthy, herbal notes.
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 smells as vivid as fresh-picked and crushed grapes, combining cranberry, raspberry, cinnamon and other spices. Flavors suggest black cherry, blackberry, and attractive spicy oak. It is full bodied, smooth but a bit tight in texture due to great, firm tannins and lively acidity. A nice touch of sweet-seeming oak marks the lingering finish.
This smells at first like butter, butterscotch and buttered popcorn. It tastes the same and comes with a soft, creamy texture and full body. On the second and third sips, however, flavors become more fruity, vivid and refreshing, showcasing peach, apricot and fig. Underlying crisp acidity works through the butteriness for good balance.
This smells basic and clean, with black fruit aromas of cherry and plum. It feels rugged, grabby and tannic, with a dark, chocolaty flavor of baked berry leading to a toasty and spicy finish that delivers strong tannin. It reflects the cool conditions of 2010.
This smells big but flat, with rich, jammy scents of berry and cherry. The palate comes across heavy and grabby. Flavors of pastry, lactic plum, berry and cassis are heavily influenced with oak, while the finish is full in feel but short in flavor. A blend of 62% Malbec, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Syrah.
This smells bland but clean, with a hint of citrus. It feels spritzy but simple, with papaya, green melon and mild citrus flavors. Good in a very basic way, but drink now before it fades.
This smells both dry and oily, with apple and melon notes. The palate is round and healthy in feel, while flavors of honeyed apple and white peach turn more briny and pyrazinic as this breathes and finishes.
This smells brooding like midnight. At this date, with the heavy usage of oak, there's plenty of espresso, licorice, pretzel and charred-wood aromatics. The palate feels seamless, with highly buffed tannins and silken acids. Lay this wine down for a few years for better oak integration—or if you're antsy, decant it for at least an hour.
This smells bullish and chunky, with a lively, acid-driven palate that boasts cherry, dark plum and cocoa flavors. It feels drawing and full of vitality, so serve this with food or allow it to breathe.
This smells candied and oddly citrusy, with unusual blueberry and exotic spice aromas. The mouthfeel is fresh and grabby, while the flavors of raspberry and vanilla are generally appealing and alert. Short on the finish.
This smells charred and burnt, with a leaf aroma following. It ranges from fresh to grating, with roasted tomato, plum, compost and earth flavors. Saucy and roasted on the finish, this is a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet and Syrah.
This smells cheap, weird and almost dirty. The palate is cloying and the flavors are candied and melony, but also bitter and oxidized.
This smells cheesy and tomatoey, with a woody accent. Clampy, resiny and drying on the palate, this has lean tea and cherry flavors that are complemented by a dull oak tone. The finish is minty and resiny tasting, but hollow in feel.
This smells confected—neither natural nor convincing. Vanilla and milk chocolate aromas recall a cheap ice cream sundae. This feels scattered and hollow. Plum and chocolate flavors taste artificial and forced.
This smells considerably more developed than its age would indicate, with notes of dried cranberries and cherries mixed with barrel spices and game. The palate brings more heft than expected at the labeled alcohol level, with abundant cranberry flavors throughout.
This smells dark and bold, offering Port-like aromas of chocolate ganache, buttercream frosting, brown spice and sun-baked fruit. Hearty and toasty, the palate packs plenty of muscle in the form of strapping tannins and supporting acids. Pair this with seared flank steak with a coffee-soy rub to accent the wine's decadence.
This smells dark and concentrated, yet the blackberry and cassis core is lifted by a powdery, purple-potpourri accent. There's a strong woody presence on the palate, with baking spice and vanilla bean flavors that linger.
This smells deep and bass-like, with resonating notes of honeyed white currant, spiced breakfast toast and apricot preserves, accented with touches of caramel and toasted nut. It feels round, rich and opulent, with a nice lift of acids that give the wine some spring.
This smells distinctly of rubber and little else. Unbalanced and flat in feel, with fleshy citrus and cranberry flavors, this gives off a skins-like sensation as it finishes.
This smells dry and leafy, with a bacon note. It feels lively and edgy, with berry, currant and oak spice in its flavor profile. It finishes fairly tannic and warm, with a rubbery strength.
This smells familiar and solid, with blackberry, licorice and dark cherry aromas. It feels medium bodied for a high-end Argentine Cabernet, with healthy acidity and probing tannins. The flavors of blackberry and raspberry finish crisp and slightly citric.
This smells far better than it feels or tastes. The nose offers black fruit and graham cracker notes, but the palate is sharp and punchy, with sour plum and rhubarb flavors that finish herbal and briny.
This smells flat and stewy, with jammy sweetness and little punch. Conversely, it's pointy on the palate, with tart, generic red-berry flavors and warmth on the finish. A blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon.
This smells flowery but also flabby and oily. The palate has a creamy, tropical feel to it and flavors of melon, papaya and powdered sugar. A soft, lightly bitter-tasting finish could use more pop, scour and balance.
This smells forced and grapy, with murky undertones. Flabby on the palate, this organic red tastes nutty and earthy. An aftertaste of mulch and peanut is off base and highly questionable.
This smells good and right, with aromas of tropical fruits, spice and mild oak. Fresh and integrated, with good body weight and balance, this Chardonnay tastes of spiced apple, melon and vanilla. On the finish, wood spice and peppery dryness take over.
This smells gritty and herbaceous. In the mouth, it's narrow, tannic and astringent, with flavors of lemony oak sitting on top of black fruits, olive and green herbs. Overall this is a green-leaning wine with a rooty, herbal finish.
This smells gritty and herbal on first take, with roasted, leafy aromas. The herb and red fruit flavors are a bit spotty, remaining herbal and mildly green on the finish, with snappy acidity.
This smells gritty, much like burnt leather. After that, stalky, herbal aromas rise up. In the mouth, it's grabby and tannic but not overly hard, with earthy, roasted flavors of leathery berry and salt. A savory tasting finish with modest fruit is lengthy and feels solid.
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.
This smells heavily of grape skins, and tastes like golden raisins. The texture is slightly fizzy and very thick, and the flavors are very sweet.
This smells light and soapy at first, with modest berry fruit aromas and a pinch of leather. In the mouth, the structure is soft. Flavors of warm, syrupy berry fruits finish sweet and generic.
This smells like a cherry crumble pie that's been heavily hit with cinnamon and other brown spices and served on slate. It dances across the palate with hearty spice, very vibrant fruit, cola and acidity that carries from beginning to end.
This smells like a forest fire, but it's also creamy and roasted. Tangy and tart, this features narrow plum and cherry flavors that are powered by blazing acidity.
This smells like a melted Luden's cough drop sprinkled with coffee grounds and spices. Medium bodied, it has a jumbled herbal flavor, finishing with warmth and notes of dark chocolate and coffee.
This smells like a toasted peanut butter sandwich that's layered with oxidized apples and baked pineapple. The palate is full and unctuous, with mild acids adding slight lift. It finishes with bright, apple-like acidity and a warm, nutty flavor.
This smells like a typical Mosel kabinett, offering up hints of crushed stone and fresh flower-shop greenery. It's styled appropriately, with modest alcohol and a hint of residual sugar. It just lacks the extra flash of fruit and acidity needed to raise it to the next level, leaving it a good if somewhat commercial effort.
This smells like beef broth and tastes savory, vegetal and smoky. The impression is rustic, earthy and lean.
This smells like burnt tire rubber, oak and coffee. The palate demonstrates faint notes of restrained plum, but toasted oak, chocolate and espresso dominate in a style reminiscent of the late 1990s. Bitter wood tannins finish this off.
This smells like butterscotch and ripe pear, tastes floral like honeysuckle and has an almost sweet feeling on the tongue. It's smooth, medium-bodied, soft in texture and easy to swallow, while delivering lots of clean, fresh fruit flavor.
This smells like citrus and rhubarb more than Malbec, with a tart, herbal palate that's high in acid and short on enjoyability.
This smells like compost. It feels hard and clacky, with sharp acidity and weedy, minty flavors that finish rough and green.
This smells like crisp green apples, tastes just a bit richer than it smells, has medium body and a touch of crisp acidity. The strong points are the tangy mouthfeel, fruity aromas and overall freshness.
This smells like fortified wine and licorice at first, then more like earth and smoked meat. High acidity gives this blend a racy quality but also astringency, while the flavors of blackberry, prune and licorice are very nice. It's tannic and strong but not quite punishing on the finish.
This smells like fresh pavement at first, with gritty black-fruit and burnt leaf notes. The palate feels edgy, with a spotty red-fruit flavor that's matched with notes of resiny oak and vanilla. It finishes in a similar fashion. Novo Imports and Aidil Wines & Liquors.
This smells like horseradish and beets at first, but with time it softens up to reveal cleaner black fruit and maple aromas. It feels grabby and gritty, with strong tannic bite and black fruit flavors. It retains a ruggedness on the finish, along with molasses and chocolate flavors.
This smells like orange marmalade. It feels smooth and creamy, but not terribly thick due to fine acidity, with flavors of orange, honey, peach and spice. Long and creamy on the finish, this is a fresh, delicious wine that should impress anyone with a sweet tooth.
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.
This smells like plums and blueberries, tastes smooth and rather rich, showing light spicy, oak accents over the plummy flavors. It's medium bodied, rather light on tannins and acidity, so it has a soft texture overall.
This smells like rosé Cava should: orange and a puff of smoke make up the nose. Pulpy and citrusy on the palate, this delivers midlevel grapefruit and orange flavors before falling off some on the finish.
This smells like sweet red cherries and ripe plums and tastes quite ripe, almost sweet, with more berries and cherries. The overall mouthfeel is full bodied and the texture is broad and rich. It is generous, fruity and tasty all around.
This smells like toasted bread and hickory smoke and tastes even more charred and smoky. Like a good barbecue sauce it has a sweet touch to balance the smoky, jammy fruit flavors. This is an extreme taste experience that will be a big hit with some.
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.
This smells like warm chocolate ganache spread over layers of vanilla buttercream and black plums. It feels loose on the palate, offering soft acidity and only a slight tug of tannin toward the chocolaty finish.
This smells mildly reduced and candied at first, with notes of blackberry, horse hide and licorice. Firm, chewy and lush on the palate, this full-force Malbec delivers ripe blackberry, boysenberry, spice and rooty licorice flavors prior to a spicy, dark finish that's bolstered by firm acidity. Drink through 2019.
This smells mostly of oak and barrel spice, with barely any fruit seeping through all the wood grain that's on display. Plump on the palate, this overoaked Chardonnay tastes almost entirely of resin and spice. Throw in clove and vanilla flavors on the finish, and you get the picture.
This smells mulchy at first, then more like tomato and earthy leather. The palate is big and blocky, with herbal, mildly stewed flavors of tomato, berry and spiced plum. It's earthy on the finish, with a clove accent.
This smells murky and soupy, with a palate that feels angular and high in acidity. It tastes mulchy and tart, delivering a barbecue note on the finish.
This smells nice and rooty, and also a bit like strawberry jam. It feels steely, zesty, juicy and almost too acidic, with blazing red plum and pie cherry flavors that are offset by integrated, spicy oak. It's dry and tangy on the finish.
This smells oaky and tastes ripe and pure, like crushed blackberries and raspberries. It feels plush and smooth in the mouth, finishing on the soft side. While medium bodied, it has just a touch of tannin to balance the ripeness and make it appetizing to drink.
This smells oddly like peanut butter mixed with lemon-lime. Citrusy, tangy acidity pushes lime, apple, pineapple and green-melon flavors toward a foamy, coarse, peanutty tasting finish.
This smells of baked black fruit, coconut, vanilla and char, with a palate that's ultrasaturated and almost cloying. The compact flavors are of concentrated blackberry liqueur and cassis, which narrow to berry and oak notes on the finish.
This smells of burnt match and soap, with flavors of very tart citrus and hints of pear and orange. There's plenty of acid but not much weight to the mid-palate.
This smells of exotic blueberry and graham cracker, and it feels wide and solid, with herbal, woodsy flavors of juniper and plum. Dry and healthy on the finish, this made from 75% Malbec, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tannat in the blend.
This smells of funk, yeast and cured meat. Tangy and acidic in the mouth, it has peach, citrus and ham flavors, finishing a bit mealy.
This smells of latex and cinnamon. On the palate it's light and lean, with dilute flavors of cherry pie and unusual Middle Eastern spice. Grating and acidic on the finish.
This smells of raw oak, cinnamon and clove, with its fruit essence entirely in the background. It's creamy, chewy and tannic on the palate, with herbal, oaky, resiny flavors of baking spice and modest raspberry.
This smells of subdued strawberry and raspberry, with a twist of violet. It is tightly structured, tasting of brick and tar, and its finish is ripe, brambly and bittersweet.
This smells pretty good: cherry and plum aromas with mild oak are solid. The palate, however, is hard and has a plastic-like feel. Flavors of plum and berry finish bitter like espresso.
This smells rather strange, with stewed fruit and orange peel notes. A clampy palate with hard tannins holds saucy herbal flavors that are stewy and mildly green. A bulky, hard finish fails to bring this around.
This smells red and reedy up front, with a punch-like aroma that comes with a nice hint of fresh herb. It's fresh in feel, with brushy red-fruit flavors of currant, raspberry and plum. The finish is floral and likable.
This smells reedy and like beets blended with mint and other green herbs. The palate has a shrill feel, while the flavors trend toward herbal red plum, salt and oak. A green-leaning finish is choppy and high in acid.
This smells reedy and scratchy, turning more herbal with time in the glass. Astringent acids create a sharp mouthfeel, and while the flavors include raspberry and strawberry, there's also a weedy component that picks up speed as the wine breathes.
This smells ripe and bright, with grapy and chocolate praline aromas which lead to a palate that is immersed in oak spices and nutmeg. This is a nicley balanced wine with smooth tannins and a long, spicy finish.
This smells ripe and full, and the palate confirms it. The wine is wood-aged and this broadens its character—the extra year means fruit is diminished, while the richness is increased. The finale brings some essential acidity.
This smells roasted, leathery and earthy, with a mouthfeel that's solid if a bit scratchy. It delivers an intense wild-berry aroma and some of Cafayate's signature complex herbal character. Oaky vanilla and dill notes accent the finish.
This smells rubbery and a bit gamy, with meaty berry aromas. Tannic, with gaps in the mouthfeel, it has flavors of prune and herb, which are not excessively sweet or raisiny. The finish is dry, tannic and steady.
This smells rubbery and gritty, with notes of gas and leather. It feels acidic and drawing but healthy, with earthy red-berry flavors. Dry and peppy, there's still not a lot of style or character to the wine.
This smells rubbery and horsey at first, then earthy and ripe. It feels grabby and tannic, with rustic, leathery flavors of baked berry and cheese. Narrow and a bit dried out, this may already be past its prime in terms of vitality.
This smells rubbery, like a tire, before the berry and plum aromas settle in—although it remains a bit like pastic in scent. It feels tight and balanced, with acidity pushing flavors of plum, strawberry and mineral. This is crisp, juicy and more acidic than weighty on the finish.
This smells rubbery, with oaky spice, but airing allows it to expand across a lively palate. Herbal, spicy red-berry flavors are strongest in the midpalate, while peppery flavors, rubbery tannins and scratchiness define the finish.
This smells savory, like celery and cucumber, then lime chimes in, yet it tastes sugary and sweet. It's a good drinkable wine but with a split personality.
This smells shrill, like rhubarb and cranberry, but it's also a tad weedy. It tastes of grapefruit rather than berry fruit.
This smells smoky, meaty and slightly earthy—in an attractive way—and tastes almost as savory as it is fruity. Flavors resemble ripe plums with added cardamom, cinnamon and dried fennel. The texture is ultrasmooth and it seems to melt in the mouth, leaving a soft impression on the finish.
This smells sort of gaseous and mealy. It's soft and fleshy on the palate, with green banana and melony flavors. The finish is mild, green-leaning and bitter, with a flabby structure.
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.
This smells stalky and past its prime, but it's not stinky or maderized. The palate is fleshy in feel and oily in sensation, with bitter citrus flavors and pithy notes. Neither vital nor fresh on the finish.
This smells strange, with a mix of herbal blueberry, leather and green tobacco aromas. An awkward, fiercely tannic palate leads to herbal, minty flavors of boysenberry and blackberry that finish with dry, abrasive tannins.
This smells superripe—the fruit seems almost caramelized—but there's also a refreshing bright beam of citrus as well, bringing the sweetness into balance. At the moment, there's a bit of a disconnect between the honeyed flavors and crisp, lime-like acids, but these elements should come into better harmony over the next few years.
This smells sweet and rubbery up front. The palate is tannic, with a blackberry flavor that starts sweet but turns bitter.
This smells taut, lean and crisp, while the mouthfeel is moderately rich, with mild flavors of pear and melon to fill it out. This wine is not a solo star but a good supporting player for lunch, wine time, or a first course at dinner, especially considering the price.
This smells toasted and heady, with a baked apple aroma. The mouthfeel is full, while the flavors tend toward citrus and pith. Solid on the finish.
This smells toasty, spicy and nicely oaky. Rich and plummy, it tastes blackberry-like, jammy and opulent with hints of clove and cassis. Stylish and polished, it's big in flavors and full in body, with soft tannins. It's a sophisticated wine that offers plenty of enjoyment.
This smells tropical and citrusy, with hints of acacia and wild flower. It feels round but oily, with green melon, vanilla and peach flavors. It fades to a mildly bitter note of green banana, with a tropical overtone.
This smells typical of coastal Chilean SB, meaning it's citrusy and green, but the nose seems a touch flat. Not so the palate, which is snappy and juicy. Flavors of grapefruit and passion fruit lead the way, with a backing of green bean and mild bell pepper controlling a crisp, fresh finish.
This smells wild and yeasty, like sourdough bread blended with a hot summer field. Flavors of white fruits and melon are briny, while this closes with dry white-fruit flavors and peppery notes.
This smells wild, with a jumpy cherry aroma. The palate is huge and tannic in the mouth, and it's blasting with minty oak, marshmallow and black fruit flavors.
This smells yeasty and peachy, with a maderized quality to the bouquet. It tastes cidery and citrusy, with a light body and not much in the way of bubbles or vitality. The flavors of apple, lemon and peach are fair and fleshy. Tastes pithy on the finish.
This smells yeasty and toasty/smoky, with mild white-fruit scents. For the most part, the palate feels clean and fresh, while papaya, white peach and melon flavors finish with sweetness.
This smells— and remarkably it also tastes—like bubble gum, with some pineapple tossed in for good measure. Peaches and apricots? Not so much; this is definitely an atypical Viognier, but brings plenty of candied fruit to the table.
This smokey Amarone opens with woody tones of forest floor and bramble followed by savory notes of cured beef and wild mushroom. Dark fruit flavors fill in the background and the wine ends with distinct layers of leather and dried tobacco leaf.
This smoky wine already shows a fine balance between oak, spice and bright red fruit. It's structured to age but is also attractive now; its juicy berry flavors show easily through the tannins. Drink from 2019.
This smoky wine has firm tannins and a tough core. The juicy fruit is taking its time develop, although it will provide density and ripe berry fruits in time. The vineyard, created in the early 1980s, is now at peak maturity. Drink from 2017.
This smoky wine has firm tannins and a tough core. The juicy fruit is taking its time to develop, although it will give the wine density and ripe berries in time. The vineyard, created in the early 1980s is now at peak maturity. Drink from 2017.
This smoky wine is full of wood and spice notes. Ripe fruit is also there, with some solid tannins to back it up. It will develop well. Drink from 2020.
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.
This smoky wine is showing its wood, with spice and toasty flavors over the red fruits. The wine will balance out to become open and fruity. Drink from 2019.
This smoky wine shows an herbal character. Juicy fruitiness reveals fresh red-berry fruit along with some bitterness that needs a couple of years to soften.
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.
This smoky Zinfandel is aromatically closed off and still tight in tannic formation. Give it time to open and it'll share meaty black-fruit and tar.
This smoky, dusty wine seems to be chugging quickly along the aging curve. At the moment, it's drinking nicely, decked out with pretty baking spice and mocha highlights. It's smooth and mouth filling, with lots of pretty cherry flavor.
This smoky, earthy, soft and delicate wine comes from an estate vineyard planted in 1999 in the Occidental Hills. Rose petals and cranberry mingle effortlessly on the silky palate, while a bite of black tea and tannin tease on the finish.
This smoky, perfumed single-vineyard wine has exotic spice flavors and a rich texture from wood aging. Made from the rare Zierfandler grape (only 200 acres are planted), the palate has weight, a good depth of yellow-fruit flavors and a generous character. It could age well another year or two. Screwcap.
This smoky, ripe wine is attractively balanced, showing the freshness of the vintage. There is a pleasant touch of wood, along with black-currant fruitiness and the potential to age for 3–5 years.
This smooth-textured, mature-tasting and medium-bodied wine offers lots of fruit character. An earthy vein runs through the aromas and flavors.
This smooth and creamy wine has a soft and generous texture. It is ripe, packed with green and yellow fruits and a line of tannin that gives a good structure. The end, full of acidity, is fresh, lifted and shows the wine will still age. Drink from 2016.
This smooth and creamy wine has ripe fruit and only light acidity. It's full-bodied and on the heavy side, showing its weight. Drink from 2018.
This smooth and creamy wine is spicy with wood aging and rich with yellow fruits. It presents a generous character, rounded and open. The wine is ready to drink.
This smooth and creamy wood-aged wine brings a touch of spice to its rich and perfumed character. Ripe and rounded, this wine has apricot and sweet pear flavors.
This smooth and detailed wine mixes tart red fruits with earthy, lightly charred flavors. The robust tannins carry notes of espresso beans and dark chocolate. It will need decanting and/or aeration to bring it all into proper balance.
This smooth and easy-drinking wine blends 60% Pinot Gris with equal amounts of Chardonnay and Riesling. It's light blush in color, with hints of honey on both the nose and palate. A good, all-purpose white, it should be consumed over the next year or two.
This smooth and elegant Priorat offers a fine mix of red fruit, tobacco, spice and vanilla on the bouquet. It feels fresh and crisp in the mouth, with ample body and solid flavors of licorice, toast and black fruits. Things darken up on the finish, where molasses, pepper and spice notes run out for a good, long time. Drink now–2019.
This smooth and fruit-driven wine was blended from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah, a combo unlikely to appear elsewhere on the globe. The vivid fruit flavors and light tannins lend a nice impression of sweetness.
This smooth and inviting blend is impressive for the price. With mildly herbal Carmenère-driven aromas of olive and peppery spice, and then a deep and structured palate feel, Gold is golden. Look for a ton of ripe plum and berry flavor touched up by oak, chocolate and pepper accents. On the finish, it's spicy, peppery, smooth and complete. Drink now–2016.
This smooth and rich selection is wood aged and full of ripe, juicy black fruits. Made from grapes sourced from vineyards in the upper valley of the Douro, it showcases its tough, mineral soil while retaining its dense weight. Worth aging for at least four years.
This smooth and rich wine has spiced apple, white peach and pink grapefruit flavors, all mixed into a serious package. It's a wine worth aging to bring the beautiful fruit right to the fore. Screwcap.
This smooth and ripe wine is full of dark berry fruit and layered with tannins that will allow it to age. Although rich with black plum flavors, it's balanced with acidity. Fine and ageworthy, it will be ready to drink from 2021.
This smooth and soft Chardonnay just hints at the oxidation found in the Vins Jaunes of Jura, giving it a full, ripe character with yellow fruits and a rounded texture. Produced by one of the many Tissots in Jura, across the valley from Burgundy, this rich wine is ready to drink.
This smooth and sophisticated wine from the property formerly known as Breggo has good structure, no rough edges and a solid core of ripe plum and black cherry flavors, seasoned lightly with spicy oak. The texture is moderately tannic, but velvety and polished.
This smooth and supple Chardonnay from northeast Italy boasts steadfast intensity and pretty aromas of citrus blossom, peach, honey and a touch of fresh vanilla bean. The wine's creamy density makes for a natural companion to pasta and lasagna.
This smooth and supple wine has been aged in 65% new oak, yet does not seem at all oaky. A solid core of black fruits is annotated with streaks of coffee, licorice and gun metal. The finish is persistent, with a hint of citrus. Recently bottled, the wine may merit a higher score with a bit more bottle age.
This smooth and toasty effort offers aromatic hints of cracker, coconut and raw cashews. The rhubarb and strawberry fruit flavors are in the background, streaked with cola and root beer. A touch of chocolate carries through the finish.
This smooth blend of Nero d'Avola and Merlot opens with aromas of dark berry, blue flower and a whiff of Mediterranean scrub. The soft, round palate doles out juicy black cherry, ground pepper and a note of star anise framed in supple tannins.
This smooth blockbuster is powered by saturated ripe blackberry and cherry flavors, with a rich, opulent body. The layered fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg notes are fascinating, and the texture is lush and inviting.
This smooth red opens with blackberry, Mediterranean scrub and carob aromas. The easy-drinking, savory palate delivers ripe black cherry, clove and a peppr notes alongside velvety tannins. Enjoy through 2021.
This smooth ripe wine is ready to drink. Its black fruits and soft tannins go well with the juicy flavors and fine acidity. Generous and with a warm, rich character.
This smooth Sauvignon Blanc-dominated wine is soft, lightly spicy and ready to drink. It is ripe with only light acidity. Lemon and crisp apples show strongly at the end. Third-generation Lafarge owner Jean-Pierre Leymarie was born on the estate.
This smooth wine has a good balance between a dry core and black currant fruit. It has a fresh character, typical of the vintage, along with acidity and smokiness from the wood aging. It will not age long, drink from 2017.
This smooth wine has a rounded, soft texture, but acidity and a citrus edge creep into the peach and pineapple fruits. Drink now.
This smooth wine has a soft and fruity character. It is very open, accessible and with a lightly zesty texture. The wine has a perfumed crisp aftertaste. Drink now.
This smooth wine has plenty of varietal character, from the grassy, citrus-like aromas to the lemon and green-apple flavors. Balanced and flavorful, it should pair well with seafood, goat cheese and other food choices.
This smooth wine is from a small parcel in the producer's domaine. It has wood and spice as well as acidity and a touch of minerality. It will need some time, so drink from 2019.
This smooth wine is rich with yellow fruits, an opulent texture and a sprinkling of spice. The acidity and the crisper citrus flavors in the background give the essential lift to this ripe wine. Drink now.
This smooth wine with a creamy texture also features a light shot of acidity as well as apple fruits. It is lively, crisp with acidity at the end and ready to drink.
This smooth, almost soft, medium-bodied wine features tasty blackberry flavors, light tannins and a nice feeling of richness. It has a lot of flavor and an easy-drinking style.
This smooth, creamy textured wine combines bright acidity with ripe apricot and pear flavors. It is already attractive in its freshness while also having a rounder character. Drink now.
This smooth, creamy wine is attractively fruity with pleasant white fruit and almond flavors. The palate is soft, finishing with a hint of caramel.
This smooth, easygoing blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah is a pleasant surprise, offering up bright raspberry fruit and a hint of chocolaty richness. Drink it over the next year or so.
This smooth, layered wine is medium bodied, well balanced and rich, with soft tannins to give it heft. Flavors run to black cherry, clove and cinnamon. The great sense of polish and composure make it a pleasure to drink.
This smooth, lean red attractively delivers above its price point. Tart in clove and currant, it finishes with a whiplash of mocha.
This smooth, lush Cabernet is brimming with blackberry, black currant, blueberry cedar and spice flavors. It's classic Cabernet. You'll find quite a scour of acidity running through the middle, which suggests this wine should pair with rich, fatty meats.
This smooth, medium-bodied red combines Cabernet Sauvignon with Carignane, Merlot, Malbec and Syrah to satisfying effect. The Merlot and Malbec hail from the Russian River Valley's renowned Dakine Vineyard. It's soft in red cherry and blackberry fruit, but a structured wine with depth from leather and spice notes.
This smooth, opulent meditation wine opens with aromas of acacia honey, cake spice and dried fruit. The honey note carries over to the enveloping palate along with notes of cinnamon and candied orange zest.
This smooth, rich and fine wine is maturing well. It has a good balance of ripe fruit and acidity. Bitter coffee and spice notes add complexity while not detracting from the fruit. Drink from 2020.
This smooth, rich and ripe wine conveys a strong feeling of power. Weight and concentration from black plum fruit and dark tannins are freshened by acidity. Solidly textured, this big, beefy number will be ready to drink by the end of 2015.
This smooth, rich wine exudes southern warmth. The blend of Touriga Nacional, Aragonez and Alicante Bouschet gives a ripe, dark-colored wine dominated by black fruits. Tannins and acidity provide happy support. Drink now.
This smooth, rich wine is young but already creamy. It has plenty of acidity woven into its lemon and pear fruitiness, accented with hints of honey. It comes from vines planted in 1929 in Preignac, within the Sauternes appellation, but is a dry Bordeaux Blanc.
This smooth, rich wine shows both ripe fruit and wood aging flavors. It has a mineral texture, plenty of citrus as well as pear and peach flavors, the whole gathered into toastiness. It would benefit from another year, so drink from 2015.
This smooth, ripe wine comes from organic grapes grown in clay and stone soil that adds a mineral edge. Spice balances with citrus and red-plum fruits to give a lively wine with a perfumed aftertaste.
This smooth, ripe wine has just enough wood to give structure without smothering the black berry fruit. With vines close to Listrac, Bibian is at the heart of the Haut-Médoc appellation, producing a rich, structured wine with the juicy fruit typical of the vintage.
This smooth, ripe wine has weight and richness. It's packed with dark fruits, wood-aging toast and just the right amount of dark, brooding tannins. It's full bodied, rich and ready to drink.
This smooth, ripe wine offers attractive black-currant fruits. It is spicy, with balanced layers of wood along with acidity and a juicy aftertaste. The structure is there, although the fruit dominates. Drink from 2017.
This smooth, rounded Pinot Gris has just the right spice, acidity and warm, rich texture. Drink now for both freshness and richness.
This smooth, rounded wine has just the right amount of fresh acidity to give it a lift and poise. Green fruits, fresh grapefruit and lemon zest all add to the crispness. Drink this attractive wine now.
This smooth, rounded wine has touches of wood aging, along with a herbaceous character just now beginning to soften and fill out. It has a light touch of spice along with apple and tangerine notes. Ready to drink.
This smooth, soft wine is light and fruity. It has some tannins although fresh berry fruit and perfumed acidity are what characterize this wine. Immediately attractive, it's a light wine from a light year, and is ready to drink now.
This smooth, supple Bordeaux-style blend is principally Merlot, yielding a lush mouthful of blue and purple fruits. Light chocolate and soft leather bring added richness through a mouthcoating finish.
This smooth, tasty, very well-balanced wine glides over the palate and tastes like Bing cherry spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Fresh acidity and fine, firm tannins support the flavors well and keep the wine appetizing and mouthwatering, even in the aftertaste.
This smooth, velvety and succulent blend offers a density of milk chocolate, brown sugar and ripe red fruit. Sure to appeal to a broad range of palates that likes a fruit-forward, approachable wine, it finishes powerfully.
This smooth, velvety powerhouse is a rich, rewarding mix of dark chocolate and raspberry compote flavors, with integrated oak. With its succulent, full-bodied layers of ripe fruit, it pleases the palate in lavish luxury.
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 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 smooth, wood-aged wine is richly tannic and packed with new wood flavors. Ripe red berries offer fruitiness and acidity. It has a fine depth of flavor and density, making it likely to age for several years, at least four. Screwcap.
This smooth, wood-aged wine is ripe with red fruits, soft tannins and a generous, full-bodied character. The acidity keeps the wine in shape, round and ready to drink.
This smoothly round and full-bodied wine offers a taste of the tropics, combining pineapple, payapa and coconut in tone and flavor. The oak (only 20% of it new) is pronounced, though on the way to integration, .
This snappy blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Sémillon and Muscat brings a pungent, somewhat grassy profile front and center. Stone fruits with a touch of lime fill in the core, with some bite to the finish.
This soapy, fragrant wine (a 100% expression of Gewürztraminer from the mountainous far north of Italy) delivers thick tones of white flower, peach blossom and church incense. It shows a tonic but dense feel in the mouth with soft floral nuances on the close.
This soapy, unfocused wine has tannins and red berry fruit but little structure. The fruit shows a green streak that will not improve.
This Soave Classico stands apart in the crowd thanks to its natural heft and rich consistency. You can feel the glycerin on the tongue; the wine leaves a fresh impression of peach, melon and pear.
This soft and approachable Merlot brims in smoke and oak, with subtle plum fruit. A slight layering of spice on the back of the palate is pleasing.
This soft and creamy wine has a really bubbly rosé mousse. It has fruit and a crisp clean edge. The strawberry fruits give this wine a sweet character, certainly off dry. It is ready to drink.
This soft and creamy wine is rounded and with a ripe red-berry character. It is verging on off dry, producing a wine that is all fruit with just a tang of acidity to give it a lift at the end. Drink now.
This soft and cushiony wine has light red cherry fruit, gentle tannins and an attractively soft, fruity aftertaste. Drink now.
This soft and fruity wine has only the lightest of tannic structures. Black currants and stalky berries dominate along with bright acidity. It can be drunk now.
This soft and fruity wine has open white fruit and citrus flavors. It is light and crisp with just the right amount of acidity. Coming from a warm year, it is richer than in other vintages, smoother and riper. Drink now.
This soft and fruity wine is attractive with its herbal flavors and red-currant fruits. It has gentle tannins and crisp acidity. Ready to drink, the wine finishes with a fruity aftertaste.
This soft and fruity wine is crisp, fragrant and fresh. It has light acidity that balances with the forward apple flavor, as well as a dry lime edginess and nervy texture. Drink now. Screwcap.
This soft and fruity wine may be young, but with its bright red fruits, it's ready to drink. Its juicy red berry flavors are filled with spice and a minty character from wood aging. It finishes with ripe fruitiness.
This soft and fruity wine offers pleasant flavors of apple and melon. It's smooth and approachable, lightly buttery, and ready to go.
This soft and fruity wine was produced from vines between Bourg and Blaye. A perfumed, floral aroma makes it bright and fruity. Its black currant flavors are twisted by tannins and acidity. Drink from 2018.
This soft and gentle wine doesn't show great character. Wood and yellow fruits appear timidly through the rounded texture. Drink now and until 2016.
This soft and lightly herbal wine has a smooth texture that brings out its ripe red fruit and plays down its acidity. That makes it easy to drink, rich and generous 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 soft and red-fruit-driven wine has attractive acidity and a crisp aftertaste. It is dry, all about bright raspberries and red currants. The aftertaste just carries on with fruit. Drink now.
This soft and ripe wine is full of bright cherry flavors, with gentle tannins and just a hint of wood aging. A proper Pinot Noir acidity brings out the fruitiness of the wine. Drink now.
This soft and round wine has a caramelized pear flavor, giving it a warm, rich feel. Its crisp acidity balances the ripe fruit, providing a light, fruity finish.
This soft and rounded wine has attractive lemon, peach and almond flavors. It's crisp while showing touches of honey that give a riper feel. It's ready to drink
This soft and rounded wine offers gentle acidity and warm cherry flavors. It's full, touched by smoke and a red plum skin texture. Give this attractive wine until 2015 for its full potential to show.
This soft and seductive wine is reminiscent of a good Chassagne-Montrachet from a relatively warm year. It has the same ripe, lightly tropical fruit, inflected with citrus and buoyed by firm acidity. The use of oak is restrained, the balance perfect, and the finish long and satisfying.
This soft and slightly sweet wine smells like cinnamon and vanilla and tastes like cherry juice. It is medium bodied and smooth in texture.
This soft and smooth wine has just the right amount of smoky tannins to support the ripe, bitter cherry fruits and fresh acidity. It is still all fruit and certainly would benefit from aging, so drink from 2017.
This soft and smooth wine offers a creamy texture over youthful acidity. The blend contains Trincadeira das Pratas as well as Fernão Pires and Arinto, giving a crisp, tangy character that will mellow into a softer character in a few months. Drink from 2018.
This soft and spicy Ripasso has a fragrance of plum and raisin along with spicy notes of clove and pepper. The plush palate offers ripe black cherry along with nutmeg and cinnamon and finishes on a note of bitter almond.
This soft and velvety blend of Nero d'Avola, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon boasts loads of blackberry, cherry and prune backed by spicy elements of toasted nut and leather. The mouthfeel is powerful but not too dense or concentrated.
This soft Barolo shows ripe berry, orange peel and toast notes. The palate shows ripe dark fruit, spice, hints of chocolate and firm but ripe tannins. This shows the hot, forward  nature of the vintage and is already enjoyable.
This soft blend seems made to appeal to the current taste for sweet reds. It has flavors of cola and hard cherry candy.
This soft Chardonnay has flavors of honey, tangerine and pineapple, with a creamy texture and a touch of oak.
This soft fruity wine has a candied character. It is light, crisp and ready to drink. Produced from Malbec, it just hints at the tannins natural to the grape, preferring fruitiness and acidity. Drink now.
This soft red wine discloses pomegranate fruit and a liberal amount of Mediterranean herbs. It's light and easy-sipping, and should be consumed while young.
This soft ripe wine is smooth and velvet textured. Its black fruits and ripe tannins are well integrated with the acidity and juicy aftertaste. The blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Petit Verdot and Alicante Bouschet is eclectic but certainly works. Ready to drink now.
This soft simple Chardonnay is all fruit. Ripe pear and melon flavors are the order of the day here, giving a rounded wine with just the right amount of acidity. Drink now.
This soft sparkler offers sensations of green apple, white peach and a hint of lemon drop. Bright acidity gives it a refreshing finish.
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.
This soft style contains a warm, crushed strawberry flavor and ripe acidity, which creates a warm and rounded feel. The wine an edge of bitterness to to a slight hint of tannin. Disgorged November 2011.
This soft wine features attractive citrus and creamed-apple flavors. It is round, full, lightly spicy and presents an easy, immediately drinkable character.
This soft wine has a gentle texture and smooth white fruits. It is fruity and lightly perfumed. With its crisp edge of acidity, is totally ready to drink.
This soft wine has a roasted fruit quality to it. Layers of jammy berry and plum show amidst a savory profile of tamed tannins and earth.
This soft wine has a smooth texture and and a ripe strawberry flavor. It is rounded, easy and approachable.
This soft wine has attractive red-berry flavors. They are given a lift by the bright acidity. It is a gentle wine, ideal for an apéritif with just the lightest tang at the end.
This soft wine has forward fruitiness and a light tang of lemon zest. Almond accents and touch of minerality add some complexity, enhancing its immediate appeal.
This soft wine has fresh acidity that lifts the peppered pear flavors. It's ready to drink, very fruity while keeping its mineral and chalky texture. The aftertaste is ripe and also fresh.
This soft wine has gentle ripe white fruits and lemon-juice flavors. It ends fresh and crisp, with a touch of creaminess to add richness. Drink now.
This soft wine has muted red fruits and light acidity. Drink now.
This soft wine has only the lightest suggestion of texture. It is gently fruity and easy to drink, with strawberry fruits to the fore.
This soft wine has plenty of fruit, comfortably cushioned by a warm texture and a floral character. It is ripe, full bodied and smooth. The strawberry flavor gives the wine a soft aftertaste. Drink now.
This soft wine has red berry fruits and gentle tannins. It is dry, the fruitiness conveying a fresh character, a tang of acidity and black currant intensity. It is ready to drink, although it will be better from 2016.
This soft wine has red fruits attractively embedded in the bright texture. The relatively high dosage results in its fruity character. Simple in texture, the wine is ready to drink.
This soft wine has ripe melon and pear flavors only lightly cut with citrus acidity. It is easy to drink and ready now.
This soft wine has strong red-berry flavors and a ripe, lightly tannic texture from the 100% Pinot Noir. It is fruity and ready to drink.
This soft wine is a blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot. With ripe red fruits, it is a smooth wine, now mature, with a light texture. Not for aging, the wine is ready to drink.
This soft wine is a blend of two local white grapes: Síria and Fonte Cal. Intense acidity and a cool-climate feel from the high- altitude vineyards make this crisp, with grapefruit and lemon flavors. Drink now.
This soft wine is dominated by tropical fruits as well as fresher pear and apple. It is ripe, brightened by citrus acidity that still needs to integrate. It will be attractive to drink by the end of 2015.
This soft wine is easy and open. It has generous fruits and gentle acidity. The result is a smooth wine that is ready to drink now.
This soft wine is fruity, spicy and full of juicy red fruits. It offers plenty of acidity as well as a layer of tannins. An easy, open wine, it is ready to drink.
This soft wine is full of citrus and spice flavors. A lightly zesty edge brings out the acidity. Fruity and easy to drink, it is ready now.
This soft wine is full of red fruit. It has a fine balance of acidity and gentle tannins. From the fruity 2012 vintage, it's now ready to drink.
This soft wine is full of yellow fruits and spiced lemon, with a light, tangy texture. It's rich while having a crisper side. Drink in fall 2016.
This soft wine is gentle, rounded and immediately accessible. Its lightly crisp acidity shows in the lemon fruitiness and in a zingy texture. The wine is ready to drink.
This soft wine is light in character. It's attractive with a rounded texture, although it misses out on any great definition. It's ready to drink.
This soft wine is minimally oaky and combines quite ripe, figgy, almost honey-like fruit flavors with a vein of butter and almond. Fermented 90% in steel vats and 10% in oak barrels, it has a creamy texture and full body.
This soft wine is open, rounded with a balance between fruit and crisp acidity. Simple and gentle, it's ready to drink.
This soft wine is ripe and creamy. With fruit mainly from the southern Burgundy, it offers warm apricot and spice flavors. As a contrast, the zesty texture adds a crisp aftertaste. Drink now.
This soft wine is ripe with berry fruitiness. It has a warm sunny character while still demonstrating smoothness and flashing bright blackberry flavor and balanced acidity. Drink now.
This soft wine is still waiting for its intensity to come through. The acidity is there, as is ripe, honeyed fruit. Wait until 2022 to open it.
This soft wine is very fruity, with banana and red cherry flavors, and very drinkable now. It has a bright feel to it, from the acidity and from the light, jaunty texture. Drink now.
This soft wine is yeasty with a strong bubbly mousse. It is balanced, moving towards the sweet end of Brut although with plenty of apple acidity to keep it crisp. Drink the wine now.
This soft wine offers ripe yellow fruits and a gentle texture. Bright with acidity, it also has peach and melon roundness. Drink now.
This soft wine shows a relatively high dosage, giving a ripe strawberry-fruit character. The acidity and fruit are gentle, hinting at a tannic edge from red wine in the blend.
This soft wine shows a rounded character. It's balanced, with acidity giving a supporting freshness and texture to the full, rich creaminess. Full in the mouth and dense, it could age further. Drink from 2015.
This soft wine shows gentle Chardonnay flavors. Toast and yellow fruits are blended with minerality to give a ripe texture that doesn't need to age.
This soft wine shows some of the Aligoté crispness that has become creamy and smooth. There are touches of yellow fruits as well as lively acidity and a gentle aftertaste. Drink now.
This soft wine, full of ripe apricots and melons, summarizes this rich white-wine vintage. It is creamy, laced with just enough acidity and fruity. It is ready to drink.
This soft Zin bursts with blackberry and cherry fruit. Grippy, it's savory in coffee and leather with a slight astringency to the finish. It tends to be among Sobon's better bottlings every year.
This soft, almost tasteless wine just hints at caramel and red fruits. It lacks character.
This soft, although food friendly wine has a creamy character and touch of vanilla. The ripe melon and apricot fruit are balanced with the acidity and the warm texture. This is an enticing ripe wine that is ready to drink.
This soft, approachable Pinot is light and spicy, with an earthy character. That sense of herb and earth dominates light red fruits. Try this chilled with cold cuts or poultry.
This soft, approachable wine has been blended with small percentages of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Leather, cedar and black cherry ride a current of bright acidity and mellowed, integrated oak, providing body and texture without too much weight.
This soft, balanced selection has warm, ripe red fruits that are laced with acidity. With its spicy edge and open texture, this is ready to drink now.
This soft, broad-textured wine has low-intensity aromas and flavors. It tastes simple and smooth, medium bodied and on the edge of sweetness.
This soft, caramel flavored rosé is produced from the native Castelão grape in coastal Setúbal south of Lisbon. With rounded red fruits and light acidity, it is dry and destined to pair with food.
This soft, creamy wine is fruity, with attractive herbal and gooseberry flavors. It is light, crisp and ready to be drunk.
This soft, easy-drinking red opens with aromas of French oak, plum, vanilla and a sprinkling of clove. The juicy, straightforward palate offers black cherry, coffee and a hint of anise alongside round tannins and bright acidity. Enjoy through 2017.
This soft, easy-drinking wine smells spicy, almost like tobacco, and tastes plummy and pruney. It has a good, smooth texture and lingering finish.
This soft, easy-going wine smells like chocolate and tastes like plums. Though full bodied, it's very light on tannin and acidity, so the mouthfeel is smooth and rich.
This soft, easy wine is nearing the end of its useful life, so drink up. Made from Syrah, Petite Sirah and other varieties, it's rich in jam, cocoa and wood spice flavors, with a burst of acidity.
This soft, finely structured and salmon-hued wine has an explosive mousse. Its attractive strawberry fruit is balanced by rich acidity. Ripe, mouth-filling and softly creamy, it's ready to drink now and has a rounded aftertaste.
This soft, fresh and rose-laden wine spent less than a year in French oak, 40% of it new. Juicy and medium bodied, it builds complexity and texture on the palate, becoming more voluptuous and velvety as it heads into a cinnamon-kissed finish.
This soft, fresh Sauvignon Blanc just hints at herbaceousness and brings out riper fruits, peaches and red apple skins. A ripe and warm wine, it is ready to drink now. Screwcap.
This soft, fruity and fleshy wine has bright red fruits and a strong pepper character. The wine comes from vineyards between 900 and 1,500 feet on limestone soil, giving it a mineral edge at the end.
This soft, fruity wine delivers honey and apricot aromas. With touches of botrytis, it has a dry, spicy edge. At the same time, it's full of bitter orange and yellow fruit. Drink from 2018.
This soft, fruity wine features attractive light tannins and rounded berry fruits. It's balanced, the acidity giving a fresh, bright aftertaste.
This soft, fruity wine is lined with acidity and gentle tannins. It has a ripe red-berry flavor, with a touch of cherry and some dryness toward the finish. Not for long-term aging.
This soft, fruity wine is pretty much ready to drink. With its red-berry fruits and fresh acidity it has a crisp side, although its round, ripe texture is so attractive. Drink from the end of 2016.
This soft, fruity, light wine has great white fruits and a cut of attractive acidity. It's crisp, spiced with nutmeg and given freshness by the sliced green apple.
This soft, gentle Cabernet doesn't have much structure, but it's rich in blackberry, currant and dark chocolate flavors, and thoroughly dry. The finish is hot like a jalapeño pepper.
This soft, gentle sparkling wine is fresh with raspberry fruits and acidity at the end. Drink as an apéritif.
This soft, gentle wine has some attractive citrus and apple fruits. Easy to drink, it offers a crisp tangy aftertaste. It is not a wine for aging, so drink now.
This soft, gentle wine is defined by its notes of pepper and spice. The light acidity is just a hint in the full, rounded palate.
This soft, gentle wine is ready to drink now with umami-rich meats, especially charcuterie. It has very rich flavors of raspberry jam, baking spices and toast.
This soft, gently attractive Rhône-style wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier. It has delicious flavors of tree fruits, berries and spices, with a mocha finish.
This soft, heavy Pinot has jammy flavors of raspberry jam, buttered toast and oak. It's fruity on the finish. Drink up.
This soft, high-toned wine is more than a little sweet— either a stuck fermentation or intentional residual sugar. Strawberry candy, cracker, and a hint of sweat in the finish.
This soft, high alcohol blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah is marked by extremely ripe flavors of blackberry jam and milk chocolate. It's technically dry but finishes with a touch of brown sugar. Drink now for voluptuous richness.
This soft, jammy and fruity wine is ready to drink, with black-currant flavors that are ripe and rounded. Only the lightest tannins gives any structure to this wine that is immediately accessible.
This soft, jammy wine from a good vintage is medium bodied and not overly oaken, offering black cherry and vanilla in equal measure. On the finish is a note of pomegranate puree.
This soft, juicy and fruity is full of red-berry flavors that are laced with acidity and a spicy, smoky edge. The wine is smooth and ready to drink.
This soft, juicy and fruity wine has an attractive perfumed, cigar-box character. It is full of blackberry fruits with a soft, gentle aftertaste.
This soft, juicy Cab Franc is fine for drinking now with a nice steak. It's almost sweet in cherry, tobacco and green herb flavors, with a pretty touch of oak and gentle tannins.
This soft, light-bodied wine is on the savory side, a taste of cranberry and rhubarb at its core. It dances in cooler-climate aspects of forest floor and herb, with an unexpected aroma of menthol sneaking into the mix.
This soft, light wine boasts crisp fruit and acidity. It has a touch of bitterness, with almond and tight citrus flavors, and is ready to drink.
This soft, light wine has hints of citrus and acidity. It is fruity, crisp and bright with orange zest at the end. Drink now.
This soft, lightly ripe wine has red fruits and an easy texture. It is fruity and fragrant with just the lightest hint of Malbec tannin. Drink now.
This soft, lush Cabernet features lots of richness. At four years old, it's drinking well now, with mocha-infused black cherry, cassis and cedar flavors.
This soft, mature wine has ripe red fruits that now merge with more yeasty, nutty flavors. The result is a delicately textured wine that is dry with delicious acidity at the end. Drink now.
This soft, medium-dry wine has attractive spice and fresh yellow-fruit flavors. It is bright, feeling light with its poised acidity and crisp aftertaste.
This soft, medium-sweet wine comes from one of the oldest producers in the Vinho Verde region, established in 1790. The wine is fruity and crisp, with a light sparkle. Bright lemon acidity comes through strongly at the end.
This soft, off-dry wine has attractive flavors of tangy orange and lemon, softened by it's fruit-forward character. This is a wine for drinking now. Screwcap.
This soft, open wine has a light fruit character with attractive acidity and a crisp aftertaste. Drink now.
This soft, plummy expression of Chianti Classico shows ripe black fruit and roasted coffee bean aromas that carry over to the palate. Thanks to its tame acidity and round tannins, this is perfect to drink young.
This soft, rather rustic wine has tannins, red fruits and a dry core. It is simple, juicy while rough round the edges. Drink now.
This soft, ready-to-drink wine is all about black-currant fruitiness, with only the lightest of tannins. Juicy, fresh acidity finishes an attractive wine.
This soft, ripe and fruity blend of local grapes is young and spicy. It has flavors of ripe red fruits that are cut with juicy acidity. It's a fresh wine that is ready to drink.
This soft, ripe perfumed wine has a fine, clean texture of apple skins. Orange zest and a citrus acidity come through strongly in this wine that is bright and fresh at the end. Drink now.
This soft, ripe Pinot Noir manages to balance the fragrant red fruits with a gentle massage of wood aging. A firm layer of tannins gives structure and it is ready to drink.
This soft, ripe wine by the Blaye sister-brother team of Marie-Pierre et Pierre-Charles Dartier has caramel flavors integrated into the red fruits. A crisp side comes from red currant flavors, while a smooth aftertaste keeps it rich while not losing the acidity.
This soft, ripe wine has good apricot and peach flavors alongside the crisper citrus acidity. It is spicy, fruity and ready to drink.
This soft, ripe wine is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. With black-currant fruit and bright acidity, the wine is fruity and ready to drink.
This soft, ripe wine is full of ready-to-drink fruits. Fresh apple and smooth puréed pear flavors are nicely lifted by the acidity. It's a clean, fruity wine, finishing freshly.
This soft, ripe wine is still developing its rich white fruitiness. For now, it's poised between acidity and a mineral structure. The creamier aspect of this wine is still to come, so keep until 2016.
This soft, robustly ripe wine shows a raisin-like prune character, tasting somewhat chalky on the palate.
This soft, round and fruity wine is styled for immediate consumption. Light fruit flavors of apple and Asian pear are finished with a lick of lemony acid.
This soft, round and juicy wine is ripe and full bodied, a good representative of the vintage. It shows brambly black fruit, mocha and hints of coconut flakes that endure through the finish.
This soft, round wine is warm and full in the mouth, with only a hint of herbal character. Green fruits are filled out with ripe apricot and pear flavors. Drink this fruity, perfumed wine from 2016.
This soft, round wine opens with aromas of oak, vanilla and black fruit. It has big, ripe flavors of blackberry, plum, espresso and chocolate alongside smooth tannins. While it's not complex, it's delicious and ready to enjoy now.
This soft, rounded wine has attractive ripe white-stone-fruit flavor. It also has a rich, spicy side, with light hints of wood that give it a mellow character. The wine is developing well and will be ready from 2017.
This soft, rounded wine has gentle ripe fruit flavors while missing out on acidity. It's medium sweet, warm with spice and a rich, full-bodied aftertaste. Drink now.
This soft, rounded wine is ripe with generous pear and melon flavors. It's easy and ready to drink young for its smooth, attractively ripe character.
This soft, rounded, wood-aged wine has light tannins and fresh fruits. Red cherry flavors are forward to give a bright, crisp feel to the wine. Behind, the tannins are developing with a dry edge balanced by juicy acidity. Drink now, although the wine will be better from 2016.
This soft, simple Cabernet will go just fine with everyday fare. It's dry, full-bodied and tannic, with proper varietal flavors of blackberries, currants and smoky oak.
This soft, simple Chardonnay is sweet in caramel, buttered popcorn and lemon-pineapple juice flavors. It quickly turns cloying after a sip.
This soft, simple wine has minty, vegetal flavors alongside jammy blackberries. It's also aggressive in acidity.
This soft, simple wine will satisfy your basic Chardonnay needs. It's creamy and somewhat sweet, with pineapple and buttered popcorn flavors.
This soft, simple wine, with small touches of Malbec and Petit Verdot, delivers sizable tannin atop notable acidity. Tart red currant and cherry meet cedar and a taste of toffee, allowing for a pleasantness on the palate that's rich and ripe.
This soft, smooth and creamy wine has attractive spice and vanilla from the wood aging, along with light citrus and peach flavors. Ripe and full in the mouth, it has a touch of minerality at the end to give a fine texture. It is ready to drink.
This soft, spicy wine has easy fruitiness. Black currants are balanced with acidity and a bright aftertaste. This great-value wine is ready to drink.
This soft, spicy wine has red-cherry flavors and light tannins. It is smooth with black currants and acidity. The end brings in a more stalky character with hints of bell peppers.
This soft, spicy wine is attractive, fruity and immediately accessible. Blackberry fruit, balanced acidity and a crisp texture all point to drinking it now.
This soft, stewy Zin tastes as if it were steeped in black tea and leather, giving it depth and concentration. As it opens, layers of black pepper pierce through, exploding on the finish amidst earthy cedar and sandalwood. It's a fine food wine that'll impress and improve as the meal goes on.
This soft, subdued wine is pervasive in barbecue smoke, black licorice and toasted marshmallow. It's made from mostly Zinfandel, with smaller pockets of Petite Sirah and Carignane. Intense, especially toward the finish, it finds a thread of acidity in the background to lift itself up.
This soft, supple and seductive Merlot (with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend) is both earthy and sensuous. The mouthfeel is like smooth felt. Black cherry, blackberry and a dash of cola fill the mouth, with lush tannins and a long finish. There's just a hint of brown sugar as it wraps up.
This soft, sweet Zinfandel is easy to drink now with simple foods, like meatballs and spaghetti, burgers and beef tacos. It's ripe and forward in cherries, cocoa and licorice.
This soft, sweet, oaky Cabernet will appeal to those who like the New World style. It's as puffy as a dessert concoction, with cherry, chocolate, nougat and cinnamon spice flavors, and is ready to drink now.
This soft, sweetly gentle wine has forward flavors of cherry, blackberry and chocolate, with hints of pepper and mint. Match it with burritos and tacos.
This soft, tank-aged wine has attractive apple fruits, a touch of citrus and crisp acidity. Light and fruity, it is ready to drink.
This soft, warm version of Malbec has light tannins and attractive acidity. Fruity and crisp with bright red berry fruit, it will be ready to drink from 2018.
This soft, wine is full of ripe black-currant flavors. It is smooth and rounded, with a touch of wood and plenty of acidity. Drink now.
This soft, yeasty and sweet blend of Fernão Pires and Bical is fruity with apple and pear flavors. It has just enough acidity to keep it crisp on the finish and makes an easy apéritif.
This soft, young wine is all about red-berry fruits. With a touch of spice and acidity, it is should be drunk quickly while its fruitiness remain fresh.
This softly appealing Syrah has pie-filling flavors of cherries and blackberries, with cinnamon spice, brown sugar and baked crust overtones. It's a dry, interesting wine that belies its everyday price.
This softly delicious, complex wine is one of the reasons why Pinot Noir has soared in popularity lately. Made from the Dijon clones that give such fruity wines in California, it's filled with raspberry, cherry and smoky cedar flavors, with the silky elegance you want from this variety. Drink this flashy wine soon, to fully appreciate the youthful fruit.
This softly fruity wine has the lightest of tannins and plenty of simple red-berry fruits. There is an earthy edge to the young wine as well as plenty of acidity at the end. Drink now.
This softly layered wine has a tannic bite that undergirds its lighter stylistic approach. Currant, cedar and vanilla play on the palate in pleasant, straightforward ways.
This softly perfumed wine has red-fruit flavors and plenty of acidity. It is jammy and juicy with succulent red berries. Drink now.
This softly textured wine explodes with chocolate and strawberry flavors, a bright streak of acidity keeping its ripeness in check. Low in oak impact, it shows cigar and black licorice seasonings as it opens in the glass.
This solid Aglianico opens with aromas of leather, underbrush, game and ripe plum. The structured palate delivers ripe blackberry accented by notes of licorice, sage and eucalyptus. There's a subtle warmth of alcohol and firm tannins. Best after 2016.
This solid and dense wine has firm tannins as well as juicy fruitiness. It is dark, rich and full of black fruits that are cut with intense acidity. It needs to age further, so drink from 2015.
This solid and dense wine is full of tannins as well as layers of wood and blackberry fruit. It has the potential to gain in richness as it develops. A smoky quality accents its black plum flavors. Drink from 2019.
This solid and powerful wine comes from a chateau right in the walls of Saint-Émilion. A dense texture brings out tannins and the wood-aging flavors. Spice, black currant fruitiness and a dark, dense character all promise aging. Drink from 2018.
This solid Barolo opens with aromas of mature dark berry, licorice, clove, chewing tobacco and a whiff of crushed flower. The palate reveals red cherry, strawberry, white pepper and thyme alongside bracing tannins. Drink after 2019.
This solid if standard Pinot Noir proffers raspberry, earthiness, herbs and a touch of leather on the nose. The palate comes on silky but winds up fairly tannic by the finish. Wait until 2015 and this will be a much better wine.
This solid Merlot begins with savory aromas of cloves, black cherry, and smoke, leading into like flavors in a structured, spirited package. The wine could continue to age, but makes for a good sip now. Pair with smoked meats, roasted duck.
This solid offering hits all the right notes with a cassis and tobacco nose that shows nice depth, a mouthful of blackberry flavors and an attractively smooth, supple mouthfeel. Finishes with a hint of tobacco and easy tannins. Altogether quite impressive, especaially for a wine from such a difficult vintage.
This solid red features aromas of ripe dark berry, violet and a whiff of spice. The savory palate delivers layers of crushed blackberry, juicy raspberry, white pepper, clove and cocoa alongside lively acidity and firm, yet velvety tannins.
This solid red has deep currant and toasty oak aromas. It opens to rich dark berry, plum and leather flavors with Asian spice accents. The mouthfeel is creamy, almost syrupy, and it shows some vanilla, spice, and a tart-sweetness on the finish.
This solid red opens with aromas of dark-skinned berry, toast and underbrush. The firm palate offers wild cherry, ground pepper, coffee and a hint of mineral alongside polished, fine-grained tannins.
This solid Sauvignon is lean and focused, yet manages to show some ripe melon (specifically cantaloupe) flavors to go with its core of tart limes.
This solid value wine would pair perfectly with pizza. An easy expression of Syrah, the wine is soft and silky, with simple, fruity layers of blueberry and cherry.
This solid, bold wine has a velvet texture. Black fruits are rounded with a generous texture, although a firmer, tannic character waits in the background. It is structured and elegant. Drink from 2017.
This solid, chunky wine expresses dry tannins as much as ripe fruit. The structure is present, but the black currant note is still waiting for its chance to shine. Give it 4–5 years.
This solid, dense blend of Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira and Aragonez has good structure with juicy berry fruits alongside sweet tannins. It's rich, the firm texture giving the wine weight and concentration. The aftertaste brings forward more juicy fruitiness. Drink from 2015.
This solid, fruity, generous wine pushes bold flavors of white peach and melon into a rich midpalate. Highlights of lemon verbena and hints of mint accompany the expected floral scents and lightly soapy character of this distinctive grape. Drink this over the next two years while its freshness is at its best.
This solid, mainstream Zinfandel displays blackberry fruit and some creamy notes on the nose. Well-defined, dark berry flavors with white pepper and leather accents mark the palate. The mouthfeel is even and the finish here is brisk, tart and juicy. A touch less oak might let the fruit shine a bit more.
This solid, spicy and somewhat chewy Pinot is the most widely-available from the Trisaetum lineup. Hints of golden raisin, fig and plum lead into a smooth, chocolatey finish.
This solid, structured wine has black currant fruit, balanced acidity and firm tannins. The wine has a solid texture, a core of dryness and the potential to age 3–4 years.
This solid, well-made wine has pleasant apple and pear flavors, light herbal accents, medium body and a smooth texture.
This solidly built, dry wine made from the unusual Tannat variety has mild apple and cherry flavors and great balance. Its texture is firm due to good acidity and a touch of tannin, which makes it versatile with foods from pho to barbecue.
This solidly fruity wine comes with a generous application of toasty, buttery oak flavors. About 40% was barrel fermented, the rest done in stainless steel. Fleshy peach fruit is awash in buttery caramel and toffee flavors.
This solidly good block selection shows shy aromas of dark red and purple fruit with a touch of earth and asphalt. The palate is tart and tight, with a bit of sagebrush nuance.
This solidly made wine is well apportioned in terms of price and quality. With smokiness to the toasty oak, it's a concentrated and juicy wine accented by saddle and black cherry. Medium bodied and rounded, it has a medium finish, as well.
This somewhat broad, mouthcoating wine should prove attractive to consumers weaned on California Pinot Noirs. Dark, earthy, mocha notes lead into a round palate with flavors of cherry preserves and chocolate. Probably best over the next 1–2 years.
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.
This somewhat flat, green and tannic wine is reduced and sour in tone, with medium body and broad acidity.
This somewhat indistinctive wine has a wealth of minty aroma on the nose, a characteristic that doesn't shake off on the palate, the body full and a touch hot.
This somewhat masks the naturally herbal nature of the grape with scents of new oak, but the unripe aromas of the grapes prevail. The scents recall grass cuttings after they've been out in the sun for some time.
This somewhat sweet Pinot tastes like a liquid version of raspberry jam, figs, vanilla cookies and buttered toast. Fine acidity gives it needed balance. Drink now.
This Sonoma-based winery, founded in 2007, specializes in cool-climate Syrah. Bennett Valley, southeast of Santa Rosa, is certainly a cool part of Sonoma County, and the cool 2010 vintage has given owner-winemaker Steve Law a great success. The wine oozes dramatic flavors of blackberry jam, licorice, dark chocolate, grilled bacon, fine herbs and black pepper, which come wrapped in firm but supple tannins. The dry finish is long—the mark of a well-made, concentrated wine. Drink now–2016.
This Sonoma Coast Pinot is dry and simple, with raspberry, strawberry and oak flavors, accented with mouthwatering acidity. A bit of oak adds smoky complexity.
This Sonoma County wine made by Santa Barbara-based Winemaker Andrew Murray is explosively juicy in black currant and berry, while offering soft, lean aspects of herb and pepper.
This sophisticated and beautifully balanced wine shows that Lodi can make crisp and poised whites. It has aromas like white pepper and dried thyme, crisp lemon flavors and racy acidity. It is nicely dry, clean and tautly refreshing. While medium bodied, it has a big, vibrant presence.
This sophisticated and compelling wine combines full body and a muscular texture with very tasty, solid fruit flavors. The balance between acidity, tannin and flavor is good, and the finish is tangy and lingering.
This sophisticated and stylish Pinot Noir from the south of France was made a Burgundy producer. It has fine tannins, juicy red cherry-driven acidity and a warm, ripe aftertaste.
This sophisticated blend of Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana and Picolit opens with a deep, off-gold color and rich aromas of honey, apricot, candied fruit and a touch of exotic spice. The mouthfeel is creamy and long-lasting.
This sophisticated Chardonnay offers pretty fullness, opulence and gorgeous luminosity in the glass. Its fruit-forward aromas include ripe peach, almond, butter and pineapple but the wine also has an interesting edge that recalls mint or peppermint. The mouthfeel is less intense than the nose but the wine ends on a fruity, fresh mark nonetheless.
This sophisticated effort maxxes out the potent cherry fruit with plenty of barrel toast. Much like the winery's reserve, the cherries are matched to roasted walnut flavors, with a hint of chipotle.
This sophisticated Sauvignon Blanc sets itself apart with its rich nose of nuts, vanilla and flowers, followed by pretty flavors of spice and white flowers and fruit. Acidity balances the fruit. A fuller-bodied style that can handle richer seafood dishes.
This sophisticated white wine from the homeland of Italy's most robust reds (Ripasso and Amarone) shows a full, generous appearance with a golden-amber color. Stone fruit, toasted almond and candied lemon give it heft and consistency.
This sophisticated wine is full of rich, beautifully integrated tropical and citrus fruits enhanced by an elegant use of wood. It feels rich, sumptuous and concentrated, while allowing for good acidity at the end. Drink from 2015.
This sophisticated wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for the firm tannins and dense structure as well as most of the blackberries and blackcurrants. Smaller amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc add cherries and violets, while oak contributes smoky complexities. Rich and elegant, the wine provides lovely drinking now.
This sophisticated wood-aged wine comes from a fine year for whites in Pessac-Léognan. Subtle wood supports the rich tropical and yellow fruits as well as the crisper acidity. The texture, with its minerality, is still developing, with good potential. Drink from 2017.
This sophisticated, dry and affordable wine will shine at mealtime due to its balance between generous fruit flavors and an appetizing, moderately tannic texture. Aromas resemble raspberries and red cherries, while flavors are a bit riper than that. The acidity is lively and the finish lingers.
This soulful red opens with earthy aromas of black olive, leather, ripe berry and a whiff of game. The round, enveloping palate delivers fleshy black cherry, blackberry preserve, tobacco and clove alongside firm, velvety tannins. Showing the heat of the vintage, it's already rather accessible but it also has some staying power. Open a couple of hours in advance to let this breathe.
This soulful wine opens with earthy, almost funky aromas of freshly tilled earth, overripe black fruit, leather and game. The round, full-bodied palate doles out fleshy black cherry, juicy blackberry, tobacco, truffle, anise and clove alongside velvety tannins. It's already approachable but will drink well for the next decade. Drink 2016–2026.
This sound, Port-style wine is made from Zinfandel. It shows briary flavors of wild red and black berries, milk chocolate and Christmas plum pudding, with spices of cinnamon, anise and nutmeg. Could use greater structure, as it's a bit soft.
This sour, beery wine is for those who like a high acid flush with their meal. The very tart flavors focus on lemon and green apple.
This sources grapes from the oldest (1972) blocks at Sagemoor, yielding a deep, rich and intense wine saturated with black cherry, cassis, licorice and barrel flavors. It's perfectly balanced, drinking beautifully, and fit for cellaring over a decade or longer.
This south-facing vineyard has produced a well-balanced wine. The tannins are gentle, enveloped by the juicy red-fruit flavor and the mineral acidity. It is ripe, full of fruit with a crisp, tight aftertaste. Drink from 2017.
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.
This South Eastern Australia Chard packs quite a punch for the price. The nose is fresh but subtle, with hints of hand soap and cut apples. There's a luxurious quality to the palate that melds well with flavors of almond and pear and carries over to the silky, medium finish. Winds up on a note of tropical fruit. Drink now through 2011.
This Southern Hemisphere adventure from an Austrian winemaking family can turn out some interesting wines. In this case, it's a medium-bodied wine that's firm yet silky in feel, marrying cassis and tobacco leaf with subtle, balanced oak.
This southern Italian blend of Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon opens with soft aromas of ripe blackberry, espresso, dark chocolate and spice. There's a note of sweet cherry on the finish, followed by smoothly polished tannins. The wine is elegant and clean.
This southern Oregon Pinot Gris does not have the fleshy concentration of Willamette Valley versions, but compensates with a racy, sculpted mouthfeel that falls closer to Italian Pinot Grigio in style. The just-ripe fruit conjures pear and cucumber flavors, with a slice of green melon on the side.
This southern Oregon Syrah has red-fruit aromas, with notes of perfume and plastic.
This southern Rhône-style blend includes 10% each Marsanne and Roussanne. It's flat out lovely and silky smooth, with scents and flavors of honey-laced flowers. Lemon, lime and grapefruit dominate the palate, with superb balance and persistence. Certainly one of the best Washington State Viogniers I have ever tasted.
This southern Rhône-style blend is 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault and 10% Syrah, sourced from the excellent Olsen vineyard. That perfect fruit anchors a ripe, juicy and forward wine loaded with cherry/berry flavors. The Cinsault brings in light herb, and the wine rolls into a mocha-dipped finish with a bit of heat.
This Southern Rhône-style blend is half Mourvèdre, 32% Grenache and 18% Cinsault. It's a well-thought-out combination, with impressive minerality along with pretty berry and cherry fruit. Drink now or within the next five years.
This Southern Rhône-style blend is roughly half Mourvèdre, 31% Grenache and 17% Cinsault. It's a delicious match-up, with the Mourvèdre underscoring the minerality, and providing grip and texture around the racy red berry flavors of the other two grapes. The wine has a spine of steel, suggesting it will age through 20206–2022.
This southern Rhône-style blend is soft, lush and heavy with a rich mix of peach, apricot and papaya fruit power. One-third new oak barrels put a patina of toast and butterscotch on the ripe fruit, with a finishing flavor of fresh roasted cashews.
This southern Rhône-style blend is very soft and as sweet as a fruit pastry. It has jammy or pie-filling flavors of cherries, raspberries, red plums and cocoa, with a dusting of pepper and cinnamon.
This Southern Rhône-style blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsault opens with a lovely nose of violet and blue fruit scents. The fruit flavors are joined by a layer of wet stone, which adds some heft to the wine's foundation. Sleek and tangy, this can be consumed young, or it can be aged for several more years.
This southern Rhône-style wine is soft and easy, in the way of a good Côtes du Rhône. It has ripe black cherry, red currant and herb flavors that turn a little raisiny on the finish.
This southern Rhône blend is a good everyday one. With its slightly sweet, jammy berry, cherry, cocoa, herb and spice flavors, it's an easy partner with burgers and fries.
This Southern Rhône blend of Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne is pretty and smooth, with a pleasing array of light tropical fruits, good acidity and a finishing pat of butter. Drink (happily!) through 2017.
This southern Rhone-style blend consists of 35% Mourvèdre, 40% Grenache and 25% Syrah. Steely minerality underscores pretty cherry fruit, with a light and peppery streak of herb running through the tannins.
This sparkler boasts pretty aromas of white spring flowers, peach and a whiff of Alpine herbs. On the palate, green apple and yellow pear abound while citrus zest and a hint of sage provide back up.
This sparkler from a coveted property on the western edge of the appellation offers lots of yeasty and toasty aromas as well as raspberry, lemon peel and a touch of damp earth. Classic bready flavors show on the sip, which is cut but a sharp citrusy edge and tart raspberry.
This sparkler from Piedmont opens with aromas of toasted oak, walnut and mature yellow apple that carry over to the palate along with a confectionery note. The flavors seem a bit tired so drink soon.
This sparkler has a touch of playful sweetness without being sticky or cloying. As far as its aromas are concerned, you'll detect citrus, floral notes, minerals and a slightly smoky or musky quality on the periphery.
This sparkler is sweet but attractive and balanced, with a lovely lychee, peach and rose water aromatic profile. The carbonation is not overly assertive, and the acidity is brisk enough to keep the finish from coming off as cloyingly sweet.
This sparkler made by the Zonin family opens with a crystalline appearance and offers generous aromas of stone fruit, green apple and honeysuckle. It's steely and tonic in the mouth with big, persistent effervescence.
This sparkler offers a beautiful nose of white flower, orange blossom, crushed peppercorn, talc power and almond skin. There's a focused sharpness here that helps give the wine definition, staying power and loads of character.
This sparkler opens with a pretty, foamy crest and medium intensity of aromas: stone fruit, talc powder, dried sage and crushed white pepper tones are subdued but intricate. It ends on a creamy, sweet note.
This sparkler opens with a very pale golden color and lively bubbling. But looks can be deceiving because its intense aromas are anything but plain: Sweet floral tones mingle with peach, herbal notes and bee's wax.
This sparkler opens with tonic, almost steely perlage that tickles the nose. The bouquet is comprised of crushed stone and white peach, and there's a distant hint of honey at the close.
This sparkler shows some distant sweetness and loads of fruity softness that comes forward as peach, nectarine and honeydew melon. It is a textbook example of an off-dry Prosecco Superiore that is perfect as an aperitivo wine.
This sparkler was made from a majority of Chardonnay with a seasoning of Pinot Noir, the grapes grown at Hyde Vineyard, among other sites within the appellation. A doughy, tart wine, it brightly expresses green apple, orange, grapefruit and a more developed creaminess of biscotti, delighting in a persistence of lemon zest.
This sparkler, made from from 100% Chardonnay, shows aromas of oak, stone fruit and citrus. The palate offers toast, peach and citrus flavors along with oak sensations. It's vigorously sparkling and ends on a note of walnut.
This sparkling blend (50-50 Chardonnay and Pinot Nero) represents one of only a handful of barrel aged metodo classico wines from Friuli in northeast Italy. The wine's perlage is firm and steely and there are soft layers of toasted bread, stone fruit and honey at the back.
This sparkling blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir has the faintest touch of blush color. On the nose, it offers grapefruit and lemon. Bubbles are not very persistent, lasting just moments after the glass is poured. It has flavors of tart Granny Smith apple, brioche and lemon peel and a zippy finish.
This sparkling blend of Glera, Chardonnay and Moscato with other grapes bursts open with friendly and straightforward momentum. It delivers bright aromas of peach, honey and white flower followed by soft, creamy foam.
This sparkling Chardonnay from central Italy offers charred aromas of toasted almond followed by a thin, watery mouthfeel and a strong citrus aftertaste.
This sparkling Gavi from northern Italy offers loads of fresh citrus backed by stone fruit and spring flowers. It finishes with clean, zesty bubbling and a cheerful touch of acidity.
This sparkling mix of two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay is a pretty peach color. Voluptuous on the palate, it features flavors of peach and rhubarb that exotically intermingle along a tingling touch of sweetness.
This sparkling Pinot Noir is a surprisingly sophisticated find for its reasonable price tag. It's perfumed and fresh, offering delicate cherry blossom and red apple notes, intensified by a dusty mineral complexity. Zesty acidity and fine, persistent bubbles linger through a long, floral finish. Drink now through 2021.
This sparkling red Lambrusco boasts a simple, but attractive quality of fruit, with bursting notes of raspberry and wild strawberry. Creamy, bubbly foam and balanced acidity characterize the mouthfeel. In terms of Lambrusco, this wine is very pleasurable with a sweet, plush close.
This sparkling red Lambrusco opens with a touch of pungent apple skin backed by red berry and even a touch of leather or spice at the back. This is indeed an amiable expression, so expect tangy sweetness in the mouth.
This sparkling red wine made from Muscat is cherry red in color. It has pleasant aromas and flavors of red raspberry, black cherry and sweet pomegranate juice. It could use a few more bubbles but it will satisfy the palates of wine drinkers looking for sweet red sparkling wines.
This sparkling relative of a popular Italian table wine has a floral nose with a perfume quality. “Sweet” is the operative word here, with an almost candied edge to the fruit. It’s a quaff for the sweet-tooth crowd, or better yet, for making mimosas.
This sparkling Riesling smells of canned yellow peaches and apricots. It is effervescent on entry with flavors of white peach nectar and white flowers. There is a slight sweetness in the finish.
This sparkling rosé has a floral fragrance and nutty undertones. The palate isn't very expressive, but reveals subdued strawberry and spice notes. It has a refined perlage and finishes on a dry, walnut note.
This sparkling rosé has aromas of honeydew melon and dried red cherries. In the mouth, it has persistent bubbles, flavors of ripe strawberry and a sweet red-fruit finish.
This sparkling rosé has raspberry on the nose, with mid-range autolytic character and a little nuttiness. The palate contains more fruit, specifically strawberry, peaches and raspberry. There is a note of sourdough. Soft petillance and edgy acidity finish off the experience.
This sparkling rosé opens with a pretty pink color and golden peach highlights. The soft foaming is steady and tonic and the sparkler moves smoothly over the palate with plush, creamy effervescence: There's a simple, sweet personality at the core with pink grapefruit and raspberry.
This sparkling Vouvray has weight and richness, balanced by intense acidity and a crisp green-salad texture. Lemon zest and quince flavors add the fruit element. It will benefit from another two years in bottle.
This sparkling wine boasts a dark pink color and intensely fragrant tones of raspberry, cranberry, fresh flowers, cut grass and dandelions. It is executed in a light, easy style and makes for a fun afternoon-with-friends sipping wine.
This sparkling wine from Touriga Nacional grapes is dry, not just with acidity but also its firm tannic structure. An acquired taste, perhaps, but great with fresh sardines or other oily fish. Drink now.
This sparkling wine has a delicate fragrance of spring flowers and flavors of white fruit. Simple but well made and refreshing.
This sparkling wine has a fragrance of honey, almond and banana peel. The palate is a bit evolved, but shows ripe yellow apple, white chocolate, flint and pastry notes. It has an elegant perlage and closes on an almond note.
This sparkling wine has a smooth, creamy mousse and perfumed apple and pink-grapefruit fruitiness. Light minerality gives texture, enhanced by the bright, crisp acidity and aftertaste.
This sparkling wine has aromas of baked apricot, walnut, hay, citrus and oak. The palate is lean and dry, without enough fruit richness to support the oak.
This sparkling wine has vanilla bean, freshly baked brioche, Granny Smith apple and Bartlett pear aromas. It has a very nice mousse and flakey pie crust, lemon zest and pear flavors.
This sparkling wine is fresh and crisp. With a creamy texture and a touch of toast, it is very complete and perfumed, with bright acidity to finish. Drink this fragrant wine now.
This sparkling wine is one of the best from Chandon in years. There's a soft refinement to the mousse, making it just as good as its more expensive rivals. Shows complex flavors of yeast, limes, oranges, vanilla and honey.
This sparkling wine is the best of ManCan's three new canned offerings. It has plenty of rich fruit flavors and a buttery note. Lively bubbles settle into the smooth, creamy texture, leaving an overall impression of easygoing enjoyment.
This sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero has a floral fragrance of Spanish broom and acacia. The palate shows white peach, citrus and toasted almond flavors. It has creamy texture supported by crisp acidity.
This sparkling wine made from Chardonnay, opens with a yeasty fragrance of bread crust and pastry. The palate shows citrus and vanilla flavors, hints of oak and vigorous bubbles.
This sparkling wine offers rich and sophisticated aromas of baked bread and mature peach backed by accents of citrus and white pepper. The wine is rich and smooth with piquant effervescence. Not currently imported into the U.S.
This sparkling wine opens with a bright golden color and slightly oxidized aromas of almonds, smoke, mature peach and candied fruit. There's smoky sophistication in there as well with a slightly sweet finish and herbal notes on the close.
This sparkling wine opens with oak aromas. It has a frothy palate that reveals tropical fruit, citrus and oak notes, sprinkled with Mediterranean herbs. Despite the creamy texture, the flavors are lean and close on a bitter walnut note.
This sparkling wine shows the potential richness that can come from the combination of Chenin Blanc and bubbles. It's a nutty, spicy and ripe wine. At the same time, its acidity and tense structure give a cool crisp feel. This balance and tension are just right and the wine is ready to drink.
This sparkling wine starts with a toasty but soft nose, leading into clean but fruity flavors and a refreshing finish. Though an earlier release might have allowed more primary fruit to show through, the wine offers easygoing but elegant enjoyment.
This sparkling wine, a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, is dry, creamy and rich in flavors of citrus, yeast and vanilla. It feels refined and silky on the palate, with a honeyed finish.
This sparkling wine, made entirely from Chardonnay, offers aromas of yellow flowers, oak and lemon peel. The palate shows evident oak, buttery sensations, apricot and citrus. The finish releases notes of bitter almond.
This special-edition wine carries a striking logo relating to a particular chair that has something to do with the owners. Apart from that, it's pretty standard stuff—black cherry, plum and cocoa flavors with a definite green edge. It finishes tannic and chewy with a bit of alcoholic heat.
This special commemorative bottle celebrates the 60th anniversary (1947–2007) of one of Italy's flagship wines. The characteristic aromas of Sangiovese come through loud and clear in the form of bright pulses of wild berry, blue flower, light spice and dried tobacco. The wine is bright and tight on the finish. Hold this bottle in your cellar.
This special cuvée comes from the vineyards surrounding the Château de la Marquetterie in Reims. With a part aged in wood, the wine has fine bottle aging and toastiness giving it richness as well as bringing out the ripe lemon and red-apple flavors. It is a beautifully balanced wine that is ready to drink.
This special edition has been made to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the familiar Graham's Six Grapes reserve Ruby. Selected from old vines in the Graham's vineyards, it is dense and impressively ripe. Concentrated fruit dominates, cut with acidity as well as a dark texture. Rounded and rich, it's made to drink now. The label with symbols of six grapes was taken from original ledger entries—the Graham code for the highest of six possible classifications for wine destined to be vintage Port.
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.
This special Sauvignon Blanc is only being released in top vintages. The first was the 2010; the 2013 is the second vintage. Fermented in oak, it offers up complex aromas of pencil shavings and grapefruit, followed by hints of toast, cedar, red currants and gooseberries. It's a ripe, weighty style, but it carries those traits without a hitch, gliding seamlessly through a long, silky, mouthwatering finish.
This special selection Brunello shows ripe notes of strawberry and raspberry backed by spice and mature cherry. It's smooth and bright with a touch of sour fruit on the close.
This special selection is already showing some brick around the rim and seems to be aging rapidly. The flavors are mostly herb and root, sassafras and beet root in particular, with the fruit leaning toward Dr. Pepper soda.
This special selection of Roero Arneis from vintner Pelassa offers a tart and perky ensemble of passion fruit, kiwi, mineral, citrus and peach aromas. You'll also be pleased by the crisp and focused impression it makes in the mouth.
This special selection, tight-cropped from 30 acres of 100% Merlot, is ripe and rich. This is a smoky and fruity wine, in barrel for 14 months. It has ripe black fruits and rich, dense structure. Spice and toast balance the fruit, giving an impressive sense of generosity. Drink from 2017.
This special selezione Brunello delivers big ripe fruit flavors—almost too ripe—of blueberry, strawberry and red currants. The wine has power and heft with more flavors of spice, leather, tobacco and gritty tannins.
This special vineyard-designate delivers savory notes of cured meat, smoked bacon, barbecued herbs and candied berries. The intensity and overall complexity is impressive, and so is the richness and persistency of the mouthfeel. It ends with a touch of crispness and a bitter cherry accent.
This special vineyard selection offers depth and personality in the form of black stone, granite, balsam, cola, mature blackberry and background renderings of spice and toast. It's among the most flavor-rich Brunellos of the vintage with pretty tones of cherry fruit and chewy density.
This special waxed-top reserve bottling shows deep aromas of cedar and sandalwood along with black plum and allspice on the nose. Black cherry pops on the sip with lots of nutmeg spice, but it's the evenly distributed acidity and firm tannins that ensure a long life. Drink now through 2029.
This special wine begins with stunning aromas of cedar, roasted meat and ripe raspberries, then adds savory notes of espresso and black olives to create a harmonious blend of fruity and savory elements. It's full bodied yet supple, with a long, fruit-filled finish. Already enjoyable, it should age well for at least 10 years.
This special wine is aged for 18 months in oak and shows a massively long and intense finish, with evolving notes of black fruit, ash, prune, spice, leather and bitter black chocolate. It showcases the hard work achieved by Feudi di San Gregorio over the years. This should age for 10 years or more.
This spectacular brut-style sparkler that's made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir still has plenty of tart acidity and yeastiness, providing the backdrop for rich, concentrated flavors of lime, raspberry, orange, brioche, mineral, vanilla and spice. It's enjoyable now, a tête de cuvée that is among the best California bubblies of the year, and it will continue to develop bottle complexity for many years.
This spends 12 months in oak and it shows: It offers aromas of liquid smoke and flavors of brown sugar, honey and caramel. The fruit is subdued, leaving the emphasis on the oak and mineral components. Try with rich but delicately flavored fish dishes or mild chèvres.
This spent 11 months in 41% new oak, and there's a tasty lick of caramel running through the midpalate. The fruit catches some purple plum and plenty of Bing cherry, with a dark chocolate frame around svelte tannins.
This spent 16 months in neutral oak, and it shows some muted scents that may be attributed to those barrels. Earthy unripe fruit, tasting mainly of apple skins, also sends up light whiffs of fish oil. Drink up.
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.
This spent 18 months in 50% new French oak, which underscores its pretty berry/cherry fruit with a vein of dark chocolate. Dr Pepper and spicy herbs decorate a solid midpalate that flows into a lengthy finish with confectionary highlights.
This spent 18 months in French oak and three years in bottle, ahead of an April 2016 release. Light and elegant, it carries a whiff and taste of leather, with earthy, slightly grainy tannins. With air, the strawberry fruit gains some flesh. Decant it and drink now through 2018.
This spent 18 months in neutral American oak, and has a strong woody scent and flavor. Light melon and cucumber fruit remains somewhat buried, and the mouthfeel is soft and diffuse. Drink up.
This spent 24 months in 500-liter American oak puncheons, blended with 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Syrah. It is really showing the barrel influence, even after several hours of breathing time. The fruit is ripe strawberry, with fresh herbs, green olive and hints of tomato leaf. Good acidity suggests further bottle age would only improve this wine.
This spent about a year in 30% new oak, and some portion was American. Those aggressive scents and flavors still dominate, with the typical vanilla and pickle-barrel highlights. More bottle age is in order for maximum enjoyment. At the moment the fruit is primary and the barrel notes not entirely integrated. Drink after 2020.
This spent two years maturing in large oak casks and one year in barriques. Such an aging regimen has imparted deep aromas of spice, tobacco, toasted almond, chocolate and tobacco that surround lively notes of blackberry and ripe cherry.
This spicy-smelling, dry wine is well balanced, generous in flavor and a pleasure to drink. Aromas of black pepper, clove and black cherries carry the nose, while on the palate, ripe and delicious flavors spread across the smooth and lightly tannic texture.
This spicy 100% Merlot wine has tangy black fruits as well as dense texture. It is ripe and very juicy, with intense acidity. It needs to relax (25% new oak barrels; 25% one to two years, the rest in tanks), so drink from 2017.
This spicy and forward wine offers firm blackberry and black cherry fruit accented with savory olive flavors. Its vanilla and baking spices notes suggest some time in new wood, and a hint of Dr. Pepper comes through on the finish. Syrah is definitely a strength at this winery.
This spicy and well-balanced wine has a light salmon color, subtle aromas like cinnamon and cherries, and flavor accents resembling cranberries, paprika and ginger. It's light to medium bodied, has very fine bubbles and a lingering finish.
This spicy blend includes 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Syrah and Sangiovese. Intense aromas of grilled bell peppers, black pepper and mature black fruit continue on to the soft, round palate. It's not an ager so enjoy soon.
This spicy Bordeaux blend has barrel flavors of cinnamon toast, coffee and caramel that run rampant over the fruit. Raspberry and cherry candy flavors hit you mid-palate, and with a little more time in bottle this has every chance of turning out to be a much smoother and more polished wine than it is currently showing.
This spicy rosato opens with aromas of small red berry, blue flower and a whiff of baking spice. The bright, juicy palate offers wild cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and a hint of white pepper alongside fresh acidity.
This spicy rosso has plum and pepper aromas that carry over onto the palate, along with a hint of licorice. It's linear, lively and fresh. Pair it with pasta topped with spicy tomato sauces or not too seasoned cheeses.
This spicy white blend mixes Viognier, Sémillon and Pinot Gris. Notes of green berries and other green fruits—notably banana—all have an herbal underpinning.
This spicy white wine offers incredibly intense aromas of candied fruit, chopped herbs and thick honey. The wine is fragrant and highly aromatic with a thick, creamy mouthfeel.
This spicy wine from grapes grown above the coastal hamlet of Cambria offers expertly integrated aromas of black cardamom, chai spice, root beer, black raspberry and roasted game. There are dense fruits on the palate, nearing boysenberry and blackberry, along with a plum-skin sourness and a black-sage spice
This spicy wine is fruity while also complex with its combination of red berries and a pepper edge. It is full and ripe with a light crisp aftertaste. Drink now.
This spicy wine is full of botrytis, giving a dry edge to its rich, honeyed flavors. It has an intense character, hovering between very sweet and dry. Structured with strong acidity, it will be ready to drink from 2018.
This spicy wine is produced by the Mau family. It has an attractive cinnamon element, a touch of toast, and a concentrated texture that brings out a tropical fruit character. Rich and perfumed, this has a great note of ginger snap on the finish.
This spicy wine is ripe, fresh and richly fruity. Plenty of toast contrasts with the yellow fruit and grapefruit. This full-bodied wine is ripe, generous and ready to drink.
This spicy wine offers peppery strawberry flavors and plenty of citrusy acids. It's still a little disjointed and could benefit from additional bottle age.
This spicy wine with its aromatic character is fruity while also having some structure. The 90% Malbec/10% Merlot blend has a dry core, juicy red currant fruits and considerable acidity. With only a minimum of wood aging, it is ready to drink.
This spicy wood-aged wine has nutmeg and ripe fruit flavors. Its perfumed fruits bring in apple, green plum and great acidity that is balanced by the judicious wood aging. This is a rich wine, full of intense acidity and fruitiness that needs to age further. Drink from late 2018.
This spicy, apple-fresh wine has spice, crisp acidity and great fruitiness. It's a perfect apéritif style with its lightness and freshness. Drink now.
This spicy, elegant take on Syrah will reward your attention. Boysenberry and other purple/black fruits are expressed both aromatically and on the palate, with light touches of vanilla. The overall impression is of a pretty, structured, textural wine, with excellent length and balance.
This spicy, fruity blend sources from seven different vineyards, and includes 5% portions of Cabernet Franc and Syrah. The acids bring up hints of pink grapefruit and orange, while the cherry and plum fruit flavors hold the center. The wine seems to thin out a bit through the finish.
This spicy, fruity wine, which includes the rare spicy Egiodola grape, is crisp with acidity and red currant fruit. With its touch of caramel, it's ready to drink.
This spicy, medium-bodied wine is heavily sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg aromas. It tucks layers of red cherry and raspberry into the flavors while soothing the palate with a velvety, easy-to-sip texture.
This spicy, peppery Shiraz is elegant and straightforward, with layers of savory flavors like balsamic vinegar and smoked meat. Its classic style matches well with grilled lamb, meat dishes.
This spicy, powerful Zinfandel has 10% of Petite Sirah blended in, which adds depth, richness and tannins. You can call the resulting wine rustic, in the sense of its wild berry and spice flavors and briary, brambly mouthfeel. But it's also classic Dry Creek Valley. Drink over the next few years with barbecue, or try a Mexican-inspired beef dish.
This spicy, strongly perfumed wine is full of fruit and juicy acidity. It's dry and structured, with a firm backdrop of tannins. It will be great for the winter.
This spicy, toasty wine currently shows more wood than fruit. Hints of yellow fruits are already there, so the texture should open to give a riper, fruitier wine. Give it until 2020.
This spicy, wood-aged wine is full of both tannins and fruit. It is dense and still young, bringing together juicy blackberry and a solid structure. It will be ready to drink from 2018.
This spicy, wood-laden wine has strong burnt-toast flavors that have suppressed the fruit. Hints of ripe fruits lie behind the spice and vanilla. Drink this from 2018, in case the wood integrates better.
This splendid effort is sourced from the Durant Vineyard, and aged in neutral French oak for seven months prior to bottling. Spicy and dense, it's a lively blend of lime, apple, apricot and pear fruits. A trickle of juicy acidity pulls the flavors through into a finish with streaks of vanilla and clove. The 20-year-old vines provide the complexity and detail that will reward another decade of aging. Drink now through 2025.
This splendid, resonant, beautifully detailed wine captures everything that is most desirable in the 2014 vintage. Blackberry and black cherry fruit, adorned with a sprinkling of Sumatra coffee beans, rocks on with polished tannins. The pleasing roasted character is just right to power it through a clean, sexy finish. Drink now and on through 2026.
This sports a blue label, to differentiate it from the winery's estate bottling. It's dark and toasty, with robust black-cherry fruit, along with strong notes of charcoal, espresso and vanilla. There's nothing subtle here, but should work well with Korean ribs.
This sports a smoky aroma, wrapped into tight, tart red fruits. There is an ashy undertone, and somewhat granular tannins.
This sports some chewy, herbaceous qualities that hit you right away. That intensity puts the focus on the wine's edges rather than its core fruit flavors of rhubarb and cranberry. Tight and stiff, it's got a puckery bite that suggests further bottle age may be a good idea.
This sprightly-sweet Riesling fills the glass with an opulent floral perfume of rose petals and orange blossoms. It's profoundly aromatic, yet remarkably elegant, balanced by layers of crisp honeydew and peach flavors. A zesty strike of acidity freshens the finish.
This spritzy rosé smells something like orange marmalade. The palate is full despite being bubbly, with orange-peel flavors that turn bitter. The color of this wine suggests skin contact, which is confirmed on a grabby finish.
This spritzy, 100% Viognier wine delivers melon, citrus zest and floral flavors. It drinks dry, fresh, clean and tart—an unusual interpretation of the variety.
This spritzy, sweet wine could serve well as a mixer for many hot weather punch drinks.
This spritzy, weird wine opens with grassy aromas that are backed by a coarse, bubbly palate with flavors of banana, lettuce and bitter greens.
This spunky Garnacha smells like fruit punch with some green herbs mixed in. The palate is wiry and acidic in feel, with raspberry and plum flavors. It finishes fresh and zesty.
This spunky rosé relies mostly on Itata Cinsault, but also Colchagua fruit. The nose is alert but simple, with tangerine and peach-pit aromas. This feels round yet lively, while briny stone-fruit and citrus flavors finish salty and a bit sulfuric.
This squat bottle comes, indeed, straight from the barrel with no filtering, and works quite well. Bright and plump purple fruits mix with vanilla and a tickling acidity on the nose. The palate shows juicy cherry fruit as well as blackberry and blueberry, with richness from vanilla and caramel. The tannins are a bit tough, but rugged in the right ways.
This stainless-steel-fermented white is lively in peach, apricot and guava flavors that are surprisingly lengthy and complex. Vanilla bean, wet stone and lemon add additional layers of goodness.
This stainless-steel bottling shows overwhelming white-flower elements on the nose, from tuberose to honeysuckle to jasmine, cut by a bit of baking soda. The palate is so floral and aromatic that it almost tastes like a different grape, with sharp apples, more tuberose and a steely frame.
This stainless-steel Chardonnay from above Malibu starts out light, tasting of grapefruit and orange, and is fairly crisp with a nice dollop of anise, but finishes too tart, almost sour as if it's been oddly acidified.
This stainless-steel fermented Sauvignon bursts with plenty of grassy, herbal notes as well as tropical and citrus fruit before ending with a hint of grapefruit pith.
This stainless-steel take shows lime juice, golden apples and white pepper on the lean but ever-so-slightly warm nose. The palate is driven by a citrusy bitterness, showing tangerine peels and more squeezed lime throughout.
This stainless steel-aged wine shows confected, marshmallow-like notes before its high-toned, stony minerality comes through. Peach and citrus flavors form the fruit foundation, which is creamy in texture.
This stainless steel-fermented wine opens with white flower scents and grassy, herbaceous notes, following up with tart lemon and melon on the palate.
This stalky and fruity wine has fresh red-currant flavors that are backed up by dry tannins. It is a light wine, as much fruit as texture, and is likely to age quickly. Drink from 2017.
This stalky wine has a green character that gives a bell pepper taste. That comes through the tight tannins and acidity, contrasting with the black-currant fruit. Drink now.
This stalky wine has black currant fruit and touches of spice and toast. Acidity and tannins are present, offering texture and a crisp finish that make it approachable for drinking now.
This stalky wine shows wood aging as much as fruit. Toast and some bitter extraction are contrasted with tight black currant fruits. It will soften and turn into an approachable fruity wine.
This stalky, firmly tannic wine is still developing. Dominated by Merlot, it has black currant fruits in the background with acidity and crispness. Give this structured wine another few years and drink from 2016.
This stalky, smoky wine has red currant fruits and a tight texture. The fruit is just ripe, light in character with very fresh acidity. Some more depth would have been good. Drink now.
This stalky, tight wine has a smoky character, lean black-currant fruits and a tough, possibly unripe fruitiness. It is developing fast, drink from 2017.
This stand-out Cabernet Franc offers the structure and savory nuance of the Old World, but alongside a palate that's lusciously concentrated with ripe, succulent black fruit. Whiffs of violet and tea leaf reverberate from nose to finish, along with a bold yet velvet frame of tannins. Drinks gorgeously already but should meld in fruit, spice and perfume throughout the next decade.
This standard-issue Malbec is attractively priced and cohesively fruity without too many rough edges. The fruit tends more to red than dark with just a hint of vanilla on the finish.
This standard Chardonnay opens with blowsy melon and papaya aromas. The palate holds onto that melony feel while dealing honeydew, papaya and fleshy apple flavors. The finish tastes sweet and kind of flat.
This standard Garnacha feels jammy but a bit shapeless. Its raspberry and cassis aromas are ripe and candied, with a floral note while its raspberry and plum flavors finish with modest spice.
This standard Garnacha is good and honest on the nose, with fresh red-berry aromas. In the mouth, it's snappy and kind of lean, with a lightweight composition and zesty flavors of raspberry and cherry. It's quick to finish, with a note of vanilla.
This standard nonvintage cuvée from Perrier-Jouët is crisp and stylish. It has understated fruitiness, nothing pushing forward too much, giving a balanced wine that has a soft aftertaste and is easily drinkable.
This standard Verdejo is light on acidity, which is reflective of a hot year. Its citrus and green herb notes are fresh and prickly while its melon and thyme flavors lose intensity on the slightly bitter finish.
This standout Amarone boasts elegant mineral tones of wet river stone and crushed granite, which are followed by softer layers of ripe fruit and spice. There's a savory note of soy sauce and cured meat, with a smoky barbecue overtone. Let this wine age 10 years or more.
This standout blend—the best from this winery to date—is 68% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. It offers a complex assortment of cocoa, pencil lead, tomato leaf, mocha, cherry and herb aromas. The café au lait flavors are silky soft and concentrated, framed by bright acidity and showing an exquisite sense of balance and texture that carries through the lingering finish.
This standout expression of the excellent Sauvignon de la Tour offers brilliant luminosity and pristine aromas of passion fruit, kiwi and Thai basil. The most extraordinary quality here is the purity and intensity of the wine's beautiful bouquet.
This standout from the Costières has all the ingredients to age. It starts off with gorgeous aromas of garrigue, baking spices and black cherries, then delivers a rich mouthful of drying tannins. And at the end, the fruit comes through on the lengthy finish. Try this blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre and 20% Carignan from 2014 on.
This standout Rocks District wine brings earth shaking aromas of black-olive brine, tapenade, green olive, stargazer lilies, orange peel and crushed gravel. The smoked meat, charcuterie and blue-fruit flavors don't hold back, bringing a lovely sense of texture and detail. It's an intense wine that completely demands your attention.
This standout wine has an extreme color that verges on black, while exciting aromas suggest wood smoke and grilled beef, with flavors so rich they could be chocolate. The wine puts those all together without becoming heavy or too stiff in texture, although it does have a flood of fine tannins that help layer in more fruit and spices as you sip. Best after 2019.
This standout wine has enticing herb and mineral aromas, plus rich, unorthodox flavors that resemble fresh fennel bulb and crisp white peach along with racy acidity and a good, substantial mouthfeel. It tastes concentrated, though not overly full bodied, but most of all it has a memorable personality.
This standout wine is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc mostly from old blocks at Dionysus, Red Willow and Bacchus vineyards. It's youthful with aromas of toasty barrel spices, dark roasted coffee and high-toned savory herbs. Flavors are light and restrained while still showing a lot of richness, with the dark fruit notes backed by mouthwatering acids. Just a baby now, this is a 20-year wine that should start to strut its stuff after 2024. Give it a 24-hour decant if opening it in the near term.
This stands out for its overall richness and generosity. It reveals layers of jammy fruit, blackberry, spice, teriyaki sauce, ginger and dried herb. There's a cheerful touch of sweetness that is buffered by the wine's natural thickness and intensity.
This started out as a perfectly nice Chardonnay. It was dry, crisp and balanced, with a minerality under the pineapple and peach flavors. Then the winemaker decided to plaster it with oak, and it tastes like it went through the malolactic fermentation. The quality was lessened.
This starts off a bit funky, with struck match aromas partially obscuring apple and citrus fruit. Yet it's full and custardy in feel, with hints of fruit showing through and a long, harmonious finish, so there's optimism for its future development. Drink now–2020.
This starts off a bit nutty and funky, but give it time in the glass and it delivers bright aromas of nectarine and grapefruit in addition to the nut and dough notes. Despite this wine's weight and richness, it's crisply focused on the finish, where its grapefruit flavors really linger. It should prove relatively long-lived, but I'd still opt for drinking it over the next few years.
This starts off a bit tarry and rubbery at first, but soon settles down to reveal black cherry and cola aromas and flavors. It's a nice, medium-bodied red, turning a little tart on the finish.
This starts off a little reductive, with tarry, burnt-rubber aromas that are frankly offputting. But a aeration works wonders, and this wine opens up to reveal hints of toasted almonds, melon and citrus, all supported by a crisp finish. Imported by American Wine Distributors.
This starts off as a deceptively simple berry-cocktail sort of rosé, but then adds lime and crushed stone on the finish to provide added interest and refreshment. Drink now.
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.
This starts off feeling soft and open, but the acids gain momentum on the midpalate, lending plenty of zip. A mild, oak-influenced plum flavor marks the quick-to-fade finish.
This starts off nicely enough, with hints of cherries, rose petals and cedar, but the promise isn't quite fulfilled on the palate, which is lightweight and simple, with cedar- and coffee-tinged oak gradually taking over.
This starts off shy, but with time allows aromas of delicate peach, cherry and orange blossom to come through in the bouquet. Pleasant ripe-fruit flavors unfold on the clean, well-balanced palate, with lingering notes of peach pit and orange peel on the finish.
This starts off slightly rubbery, but comes around quickly enough to display ample white grapefruit and pith notes. It's a bit tight and austere from start to finish; probably at its best with seafood.
This starts off slowly, but red raspberry notes emerge after some vigorous swirling. It's full-bodied and supple, featuring some berry tea-like flavors, hints of cocoa and a fine, softly dusty finish. Drink it over the next 10 years.
This starts off sweet and unctuous, with scents of superripe nectarine and apricot that flood the bouquet, followed by hints of baking spice, lightly toasted nuts and honey. The full, round texture is balanced by refreshing acidity that carries through to the long, bright finish. Drink now–2016.
This starts off with aromas of mature black fruit, allspice and toast. The full-bodied palate offers prune, mature blackberry, toasted oak and ground black pepper alongside hearty tannins.
This starts off with bell pepper aromas and hints of espresso, oak, vanilla, plum and soy sauce. It's direct and straightforward, with an international profile and easy personality.
This starts off with promisingly vibrant aromas of passion fruit and pink grapefruit, but seems a bit weighty and thickly textured in the mouth. The fruit remains the bold centerpiece, while the finish shows some alcoholic warmth.
This starts off with scents of melon and wet stone. A sense of plumpness unfolds on the attack, then accelerates across the palate in a burst of bright, citrusy acids. A tactile, silky edge to the finish adds length and complexity.
This starts off with scents of ripe black cherries and dried herbs, then turns more chocolaty in flavor on the palate. It's full bodied without being particularly textured, and shows some coarse tannins on the finish. Drink now–2015.
This starts off with some odd wet wool and fresh tar notes, but quickly rights itself, delivering a medium-bodied mouthful of crisp lime and melon fruit. If possible, give it a quick splash in a decanter before drinking.
This starts out a bit coarse, with strong tannins that have a rough-edged feeling. It's very rich in blackberries and black currants, but showing more power than elegance. Time in the glass certainly opens it up, revealing a rich, heady cassis note. While the alcohol is high, it may easily develop bottle complexity over the next 10–15 years.
This starts out appealing. Licorice, spice, coconut and vanilla aromas are entirely inviting. On the palate it delivers a tight deck of lemony oak, raspberry fruit, spice and vanilla. This finishes fiery and with a sinewy structure. Drink this Cabernet-led, five-grape blend through 2019; 500 cases made.
This starts out closed and tight, shut down by tannins and immaturity, but plenty of swirling reveals elusive black-licorice and blackberry notes, accented by smoky oak. The tannins really kick in toward the middle, but hard as they are, they exhibit great breed. Despite its sweet core of fruit, this is nowhere close to being ready. Give it 10 years.
This starts out fresh on the nose, with a modest herbal accent. The palate is lively and clean, with ample body and good balance. Flavors of cherry, plum and herb lead to a mildly green-tasting finish.
This starts out just fine, with promising aromas of ginger, pear and fig. It's plump and reasonably full in the mouth, but the flavors veer toward varnish and banana before settling down on the abbreviated finish. Drink now.
This starts out leafy and earthy, but improves with airing. A lively palate delivers herbal plum and berry flavors along with ample spice. The finish is bold and bright initially, transitioning to tight and peppery.
This starts out massive and grapy, but with each passing minute it becomes more Salta, and hence more complex. Feral, leathery, roasted-berry aromas require patience. In the mouth, this is tannic and muscular, with herbal, spicy, dry flavors of blackberry and stewed plum. Raging acidity and firm tannins suggest that this needs at least until 2016 to settle.
This starts out savory and smoky on the nose, but with airing it turns murky. The palate is tight in structure, with red-fruit acidity. Flavors of cherry, raspberry and oaky vanilla turn roasted and stalky as this unwinds on a fresh-feeling finish.
This starts out smelling gaseous and rubbery, though with time it settles on herbal, leafy and minty notes. It feels soft, chunky and wide, with a baked, spicy berry flavor. The finish is chewy and earthy. A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
This starts out stalky and sharp smelling, although airing brings about more round, herbal notes that are common for wines from the Elqui region. It feels grabby and sticky, with minty, green, almost weedy flavors that blend into dark berry and chocolate notes.
This starts out tarry, but airing reveals aromas of tobacco, asphalt and oaky berry fruits. The mouthfeel is flush and extracted, but not overly heavy. Flavors of black fruits are more generic than specific, while the finish is tannic, with lively acidity. The blend is Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Bonarda.
This starts out well, with sniffs and sips of blackberries and black cherries. That fruit does a quick fade, and drying tannins quickly take over the thin finish.
This starts out well, with soft, plummy fruit. It then turns a corner into an odd, lingering finish with residual flavors of sour fruit, plastic and gun metal.
This starts out well, with some varietal fruit and pepper in the nose. But the aggressive vanilla and coffee flavors suggest that the oak treatments were not well integrated, and the tannins have a bitterly harsh edge to them.
This starts out with a whiff of earth and compost that transitions to olive, tree bark and herbal berry aromas upon airing. The palate feels good, with midlevel tannic bite and light, woody flavors of mint-infused licorice and berry. As the fruit element leaves the finish, mint, toast and green notes settle in.
This starts out with cranberry and dark cherry flavors, with a hint of blackberry. It has good tannin structure but not much depth. Simple, it's ready to drink now.
This starts out with murky, leathery aromas that veer toward latex and rubber. It has tannic grip and decent structure. The wine tastes of roasted berry fruit and saucy plum, followed by a baked-tasting finish.
This starts out with pretty fruit scents and a supple, almost silky entry. There's a strong cola streak that runs through the core, plus flavors of smoked figs and dusty spices. The finish turns slightly bitter, with a residue of scorched chocolate.
This starts out with rubbery aromas of iodine, but after some time it smells more like black grapes and plum. Sandpaper tannins make for a rough palate, while roasted plum and raspberry flavors have a salted note. Black-fruit flavors on the finish are braced by raw, scratchy tannins.
This starts out with textbook aromas of red and black fruits that are pure and easy to get into. It shows kick on the palate, with oaky flavors of coffee and chocolate that accent ripe berry and mild herb notes. It's toasty and spicy on the finish, with a gritty feel.
This starts to fall flat even as it hits the mouth. It's got some puckery citrus and apple fruit, then rolls into a thin finish. The aftertaste shows some slightly bitter skin flavors.
This starts with a smoky aroma, like charred steak over the grill. Then highly concentrated fruit flavors zoom across the tongue, along with very firm tannins and powerful, ripe blackberry and blueberry flavors backed by a mouth-coating texture. It's an unusually focused and structured wine.
This starts with a startling but tangy lemon-tea flavor. Cinnamon and plum notes enter the palate, which are underscored by rather chalky acidity, and finished with a coffee highlight.
This starts with aromas of cinnamon, hard candy and weedy red fruits. It feels sugary and broken, with candied strawberry flavors in front of a sweet, confected finish.
This starts with aromas of lemon peel, grapefruit and mineral, with a hint of toasted bread crust. The linear palate offers lemon drop, nectarine and apples alongside racy acidity but it lacks fruit richness.
This starts with aromas of rose, crushed violet, red berry and mint. The palate delivers red and black cherry accented with notes of cocoa and mocha alongside youthfully assertive tannins.
This starts with aromas that recall a closed cellar; these quickly burn off to reveal dominant oak sensations accented with meat juices and hints of mature black plum. The palate offers sweet, almost sugared black cherry, espresso and stewed plums alongside astringent wood tannins. It's rather evolved so enjoy soon.
This starts with concentrated boysenberry and raspberry fruit, but in the mouth some off-flavors intrude. The fruit is close to raisined, and the finish carries a hint of plastic. Two bottles tasted, consistent results.
This starts with dense, murky, earthy aromas of stewed black fruits and rubber. In the mouth, it feels full and aggressive, with rubbery tannins supporting thick, herbal flavors of rooty black fruits. A chunky, chewy, layered finish is generous in every way.
This starts with funky, saucy aromas that clean up and become less strange with airing. Rugged, tannic and bumpy on the palate, it has baked, rubbery black-fruit flavors. It finishes short and drying, with hard tannins and heat.
This starts with some Verdejo sweat and funk on the nose, and while those notes don't last, the bouquet doesn't improve dramatically with airing. It feels soft and basic, with melon and lettuce flavors. Falls off a bit on the finish, which tastes a bit briney.
This starts with subtle aromas of wild rise, lemon zest and forest berry. The blend is based on Glera, with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon added for color.
This starts with toasty, spicy oak aromas, then deep fruit flavors emerge on layers of fine-grained tannins and last through the finish. While bold-tasting and full bodied, it's not overdone. The ripe black cherry notes are balanced by crisp raspberry and cranberry, and an underlying bright acidity keeps it zooming.
This state-owned estate of forests and vineyards grows organic grapes. This wine, softly structured and ripe has light black fruits and plenty of acidity. An undercurrent of tannin keeps the wine in order and will allow it to age. Drink from 2018.
This steely mineral wine is still young. It has the crispest apple and lemon fruits as well as a tight mineral texture. It obviously needs to age with its nervy character keeping the more generous fruit in check. Drink from 2018.
This steely white offers up very little aromas. The palate delivers lip-pursing sour lemon alongside vibrant acidity, giving this a hard, lean quality.
This steely, almost bone-dry Chardonnay is very fresh and still young in bottle. It is bright, full of citrus and apple flavors, with a touch of quince and layers of youthful acidity. Age until at least mid-2015 before drinking.
This steely, flinty, medium-bodied wine has spent no time in oak, allowing it to express its peach and pineapple fruit with purity and abundance.
This steely, mineral-driven wine is crisp with an austere edge. The fruit is ripe, while taut and tense at the same time. As it ages, the wine will show rich peach and apricot flavors to round it out. Age for four years and more. Screwcap.
This steely, mineral, structured wine speaks of the chalk soil of Puligny. It is firm and crisp, even though the fruit is rich. The wine layers the white fruits and mandarin orange zest with some judicious toast from the wood, leaving spice and ripe acidity on the finish.
This steely, tangy wine has a strongly mineral character—tight, taut and crisp. Green fruits, citrus and a grassy character dominate. It is ready to drink. This is an unusual 75% Sémillion and 25% Sauvignon Blanc blend that tends to round out the taste.
This Stella Mae is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It remains a rather lean wine in the Sparkman portfolio, despite having alcohol at 14.6%. Here are lightly earthy flavors of strawberry and herb, with a hint of green in the tannins.
This stellar blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot is woven together with care, revealing an earthy bouquet of leather and compost. Old World in style, with its light approach and elegant underpinnings, it offers layers of clove, black pepper and graphite flavors within a balanced frame.
This stellar bottling deftly combines both the bright and burned sides of the sipping experience, offering fresh crushed blueberries alongside caramel, cooked dark chocolate and charred toast on the nose. There's a great array of dried herbs once sipped, with flavors of dried blueberries, lamb char, espresso and pencil lead. Tons of depth.
This stellar expression of Teroldego, a native grape of northern Italy, is only produced in the best years and in limited quantity. It delivers a soft, supple texture accented by savory notes of black fruit, leather, black pepper and a touch of shaved truffle.
This stellar reserve remains one of the finest Chardonnays from Oregon. Meyer lemon, peanut oil, salted nuts, citrus and tangerine combine in a deep and intense palate. Whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented (but in just 10% new French oak), this delicious, dense and penetrating wine should be consumed now through the early 2020s.
This stellar unoaked version of the variety, nicely priced, opens with sweet aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine. From there, bristling acidity leads down a road of stone fruit, apple and quince, with a savory twist of ginger on the finish.
This stellar wine has a huge yum factor. Deliciously ripe and spicy, it's loaded with cranberry and raspberry fruit. There's an underlying tang of pink grapefruit acidity, along with aromatic highlights of violets and rose petals. Drink now through 2022.
This stellar, gracefully understated Merlot is bolstered by small additions of four other red Bordeaux varieties. It opens with a fresh tropical note that's unexpectedly bright and slowly unwinds to reveal threads of plum, cinnamon, mocha and espresso bean flavor.
This stiff, herbal, low-priced wine is in a suddenly competitive category. It's muscular and compact, with tight, sharp cranberry fruit, overtaken by stem and herb flavors.
This stiffens up with streaks of stem and herb, underscoring compact blueberry and blue-plum fruits. It's an eight vineyard mix, aged in 20% new French oak.
This still-young blackberry-rich wine is bursting with fruit. Its structure is restrained, with a background of tannins that support the juicy fruitiness. Produced from organic grapes, it will need to age further, so drink from 2019.
This still-young crisp wine is full of apple and citrus acidity. The mousse is lively, giving a bright character to this fruity wine. Because it is so dry, it needs another few months before drinking, so wait until 2018.
This still-young wine is jammy while firmly structured with dry tannins. There is a foursquare character that misses subtlety with its broad-brush approach. The wine does need to age and will be ready to drink from 2023.
This still comes across as very young and closed, but the palate is one of subtle, rounded, soft red berry fruit, held in a slender embrace by very fine, barely-there tannins. Elegant and unobtrusive, this shows earthiness and fruit in equal measure.
This still has a touch of flinty reduction. Clean and fresh, the palate does not yet show much fruit. This seems stony and tight, with occasional glimpses of spice. The wine needs some air to open up but presents taut, clean refreshment.
This still immature Pinot has tobacco-infused cherry, cola and pomegranate flavors that are liberally oaked and spiced. It's O.K. to drink immediately if you like freshness and vibrancy, but aging it for six years or even longer could reward.
This still needs a little time to come into its own but all the principal features are present. A concentrated palate provides texture framed by fresh acidity, linear length and fleshy fruit, hinting at ripe pears and yellow plums.
This still tastes impressively young for a simple Chablis. In fact it isn't simple at all, showing all the intensity of a premier cru with its minerality, fresh lime and other citrus flavors, hints of honey and white fruits.
This stone-soil, cool-climate region of Monterey is the perfect place to grow a German-style Riesling and keep the price down, because costs there aren't as high as in the North and South coasts. The wine is brilliantly crisp and off-dry, with savory honeysuckle, citrus, apple and mineral flavors, with even richer suggestions of tropical fruits.
This stony, mineral wine is still way behind in its development. It is crisp and tight in texture, with refreshing acidity that lifts the white fruits with lime highlights. It's a full wine that will develop well. Drink from 2019.
This straddles the border between an off-dry table wine and a dessert wine. It's crisp in acidity, with candied orange, golden apricot and honey flavors. You could certainly drink it with cookies and fruits, but it's just dry enough to stand up to squash baked with brown sugar, and a piece of grilled chicken.
This straddles the border between tasting dry and slightly sweet. It has good acidity, with flavors of citrus, mint green tea and vanilla.
This straddles the fence between vegetal and citrusy, with both sides appearing on the nose. In the mouth, this is high-toned and piercing, with laser-beam acidity pushing passion fruit, grapefruit, green herb and melony flavors. On the finish, a wave of mild green settles in, while the feel is actually a touch creamy. Drink now.
This straighforward Cab is medium-light in density, with hints of green fruit. Flavors touch on rhubarb and cranberry, with a light, short, charred finish. It spent 23 months in French oak, 30% new.
This straight-on wine powers through with clean apple and peach fruit, wrapped in a blanket of barrel toast. Full-flavored and crisp, it does not show much complexity, but plenty of toasty goodness.
This straight-shooting Chianti presents loads of red berry fruit and a touch of apple skin, with background shades of pressed violets and moist earth. The wine only sees stainless steel, so the brightness of the fruit is what drives it forward.
This straight Barolo has an exotic fragrance of spice, sandalwood and incense, while the palate shows ripe raspberry, spice and balsamic herbs. It's tannic and shy on acidity, typical of the hot 2007 vintage. Drink now.
This straight Barolo shows delicate floral and cherry aromas and a hint of underbrush. The linear palate shows restrained red fruit and hints of spice, but it lacks the richness to balance the aggressive and rather drying tannins.
This straight forward crowd pleaser brings aromas of apple, raspberry and plum. The palate is ripe and goes down easy. It should bring plenty of fans.
This straightforward Amarone has blackberry and prune flavors, with hints of coffee and bitter almond. It's already drinking well and will work nicely with braised meat dishes or seasoned cheeses.
This straightforward Amarone offers aromas of tobacco leaf and raisin. The palate presents prune and plum flavors accented by a hint of chocolate. It also shows the heat of the vintage and is evolving fast, so enjoy this soon.
This straightforward Barbaresco opens with a pretty nose of wild rose, crushed red berry and balsamic notes. The palate delivers ripe black cherry, licorice and cinnamon alongside chewy tannins.
This straightforward Barbera offers a ripe berry and spice fragrance punctuated with undertones of toasted oak. The palate delivers succulent black cherry, white pepper, hints of well-integrated oak and a touch of vanilla. Pair this with pasta topped with ragù or seasoned cheeses. Imported by Saranty Imports, Pleasure Elite.
This straightforward Barolo offers aromas of pressed rose petal, red berry, truffle and a whiff of leather. The round palate displays Morello cherry, menthol, chopped mint, ground pepper and anise accompanied by smooth, polished tannins.
This straightforward Barolo offers classic Nebbiolo aromas of dried rose petal, forest floor and ripe cherry. The palate delivers bright cherry and berry flavors, with hints of balsamic herbs and a subtle layer of carob. This is still young and tannic, but has surprising freshness for the vintage. Drink after 2015.
This straightforward Barolo opens with aromas of rose, leather and menthol. The palate doles out sour cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon, clove and grilled sage alongside velvety tannins. There's not much complexity but it's savory and already enjoyable. Drink through 2019.
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.
This straightforward blend of Nero d'Avola, Syrah and Merlot opens with aromas of mature black fruit, graphite and dark baking spice. The palate offers prune, black currant and intense black pepper supported by tight tannins. Pair this with pizza or hearty  pasta dishes.
This straightforward brut offers apple and stone fruit sensations along with baked bread and hints of toasted oak. It has medium-sized, persistent bubbles and closes on a note of bitter almond.
This straightforward Dolcetto has red berry and spice aromas and raspberry jam, clove and orange zest flavors. With its flexible tannins, it's ready to be enjoyed soon.
This straightforward Dolcetto offers varietal aromas of black cherry, licorice and hints of black pepper, all of which carry over to the palate. Simple but well made.
This straightforward expression of Amarone opens with aromas of ripe red berry and a whiff of dark spice. The simple palate offers dried wild cherry and a hint of cinnamon alongside drying, rather fleeting tannins.
This straightforward informal red offers aromas of dark berry and moist soil. The soft palate displays raspberry jam and a hint of dark spice. It's easy drinking, with supple tannins.
This straightforward mountain Zinfandel has big dark-fruit notes and a cherry-­syrup finish, with textures of leather and tobacco.
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.
This straightforward red conveys aromas of red berry, underbrush and a lightly toasted note. The palate offers juicy morello cherry, toasted almond and a hint of white pepper plus lithe tannins. Enjoy soon.
This straightforward red has aromas of woodland berries and violets. The simple palate offers up sour cherry, a hint of grilled herb and a saline note alongside brisk acidity and angular tannins.
This straightforward red offers aromas and flavors of white rose, red cherry, raspberry and a note of black pepper. Round, smooth tannins and fresh acidity provide the easy drinking framework. Enjoy now.
This straightforward red offers subdued aromas of leather, white pepper and a balsamic note. The simple evolved palate offers red berry, green tea and a hint of clove alongside loose knit, rather fleeting tannins.
This straightforward red opens with aromas of blue flower, forest floor and dark-skinned berry. The fresh simple palate offers tart cherry and dark spice alongside zesty acidity and mouth-puckering but fleeting tannins.
This straightforward red opens with aromas of leather, game and black-skinned fruit. The firm palate delivers prune, cedar and tobacco alongside assertive tannins that leave a rather grippy finish.
This straightforward red opens with aromas of scorched earth, ripe dark-skinned fruit, clove and an earthy whiff of game. The palate offers dried plum, ripe blackberry, ground pepper and grilled herb while assertive but fine-grained tannins provide support.
This straightforward red opens with aromas suggesting stewed plum, prune and a hint of nutmeg. The jammy, extremely approachable palate offers black cherry, clove and cinnamon alongside rounded tannins. Drink through 2018.
This straightforward Sangiovese-based wine conveys subdued aromas of blackberry, espresso and toasted notes. The palate is somewhat dilute but offers restrained red cherry and hints of white pepper alongside firm but fleeting tannins.
This straightforward Sangiovese opens with aromas of purple flower, woodland berry and a whiff of truffle. The bright, earthy palate offers tart cherry, cranberry, a hint of anise and a gamey note alongside zesty acidity.
This straightforward selection has aromas of succulent wild cherry, raspberry clove and a touch of truffle. The palate shows restrained berry, plum and a hint of ripe bell pepper. It's well made, with an easygoing structure perfect for enjoying soon. Amici Imports, Siema Wines.
This straightforward selection has aromas of violet, plum and light toast. The palate offers ripe, black fruit and pepper flavors, partnered with brisk acidity and firm tannins.
This straightforward selection has blackberry aromas and a whiff of bitter almond. On the palate, this delivers black cherry, fig and white pepper flavors, with a hint of mushroom. This would pair well with mushroom risotto or cured meats.
This straightforward selection offers plum and cherry sensations with hints of espresso and chocolate. The simple style will work well with pasta dishes and cheeses.
This straightforward sparkling wine offers peach aromas, with hints of roasted almond that carry over to the palate. This is refreshing, with a frothy texture and crisp acidity.
This straightforward Verdicchio opens with subdued aromas of stone fruit and citrus. The palate is a bit lean but offers lemon and peach flavors. Bright and simple, with racy acidity, this will pair well with light seafood dishes.
This straightforward white has a shy nose, while the lean, simple palate suggests green apple and lemon. Firm acidity gives it a crisp, refreshing finish.
This straightforward white has subdued aromas suggesting citrus and pear. On the fresh, simple palate, a hint of brine adds interest to apple and lemon zest flavors.
This straightforward white offers subdued aromas of banana, orchard fruit and wildflower while the slender palate shows tangerine zest, rennet apple and a mineral note. Brisk acidity gives it a crisp close.
This straightforward white opens offers aromas of tomato vine, exotic fruit and a whiff of elderflower. The tangy, slender palate shows grapefruit, sage and a hint of green melon lifted by crisp acidity. It finishes clean and refreshing.
This straightforward white opens with aromas of chamomile flower and mature orchard fruit that carry over to the ripe simple palate along with yellow apple. A hint of dried herb marks the close.
This straightforward wine brings vanilla, citrus and toasted wood to the forefront, with interesting whiffs of petrol as well. It's still tightly wound for a white wine, so waiting until 2016 may reveal more magic.
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.
This straightforward wine from the Riboli family portfolio goes down very easy, making it perfect for backyard barbecues. Cherries, dried rose petals and anise greet the nose. The palate isn't too complex, but delivers dark red fruits and pepper spices.
This straightforward wine has notes of fresh apple and pear. The flavors are light in style, seeming a bit dilute.
This straightforward wine is bone dry and brisk in acidity. The pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon citrus flavors are enriched with riper notes of papayas. But there's also a strong streak of tart green gooseberries.
This straightforward wine is crisp and refreshing. The nose is charming, with aromas of apples and lemon. Light on the tongue, it shows a pure fruit expression unencumbered by excessive oak or butter flavors. Try with grilled seafood dishes.
This straightforward wine is still rather closed but slowly reveals delicate aromas of violets, wet soil and berries. The palate is on the austere side, offering red cherry, white pepper and clove alongside bracing tannins.
This straightforward wine isn't particularly Cabernet-like, but it is good and sound. With furry tannins, it has a distinct sweetness of raisins and blackberry jam, as well as lots of brambly Zinny spices. Drink up.
This straightforward wine opens with aromas that recall underbrush, white mushroom, dark berries and blue flower. The one-dimensional palate is a bit shy on freshness but offers ripe black cherry with hints of white pepper and espresso alongside tightly-knit tannins.
This straightforward wine opens with delicate aromas of apples, mowed grass and dried hay. The palate offers Golden Delicous apples and lemon zest alongside a light mineral note and firm acidity.
This straightforward wine opens with scents of prune, blue flower, coffee and resin. The aromas follow through to the round, accessible palate along with fleshy blackberry and a hint of anise. Drink through 2016.
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.
This straightforward wine shows lime flower, chalk, and confectioner's sugar on the nose. The flavors of lime zest and white grapefruit carry to the finish. This wine is fresh and simple with a spine of good acidity.
This straightforward, affordable dry wine is good and fruity, with medium body, moderate tannins and plenty of red cherry and blackberry flavors.
This straightforward, inviting Barolo boasts classic Nebbiolo aromas of rose, leather, berry spice and tilled earth. It's not loaded with complexity, but the sour cherry, black pepper and clove flavors are delicious. It closes on a note of subtle oak alongside a drying, tannic finish.
This straightforward, light-bodied and slightly sweet wine has a very thin candied aroma and smooth, frothy texture that fills the mouth. Cherry and blueberry flavors lead to a soft finish.
This straightforward, perfectly clean blend of Carignan, Syrah and Garnacha would function as a great everyday house red. It's lively and a little racy and grating on the palate, with standard, fresh berry flavors touched up by a sprinkle of chocolaty oak. A modest finish keeps the vibe positive.
This straightforward, refreshing white opens with light scents of Spanish broom and a whiff of crushed stone. The palate is on the lean side, showing crisp apple, pear and a hint of mineral alongside brisk acidity.
This straightforward, refreshing wine offers subdued, short-lived aromas of small red berry and a whiff of cake spice. The bright, simple palate doles out strawberry, raspberry and a hint of ginger alongside lively acidity.
This straightforward, robust red displays subtle black-skinned fruit, leather and forest floor aromas. The rounded, already approachable palate delivers red plum, baking spice and tobacco flavors held firm with tannins.
This straightforward, robust Rosso offers aromas of espresso, underbrush, and black berries. The warm, accessible palate delivers crushed black cherry accented with notes of baking spices and licorice. Enjoy now to capture freshness.
This straightforward, simple wine brings together sensations of violet, red cherry and light baking spices. The warm, forward palate finishes on a sweet note of cherry extract. It's made to be enjoyed young and will pair well with hearty pasta dishes.
This straightforward, very varietal wine has aromas of grass, kiwi, herb, citrus peel and pineapple. It's medium bodied, with tart, lively flavors that put a focus on elegance and acid expression.
This straightforward, well-balanced, medium-bodied wine has everything in place for the lunch or dinner table. Aromas and flavors resemble red cherry, cranberry and light spices, while the body is not too light or too full. The texture is tangy and a touch tannnic while staying smooth.
This strange wine opens with a bright gold, almost amber color and a surprisingly neutral nose. There's nothing wrong with the wine, in fact in the mouth, it leaves resiny aromas of butterscotch, exotic fruit and candied banana.
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.
This strapping Rosso has sensations of forest floor, cake spices, black cherry, mocha, vanilla and sweet oak. The one-dimensional and forward palate is supported by velvety tannins and closes on a licorice note. It's lacking in freshness so enjoy it now.
This straw-colored Chardonnay has aromas of anise, fennel, ripe fig and vanilla that lead you to a fruit-filled palate of rich apricot and white peach. There's nice balance in the midpalate with a generous level of acidity in the finish.
This straw-colored Chardonnay has aromas of apple and citrus blossom with flavors of creamy apple, vanilla and citrus pith. It has nice weight on the palate with a clean acidic finish.
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.
This straw-colored Traminer has aromas of honeysuckle, lime zest and lemon blossom. Flavors of cantaloupe, honeydew melon and kiwi unfold on the palate and carry through to the fruity finish.
This straw-colored wine has delightful aromas of white jasmine, cotton candy and violets. Flavors recall guava, mango and papaya. Medium bodied and well balanced, it has a clean, crisp 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 straw-colored wine is made from 100% Tamianka, which translates from ancient Bulgarian to “frankincense.” It is highly perfumed with aromas of jasmine blossoms, honeysuckle and citrus flowers. In the mouth there are flavors of grapefruit pith and lemon zest. The finish is clean, zesty and slightly floral.
This straw-colored wine made predominantely from Furmint has tropical aromas of passion fruit and mango and a touch of fresh white peach. White peach, yellow peach and guava flavors show on the palate before the zesty finish.
This straw-gold late harvest wine has aromas of apricot and pear juice with delightful flavors of pear, apple cider and vanilla bean. There is a nice balance of sweetness and acidity.
This straw colored wine made from Feteasca Regala has aromas of lemon pith and Bartlett pear. In the mouth there is bracing acidity, with flavors of lemon, melon and white peach.
This strawberry and caramel-flavored wine has bright acidity and a crisp, clean aftertaste. The fruit right up front gives a refreshing summer-afternoon feel. Drink now.
This strengthens the argument that there's a place for different kinds of white wines to be made in the Napa Valley, emphasizing fruit freshness and acidity without sacrificing flavor or soul. Juicy apricot and green apple ride a wave of unoaked refreshment and refinement, all within a crisp framework of deliciousness. Lavender and honeysuckle seduce quietly.
This strikes a good balance between spicy oak, fruitiness and firm texture. It smells lightly spicy from oak barrels, and also fresh like red cherry and sweet plums. Rich and layered in feel, it finishes dry and full bodied. Not overblown, it has just the right mix of elements for the dinner table.
This strikes a resonant chord with notes of mineral-driven cool climate Chardonnay, matched to a well-oaked, toasty frame. Somehow it straddles the line, delivering forward, open fruit flavors of apple and pear, with generous streaks of buttery toast. Drink now through 2020.
This striking Provence white opens with intense aromatics of mixed nuts and peach that set the stage for a powerful expression of crushed flowers and grass in the mouth. This is a refreshing wine, but weighty and warm; try with veal or light pork dishes. Drink now to 2011.
This strong dessert wine is made from 100% Petite Sirah grapes from a particular site and was bottled in 2013. Salty, mushroom and earth aromas drift upward from the glass followed by a thickness of sour-sweet dark chocolate and raisins.
This strong, peppery Zinfandel is consistent with Pessagno's past efforts with this bottling. It is very dry and rustic, yet it has a certain briary, raisiny charm.
This strongly-oaked wine has apple, lemon and toast aromas that open to a similar palate displaying pear elements and a buttery feel. Full on the nose and palate, this wine, 100% barrel fermented in French oak, finishes long with spicy notes.
This strongly mineral and textured wine is all about terroir. It has dark tannins, dense black fruits as well as freshness. Black currants and cherries give the fruity side, but at this stage it's the structure that is important. Wait and drink from 2016.
This structured and dense wine hails from the steep, sloping hills of the Lisboa region. While aged in Portuguese oak, which provides spice and dark tannins, the delicious black fruit core is not overpowered. Drink now–2016.
This structured Barbera offers aromas of ripe cherry, raspberry and plum with light toasted notes. The palate delivers a tight core of black cherry with black pepper and licorice, layered with a hint of espresso. This still needs a year or two to fully unwind, so it's best after 2015.
This structured Barolo is still closed but already displays its impressive Serralunga d'Alba pedigree. It delivers crushed black cherry flavors layered with licorice, black pepper, clove, alpine herbs and balsamic notes alongside assertive but noble tannins and brisk acidity. It's well balanced but needs time to develop complexity. Drink 2025–2045.
This structured Barolo offers fragrances of forest floor, mushroom, toasted oak and a whiff of leather. The palate shows ripe berry, with spice notes and hints of well-integrated oak. It has bracing but ripe tannins and is a bit shy on length.
This structured blend of 50% Nero d'Avola, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot opens with earthy aromas of underbrush, tobacco leaf, mature black fruit and exotic spice. The palate boasts polished tannins as well as flavors of ripe blackberry, red currant, grilled pepper and a hint of cocoa.
This structured blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon opens with slightly evolved aromas of prune, underbrush and a hint of leather. The rich palate delivers lush plum, black cherry and coffee accented with notes of Mediterranean herbs alongside solid but ripe tannins. Drink 2014–2019.
This structured blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Picolit and Moscato Giallo offers aromas of toasted oak, ginger and orchard fiuit. The elegant palate combines Golden Delicious apple, mature apricot, oak-driven spice and candied nectarine zest alongside tangy acidity.
This structured blend of Nero d'Avola, Petit Verdot, Syrah and a small percentage of other grape varieties offers cassis, mocha and underbrush aromas. The dense palate doles out prune, carob, licorice and pipe tobacco notes alongside velvety tannins. Enjoy through 2023.
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.
This structured but refined Barolo opens with a fragrance of blue flower, woodland berries, leather and balsamic notes. The palate is young and still austere but displays black cherry, crushed raspberry, clove, cinnamon and mint alongside youthfully spirited but noble tannins and nervous acidity. Give this time to develop. Drink after 2020.
This structured Dolcetto offers aromas of blue- and black-skinned fruit, violet, chopped herbs and kitchen spices. The vibrant palate delivers black cherry, black currant, clove, tobacco and anise while firm, refined tannins provide the framework.
This structured firm wine is full of tannins as well as ripe fruit. It is concentrated, showing smoky wood flavors as well as plenty of red berries. The wine will develop slowly, with the rich fruits coming through to give a generous wine. Drink from 2024.
This structured Nebbiolo delivers classic sensations of dark cherry, clove, cinnamon and a hint of orange peel. Vibrant, with fresh acidity balanced by silky-smooth tannins, it's ready to be enjoyed now.
This structured Nero d'Avola opens with aromas of ripe black fruit, vanilla and hints of toasted oak. The juicy palate delivers blackberry, raspberry, black pepper, licorice and espresso alongside bracing tannins. You'll also notice the warmth of alcohol on the finish.
This structured Pinot Grigio boasts aromas of yellow spring flowers, exotic fruit, citrus and a hint of Alpine herbs. The juicy, vibrant palate delivers green apple, pear, white peach and citrus allied with fresh acidity.
This structured Pinot Grigio shows the true potential of this popular grape. It opens with fragrances of pear, mineral, smoke and aromatic herbs. These carry over to the creamy palate, alongside juicy apple, white peach, lemon zest, pastry filling and clove. Crisp acidity keeps it fresh and balanced.
This structured red features aromas of tilled soil and ripe berry. The palate delivers violet, mature black cherry, crushed berry and ground white pepper alongside smooth, polished tannins. It's ripe and ready, so enjoy soon.
This structured red offers aromas of mature plum, wild berry, violet, exotic spice and a whiff of sunbaked earth. The chewy palate offers mature black cherry, mocha, licorice and clove alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2022.
This structured red offers plum, violet, toast, balsamic and menthol aromas. The taut palate delivers red cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and orange zest flavors, set against fine-grained tannins. An espresso note closes the finish.
This structured red offers scents of perfumed berry, rose, leather, an earthy whiff of game and a balsamic note. The chewy palate offers juicy black cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, tobacco and dark spice alongside ripe, velvety tannins.
This structured red opens with aromas of plum, underbrush, exotic spice and coffee. The palate offers black cherry, vanilla, toasted oak, anisette and espresso alongside bracing tannins that dry out the finish.
This structured red opens with aromas of tilled earth, mature plum, toasted oak, leather and a whiff of cellar floor. The vibrant palate delivers crushed black cherry, plum cake, cinnamon and dried sage, with assertive tannins and bright acidity. It closes on a licorice note. Drink 2018–2030.
This structured red opens with aromas suggesting espresso, French oak, menthol, mature plum and a whiff of Asian spice. On the taut palate, hints of coffee, toast and clove accent a core of dried black cherry. Tightly wound, assertive tannins grip the finish. Give it a couple of years for the tannins to soften a little then drink up to capture the remaining fruit richness.
This structured ripasso has intense aromas of prune, raisin and graphite. The round and velvety palate offers a ripe blackberry core, spiced by accents of chocolate, mint, tobacco and bitter almond. Pair this with seasoned cheeses or spicy red-meat dishes.
This structured rosé packs a punch in tannins at first, but is balanced and dry. Refreshing bursts of wild berries and savory herb lead to a smooth and exotic finish. The subtle power reflects the vintage and Green Valley-sourced vineyards.
This structured rosato from northern Italy is loaded with bright red cherry, raspberry, black pepper and graphite sensations. The round, juicy palate is balanced by lively acidity that gives a refreshing finish.
This structured Rosso has pretty aromas that include nectarine peel, black plum, red berry and violet. The palate delivers black cherry, crushed raspberry and licorice alonside firm tannins. It has a warm midpalate and is extremely accessible so enjoy now.
This structured Sagrantino is loaded with blackberry, spice, leather and balsamic herb sensations. It also demonstrates the grape's massive tannins that will give this wine many more years of staying power. Drink 2016–2026.
This structured Sauvignon reveals alluring fragrances of white flower, stone fruit, hay and cantaloupe aromas. The palate delivers mature peach, honeydew melon and exotic fruit alongside mineral and crisp acidity. The finish is backed up by succulent fruit.
This structured white displays enticing aromas of beeswax, Spanish broom, acacia and chamomile. The round, structured palate offers mature apricot, juicy nectarine peel, yellow peach and Bartlett pear, with firm acidity. Savory herb and energizing mineral sensations signal the close.
This structured white opens with aromas of lightly toasted oak, citrus, golden apple, and herbs. The palate delivers grapefruit, Bartlett pear, nectarines and mineral alongside fresh acidity. It closes on an almond note.
This structured white opens with aromas of oak, citrus, baking spice and dried tree fruit. The full-bodied palate delivers nectarine, dried apricot, toasted almond, oak-driven vanilla and a candied ginger note. Fermenting 40% of the wine in oak casks gives it depth.
This structured white opens with aromas of orange zest, Mediterranean brush and a whiff of oak-driven spice. The aromas carry through to the round palate along with ripe apricot, toast and candied lemon drop. Moderate acidity brightens the rich flavors.
This structured white opens with aromas of tropical fruit and sweet baking spice. The round palate offers mature peach, baked apple, toast and oak-driven spice. The finish closes with butterscotch and bitter nut.
This structured white opens with enticing scents of citrus and orchard fruit. The vibrant, full-bodied palate delivers lime, grapefruit and yellow peach accompanied by lively acidity. A mineral note signals the finish.
This structured wine also has already delicious red fruit flavors. The core of tannins is surrounded by this cushion of ripe fruits, layered with acidity and altogether enticing now. Drink now, although the wine will certainly age.
This structured wine also has attractive layers of ripe fruits. Black-currant freshness balances with a dry tannic core and a rich juicy texture. It's going to be ready to drink soon, so only wait until 2017.
This structured wine also has bright red fruits and juicy acidity. It's an attractive bottle now, the tannins showing through while leaving room for an elegant, leisurely aftertaste. Drink from 2015.
This structured wine benefits from the rich fruitiness of the vintage. Based in Morgon, the producer has vines on steep slopes, resulting in structured wines with firm tannins as well as generous fruits. Drink from 2018.
This structured wine brings together rich red fruits with an almost tannic character that gives it concentration and dryness. The wine has acidity, light touches of lemon and lime and a red currant aftertaste.
This structured wine comes from one of the lesser-known Grand Crus of Vosne-Romanée. But it does have the structure and density of the wines from this run of grand crus, with bold tannins over the red-cherry fruits. It is likely to be a structured wine for many years. Drink from 2027.
This structured wine conveys aromas of dark berry, cooking spice and whiffs of Mediterranean herb and leather. The palate offers blackberry, blueberry, clove and licorice alongside firm acidity and round tannins.
This structured wine discloses dark tannins and a firm, dense character. The granite soil comes through strongly in the cool minerality and tight texture. It has weight and potential richness, but it does need to age. Drink from 2016.
This structured wine features an enticing fragrance of red rose petal, blue flower and a whiff of crushed red berry. The robust palate delivers juicy black cherry layered with notes of spice, vanilla, tobacco and anisette alongside firm tannins that need time to unfold.
This structured wine gives out a strong mineral texture as well as firm tannins that come from the dark black fruits. It's rich and full in the mouth as well as firm and densely textured. Although it is young, it will be ready to drink from 2016.
This structured wine has 25-year old vines as its basis. It is concentrated and dense as well as bringing out the ripe berry fruits that are typical of 2012. With the structure and acidity well in place, this wine will age. Drink from 2017.
This structured wine has a great weight of fruit behind its firm tannins. Juicy acidity gives a delicious, fragrant and ripe character. Drink this wine from 2016.
This structured wine has a severe aspect, with dry wood and fruit tannins. The fruit is there, smoky and with considerable acidity. It's a wine that will remain serious as it ages. Wait to drink until 2018.
This structured wine has a strong mineral element. With black-currant and berry flavors, it is firm and still young. Swathes of rich fruit are sustained by solid tannins. Drink from late 2017.
This structured wine has a tight, tannic, dry character. It is slow to develop, leaving the black cherry fruits still masked by the forward dryness. Drink from 2016.
This structured wine has acidity and a broad base of black fruits. It is concentrated and firm, but with the fruitiness of the vintage. Drink this already-attractive wine from 2018.
This structured wine has ripe black fruits followed by red berries. There is a good depth of flavor, the tannins giving the bright fruit weight and a mouthfilling character.
This structured wine has subtle aromas of apples, vanilla and toasted notes. These carry over to the linear palate together with pear, mineral, lemon zest and lively acidity. Pair it with baked pasta dishes or grilled chicken.
This structured wine is balanced with great fruit, firm tannins and ripe berry flavors. Drink this impressive wine from 2019.
This structured wine is bold with its tannins and dry cherry-pit flavor. It is dense, its stalky acidity and red-plum flavors backed by a dry core. It's a concentrated wine that needs to age, so drink from 2017.
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 structured wine is firm with tannins and a solid structure. It does have fruit behind this dry facade, allowing the potential for aging and balancing out. Drink from 2017.
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.
This structured wine is firm with tannins while also having plenty of room for ripe blackberry fruits. It will develop well, giving a rounded wine that will be ready to 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 structured wine is full of fruit and has a tight texture. It shows a creamy side from new wood, although this is well integrated into the fruity acidity and the mineral edge. The wine is likely to age well, ready to drink from 2020.
This structured wine is lithe and ethereal in dried herb and cranberry, with a hint of pencil lead. Puckering tannins suggest aging through 2020, to draw out the more succulent layers of black cherry and plum. The wine has 12% Merlot.
This structured wine is slow to show its fruity side although it has a layer of acidity with hints of black fruits. It is firm and dry at the moment with dense tannins and a dark aftertaste. Wait until 2017.
This structured wine is the second wine of Château Montrose. It is balanced, the smooth, fresh fruits and plum-skin texture making it already accessible. With its juicy aftertaste, it will be ready to drink soon.
This structured wine is young, with a firm character that is still masking the juicy red fruits. However, it does have weight and the potential for a soft, rounded wine in a couple of years. Drink this wine, from a small region just north of Pouilly Fumé, from 2016.
This structured wine offers bright, tight acidity and tangy, nervy texture. Crisp and full of young fruit, it will age well. Drink from 2016 or even 2017.
This structured wine offers toasted oak, yellow apple, spice, citrus and mineral aromas that carry over to the palate. It's balanced by fresh acidity and ends on a walnut note.
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.
This structured wine opens with an unusual blend of aromas that includes ripe black fruit, dill and chocolate. The palate offers velvety tannins and notes of tart blackberry, black cherry, fig and mature plum sprinkled with notes of cocoa.
This structured wine opens with aromas of black fruit, underbrush, mint and spice with an earthy touch of saddle leather. The juicy palate delivers a core of black cherry accented with notes of thyme, sage, espresso and mocha supported by a tannic backbone. It's well balanced, with enough freshness to ensure it will develop complexity over the next few years.
This structured wine opens with aromas of forest floor, tobacco leaf, porcini mushroom and dark berries. The concentrated palate delivers crushed black cherry, black pepper, espresso and licorice supported by a tannic backbone. Drink after 2017.
This structured wine opens with aromas of green apple, pear, clove and a hint of nutmeg that all carry over to the palate along with a mineral note. The creamy texture has nice weight and is brightened by vibrant acidity. Oliver McCrum, T. Edward Wines.
This structured wine opens with aromas of leafy underbrush, toasted oak, roasted coffee beans and a whiff of raisin. The palate offers dried black cherry, mocha, espresso and vanilla alongside firm, fine-grained tannins.
This structured wine opens with aromas of subtle oak, toast, leather, espresso and dried plum. The extracted palate delivers prune, crushed black cherry, soy sauce and grilled herbs framed by bracing tannins that leave a drying finish.
This structured wine opens with aromas that recall underbrush, blue flower, mature black plums, balsam and a whiff of leather. The palate delivers black cherry sweetened with vanilla, toasted oak, espresso and chocolate alongside bracing tannins. Drink 2015–2020.
This structured wine opens with earthy aromas of tilled soil, underbrush, leather, cedar, bright berries and baking spices. The vibrant palate displays classic Nebbiolo flavors of crushed dark cherry, clove, cinnamon, truffle, sage, thyme and licorice alongside brisk acidity and bracing but noble tannins. It will bloom into a beauty. Drink 2020–2040.
This structured wine opens with quintessential Sangiovese aromas of violet and black berries punctuated with whiffs of leather and balsamic herbs. The palate delivers a core of black cherry accented with mint, black pepper and licorice notes that add depth. The hint of prune on the finish reflects the warm, challenging vintage, but this is a delicious, well-balanced wine. Enjoy soon. Soilair Selections, Vineyard Road, WineCraft.
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.
This structured wine tastes young, showing considerable tannins at this stage. Its weight gives it potential, however, and the wine will show blackberry flavors and juicy acidity by 2017.
This structured wine with big, bold red fruits offers ripe acidity, a dense texture and considerable concentration. It also has the hallmark freshness of the vintage that balances the strong aging potential. Drink from 2022.
This structured yet polished wine, made from a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Aglianico and 20% Merlot, opens with intense aromas of tilled earth, mature black fruit, leather, graphite and spice. The Juicy palate offers fleshy blackberry, black currant, black pepper and mineral alongside silky smooth tannins. Hold for more complexity. Drink 2015–2025.
This structured, bright 100% Zinfandel features heaps of high-toned red berry and baking cinnamon. Medium in weight, it's a food-friendly wine that offers the variety's classic juiciness without its sometimes overbearing hits of smoky oak.
This structured, concentrated wine is from an estate in the north of Saint-Estèphe. A dominance of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend lends it firm, solid tannins as well as a juicy black-currant note. It's a wine for long-term aging; don't drink before 7–8 years.
This structured, copper-colored wine—the natural color of Pinot Grigio after skin contact—delivers dried red berry, nut, lightly toasted oak, butterscotch, vanilla and mineral sensations. It's an unusual but attractive interpretation of Pinot Grigio.
This structured, dark, brooding wine is closed up at this stage. It's a wine with serious tannins, powerful spiciness and plenty of concentration. A dry core is surrounded by the fruit, hinting at potentially rich texture.
This structured, dense and smoky wine features dry tannins and a mineral texture. It has blackberry fruitiness to go with this scaffolding, so it will develop well to give a ripe, full, rich wine. Wait until 2015.
This structured, elegant wine opens with aromas of violet, berry, tilled soil and a whiff of leather. The palate has nice depth, offering layers of black cherry, cinnamon, savory herb and tobacco. It's impeccably balanced with firm, polished tannins and fresh acidity. Already delicious, it will develop more complexity. Drink 2015–2025.
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 structured, firm wine lives up to the fortifications at its namesake château. It's a dark wine, not quite ripe with some green fruit flavors. Acidity and dry tannins are very present and need to soften. Let it wait and drink from 2017.
This structured, full and ripe wine shows great cherry fruits, some chewy tannins and a delicious juicy character. It is balanced and with its tannins should age. Drink now and until 2017.
This structured, generously full-bodied wine offers deep layers of black raspberry and cinnamon, with an additional length of subtle black pepper and leather. It builds strength toward the finish before finishing surprisingly light and balanced.
This structured, medium-weight wine's nose offers dried apple and nutty aromas. Crisp lime and stony notes come up strongly on the palate. The mouth shows good tension and decent acidity, the flavors are persistent on the solid finish of this tasty white. Drink now–2004. Best Buy. —M.M.
This structured, mineral wine has a fine tension between tight acidity and zesty acidity that gives it a nervy, crisp character. It is still developing, with its steely structure still dominant; drink from 2017.
This structured, mineral wine offers tight acidity and strikingly fresh fruits. It's full of wood, juicy apple skins and lime juice giving a fresh, taut character. Still young, it needs to age, so drink from 2017.
This structured, old-vine Cabernet is always a leader among the Chilean pack, and the current version is typical in that it's built like a house, with cool, concentrated aromas of blackberry, cassis, earth and black olive. Cola notes on the palate frame cherry and cassis flavors, while the finish is firm yet rewardingly luscious, with ample depth. Very solid and tasty, and packed deep with power. Can be drunk immediately.
This structured, smoky wine is also full of ripe berry fruit. It has a generous texture and a fine balance between fruit and tannins but is likely to age quickly. Drink from 2019.
This structured, tight wine has complex almond and spice flavors that partner with crisp acidity and tangy lemon zest and grapefruit accents. The texture with its minerality and tight aftertaste promises aging. Drink from 2019.
This structured, young wine has good acidity along with black currant fruitiness and firm tannins that need time to soften. The aftertaste, with its lift of freshness is already attractive. Drink from 2017.
This stubbornly tight, short, tart wine shows lightly spiced cherry fruit. But after being opened for some hours, the flavors seem to thin out quickly, leaving an impression of a wine that lacks concentration.
This student-produced wine shows aromas of cocoa, cashew and cherry along with green pepper. Flavors are somewhat wood-dominated with vanilla and chocolate riding high over cherry. Overall there are some distractions but there's still much to enjoy.
This study of a low-yielding clone produced a compelling range of aromas and flavors. The nose leads with iodine, seaweed and coffee scents against a backdrop of tangy black fruit. The palate shows more nori, lavender, black pepper, asphalt and dried blackberry flavor, finishing on a lingering oaky note.
This study of darkness that puts 76% Petite Sirah together with 16% Tannat and 8% Tempranillo shows blackcurrant, brown sugar, scarlet-red roses and herb-crusted roast beef on the nose. Ripe olallieberries and dark meat flavors show on the sip, where soft but grippy tannins are laced with spicy acidity and crushed herbs.
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.
This study of St. Emilion-style wines shows a density of blackberry and blueberry fruit as well as bittersweet fudge and concentrated lilacs, proving both showy yet elegant. The palate is expertly layered with rich blackcurrant, milk chocolate, mocha and graphite flavors. This one is ready to drink now.
This stunner of a dry Riesling invigorates from first whiff with its zesty tangerine-peel perfume. On the palate, silken layers of white grapefruit and lime fill are amplified by a steely backbone of acidity and minerality. It's a gorgeously composed wine with a persistent, intently mineral finish. Drink now through at least 2030.
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 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 stunning blend of Mourvèdre (49%), Grenache (28%) and Syrah brings a complex, nuanced assortment of mineral, raspberry, white pepper, thistle and carob notes. It's richly flavored, layered, dense and supple showing both great subtlety and intensity, with fruit flavors that linger after the last sip.
This stunning Chianti Classico has an intense perfume of violet, rose and iris, accented with scents of truffle and forest berry. The wildly delicious palate presents a core of juicy cherry layered with sweet pipe tobacco, mint and spice, with a hint of well-integrated oak. It has great energy, with vibrant acidity and bracing but refined tannins. Drink 2016–2025.
This stunning dry Riesling somehow manages to seamlessly combine such disparate elements as orange sherbet, smoky-briny minerality, a creamy mouthfeel and ample weight. It's a wild ride, one that values power and complexity without sacrificing elegance. Hard to know how it will age, but at least 5–10 years seems a safe bet.
This stunning expression of Solaia opens with ample aromas of exotic spices, tilled soil, mature black-skinned fruit and an underlying whiff of fragrant blue flowers. The vibrant, elegantly structured palate doles out high-toned black cherry, ripe blackberry, white pepper, cinnamon, clove and Mediterranean herbs alongside a backbone of firm, polished tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2017–2032.
This stunning offering is aged in large casks that soften the wine but don't add wood tannins to Sagrantino's naturally tannic backbone. It opens with an intensely balsamic fragrance of Mediterranean herbs, mint and berry accompanied by delicious blackberry, white pepper and cinnamon flavors. The wine boasts fantastic depth and will develop even more complexity over time. Drink 2017–2027.
This stunning red is all about finesse and light. It opens with lovely scents of violet, rose, perfumed berry and balsamic aromas while the radiant, almost ethereal palate delivers crunchy red cherry, strawberry, white pepper and mineral intensity. It's impeccably balanced, with bright acidity and firm but elegant tannins. While it's so tempting now, hold for even more complexity. Drink 2018–2033.
This stunning red was a favorite amidst a strong line up of North Fork Cabernet Franc. There's a purity of black cherry and plum flavors here, but also meandering veins of animal, earth and herb that feel a bit savage and wild. Crisply composed, it finishes with delicate whispers of anise and cinnamon. Ready to drink now but should improve through 2024.
This stunning single-vineyard selection is one of Italy's most iconic whites and helped kick off Soave's renaissance. It delivers pressed yellow flowers, golden apples, citrus, melon and mango alongside mineral and toasted almond notes. Already delicious and well balanced, it will age beautifully and develop more complexity for several years at least. Drink through 2021.
This stunning sparkler opens with lovely aromas of hawthorn, wisteria, white orchard fruit and herbs. The crisp, savory palate offers white peach, green apple, lemon zest and minerals while a creamy mousse softens the vibrant acidity.
This stunning TBA is a powerhouse of superripe peach, mango and orange flavors. The palate feels smooth and rich, with honey and marmalade flavors, but it's ethereally light, with a dusty minerality and shrieking lemon acidity that reverberates on the finish. Gorgeous now, but should develop an earthy, honeyed intensity over the next decade.
This stunning white opens with aromas that recall white wild flower, orchard fruit and heady scents of eucalyptus and dried herb. The rich palate delivers white peach, ripe pear, wild rosemary, thyme, flinty mineral and ginger. Fresh acidity frames the juicy fruit flavors while an almond note backs up the finish.
This stunning wine is all about extreme elegance and subtlety. It opens with aromas of wild red berry, rose petal, sweet baking spice and a whiff aromatic herb while the focused palate delivers red cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice, pipe tobacco and white pepper. A firm backbone of polished tannins and vibrant acidity gives it an age-worthy structure. It's loaded with finesse and should develop even more complexity over time. Drink 2018–2033.
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.
This stunning wine opens with a multifaceted fragrance of underbrush, leather, spice, woodland berries and violets, with a whiff of mint. The layered palate delivers a vibrant core of succulent black cherry accented with white pepper and balsamic herbs. It's still young and structured with forceful yet fine tannins so give it time to develop fully. Drink 2015–2025.
This stunning wine opens with classic Nebbiolo aromas of new leather, rose, wild berry, crushed herb, dark spice and menthol. The palate is chiseled and loaded with finesse, doling out juicy red cherry, ripe strawberry, licorice and cinnamon flavors. It's structured with polished tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2023–2043.
This stunning wine opens with classic Nebbiolo aromas of underbrush, new leather, blue flower and dark berry along with a whiff of menthol. The radiant savory palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, clove and star anise framed in noble tannins and bright acidity. It's tempting now but will continue to unwind and develop complexity for years to come. Drink 2023–2043.
This stunning wine opens with scents of tilled earth, leather, pipe tobacco, forest floor and wild berry. The focused, vibrant palate delivers ripe red cherry, white pepper, grilled herb, licorice and an energizing mineral note. Youthfully austere, refined tannins and fresh acidity provide impeccable balance and an impressive, ageworthy structure. Drink 2020–2045.
This stunning wine seamlessly weaves together sensations of creamy red cherry, crushed raspberry, tilled soil, leather and aromatic herbs. Notes of white pepper, cinnamon, licorice and clove add depth to the succulent fruit flavors. It's already delicious but hold for more complexity. Drink 2019–2029.
This stunning, full-bodied wine is in the running as one of the best white wines in Italy. It's perfumed with acacia flower, Spanish broom, beeswax, flint and tree fruit. The delicious palate delivers green apple, Anjou pear and mineral sensations of mesmerizing depth. It will develop even more complexity over time. Drink through 2025.
This sturdy red is a blend of four Bordeaux grapes, with a tannic, earthy structure. It has the sort of rugged power that you'd look for in a café wine, ready to take on a juicy burger and some fries.
This sturdy wine offers aromas of blackberry jam, licorice, baking spice and a whiff of barnyard. The warm, robust palate delivers mature black plum, black cherry, black pepper, roasted coffee bean and sage alongside excruciatingly bitter, mouth-drying tannins. The heat of alcohol appears on the midpalate.
This sturdy, full-bodied Pinot could almost be a Grenache, it's so big and strong. Yet, strangely, there's a silky elegance that tells you it's Santa Lucia-style Pinot. Offers waves of raspberries and cherries and oranges, brightened with zesty acidity. A considerable value given the producer and origin.
This sturdy, homespun red blend of 65% Syrah, 20% Zinfandel and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon pushes spicy cherry flavors ahead of earthy tannins set on a bed of rock. It's a fine, all-purpose barbeque red.
This sturdy, well-made wine has lightly charred aromas, tasty cherry flavors and moderate tannins to give the texture some grip.
This style of Barossa Semillon is a far cry from that practiced in the Hunter Valley. This version is medium to full bodied, with waxy, pineapple notes and a crisp, linear finish that features just a hint of honey. Drink now.
This style of oak-fermented Verdejo probably does better in cool years, which 2009 was not. As a result, this smells a bit oxidized and nutty, with baked apple scents. In the mouth, it is weighty and a touch dull; flavors of butterscotch and cashew finish with cider, salt and buttery notes. Drink now.
This style of Pinot is almost candied, with flavors of cherry pie, brown sugar and buttered toast with raspberry jam. Tasty, if a little one dimensionsal.
This style of simply yummy, quaffable wine is what Australian Grenache is so capable of producing. Despite high alcohol (16.5%), it doesn't show heat on the palate, instead offering oodles of black cherries and some accents of baking spices. It's round, supple and easy to drink, with a touch of coffee on the finish. Imported by USA Wine West.
This stylish and affordable Chenin hits all the right notes with its full-bodied nose of fresh fruit, spice and citrus and balanced, pretty flavors of tropical fruit. Slightly curvy but still fresh, it's a white with energy and extra character.
This stylish and well-priced wine from Brian and Stephanie Terrizzi offers aromas of grape juice, shattered slate, charcoal ash and a sharp, peppery spice. The blackberry juice flavors are broad, approachable and pleasantly airy on the palate, but quickly given complexity with coyote-brush woodiness, iron shavings and a solid tannic grip.
This stylish Barbera has a bright, fresh nose of sweet strawberry, roses and licorice. On the palate, the freshness of the fruit comes through. beautifully. Full flavored without being full bodied. Slightly old fashioned and delicious.
This stylish bottling offers a silky nose with hay, pound cake and herb notes. Lean and clean, it sports grapefruit and green-apple flavors, and a good feel and finish, with mineral and spice elements. A trim, well-toned contender.
This stylish lightweight has some tasty pear, quince and citrus flavors, finishing with a hint of spice. Best as an apéritif or with a light fish course.
This stylish Merlot-based wine has juicy red-berry flavors that are sustained by acidity and firmed up by tannins. Still dry from its dense structure, it's developing well. Drink from 2018.
This stylish white offers delicate peach and lemon aromas and a combination of zippy citrus and warming spice on the palate. Approachable but complex, the wine offers power and grace.
This stylish wine is tight, crisp and with fine intense acidity. Its apple fruitiness is bright, delicious and refreshing. With its lively aftertaste, this is ready to drink now.
This stylish wine opens with a floral, perfumed, high-altitude bouquet that shows red currant and raspberry aromas. Like the nose, the palate is fresh and not ponderous. Crisp raspberry and cassis flavors finish with freshness and elegance. Drink through 2020.
This stylish, tightly wound, concentrated effort features yellow fruits adorned with layers of toast, butter and caramel. It will continue to open gracefully over a 48-hour window, suggesting that it may be cellared successfully. But if you have the patience to decant/aerate properly, it is immensely enjoyable right now, and a very fine value.
This stylish, well-defined Roussanne is crisp as a cucumber, with fruit flavors of citrus, green berry, apple and melon. This is immaculate and beautifully balanced.
This stylishly labeled wine by Adam Lazarre and Christian Tietje shows salted apples, lime blossoms and white flowers on the nose. The energetic palate offers just-cut green pears at first, then opens into a touch of vanilla. It tightens back down on green apple peels before ending with vanilla cream. The wine delivers a full experience.
This suave-textured and lavishly fruity wine combines a rich baking-spice aroma, with saturated blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate flavors. The mouthfeel of this Bordeaux-style blend is smooth and creamy and the finish is long.
This suave and sophisticated wine is so smooth to sip that its depth of flavor is a little deceptive. A subtle potpourri of clove, cinnamon, black tea and blackberry aromas swirl around a great core of mild acidity, fine-grained tannins and many layers of concentrated fruit flavor. The texture is velvety and the finish lingers for at least 30 seconds.
This substantial dry rosé, mostly made from Carignane grapes, is extremely rich in color. Likewise, the flavors have plenty of juicy red wine notes like cherry, raspberry and earthy spices, and it balances well between good acidity and creamy viscosity. It can almost substitute for a red wine, and will add depth to occasions with equally flavorful food.
This substantial dry wine made from dry-farmed vines planted in 1980 has tempting jammy aromas and ripe and satisfying fruit flavors matched by a solid backing of fine-grained tannins and acidity. It has the appetizing bite and firm texture that will make it mouthwatering at dinner.
This substantial effort brings plump melon, orange and peach flavors into focus. It fills out substantially as it works across the palate with a sprinkling of bee pollen, then turns a corner and shows the petrol character of the grape, suggesting that further bottle age will yield rewarding results.
This substantial wine is full bodied, robust in flavor and firmly textured due to ample fine-grained tannins. The fruit flavors are tempting and ripe, while accents of black pepper and dried herbs add complexity.
This substantial wine is replete with apricot and a faint lurking of herb. The acidity is there, just faintly, racing through to the finish.
This substantial wine will age beautifully through 2023, so structured and elegant it is behind its layers and layers of coconut fritter, vanilla and strawberry-raspberry jam. Beguiling in floral violets and lavender, it has streaks of black pepper too, ending in a dream-like trance of earthy dust.
This substantial, powerfully styled Pinot Noir is layered with tart, punchy red fruit. That rich core is laced with brown sugar, coffee, caramel and cola streaks. It was aged in 10% new French oak.
This substantive but not too full-bodied wine starts with dark-chocolate aromas. It offers good black-plum flavors and has a smooth but slightly tannic texture.
This substantive Pinot shows definite toasted oak character along with ripe fruit, full body and firm tannins. Hints of oak smoke and caramel waft over the ripe plum aromas. The flavors go to dark cherries and coffee, the texture is attractively astringent from tannins, and the finish carries a little bite. Well done but not overdone.
This subtle but refreshing wine strikes a wonderful balance between fresh pear notes and citrus zestiness and texture. It's spicy and versatile.
This subtle, classically-styled red includes 6% Merlot, all of the fruit hailing from the producer's organic Chiles Valley estate. It's bright with red and blue fruit and earthy accents of mushroom and clove. Moderate tannin buoy it without bogging it down, giving it broadness on the palate and carrying its flavors long into the finish.
This subtle, elegant sip starts with aromas of spicebox, tobacco and rich dark fruit, followed by flavors of cherry, cedar and cinnamon spice. A softer style, integrated red that will pair well with duck, steak.
This subtle, graceful Syrah acknowledges the cool vintage and takes full advantage of what it has to offer. It's based upon elegantly-layered citrus and sappy berry fruit flavors, with just a delicate hint of clean earth.
This subtle, restrained and elegant wine from a classic producer leads with nice doughy, toasty aromas. It fills the mouth with delicate bubbles and lingers on the finish, giving more toasty complexity and lasting fruit impressions.
This successful blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre satisfies for its complete ripeness and fine structure. It's pleasantly rich in blackberry, black cherry pie filling, cola, anise, pepper and sandalwood flavors that last a long time on the spicy finish.
This successful Pinot Noir from a difficult vintage treads an exciting line: It contains subtle notes of tomato and beetroot, but that vegetativeness only adds an earthy complexity to the ripe flavors of black cherry and plum. It's a fancy, elegant wine to drink now, and should gain traction over the next 5–6 years.
This successful riserva displays opulence and a bold, modern style that focuses on bright cherry and savory spice aromas. The wine is loaded with density and richness, and combines a ripe soft feel with a lively berries on the finish.
This succulent Amarone has a fragrance of cherry and raspberry with whiffs of baking spices. The palate delivers gorgeous black fruit layered with white pepper and nutmeg. It's shows an intriguing balance of power and finesse.
This succulent blend of Covina (94%) with tiny percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot delivers bold intensity and rich aromas of black fruit such as cherry, plum and prune. It shows medium intensity in the mouth with a clean, fruit-driven fade.
This succulent effort proves once again that a hot site can make excellent Riesling in Washington state. The Cold Creek signature minerality provides the base, and the fruit, vibrant and fresh, brings juicy acidity as well. The wine sails into a creamy finish that demands a glass refill.
This succulent Syrah ages 12 months in oak to produce a soft and deeply concentrated wine with penetrating aromas of smoked ham, curry leaves and drying mineral tones. It has a thick, velvety mouthfeel and firm tannins.
This succulent wine's brawny earth is steadied by fresh acidity, adding tart flavors of tangy rhubarb, cranberry and rose. Crushed rock and dried herb notes add savory complexity and texture, but it's the pretty aromas that ultimately seize the day.
This succulent wine is saturated with rich citrus flavors. Grapefruit, lemon, lime and pineapple notes combine while its 18 months in barrel contributes a layer of buttery toast.
This succulent wine offers a nice combination of red fruit and warm spice to create a full, intense whole. You'll recognize aromas of cherry, clove, cut hay and old leather.
This succulent wine opens with an intensely spicy nose of white and black pepper accented with ripe berry. The sleek, savory palate delivers juicy black cherry and cooking spice framed in solid but refined tannins. It's made to be enjoyed young and paired with everyday fare.
This succulent, almost tender, wine starts off with lovely aromas of honey and bergamot, adding hints of apricot and vanilla in the mouth. It's a soft, lush style, rather sweet, with a long, mouthwatering finish. It may not be as long-lived as some 2007s, but it should remain delectable for another 10 years or so.
This succulent, medium-bodied rosé is a blend of Grenache and Carignan. Cherries, berries and ripe peach are fruity and direct, but finish dry and satisfying. Drink now.
This suffers from major problems. It has all the faults of a hot Zinfandel: semisweet baked-fruit flavors, a lack of acidity, and a resulting medicinal quality.
This sugary-sweet dessert Chardonnay tries hard to please, offering waves of honey, tangerine, mango and vanilla flavors. It's tantalizingly delicious, but could be just a tad more concentrated, especially at this price.
This suggests freshly baked pear tart with baked Bramley apple and cushioned overtones of lemon-streaked pastry. Soft vanilla rings in the background but the twin pleasures of apple and pear take center stage. Earthiness provides grounding and more interest.
This sultry dessert wine offers dried fid, orange rind and spice on the nose, and on the palate, lemon, spice, dried dates and fig. A masculine profile that pairs well with cheeses, nuts, and fruit.
This sultry wine is sourced from the producer's Trenton Road vineyard, cooler than where the winery itself sits in Chalk Hill. Planted to six clones, it provides this bottling with a taste of blueberry and raspberry integrated around soft, juicy tannins and a brightness of acidity.
This sultry, big-boned wine offers deft aspects of black pepper and dried herb atop a softly layered touch of brown sugar. Richness is there, as is a voluptuous flirtatiousness, yet it remains dry and dusty on the palate and classically varietal.
This sultry, supple wine exudes aromas and flavors of baking spices and dark cherry pie, remaining brooding atop a full-bodied texture. Despite the oaky density, it retains a floral back note and bright, lengthy finish.
This summery Riesling wafts of ripe yellow cherries and blossoms. Dry in style with a rich, rounded mouthfeel, it's deeply concentrated with stone fruit flavors accented by hints of waxy lemon and lime skin. It's delicious now for its fragrant, fruity exuberance, but likely to develop its waxy, mineral complexities through 2019–2021.
This sumptuous Cabernet speaks volumes to the power of good winemaking in a challenging vintage. The wine is juicy, rich and layered in crisp red fruit and dusty spice. It's built to age through 2020, but you could decant it now and enjoy.
This sumptuous wine is driven by perfectly ripe fruit as well as dense, dusty and dry tannins. Great swathes of blackberry sweep across the palate, followed by juicy acidity. Such a combination will make this impressive wine a delight to drink in 10 years and beyond.
This sums up what Marlborough can do well when it comes to Pinot Noir. Bright cherry fruit is a bit simple, but crisp and appealing, lined with toasty oak elements and finishing long and fruity.
This sun soaked-Pinot Grigio from Umbria in central Italy focuses on ripe aromas of peach and pink grapefruit. It's a crisp, luminous white wine packaged in a very modern and attractive transparent bottle.
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 sunset-hued bubbly starts with notes of overripe berries and watermelon candy. The mousse is satisfying but the cloying sweetness on the palate may turn many off this less-than-subtle sparkler.
This super-rich wood-aged wine is ripe with tropical fruits and packed with toast flavors. It is already mature with an attractive oxidative edge from the new barrels that adds complexity to the fruitiness. It is impressive—maybe too powerful—but certainly a serious expression of what the Douro can do with white wines. Drink now.
This super-ripe wine is laced with powerful black fruits and spice from wood aging. It is forward and bold, not holding back in flavors and richness. Drink now.
This super-smooth but hearty red blend made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre smells smoky, meaty and oaky. It tastes savory and a bit peppery before a good dose of ripe, plummy flavor joins in. It feels full-bodied, and almost soft in texture because of light tannins, but has enough acidity to keep an appetizing balance.
This super-smooth late harvest effort is perfectly balanced among sugar/alcohol/acid components. Lively and rich, it offers concentrated flavors of limoncello, apricot and candied peaches. Drink it chilled for best effect.
This Super-Tuscan-style wine won't be confused as anything from Tuscany. It's soft, tannic and very fruity, with a sugary finish. Bring on the hamburgers.
This Super-Tuscan blend of Howell Mountain Sangiovese and Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc is one dark wine. It smells big, too, like an egg cream, which New Yorkers will understand. This chocolatey wine has hints of malt, while the flavors are vast, suggesting ripe blackberries. It's a huge wine in extract and mouthfeel. This creates awkward food-pairing challenges. Barbecued ribs come to mind -- but at $45?
This super bargain reflects the charm of the 2011 vintage in its supple tannins and forward fruit. It's lush and creamy textured, with expressive notes of kirsch, spice and cocoa. Drink now–2017.
This Super Tuscan-like blend of 81% Sangiovese and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, whose name refers to the little stones on the estate, shows reductive aromas of black olive, rubber and dried pressed purple flowers. Flavors range from mushroom to slate, but the tannins need mellowing and it could use a little more air altogether.
This Super Tuscan-style blend named “heart of the vineyard” shows baked black raspberry, black plum, thyme and bay leaf on the nose. It's light in body on the energetic and easygoing palate, with a tangy raspberry snap.
This super Tuscan blend has touches of savory spice and smoked meat that give it added sophistication. Notes of bitter almond and sour cherry appear, but are well integrated.
This super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot is showing so beautifully now. It opens with rich, lovely intensity and bright aromas of black fruit, cassis, spice, leather, mocha and tobacco. Drink it now or let it age 10 years or more.
This super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot has a sweet smelling nose that is accented by raspberry, Christmas spice, cinnamon, clove and scented candle. Layers of chocolate and coffee fill the mouth and the wine is smooth and soft on the finish.
This super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese delivers rich softness and a plush, approachable style. You can't help but love those decadent layers of chocolate, spice and cherry liqueur.
This super Tuscan blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon shows richness and softness followed by aromas of red cherry, chocolate and toasted hazelnut. The tannins are firm but smooth, and the wine would pair with game meats or spicy pork ribs.
This super Tuscan blend of Syrah and Merlot opens with lush berry notes and clean aromas of cherry, blackberry and soft Christmas spice. The wine tastes rich, satisfying and would make a great match to lamb chops with roasted garlic potatoes.
This superb Carmenère is lusty but intricate on the bouquet, with aromas of baked plum, blackberry, balsam wood, leather and horse hide. The palate shows a complex blend of high-voltage power and density; flavors of roasted blackberry, chocolate, pepper and root beer finish deep and oaky. Drink through 2020.
This superb single-vineyard bottling from the heart of Bussia was macerated on the skins for a whopping 90 days. It's a breathtaking expression of Barolo, with intense Nebbiolo scents of rose, truffle and leather. The palate shows vibrant black cherry, truffle, spice, carob, pastry cream and balsamic herb notes and has remarkable depth and complexity. This is already fantastic and will age well for decades. Imported by Masciarelli Wine Co, Moonlight Wine Co.
This superb Syrah, is a great followup to the 2009 bottling. There are incredibly ripe flavors of blackberry jam, currant, chocolate and toast, along with notes of grilled bacon and black pepper. The tannins are so rich and fine, you can drink this wine now.
This superb value mixes barrels from all the red wines in Sineann's portfolio. Predominantly Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel, there are small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot as well. It's dark and spicy, the flavors well integrated. It adds up to a potent and powerful all-purpose barbeque red, loaded with black fruits and finished with a kiss of caramel.
This superconcentrated red delivers savory aromas of cured meat, wild mushroom, exotic spice with bold fruit tones of prune, plum and dried blackberry. It's a bold wine that would pair with fire-grilled steak.
This superpremium effort from Precept Brands is loaded with fruit, and crafted with winemaker Charlie Hoppes' trademark style—lush oak, giving generous barrel flavors of butterscotch and toast. The barrel flavors dominate, complemented by bold black cherry, blackberry and cassis fruit.
This superrich and toasty Chard abounds in aromas of wood-grilled apple, toasted oak, lemon curd, hazelnut and sweet spice. The medium-weight palate follow through with more of the same—loads of oaky, toasty goodness and a vibrant baking-spice character. Drink now–2019.
This superrich blend of Antão Vaz, Arinto and Roupeiro was tank fermented to keep the crispness and fruit of the blend. It is certainly rich but it has fine acidity as well—juicy and full of apple flavors. Drink the wine from 2018.
This superrich wine has luscious plum fruits, cushioned tannins and a ripe character. Full black cherries bring out the density and the solid backdrop. It can be drunk now, but will be better from 2016.
This superrich wine is full of intense yellow fruit and passion-fruit flavors. The fruit is underlined with wood aging, with toast and spice. The aftertaste, smooth and creamy, shows the wine is ready to drink.
This superrich wine, with 12.7% residual sugar, is very sweet. It dazzles with honeyed flavors of tangerines and Asian pears, with creamy notes of vanilla bean and smoky pie crust. Could be denser and more concentrated, but it's a flashy dessert wine.
This superrich Zin has extracted, luxurious fruit. It's ripe in blackberry and cherry jam, milk chocolate, peppery spice and anise flavors, with an overripe note of Port. Drink now.
This superripe and supersmooth wine packs in extra layers of flavor of boysenberry and anise between stacks of blackberry and ripe strawberry, all while staying supported by fine but firm tannins and vibrant acidity. Very full in body, it is still appetizingly dry, balanced for serving at a special meal, and very rewarding to drink now through 2022.
This superripe blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (15%) and Mourvèdre (15%) is full-bodied, with a rich, creamy texture and a long, velvety finish. Spice and herb notes accent dusty black cherries, and a hint of cocoa sneaks in as well. Drink now–2017.
This superripe wine is a blast of blackberry, cherry and blueberry fruit, puréed in the blender and then sprinkled with a dusting of cocoa and white pepper. But it's too sweet by far, and too soft, lacking the structure for balance.
This superripe, late-harvest style of wine smells like raisins and dried plums. It tastes so fruity and ripe that it's sweet, with a full body to match. It would be best as a dessert wine.
This supersmooth effort sails along with supple and spicy black-cherry fruit. It's a full-flavored, mouthfilling wine, with silky tannins and a nice touch of toast from 14 months in 18% new French oak.
This supple and smooth Fiano delivers notes of pear, Golden Delicious apple and yellow melon. The wine is layered and complex thanks to the mineral nuances that accompany it to the end. It is also chewy, naturally robust and promises an excellent match to lobster, crab or baked clams.
This supple and succulent wine mixes red and blue fruit with a persistent peppery note. The winery's top offering, it's a barrel selection from five organically-farmed vineyards, including Chehalem Mountain vineyard. Aged for 17 months in half new French oak barrels, it fades gracefully with a touch of char.
This supple medium-bodied Pinot Noir is ready to drink. Predominantly earthy notes of leather and dried spices are harmonious and complex without being overly demanding.
This supple yet mouthfilling wine boasts intense notes of garrigue--that Provençal blend of wild thyme, bay leaf and lavender--layered over hints of pepper and a base of cherry fruit. A hint of cocoa emerges on the short but pleasant finish. Drink it now and over the next couple of years.
This supple, easy-drinking Cabernet features appealing ripe cassis and vanilla shadings. Hints of black cherry and graham cracker add nuance, while the texture is a bit creamy on the midpalate, turning dusty on the finish. Drink now–2020.
This supple, medium-bodied wine packs in many of the notes that make Syrah from the Northern Rhône so compelling: coffee, tar, leather, black olive, chocolate and roasted meat, all backed by raspberry-cherry fruit. Enjoy the ride over the next several years.
This supple, savory Shiraz is approachable now. Hints of vanilla and black olive accent mixed berry fruit, while the texture is rich and creamy. Meat and mocha take over on the long finish. Drink now–2020.
This supple, seductive and sublime white is tart with acidity and bolstered by supportive oak. Pear, quince and an underlying hint of apple blossom combine in a lovely and focused expression on the palate that feels at once classic and balanced.
This supremely elegant and age-worthy Sassicaia opens with an intense bouquet of black cherry, Mediterranean herbs, blue flower, cedar and leather aromas. Powerful but graceful, the palate delivers a vibrant core of black cherry accented with white pepper, mineral and balsamic notes alongside youthful but polished tannins and vibrant acidity. It's not as exuberant as some of its counterparts, but it may outlive all the other Bolgheri 2010s. Drink 2018–2040.
This sure-fire crowd pleaser opens with the steely authority of the AVA's Pinots, showing a streak of earth and bark. Then it fills in, with ripe purple fruit swathed in generous layers of coffee grounds and toasty oak. It finishes long and smoky, with plenty of power.
This surprisingly dry wine has more to do with spice than richness. That gives it a food friendly character full of ripe fruit, a spicy, peppery edge and baked apple flavors. Acidity cuts through providing balance. Drink from the end of 2015.
This surprisingly rich, concentrated and full-bodied wine has delicious spicy oak accents and an easy-sippng texture. The color is a very dark, deep red. Aromas are grapy, jammy and fresh, and the flavors convey ripe blackberry and plum.
This sustainably grown Arroyo Seco wine has a very reluctant nose that eventually gives off some red-purple fruits. The palate offers a bit more, with cranberry and some slate.
This svelte Barbaresco delivers aromas and flavors of bright red cherry, crunchy strawberry, licorice and white pepper. Nervous acidity and assertive tannins provide the backbone.
This svelte wine has a tantalizing doughy, toasty aroma and a velvety-rich and bubbly texture. Light fruit flavors come with almond accents.
This svelte wine is smooth and supple, its strawberry and cherry fruit laced with a vein of milk chocolate. Ready for near-term drinking, but balanced and fresh enough to cellar for a few years, it finishes with a lick of citrus.
This sweet and flavorful wine has an orange-amber color and one of the most floral, perfumed aromas of any wine from anywhere. It smells like a giant bouquet of roses, jasmine and honeysuckle and tastes similarly, buoyed by apricot and peach flavors and a lively streak in the texture.
This sweet and full-bodied wine was fortified and tastes rich, warm and bold. It has plummy aromas and flavors and a lingering finish.
This sweet and ripe tawny is touched by flavors of raisin, rich red fruit and spice. It has a smooth, toffee texture that's attractively leavened with acidity. Like all tawny Ports, it is ready to drink.
This sweet and vibrant wine is a rare find. Wonderful floral, grapefruit and honey aromas lead to incredibly concentrated ripe flavors on a lush texture that's lifted by underlying acidity. It's almost irresistible now, but will be best after 2022.
This sweet dessert wine is riding the Moscato wave. It's clean and brisk in acidity, with flavors of oranges, honey and vanilla. Nice picnic wine, or drink with a weekend brunch.
This sweet Moscato is barely acceptable and it smells strange. Creamy notes of vanilla and lychee finish bitter.
This sweet red sparkler has pretty violet and red berry aromas and a vibrant palate that doles out ripe cherry, raspberry and candied orange peel notes. Bright acidity keeps it fresh, balancing the sweetness.
This sweet red wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of blackberry and dark chocolate that lead to flavors of dried plum, honey and black raspberry in the mouth. There is enough acidity to prevent the wine from being cloying and to allow the sweet finish to prevail.
This sweet red wine shows aromas of toasted hazelnut and ripe plum on the nose. The nutty character continues to the palate, with additional tones of chamomile tea and aromatic herb.
This sweet rosé is light and crisply fruity. Strawberry flavors make it an immediately refreshing and enjoyable apéritif wine.
This sweet rosé is light, with some attractive ripe strawberry flavors. Grapefruit acidity gives it a fresher side, lifting the bright, fruity aftertaste. Drink now.
This sweet soft wine is lightly perfumed and gentle on the palate. Crushed strawberry flavors have just the lightest acidity to keep the wine from being cloying. Drink now.
This sweet sparkler presents a cheerful and informal side of the fragrant Moscato grape. It bursts open with aromas of rose, jasmine and sweet honey. The soft bubbling is creamy and smooth.
This sweet sparkling rosé is clean and crisp. It has attractive strawberry fruit, soft texture and a light mousse. Drink now.
This sweet sparkling wine opens with a pungent tone of freshly squeezed tangerine skin, with citrus and more grapefruit at the back. The wine is very sweet and foamy with a touch of citrus-like acidity on the close.
This sweet Viognier tastes like a pineapple, orange, apricot and peach fruit juice blend. The acidity is balancing, but feels added.
This sweet white starts with beguiling aromas of orange blossom, white flowers and spice. The flavors are mouthfilling and honeyed—a pretty balance of exotic fruits and crisp minerality. Pair with lighter cuisine or salads.
This sweet wine balances acidity with honeyed fruit. There is a touch of botrytis to go with the orange marmalade and lemon peel flavors, while the citrus-like acids cut across the palate. This is fine to drink now, yet it will also age for many years.
This sweet wine from Italy is guaranteed to blow your socks off. Its thickness and density resembles concentrated maple syrup or molasses. It is made with Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese) grapes that are air-dried and then aged in small wood containers for many careful years. The gorgeous aromas include roasted chestnuts, brown sugar, prunes and sweet figs and you can sense the power too.
This sweet wine has a deep yellow-gold color and enticing aromas of honey, apricot and toasted almonds. Full bodied, it offers vibrant flavors like pineapple and apricot. Almost electrifyng acidity keeps the sweetness from being cloying and propels the layers of flavor to a lingering finish. It will continue to improve through at least 2026.
This sweet wine is full of lychee fruit and the lightest touch of acidity. It's on the light side and has freshness and a crisp edge, bringing out baked apple as well as peaches and a final lightly honeyed texture. Drink now.
This sweet wine is nut brown in color, with aromas of dried prunes, caramelized pears and raisins. The palate is driven by sweet, dried fruit tones, balanced by bright acidity.
This sweet wine smells like ripe plums and tastes fresh, grapy and sugary, with a little sparkle in the texture. It's quite sweet on the finish, too.
This sweet wine, almost gold in color, is ripe and round. Honey and peach notes complement spice and white pepper flavors. It is soft, rich and ready to drink. Its label does not warn of its sweetness.
This sweet, fizzy red would pair well with sweet almond cookies or spicy banana bread. It's an easy but cheerful wine to sip at the end of a long, satisfying meal.
This sweet, fortified dessert wine is very Port-like. It has remarkable structure with dark tannins that encase jammy blackberry flavors. It's full bodied, but brightened with acidity. Ready to drink now, it would be an ideal after-dinner drink.
This sweet, frizzy wine opens with a dark ruby color and offers a veritable aromatic explosion. You get it all here: from blueberry and raspberry to sweet spice and cinnamon cream. From the Casorzo region of Piedmont, the wine is fresh and intensely fragrant. Pair it with cold cuts and salumi.
This sweet, honeyed wine has a rich, unctuous character. It is perfumed, full of sweet orange marmalade and spice. The acidity keeps it together and gives final freshness. This is a wine to drink by itself rather than with food.
This sweet, low-alcohol, red version of Moscato is fantastically fruity and floral in aroma. Boysenberry and rose-petal flavors accompany a broad texture that clings to the palate on the finish.
This sweet, luscious Riesling shows an incredible array of fruit character, ranging from pineapple to kumquat and superripe melon. So intensely fruity, it manages to hide whatever minerality might lie underneath, so if rocks are your thing, let this one age a good long time; otherwise, it's delicious now.
This sweet, luscious, dessert-style wine keeps enough acidity to contrast and compensate for the sugar. There's nothing flabby here, but how sweet it is! Caramel apples, molasses, maple syrup and honey coalesce around concentrated fruits, ranging from citrus through tropical. Orange and peach, pineapple and papaya are all to be found. A half bottle is rich enough to satisfy four tasters.
This sweet, Moscato-based offering would pair well with fruit-based dessert, panna cotta, or crème caramel. It offers loads of floral intensity, a lightly fizzy mouthfeel and low alcohol.
This sweet, red, fortified wine is labeled as a tawny Port but was not made in Portugal, from where the original Port comes. It offers haunting aromas of cherry compote, molasses and cedar, while flavors suggest cherry sauce, caramel and roasted nuts. A mouth-clinging, thick texture extends the finish for minutes.
This sweet, simple wine shows ripe flavors of apricots, lemons, limes and honeysuckle. It's soft and sugary.
This sweet, smooth and approachable wine shows a rounded, ripe fruit character. It tastes sweet, with a note of black plum jelly and hints of treacle and sultana. For mid-term aging.
This sweet, sparkling Rosato opens with fresh tones of raspberry and blueberry followed by simple freshness in the mouth. There's not much here, but the wine is cheerful and fun overall.
This sweet, sumptuous LBV is full of rich black cherry, rainsins, dried apricots and soft tannins. A touch of acidity keeps the whole thing in check and suggests it could age for a few years, although it is very drinkable now.
This sweetie is powerful yet smooth, with almond paste and coffee aromas along with a mild sharpness that lends focus. Flavors of chocolate, brown sugar and baked apples burst forth from the thick and creamy palate, while the finish, which runs a little short, is flavorful and comes with a mushroom accent. A sure-fire hit with desserts.
This Swiss red blend is composed of four varieties and has aromas of black cherry, red pepper and bell pepper and aromas of black raspberry and elderberry. The tannins are velvety and well balanced.
This Syrah's outstanding feature isn't the ripe blackberry, cherry, currant, cocoa and smoked meat flavors, although they are delicious. It's the balance. The tannins are lovely, the acidity is just right and the finish is spicy and complex. The wine frames the Syrah argument in California in a new way.
This Syrah-based blend is marked by bone-dry, unsweetened baker's chocolate and blackberry flavors. It's a simple, tannic wine to drink with simple fare, such as burgers.
This Syrah-based blend of five different red grapes may be “big” in blending components, but it's quite sleek and elegant on the palate. It's not a deeply concentrated brooding wine, but brisk and spry, offering fresh black-cherry and berry flavors. Soft feathery tannins and notes of cedar and forest floor linger on the finish.
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.
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.
This Syrah-based rosé, with just 4% Viognier, offers very clean lines of ripe cherry, strawberry, baking spice and brioche on the nose. There is a strong tactile grip to the palate, and then it smooths out very quickly, with a lemon juice acidity cutting through ripe red fruits.
This Syrah-based wine is dense, concentrated and seriously ageworthy. It is weighted by concentrated black fruit, with solid tannic structure and fine acidity on the finish. Drink after 2016.
This Syrah-based wine,  with 10% Sangiovese, boasts gorgeous harmony and elegance. Tones of charred meat, leather and sweet spice are obvious but the wine also has delicate little touches of forest berry, lavender and rose petal that make it charming as well as powerful.
This Syrah-Cab blend is an oaky specimen with no shortage of vanilla, cream and sawdust on the nose. In the mouth, it's quite rich, almost to the point of being syrupy. Flavors of blackberry, toast, vanilla and popcorn announce even more generous oak, while the finish is warm in feel, with baked fruit, mint and vanilla flavors. Drink now–2017.
This Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon blend, in roughly equal proportions, is soft and sweet in black currants, dark chocolate, beef jerky and new oak flavors, wrapped into strong but pliable tannins. Drink now.
This Syrah-dominant blend with 12% Grenache, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cinsault and 2% Viognier offers a delicious, fruit-driven core matched with complex spice notes of sweet smoke, cured meat and fresh tobacco leaf. The mouth is silky and smooth with fine-grain tannins and a white pepper-flecked finish. Drink now–2012.
This Syrah-dominant blend, with 25% Carignan and 5% Grenache, leads with oak-driven aromas of charred cedar, sweet smoke and vanilla bean that envelop the ripe blackberry and cherry fruit tones. The palate is lush and full, with a creamy roundness that's partially lifted by generous spicy notes of garrigue, licorice root and black pepper on the close.
This Syrah-dominated, estate-grown red is loaded with the savory highlights for which the Rocks region is noted. A small addition of Cabernet Sauvignon adds muscle to the tannins, while a splash of Mourvèdre contributes a bit of earth and stone. Tightly wound raspberry fruit anchors a compact and tangy core. This is a beautifully balanced wine that should cellar well through 2024 or longer.
This Syrah-Grenache blend is enormously rich, ripe and heady. It wears its 16% abv well, without ever feeling hot or awkward. Instead, fine acidity and firm tannins give the dark chocolate and blackberry jam flavors the balanced lusciousness of Port, without the sweetness.
This Syrah-Grenache rosé is fresh, inviting and lively, starting with scents of strawberry, raspberry, citrus peel and pink florals. Light and bright on the palate, tart berry and melon rind flavors lead seamlessly into the garrigue-kissed finish.
This Syrah-Grenache rosé is intensely herbal, with strong notes of thyme, sage, parsley, laurel and lavender, all grounded by a tart cherry character. The palate is pleasantly zippy in acidity and a touch astringent through the close, with notes of orange pith and melon rind that linger nicely. Drink now.
This Syrah-led blend (with Carignan) hails from old vineyards in Maule. Leather, rubber, compost and earthy cherry aromas set up a palate with laser-beam acidity and shearing crispness. Flavors of red fruits, spice and herbal notes finish oaky and a bit raw, but exceedingly fresh. Drink through 2018.
This Syrah-led blend delivers a blast of asphalt, cherry cough drop, licorice and raw oak on the nose. The palate is cushioned and ripe, but with solid acidity. Flavors of baked, loamy berry fruits are spicy and slightly medicinal, while the finish is woody, with related flavors of vanilla and caramel. This also contains 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Tempranillo.
This Syrah-Merlot blush has a pretty color, but there's not much going on, flavor-wise. It tastes like alcohol and acidity, with a tiny splash of cherry flavoring.
This Syrah-Petite Sirah is starting to show some bottle age. It's still high in tannins, but the primary red and black stone fruits and berries are mellowing into dried fruits, with funkier notes of bacon, leather and tamari-splashed sautéed wild mushrooms. An interesting wine to drink now, and should continue to evolve for another 5–6 years.
This Syrah-Xinomavro blend offers notes of clove and blueberry on the nose, followed by flavors of smoked meat, black fruit and cedar on the palate. It feels big, and it finishes with a clean, spirited flourish.
This Syrah-Zin blend is forward in jammy raspberry, cherry, herb tea and spice flavors. It's simple, but crisp acidity gives it a firm, clean finish.
This Syrah and Carmenère blend is bold but elegant, with ripe, spicy, bullish aromas that tell of what's to come. That would be a muscle-ripped palate with depth. Blackberry, black cherry, spice and blackened toast flavors finish in smoky darkness, with toasty length. This is a serious wine for red meats. Drink through 2025.
This Syrah and Grenache blend is soft and easy to drink now, offering raspberry and cherry jam flavors with a hit of sweet, smoky oak.
This Syrah appeals to all the senses, leading with blackberry, bramble, kirsch, mineral and crushed flower aromas. The palate is rich and dense, holding nothing back with its opulent black fruit flavors. A hedonistic expression of the variety.
This Syrah bears a gamy accent that overlays the flavors of juicy berries, herbs and spices. A peppery note highlights the clean, crisp finish.
This Syrah begins with subtle, mellow aromas of herbs and black fruits. A plump, round, chunky palate carries flavors of lemony oak, loam, pepper and soft blackberry. This is solid but regular on the finish, where herbal flavors are slightly toasted and show some heat.
This Syrah boasts of cherry-vanilla, blackberry and black plum aromas and sour cherry and blackberry flavors. The tannins are nicely round, and the finish is pleasantly acidic.
This Syrah contains some Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives it a solid edge of hard tannins. It's finely constructed and complex, with ripe, elaborate blackberry, black currant, grilled meat, pepper and sandalwood flavors. Tight and young, it will begin to resolve its internal difficulties by 2015.
This Syrah emphasizes herb and spice, keeping the peppery fruit in the background. Nice grip and a pleasing texture contribute to the enjoyment, though the light, grapy flavors make you wonder how well the wine will age.
This Syrah from Bulgaria's Thracian Valley is garnet in the glass with aromas of cherry cola and black cherry. It has flavors of black raspberry, red plum and cherry with a grippy tannic finish.
This Syrah hails from northern Chile, and it deals aromas of sweet black fruit, olive, rubber and oak. It feels juicy and fruity, with racy black plum, wild berry and pepper flavors. It's rather raw in feel and modest in complexity, but overall it's interesting.
This Syrah has a fine, complex structure of tannins and acids, with flashy black currant and oak flavors. Flavors of grilled meat sprinkled with black pepper lend a profile that's characteristically Syrah. Made from 100% Syrah from the winery's Coombsville vineyard, it will develop bottle complexity over the next six years.
This Syrah has a lovely mouthfeel, with soft, plush tannins, clean acids and a dry, balanced finish. The flavors are of black currants, roasted meat, violets, anise and crushed black pepper. Has some green notes, but it's a nice glass of wine.
This Syrah is addictively drinkable. It's so round and smooth, so complete, and above all so delicious in flavors. They range from crushed, ripe summer blackberries and cassis to black pepper and dark chocolate and, if you're familiar with it, the Jewish dessert, hamantaschen, which are prune-filled pastry tarts. The grapes come from the well-regarded Rancho Sisquoc Vineyard.
This Syrah is at the top of the lineup for Reininger. It's tightly wound, yet it opens gracefully to reveal deep flavors of blueberry and plum, with resonating notes of earth, iron, espresso and dark chocolate. This can age for up to a decade.
This Syrah is big, rubbery and heavily charred on the nose, with iodine and minerally notes kicking in. The palate is deep but not too heavy, with juicy acidity. Flavors of plum, berry, chocolate and spice finish toasty, with licorice and espresso notes. Drink now through 2018.
This Syrah is bone dry, tannic and simple. The blackberry jam and pepper flavors are tasty, but unable to rise above the astringency. Drink now.
This Syrah is candied on the palate with brown sugar and blackberry jam flavors, with a cassis liqueur headiness from high alcohol. It's not an ager, so drink up.
This Syrah is considerably lighter in body than you'd expect for a variety that's often heavy and full bodied. It has the silkiness of a Pinot Noir, and it's dry and complex in wild berry, leather, black pepper and cedar flavors. It shows lots of elegance throughout, and could even pick up bottle notes over the next six years.
This Syrah is done in a surprisingly soft style, with light, peppery, rather pale fruit flavors. It's pleasant, but not a typical representative of the grape's usual power.
This Syrah is easy to drink with barbecue, beef, lamb stew or other robust dishes. It's dry and savory, with black pepper, blackberry, currant and jerky flavors.
This Syrah is exceptionally rich with flavors of cherries, blackberries, mocha and smoked meat, all touched with a hint of oak. It's tannins and acids provide excellent structure. A deliciously complex wine to drink now and over the next few years.
This Syrah is hard and tannic now, and it will always be hard and tannic, but it's quite an impressive wine. So dense and layered, it reveals tiers of complexity with every sip as it airs in the glass. The flavors are of pure, ripe wild blackberries, with currant, coffee and tobacco notes, and sprinkled with crushed black pepper. Drink now–2013.
This Syrah is heavy and minty, with plastic aromas. The palate is chunky and citrusy in feel, with little body. Flavors of clove, mint and berry lead to a resiny, almost fruitless finish.
This Syrah is inky black in color. It explodes on the palate with black currants, herbs and black pepper, with a distinct note of animal and char, like a roasted bone. There's some real complexity, as well as deliberate restraint. Good to drink now, with proper decanting, and could develop interestingly over the next 4–5 years.
This Syrah is just too high in alcohol. Nearing 16% abv, it's as hot as a chili pepper. Some wines can handle that. As it's slender in flavor, it can't handle the heat. The addition of some Monterey County fruit adds acidity and freshness.
This Syrah is marked by fruit. The oak is modest, staying in the background, with only a suggestion of toast. The flavors are ripe, suggesting black-cherry jam, chocolate, mu shu plum sauce and peppery spices. Drink it now.
This Syrah is overripe. It has a taste of raisins and prunes­—a baked, Porty quality—like the grapes had been grilled before being made into wine.
This Syrah is pretty good, but it tastes heavy and a little overripe. The blackberry, currant and unsweetened chocolate flavors have a bitter, dessicated fruit edge.
This Syrah is really attractive upfront, with aromas of sweet pastry crust, baked plum, licorice and cracked pepper. The plum and blackberry fruit is balanced by some savory elements on the palate, which doesn't show a lot of weight or length. A pretty wine to drink over the next couple of years.
This Syrah is remarkably ripe in blackberry, blueberry and cherry fruit, with a bite of acidity. It feels fine and vital in the mouth. Give it a brief decant.
This Syrah is so good, it's crazy to think K-J made 16,000 cases of it and is selling it at this price. It's dry, tannic and full-bodied, just what you want in a steak-friendly wine, and the amazing flavors range from blackberry and cherry jam through cassis and plums to toast, smoked meat, vanilla, black pepper and dark chocolate.
This Syrah is soft, simple and sweet, with jammy raspberry, cherry and milk chocolate flavors. High alcohol gives it some heat on the finish. Drink up.
This Syrah is somewhat tough and gritty in tannins, with a bite of acidity. It's very dry, with flavors of tobacco, herbs, blackberries and cola. A good, sound full-bodied red for drinking now.
This Syrah is Terre Rouge's flagship, and it lives up to its reputation with more complexity and spiciness than the other wines in the portfolio. It's earthy and oaky in aroma yet full of indulgent flavor—drenched with dark berry and dark chocolate notes and cedar, anise and new leather accents. Full bodied and memorable, it has wonderful layering and a lingering, spicy finish.
This Syrah is very strong in tannins, the kind that dry out the palate. However, it has balancing acidity and oak influence, plus impressive blackberry, currant, charred meat and black pepper flavors. Give it a good long decant and drink with beef and game dishes.
This Syrah isn't the richest red wine, but it is very dry and balanced and, in its own way, quite elegant. With some scoury tannins, good acidity and pepper-infused cherry and tobacco flavors, it has enough complexity to accompany fine foods.
This Syrah leads with standard berry and chocolate aromas. The mouthfeel is largely fresh, and while there's creamy oak as part of the flavor package, there's also good berry character and mint.
This Syrah offers bright tones of leather, cured meat and blackberry. Smooth and long-lasting, the palate boasts loads of bright berries.
This Syrah offers plush cherry and blackberry notes, with cured meat, tobacco and black pepper touches. It feels smooth, rich and soft.
This Syrah offers toasty and charred notes that frame the fruity core of red cherry and raspberry. It's medium bodied, offering supple tannins that support mocha and grilled herb flavors.
This Syrah opens with aromas of black fruit, earth, coffee bean and oak. The palate shows lots of oak, along with blackberry, black pepper, espresso and vanilla that are restrained by astringent wood tannins. While the tannins need years to come around, the fruit is already drying up.
This Syrah opens with aromas of ripe dark-skinned fruit, ground black pepper and a whiff of cedar that all carry over to the dense, one-dimensional palate, along with a licorice note. It's balanced by firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2017.
This Syrah opens with aromas of scorched earth, ripe black-skinned fruit, game and dark cooking spice. The dense palate offers blackberry, black currant, licorice and tobacco alongside firm but fine-grained tannins.
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 Syrah opens with ripe, pulpy fruit and rich aromas of red cherry, blackberry, spice and crushed black pepper. There are touches of smoke and barbecue on the finish.
This Syrah shows just a touch of smokiness. It has vital acids and furry tannins that structure the cherry pie flavor. Great for drinking now if you're looking for a medium-bodied selection.
This Syrah shows ripe blackberry, mulberry and currant flavors, plus notes of smoked meat, charred bone, anise and black pepper. With firm tannins and fine minerality, this clonal Syrah has great structure. It's terrific to drink now after some time in a decanter, and it can also age for 6–8 more years.
This Syrah shows the bright fruit and crisp, organizing acidity of Domaine Alfred's Chamisal botting, which is their reserve, without quite the lushness and power. Nonetheless, it's a fine Syrah, firm and dry in tannins, with fat, sappy texture framing jammy cherry, blackberry and peppery fruit.
This Syrah shows the dramatic richness of almost any Stagecoach red. Midnight black in color, it's enormously extracted in blackberry jam fruit, with complex notes of grilled meat, black pepper, licorice, violets and subtle minerals. The tannins are huge, but furry and pliable. If you have to drink it now, give it a few hours in the decanter. But it should benefit by reposing until 2017 in the cellar.
This Syrah shows the massively extracted flavors that mark Constant's Napa Valley Cabernets. Such an approach works for Cabernet, but on this Syrah, it seems clumsy. It's extraordinarily powerful in blackberry jam, milk chocolate and spice flavors, but it's a little heavy.
This Syrah smells meaty and roasted, with savory spice aromas and plenty of black fruit on the nose. It's chewy and creamy feeling, with blueberry and blackberry flavors in front of a short finish that's abrupt but clean.
This Syrah starts off earthy, musky, big and brawny and can't escape the wood-oaked herbal greenness on the finish. It's simply too high in alcohol.
This Syrah tries to strike a balance between rich opulence and controlled elegance, and it largely succeeds. It's has exquisite tannins and fine acidity, finishing bone dry. The flavors are complex, immediately suggesting ripe blackberries, with notes of beef tartare, grilled wild mushrooms splashed with tamari, black pepper and minerals. You can draw analogies to the northern Rhône if you want. Will it age? Hard to say, but it's a great wine now.
This Syrah was aged in 100% new oak, two thirds American and one third French. Barrel flavors abound, especially vanilla, and the fruit seems a bit overshadowed at this point in time. The tannins are aggressive, and overall this young wine seems to need more time in bottle to smooth out.
This Syrah was grown and produced by the winery owners, and held back almost five years before release. That's an impressive act of courage, but it has benefited the consumer. The wine, while still somewhat tannic, feels mellow, with a complex array of black fruits and berries, grilled bacon, sweet tobacco, dark chocolate and, above all, freshly crushed black pepper. An impressive Syrah that should change in interesting ways over the next six years.
This Syrah was grown in Carneros in the cool, long '05 vintage, which may explain its minty sharpness, despite the low case production level. You'll find enough cherry fruit and new French oak to make it fairly rich, but that sharp green tang remains.
This Syrah, blended with 9% Cabernet, tastes of dark fruit, tobacco and leather. But there's an odd aroma lurking in the wine's background that's hard to pinpoint and not entirely pleasant.
This Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre blend shows hot alcohol and superripe flavors of blackberries, cassis, dark chocolate and raisins. It's a big, rich, thick wine that sticks to the gums, almost syrupy, but fully dry. Decant it and drink with stews, casseroles, barbecue.
This Syrah, Merlot and Malbec blend is full bodied and tannic. It has rich, ripe blackberry and chocolate flavors. An everyday wine for drinking with barbecue or tacos.
This Syrah, which blends 11% Counoise, is all about darkness, offering baking spice, blueberry, roast lamb, thyme, and espresso notes on the nose. It hits the palate with creamy power, its acidic backbone bolstering the pleasing tannic softness, and shows dark berry, milk chocolate, charred beef, and crushed peppercorn flavors.
This Syrah, which is enhanced by 15% Petit Verdot, is one of the better wines from the region on the market for less than $25. Awesome aromas of pepper, blackberry and charred beef are intense and deep, while the palate is lifted by bountiful acidity and flavors of boysenberry, white, black and green peppercorns, incense and sagebrush.
This Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon blend displays attractive scents and flavors of ripe blackberries. The tannins are etched by a rim of dark chocolate, and finished with a whiff of smoke.
This Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre blend, finished in screwcap, is always one of Washington's best values and flat out most delicious Rhône blends. The 2006 is the best ever, with dark, supple fruits that weave together berries, cherries, plums, cassis, licorice, pepper and Provençal herbs. It's a riot of flavors, young and brash, but perfectly capable of aging.
This Syrah/Mourvèdre blend is a forward, bright and seamless expression of peppery berry fruit. Tart, smooth and accessible, it's backed with refreshing minerality and a dollop of cocoa.
This syrupy, dense red exhibits tobacco and root beer flavors, framed with chunky tannins. Blackberry and black current fruit barely show through its leathery texture and profound weight.
This Szamorodni, or late-harvest wine, is amber in color with aromas of caramel and dried raisins. In the mouth, there are rich flavors of dried fruits, stewed plums and wine-soaked raisins that combine on your tongue before a juicy yet persistent finish.
This takes a few minutes to open up in the glass before revealing alluring classic Nebbiolo scents of wild red berry, sweet cake spice and a balsamic note. The palate is spot on; delivering juicy raspberry, wild cherry, black tea, ground pepper, cinnamon, chopped herb and a hint of pipe tobacco. Firm, glossy tannins and bright acidity give it an elegant structure.
This takes a few moments to open up on the nose but the gloriously tart but ripe apple notion of Riesling then becomes enticing and irresistible. On the palate the flavors the apple flavor acquires the merest touch of honey while vivid lemon awakes all taste buds. This is intense and incisive but not heavy at all. The palate is dry and poised. The finish is ultraclean and gorgeously lip-smacking. Totally refreshing now but with great potential. Drink 2017–2037.
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.
This takes a rich, complex approach, with spicy, honey-like and almost meaty aromas, ripe Bosc pear and almond flavors and a hefty texture. Medium to full bodied, it has some crisp acidity in the background and a sense of luxuriousness to drinking it.
This takes ripe fruit and oak influence to the limits, with powerful flavors of buttered toast, pineapple, orange jam and vanilla-cream. This defines the flashy style of California Chardonnay, with a honeyed finish.
This takes the color rosé to an extreme. Almost white, with only the palest hint of color, it comes from 80-year-old Grenache vines. That creates what little concentration this light and delicate wine has. There is an attractive spicy herbal character that lies at the back of this fruity wine.
This tan-colored brut is outright oxidized and bready from front to tail. A foamy full palate is awkward, while this tastes yeasty and stale, as oxidized wines often do.
This tan-colored bubbly from stony soils smells complex, bready, yeasty and a lot like baked apple. A round, yeasty palate is cushioned like fine bedding, while yeasty flavors of bread and apple finish long. Drink through 2020.
This tan-colored Muscat was fermented and aged in clay amphora, hence the “viejas tinajas” name. Aromatically, this is strained and smells vaguely of apricot and citrus peel. The palate is drawing due to heavy skins contact during fermentation and aging, while a short set of bitter apricot flavors is more challenging than pleasurable. Better to wait for the 2016. This is past its prime.
This tangy rosé opens with a burst of tart strawberry fruit, and rolls into a lightly creamy midpalate. It's in the peppery, tannic style of rosé, making it a good match for more substantial foods.
This tangy wine has attractive acidity and a tightly coiled mineral texture. Apple and lemon flavors shoot right through the bright, crisp texture. Drink from 2017.
This tangy wine is crisp while also fruity. With its hints of herbal flavors along with green plum and apples, it is a juicy wine that is ready to drink now.
This tangy wine is laced with plenty of toasty new oak, giving it scents and flavors of cocoa and spice. Some excellent fruit is there, tasting of tart black cherries, but it seems a bit overwhelmed. —P.G.
This tangy wine with spice and acidity has kiwi and lime flavors that give a fresh character. The aftertaste is lightly perfumed. Drink now.
This tangy young wine is shot through with a steely, mineral texture that will soften to give a more rounded and ripe wine. It likely always will retain that attractive, tangy edge. Drink from 2017 for it to be at its best.
This tangy, all-stainless, lightly grassy, dry Sauvignon Blanc is a pure and definitive elaboration of the grape's varietal character. Penetrating and crisp, it would be hard  to ask for more from a $9 wine.
This tangy, lemon-scented wine has a fine citrus flavor and a mineral touch due to its vineyard's high altitude. It is zesty and bright in character, with fresh final acidity.
This tangy, light-bodied wine wakes up the nose with a vivid herb and citrus aroma, and livens up the palate with fresh lemon and green-apple flavors. The texture melts slightly around the edges to keep it smooth on the finish.
This tangy, perfumed single-vineyard wine also has some ripe fruit. A zesty character dominates at this early stage, leaving room for richer yellow fruits to come through in time. The wine has good potential, so wait until 2017 to drink.
This tangy, ripe and fruity wine is crisp with acidity. It's attractively brimming with fruit and ready to drink.
This Tannat (with 15% Viognier) is full and oaky up front, with vanilla notes accenting berry aromas. Astringent tannins make for a rubbery palate. Lightly stewed flavors of plum and mixed spices finish long, with a note of herbal tomato.
This tannic and extracted wine shows touches of burnt wood and solid, dry tannins. It misses the generously fruity feel of the vintage, replacing it with a firm, tight character. It needs several years.
This tannic blend is 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 20% Petite Sirah. It opens with black cherry and cassis fruit, with a strong flavor of charred wood. Flavors are front-loaded, as the wine quickly turns thin and vinegary.
This tart, lean wine from an Amador County winery is very dry, very tangy and very herbaceous in aroma and flavor. It will be a great choice at lunch or before dinner for people who appreciate aromatic expression and an austere texture.
This tart, lean wine is not welcoming, but earthy, lively aromas and sour-cherry and tart raspberry flavors give it personality. The tannins are severe and sharp, too. It tastes light in alcohol and high in acidity so there is no hurry to drink it. Some mellowness and maturity may develop by 2018.
This tart, medium-bodied Pinot Noir features sour cherry and cranberry fruit blended with hints of minty herbs and fresh compost. Drink now.
This tart, plush and broadly appealing wine is fruit-forward and rounded with red cherry, cola and vanilla flavors.
This tart, silky wine brings together hints of vanilla and cedar with pie cherries and beets. Light in body, it finishes with crisp acids.
This tart, sleek, pretty wine shows bright strawberry and raspberry fruit. Quite young and fresh, it's still rather tight and stubbornly closed, even after breathing for a full 24 hours.
This tartly acid-driven effort from Mumm includes Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Honeyed aromas lead into a luxurious palate of thick mousse and crisp green apple flavors.
This tastes a bit on the sweet side, with flavors of white sugar, orange, lemon, lime and vanilla. Fortunately, there's a cut of crisp acidity that lends balance. The grapes come mainly from Lake County and Paso Robles.
This tastes a bit over-cropped; the varietal character is there, but it's a pale rendition. Lightly peppery and grassy, with hints of citrus and very green apple fruit. Straightforward and simple.
This tastes a little on the candied side, with flavors of pineapple and lemon tart, plus a note of sweet buttered toast from the oak.
This tastes a little sweet and a little green and leafy, but there's enough pineapple and orange richness to satisfy. Best of all is the acidity, which is bright and zippy.
This tastes a little sweet, in the Rosenblum style, with apricot, orange and pear flavors. But it's nicely crisp in acidity, which gives it a clean finish. Delightful now as a cocktail sipper.
This tastes a little too high in acidity, but it does show the spiciness of Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir. Flavors of ripe black cherry, peppercorn and licorice are all found, and it shows a nice silkiness. Drink now.
This tastes a little underripe, with a green note that joins the cherry and cranberry flavors. Dry and tart, this wine should be decanted and consumed now.
This tastes a little unripe, with a green mint and vegetal streak that cuts across the flavors of raspberry and sweet toasty oak. Rich meats and cheeses will help tame the acids. It doesn't seem to be an ager, so drink up.
This tastes almost like a fortified wine, with strong alcohol heat boosting very dry wild-blackberry, pepper and prune flavors.
This tastes and feels a little heavy and sweet, with prominent cherry candy flavors. It's quite tasty, but one-dimensional in its appeal. Drink now—it's hard to see it devloping much in the bottle.
This tastes and feels mellow and approachable, with gentle aromas of plums, dried herbs and tomato, and medium body with moderate tannins. It is supple and easy to drink.
This tastes barely ripe, with a vegetal flavor compromsing the chocolate and cherry notes. It's soft, making it fall a little flat in the mouth.
This tastes bold in flavor and feels lavish in texture. Aromas resemble red cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg, while the flavors are ripe and spread out on the palate, seeming to form layers of fruit, spice and maple. Smooth and flavorful, it's appealing from first sniff to finish.
This tastes bone dry and silky, and it comes with Russian River's tart acidity. The cherry and cola flavors could be more concentrated, but it does have some elegance.
This tastes bone dry, and it offers acidity that's so clean and racy, it makes your mouth feel like it's shining. The flavors of limes, lemons, hay, white pepper and vanilla are delightful.
This tastes bone dry, with a caramel note that's followed by light, bright notes of red berry and apple. The finish is crisp and tight.
This tastes bright and lively, just a bit sweet and brimming with fruit flavor. It smells like green apples and grapefruit, tastes like honeydew melon and adds a bit of acidity to balance out the ripeness.
This tastes complex, mellow and delicious, showing diverse aroma nuances like bay leaf and forest floor in addition to more fruity, black cherry, cinnamon and clove notes. It is full bodied, very ripe and juicy, and feels smooth in texture thanks to subdued acidity and tannins.
This tastes deep, ripe and yet very smooth and drinkable for its full body and firmly tannic texture. Aromas recall cedar, dark plums, blueberry and black cherry plus a whiff of mint, while the flavors are grand, dark and rich. Enjoy it now through 2019.
This tastes distinctly sweet—like a cherry-and-chocolate confection—and the acidity is high. It's hard to predict where this is going, but it seems awkward now. Tasted twice, with consistent results.
This tastes dry, though the 12.5 g/L residual sugar does round off the mouthfeel. Powerful, juicy fruit flavors of lemon pith, orange peel, pink grapefruit and white peach abound, with a touch of honey in the finish. Two-thirds was sourced from the excellent Hyland Vineyard.
This tastes far more expensive than the price would suggest. Sourced from both Red Mountain and Royal Slope vineyards, it's a smoke-, coffee- and licorice-laden wine, with expressive cassis and black cherry flavors at its core. It finishes with lovely, fine-grained tannins.
This tastes full of dark-fruit flavors and is well structured by moderate tannins and firm acidity. The color is deep red, while aromas are bright yet ripe like black currants. On the finish a hint of spicy oak comes through. It's bold and full-bodied.
This tastes honey-sweet, with apricot, lime and vanilla flavors, brightened by crisp acidity. The blend is Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Viognier.
This tastes hotter than the official alcohol of 14.4% abv, giving it a heat that combines with the pepper flavor that lends a prickliness. A flavor of overripe raisin also shows up in this dry blend, which is based on Zinfandel. It's a rustic wine for drinking now.
This tastes jammy and very fruity, with tannins that are totally enveloped by the rich texture. Plummy and comfortable, it's all about ripe berries and currants. Smoky flavors come from the wood aging, and contrast with the Port-like lusciousness of the wine.
This tastes juicy, sweet and vibrant, with candied raspberry, pink bubblegum, vanilla, cinnamon and white pepper flavors. A nice Zin to drink now.
This tastes lean, the fruit buried deep beneath hard, dry fruit tannins. There is an old style austerity here that demands food. The final juicy acidity does leave a welcome relief.
This tastes light and fruity. Its great swathe of acidity cuts through the orange and red fruit flavors, lending crispness and a fresh finish.
This tastes like a candy bar, with flavors of melted cherry jam and milk chocolate. Some overripe fruit shows up in the form of a raisin flavor.
This tastes like a cool-climate Zin because of the deep plum and black cherry flavors and light earthy, herbal accents, with touches of cedar and toast in the bouquet. It has moderate tannins and medium-to-full body.
This tastes like a fruit juice blend of pineapples, oranges, mangoes and apricots. The acidity makes it taste bright and crisp.
This tastes like a hot, simple wine whose berry, cherry and bacon flavors have been acidified, making it strangely unbalanced. It finishes on the sweet, jammy side. Made of roughly equal parts Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache.
This tastes like a more concentrated and sweeter version of Stottle's dry Viognier from the same vintage and vineyard. Deeply concentrated, complex and creamy, it's loaded with citrus and stone fruits, honey and butterscotch, yet remains lifted by defining acidity.
This tastes like a warm climate, soft, round Cabernet, full-bodied and etched in dark, smoky tannins. The alcohol reaches 14.8% but does not burn; the fruit is a mix of figs and plums and ripe black cherries. Already four years old, it's drinking very well now and may be at its best over the next couple of years.
This tastes like an alcoholic fruit drink with apricot, orange and mango flavors. Still, it's clean and pleasant.
This tastes like an orange, peach and guava breakfast fruit drink—sweet and tart in acidity. It has some warmth from the alcohol.
This tastes like buttered toast, topped with orange marmalade and vanilla. The crisp acidity makes it feel bright and clean.
This tastes like fruit from a cooler, perhaps higher altitude site. It's got a bracing minerality that runs through the fruit and gives the wine a solid backbone. Rhubarb and cranberry fruit is tightly laced against that rocky core, with plenty of natural acid propping up the finish. Little oak flavor is evident right now, though 38% of the barrels were new. This wine should be decanted, but as it opens it really shines.
This tastes like it could be anything from Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc to Grenache Blanc, but it's rich in honey, orange and buttered toastflavors. It's seems a little sweet, but it has a good cut of acidity.
This tastes like Port, with raisin, prune and chocolate flavors. Drink up.
This tastes like Suavignon Blanc with bubbles, so I suppose it must be deemed successful. Tomato leaf, fig and citrus notes are elevated in intensity by the gentle presence of CO2, but finish short.
This tastes much younger than 10 years, showing freshness, with white fruit flavors. It's unbalanced, with the spirit showing rather than any maturity.
This tastes of brash dark fruit, sage and coffee. It will appeal to lovers of big wine and pair expertly with pizza—especially with meaty toppings.
This tastes of great Cabernet Sauvignon, with its black currant, cedar and herbs and fresh, juicy acidity. It is as fresh as it is rich, but it has a structure of dense tannins that balances the wine. This is one of the best wines from Gruaud-Larose for several years.
This tastes of warmer Russian River Valley climes, darker and riper in black cherry and berry fruit character with a layering of toasty cinnamon and oak. The aroma tends to the earthy/pastoral.
This tastes overripe and Port-like. The flavors are of raisins, currants, licorice and sweet caramelized oak. This is unlikely to evolve positively, so drink now.
This tastes quite dry, though the residual sugar comes in at 12 g/L, enough to tilt some Rieslings toward off dry. The fruit is a bit thin, with flavors of celery and white peach. The mouthfeel is refreshing, with wet stone minerality and plenty of tart acids.
This tastes seemingly sweet, like a candy bar of honey, orange extract, vanilla and roasted almonds.
This tastes soft and almost off-dry, despite its brut label. The flavors are of off-ripe apple, creamed pear and a light taste of acidity. It's all fine and in balance, it just misses vivacity and freshness.
This tastes soft and simple now, although considering the vineyard sourcing, that could be misleading. There's a core of raspberry and cherry fruit, with intriguing forest notes of dried pine needles and mushrooms. The acidity is just right, neither bright nor too soft. The wine isn't showing much now, but could be a sleeper. Try after 2015.
This tastes soft and sweet, with citrus, green apple and apricot flavors. It's an easy wine to drink with slightly-sweet southeast Asian fare.
This tastes soft, sweet and simple. The blend is Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Columbard and Gewurztraminer.
This tastes somewhat vegetal, with dill and asparagus hints that are set against the cherry pie flavor.
This tastes straightforward and modestly fruity. Smooth in texture and not very tannic, it has just enough red cherry and plum flavor to be substantive. Made from 70% Zinfandel, 25% Sangiovese and 5% Syrah.
This tastes sweet and clean, with mango, peach and orange flavors that are brightened with zesty acidity.
This tastes sweet and hot, which gives the flavors of blackberry and raisin a Port-like character.
This tastes sweet and simple, with flavors of cherries and berries that finish quick and thin, leaving behind a sugary taste.
This tastes sweet and simple, with lemongrass and tropical fruit notes. It's high in acidity, giving it a sweet and sour finish.
This tastes sweet, with a honey-infused orange flavor. There's a crisp note of acidity for balance. Overall, this is easy to drink with almost anything calling for a white wine.
This tastes sweeter than the very fine 2009 and 2010, but that may be because the fruit is so powerfully intense and pure. It has flavors of ripe tangerines, limes, peaches and apples, made racy by its acidity. No oak has been applied, so the wine tastes fresh.
This tastes very oaky, with notes of buttered toast and sweet, smoky butterscotch dominating the apricot and orange fruit.
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 tasty blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache offers blueberry, olallieberry, gamy goat meat and minty cola on the ever-so-slightly reductive nose. The palate picks up a bit of tar as well as cooked beef and pork, served in a sauce of elderberry and blackberry fruits.
This tasty bottle does not push for maximum ripeness, settling comfortably into a ripe-enough mix of apples, pears and nectarines. There's a dusting of cinnamon and even a little hint of brown sugar, though the wine is definitely finished dry. The balance holds true through a medium-long finish.
This tasty but ultimately simple Pinot is soft and sweetly forward in raspberry jam, cola, brown sugar and oak flavors. Drink up.
This tasty effort has very tart red fruit set in sharp acids, with highlights of spices and seeds. Still quite young, with the acidity and structure to improve over the next few years.
This tasty Pinot is one of Testarossa's more forward wines from the 2011 vintage. It shows the delicacy of texture and mouthwatering acidity that characterize all the wines, with candied flavors of raspberry, blueberry, mint and cola, enriched, as always, by lucious, smoky oak. It may be that the vines need some more age, for the underlying terroir seems fine.
This tasty red has clean, ripe fruit notes and a pretty, chocolaty finish. The tannins are supple and the 18 months spent in mixed oak adds a touch of mocha. Little suggests that this is a specific variety rather than a pleasant, generic red wine.
This tasty Rioja has an almost chewy feel. Tart dried fruits, leather, licorice and menthol oak aromas and flavors come together well in this—especially at this age—fairly full-bodied wine. Dark and handsome, it still has some tannins to shed, and finishes long and dry. Drink now–2007. —M.M.
This tasty white wine has skin flavors in abundance–citrus peel and apple, with a bit of white peach as well. It's sleek and focused, not afraid to show a touch of bitterness to frame the fruit. It might benefit from decanting an hour or so before consuming it.
This tasty wine has vivid cherry, strawberry, candylike aromas and flavors. Medium bodied, it offers a mouthfeel that's almost syrupy, a balance that's slightly sweet and an easy-drinking texture.
This tasty wine opens with savory scents of herb-speckled cranberries and red currants. It's a tight and tangy wine, that comes alive with aggressive aeration. Drink now through 2020.
This tasty, balanced wine is leaner than some of its peers. Green apple and white peach aromas lead to apple and light citrus flavors. The crisp acidity lines up nicely, making it a versatile partner for food.
This tasty, lightly toasty wine is 100% varietal, with fruit approaching plumpness and offering mixed flavors of cantaloupe, pear and peach. It rolls smoothly into a well-rounded finish with a dash of white pepper.
This tasty, medium-bodied blend is about half Sauvignon Blanc, with the balance split almost evenly between Chardonnay and Semillon. Struck flint marks the nose, while the flavors suggest hints of asparagus and fig. Drink now.
This tasty, toasty red wine is all Sangiovese. The tangy red berry fruit flavors carry highlights of peppery herbs. With some air time the wine smoothes out and rolls into a creamy, mocha-infused finish.
This tasty, toasty Syrah-dominated red brings Cabernet and Merlot into the mix, yielding a wine with bright raspberry and blackberry fruit at its core. Firm tannins and balancing acidity complete the picture.
This tasty, well-balanced wine is oaky in style, with lightly smoky and buttery nuances and generous apple and lemon flavors. It's medium bodied and smooth but lively in texture and has a light, buttery finish.
This tasty, well-built wine is light in color, moderate in fruit flavor and has interesting spicy accents. The mouthfeel is broad and generous but also nicely supported by a light lacing of tannin.
This Taurasi Riserva shows the beautiful and austere side of Aglianico, with penetrating notes of dried fruit, wet river stone, cigar box and crushed clove. It delivers structure and enough persistence to pair with stewed lamb and potatoes, and it can also be cellared for 10 years or more.
This Taurasi, made from Southern Italy's noble Aglianico grape, unfolds with earthy aromas of tilled soil, black fruit and flint. The palate delivers a core of tight black cherry, tobacco, white pepper and smoke notes along with big velvety tannins.
This taut and structured wine has weight as well as ripe fruits, with a strong mineral character that gives it tight texture. The acidity and the fruit are developing. Drink from 2017.
This taut young wine needs time to show more personality. An aroma like fresh-baked bread and lightly toasted almonds leads to a firm mouthfeel and tight flavors like crisp green apples and peach skin. All this should soften and open up later, so drink after 2018.
This taut, dry Grenache shows better structure than most California Grenaches, with its firm texture and bite of acidity. It shows the variety's cherry flavors. Tasty now, it's a good substitute for any medium-bodied wine, such as Zinfandel or Merlot.
This taut, intense wine is a bit angular compared to many Tavels, but pull out a bottle around Thanksgiving, and it should be singing. Cherry and citrus flavors collide on the palate, but should merge into a seamless whole with a bit of bottle age.
This taut, medium-bodied wine displays ample complexity on the nose in the form of mossy, mushroomy notes and red cherries. Those cherries are bright and crisp on the palate, then pick up touches of caramel or brown sugar on the finish. Drink now.
This taut, structured wine achieves a balance between red berry flavors and dry, firm tannins. It has a herbal edge and a solid, dense texture. It powers through with intense acidity on the finish.
This taut, tight wine is impressive. The mineral texture and crisp white fruits combine into a harmonious wine that is full of apple and pear flavors. It comes from the Grand Cru village of Avize, reflecting the chalk soil in its structure. Drink from 2019.
This Tavel contains a hefty 20% Clairette (a white grape), in addition to the more common Grenache (Noir) and Cinsault. It's still a chunky, powerful version of Tavel, with raspberry and white chocolate notes buoyed by just enough citrus. It's broad and mouthcoating on the finish.
This Tavel rosé contains six grape varieties, although 80% of the blend is Grenache and Cinsault. Despite ample weight on the palate, the result is a bit chalky on the finish, with flavors of underripe berries and melon.
This tawny tinted Palo Cortado will make a Sherry fanatic smile. Aromas of hazelnut, almond liqueur and toffee introduce an oily, creamy palate cut by a beam of blazing acidity. Briny apricot, persimmon and caramel flavors offer a dusting of cocoa in front of a long, classy, nutty finish. This has everything and lacks nothing.
This TBA features almost endless variations on the sugary theme: caramelized sugar, demarara syrup and honey all swirl together, wrapped around a bit of citrusy acidity. A distinctly musky spice note adds interest. Drink now–2040.
This TBA shows an incredible likeness to Earl Grey tea, sweetened with honey and made subtly even more complex through the inclusion of dried stone fruits. It's rich and concentrated, not just sugary, but could use just a tiny bit more acidity to completely balance the finish. A decade or two of cellaring should see a more balanced wine in the end.
This Temecula Valley producer designated this bottling California but it's just as good as many of its single-vineyard designates and Temecula Valley appellation Syrahs, perfumed with violet and blackberry jam and fleshy in mouthfeel with tastes of plum and tobacco.
This Tempranillo's oaky berry aromas are solid but standard. It shows moderate buttery oak and plum flavors, tasting mostly of creamy oak on a finish propped up by acidity.
This Tempranillo's red berry jam and oak aromas lean savory and saucy. On the palate, lip-smacking, tomato-like acidity sends a jolt through plum, currant and oak spice flavors, the oak lingering on the finish. Drink over the next 15 years.
This Tempranillo-based pinkie is quite inviting and tightly textured, with aromas of orange shave ice, strawberry cream, watermelon and cement. It is extremely zesty and lively once sipped, offering easy-to-drink raspberry and melon notes. It's great for all sorts of food, from spicy to rich.
This Tempranillo-based rosé is clean up front, with hints of citrus and chewing gum to the nose. A solid mouthfeel makes for a good palate, while this offers a quick pop of zesty citrus fruit that's backed by duller yeast and wheat notes on the finish.
This Tempranillo-Cabernet blend begins with scratchy, earthy aromas of moss, leather and herbal red fruits. It's alert and lively in the mouth, with strawberry, plum, raspberry and citrusy flavors. The finish hollows out and shows good length and a light structure.
This Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon blend smells like mushy strawberries, loamy earth and animal fur. It's jammy and not well balanced, with gummy, candied raspberry and plum flavors. Flat and earthy on the finish.
This Tempranillo-Graciano blend opens with rugged aromas of cherry and currant. The palate follows that lead, with choppy, bumpy tannins. Flavors of cherry and berry fruits come with a coating of crusty, blackened oak, holding onto coarseness across the finish. Drink through 2022.
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.
This Tempranillo-led blend shows an overripe raisin note on the nose. The palate low on acidity, eventually showing baked plum, blackberry and meaty flavors. Spice and heat rise up on a chewy finish that's softly structured. Drink through 2017.
This Tempranillo from little-known Cigales opens with potent crushed brick, spice, toasty oak and berry aromas. The palate has a juicy, fresh outlook and no excess weight or overextraction. Its plum, berry, spice and vanilla flavors finish with a note of mature, sweet tobacco. Drink through 2020.
This Tempranillo gives off intense aromatics of ripe berry pie and has a crisp, smoky finish. In between it's big and brawny, delicious and rustic around the edges. On second sip, the flavors are wrapped in vanilla-kissed oak.
This Tempranillo is a heavy, saturated number with rubbery plum and berry aromas. It's totally Argentinean in style and shares little to nothing with Spanish versions; it's full bodied but not showing much in the midpalate, while generic berry flavors offer chocolate notes and finish short.
This Tempranillo is dark and dense, but not loud, with blackberry reduction, herbal stems and mint scents. The palate is rich and round, with grippy tannins, yet there's a lag on the midpalate. Sweet spice notes linger on the finish.
This Tempranillo is electric purple in color, with aromas of rubber, horse hide and grapy berry. It's round and jammy feeling, with tannic grip and jammy flavors of baked, earthy berry fruits, followed by a savory, meaty, roasted tasting finish.
This Tempranillo is forward in style, with leather, cherry, plum and smoky aromas. It feels racy and healthy, with buttery oak, vanilla, herb and mild raspberry and red plum flavors. This is good as a whole, with no one characteristic sticking out.
This Tempranillo is loaded up front, with berry, earth, cola and spice aromas. It feels good, maybe a bit edgy and aggressive, with cherry, raspberry, plum and pretty much every dark-fruit flavor that exists. The finish is long and solid, with grating tannins.
This Tempranillo is more traditional than modern. The nose is crisp, with a hint of tomato, clay and dry herbs along with plum and berry aromas. The palate shows proper grip and honest flavors of leafy berry, carob, earth and prune. It's short on the finish but perfectly good overall.
This Tempranillo is rubbery and leathery smelling, with roasted berry overtones. The palate has a round mouthfeel, with lightly burnt and bitter flavors riding atop chunky plum notes. This feels healthy, with blueberry and herbal notes on the finish.
This Tempranillo looks and smells ripe, and it's loaded with toasty minty oak aromas. In the mouth, this woody number is pushy and tannic. Barrel-driven flavors of smoky charred black plum are one-dimensional. This finishes tannic and with pounding oak.
This Tempranillo smells a bit chemical as well as jammy. A tannic palate is slightly astringent but softens with airing. Medicinal plum and berry flavors stick out on a rough finish.
This tempting wine from one of Amador's biggest and oldest wineries has a great price and lots of big flavors. It smells like wild berries and light baking spices, tastes almost jammy, and has a classy dry balance. A very smooth texture wraps up all that goodness and makes it easy to enjoy.
This tense, crisp wine is all green fruit, very straight, very fresh. Apple, pink grapefruit and almonds come together in a wine that has no complexity, but offers plenty of pleasure.
This terrific producer does a great job of capturing the magic of Nebbiolo. It is elegant and fine but powerful and bold at the same time. Sweet fruit and exotic spice give this wine a playful, modern flair. Drink after 2018.
This terrific Rosato represents a dynamic blend of Pinot Nero, Lagrein, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It opens with a bright pink color, a dry mouthfeel and spicy after notes of dried raspberry, cherry and cinnamon stick.
This terrific Sauvignon Blanc is marked by slightly pungent notes of green tomato or crushed tomato leaf, seamlessly married to smooth, ripe, tropical fruit. It's a bit creamy in texture, almost lush, with a long, mouthcoating finish.
This terrific wine has vibrant fruit flavors and feelings of focus and energy on the palate. Firm acidity and fine-grained tannins add structure and lend support to the spicy oak and ripe cherry and blackberry nuances that start in the aromas and carry through the taste and finish.
This terrific wine is classically varietal, with beautifully defined flavors of cured meats, tobacco, coffee, lavender and peppercorn, all in service to ripe purple fruits. Impeccably balanced, it conveys finesse.
This terrific Zin brings classic varietal character to the table, with a full body, robust alcohol, dryness and intensely concentrated flavors of blackberry, black currant, dark chocolate, Chinese plum sauce and black pepper. Showing a mastery of the art of blending, its grapes come from north to south in the valley, Calistoga to Atlas Peak and multiple appellations in between. This is one of the greatest Zinfandel values in recent memory.
This textbook Barbera opens with classic varietal aromas of dark berry, blue flower and ground spice. The vibrant, full-flavored palate offers juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry and licorice notes alongside fresh acidity and smooth tannins. It's made for sheer drinking pleasure, so enjoy soon.
This textbook Barolo's new leather, cake spice and menthol aromas jump out of the glass. On the firmly structured palate, cinnamon and licorice notes underscore red cherry, cranberry and orange zest flavors. Tight, noble tannins and bright acidity provide the framework, suggesting it will age beautifully for decades. Drink 2023–2043.
This textbook Brunello boasts a careful balance of elements. Sweet cherry and vanilla aromas segue to austere notes of exotic spice, cola and waxed leather. This is a tempered but elegant wine that would match savory duck with wild rice.
This textbook entry-level Merlot combines plum, mocha and herb shadings in a soft, almost sweet-tasting wine that's sure to be poured by the glass at innumerable restaurants nationwide. There's just enough tannin on the finish to give it the strength to pair with red meats.
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.
This textbook Verdicchio from Matelica opens with enticing aromas of yellow spring flowers, stone fruit and citrus. The delicious palate offers peach, tropical fruit and mineral flavors, with a hint of sea salt.
This textural wine offers berry, plum, black pepper, mushroom and baking spices. The time spent resting in barrels has put a pleasing hint of toast around polished tannins.
This textured and toasty wine shows a gentle acidity through its spice and warm apple and apricot flavors. Its mineral edge is tangy, zesty and attractive. Built to age for the medium term, it will be ready drink from 2019.
This textured wine is tight with layers of nervy acidity. It is crisp, with good amounts of acidity and flavors of red currants that add extra freshness.
This textured wine offers tangy, zesty minerality and a dry, nutty edge, making it a wine for food. With its structure and a perfumed aftertaste, it is ready to drink.
This textured wine shows wood flavors from its 30% new wood. To balance it has great ripe fruits and a tight texture of acidity. The wine is still nervy, closed up with minerality. It needs time, so drink from 2016.
This textured, mineral Chardonnay has fresh apple and strong citrus flavors. It is lively, crisp and ready to drink. The producer is a member of Terroirs Originels of Beaujolais and Burgundy's Mâcon.
This textured, perfumed wine has citrus and apple fruits that are dominated by strong perfumes as well as fresh acidity. It needs until late 2014 to age.
This textured, ripe wine shows the potential of Chardonnay in the Beaujolais region. The 2.5 acres of vines average seven years in age, so still have a lot of time to mature. Still, the wine has a tight, mineral character balanced by yellow and white fruits as well as refreshing final acidity. Drink now.
This The wine from a monopole vineyard shows the intense acidity of the vintage yet also bursts with red berry fruit, underlined with firm tannins. Drink now, or better yet, from 2018.
This thick and creamy expression of the Garganega grape (the main component of all Soave whites) delivers melon, peach, tangerine skin and white almond. The wine is soft and round on the close. Pair it with white meat or shellfish.
This thick, and darkly concentrated Barolo offers a wide range of aromas and evident complexity. It boasts a very polished, smooth feel in the mouth that is reinforced by the natural firmness of the noble Nebbiolo grape.
This thick, concentrated wine offers complex notions of sandalwood and soapstone, savory in pleasant ways. Clove accents the warmth of strawberry compote laced in rhubarb.
This thick, dusty and leathery Foothills Zinfandel is ready to drink now with bold, meaty foods.
This thick, extracted wine is made from 70% Pallagrello and 30% Casavecchia grapes, a portion of which was overripened on the vine. It opens with aromas of leafy underbrush, oak, toast, prune and vanilla. The lumbering, monolithic palate is sugary-sweet, offering vanilla extract, toasted oak and sugar plum.
This thick, grippy wine is enveloped in sweet, sticky tannin, with full-bodied elements of kirsch and vanilla. Combining 64% Cabernet Sauvignon with 24% Cabernet Franc and 12% Petit Verdot from an estate-farmed vineyard, it's intense.
This thick, juicy, inky wine (with a large component of Petit Verdot) would pair with aged cheese or pecorino. The wine is still young (let it age five more years) with firm, sticky tannins and loads of blackberry and plum cake on the long finish.
This thick, masculine expression of Brunello offers loads of rich spice, vanilla, moist tobacco, smoked bacon, toasted coconut and black fruit. The oak element is present but also well integrated and gives extra dimension and personality overall.
This thick, rich and dense wine may need time to overcome its wealth of leathery sinew and black pepper. The fruit is elusive, allowing the savory elements to dominate all around. This may need cellaring to come around, through 2020.
This thick, rich and gravelly wine comes from a great vineyard site in the coolness of the Petaluma Gap. Crème brûlée and lemon pith duke it out for dominance, finishing in a tie.
This thick, rich white has aromas of toasted oak and corn nuts, chased by a note of petrol. It's a good white to pair with seriously hearty fare or sharp cheeses.
This thick, toasty dessert wine spent more than two years in new French oak. It works. Buttery and rich, it gains significant concentration after blowing past some volatile aromas. Toasted nuts abound, and the silky finish lingers.
This thin and savory wine from the Colli di Parma appellation in central Italy offers bright spice and leather with subtle tones of cassis and dried prune. Pair it with homemade pasta or ravioli with ricotta cheese.
This thin wine has very little going for it. It has watered-down berry flavors, but on the plus side, it's dry and vital in acidity.
This thin, light effort carries flavors of baby aspirin, or orange candy. It's one dimensional, bearing little varietal character.
This third generation vineyard has produced a classic Cahors, with firm tannins that bring out the black fruits. It is richly structured while keeping fruitiness right to the fore. A wine for rich foods, it will be good to drink from 2018.
This thoroughly delicious, acid-driven wine opens with aromas of passion fruit, oyster shell, herbs, wet stone and citrus. The flavors are sleek yet generous with electric, mouthwatering acidity. It demands oysters alongside it.
This thoroughly delightful wine puts a polished sheen on this grape, that is so often lost in the shuffle between Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Here the clean and fresh flavors of grapefruit, white peach and melon mingle gracefully, with palate-pleasing texture and zippy acidity.
This three-acre parcel has produced a beautiful fruity wine. With red cherry and spice flavors, the wine is perfumed and juicy. Crisp acidity shoots through the attractive fruit to give a wine that is only lightly tannic and ready to drink.
This three-grape blend includes Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo and Merseguera. It's gold in color, while heavy and cidery on the nose. A chunky, citrusy palate is globular and tastes of grapefruit, tangerine and salt, while an oily feeling, round finish lacks complexity.
This three-grape blend of Xarello, Muscat and Gewürztraminer is floral and inviting, with melony aromas. The palate is light but has stuffing and creamy edges. Tastes flowery, with green melon, lychee, honey and clover. Smooth, tasty and different.
This three-grape white blend starts with oily aromas and weight before finding some minerality and white-fruit notes. The palate has citrusy kick and zing to bolster green apple and orange flavors. The finish is wide, a touch clumsy and citrusy in flavor, with tang and lasting freshness.
This three-vineyard blend is still quite tight and tannic. Flavors of green tea and lemon oil abound, with lighter flavors of pie cherries. Drying tannins wrap it up.
This thrilling auslese starts off with intriguing spicy, musky aromas, then moves easily into flavors of pear, melon, pineapple and even red berries on the palate. It somehow comes across as plump, yet crytalline and pure, with a long, fruit-driven finish. Drink now–2030.
This thrilling wine, sourced from the Phinny Hill vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills, displays all the tense power of great Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep flavors of berry, plum and cassis are threaded with gravelly streaks of tar, coffee and anise. Aged in 40% new French oak, it strikes a perfect balance through a long finish.
This ticks all the boxes of young Hunter Semillon: green, acidic, underripe. Serve it with oysters now (it makes a convincing pairing), or wait 5–8 years for additional richness and complexity to emerge.
This ticks all the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc boxes: cut grass, snow pea, nectarine and citrus, all bundled into a medium-bodied wine that comes across as dry, silky and refreshing.
This tight and compact Cabernet has an earthy base, with leafy forest-floor flavors and very astringent tannins. That said, there is good fruit at the core, especially the note of spicy plum.
This tight and concentrated Cab shows power and intensity, with a lush, mouthfilling texture and firm tannins. It's brimming with black fruit notes of plum, berry and cassis, laced with accents of leather, cigar box, pepper and sweet spice. The finish is long and complex; drink now–2018.
This tight and crisp wine is produced from a parcel that is run biodynamically. It is nervy, edgy, packed with fruitiness and intense acidity. That makes the wine still very young, lean and needing time to fill out. Drink from 2017.
This tight and energetic wine opens with menthol, new leather, wild berry, blue flower and grilled herb aromas. The focused palate mirrors the nose, offering juicy sour cherry, cranberry, star anise and clove flavors framed by youthfully assertive, fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity.
This tight and firm Barbaresco from the Rio Sordo cru exhibits an orange tinge to its garnet color and shows aromas of licorice, exotic spice, old leather and dried tobacco leaf. The wine seems older than it actually is, but those polished tannins should pull it forward a few more years at least.
This tight and mineral wine reflects the granite terroir on which it is grown. It was made with semi-carbonic cold maceration without addition of yeast or SO2. The fruit is still lean and needs time to round out and balance the acidity. Drink from 2016.
This tight and sharp Vino Nobile offers the bright acidity and chiseled contours to pair with cheesy lasagna or ricotta-filled ravioli. It shows aromas of white cherry and wet earth.
This tight and steely wine is fresh with crisp fruits and a strongly herbaceous character. It offers gooseberry, grapefruit and intense, youthful acidity that needs to calm down. Give this very young wine until the end of 2016.
This tight and tannic Cab Franc tastes of cranberry, wild raspberry and green coffee bean. It's a crisp evocation of not overly ripe varietal character, leaning toward the Loire Valley versions of the grape rather than anything distinctly New World.
This tight crisp wine delivers citrus and sliced apple fruits. There is a brisk mousse that gives the wine quite a bite of acidity. All the elements point in the direction of food for this Champagne. Like many bone-dry Champagnes, this bottling needs to age, so drink from 2018.
This tight wine has acidity with a crisp texture and hints of the fruit to come. A potential for richness comes from the ripe yellow fruits that are developing. Drink from 2017.
This tight wine has intense acidity, smoky tannins, a light texture and an attractive strawberry-jelly-flavored finish.
This tight wine has red fruit acidity without the richness. With its green edge, it's likely to remain full of acidity even as it matures.
This tight wine lacks fruit. Touches of apple and citrus are lost in the austere texture. No artificial yeasts were used during vinification in stainless steel and large oak barrels.
This tight, classic Russian River Valley Pinot Noir needs coaxing to bring out the lovely, lilting aromatics, splendid in savory dark fruit, cinnamon and tobacco. Restrained use of new oak brings a balance of richness and acidity, softened tannins and velvety texture that works in every way.
This tight, dry wine seems to be missing out on fruit. It has spice, acidity and a bitter edge that cuts into the freshness.
This tight, focused wine offers strawberry and raspberry fruit, aged in one-third new French oak. The oak is barely evident, but the fruit-centric wine shows good structure and medium concentration.
This tight, full-bodied wine has rich citrus and crisp apple flavors. It is textured, spicy and with a mineral background. With this sense of structure, the wine needs to age a few months, so drink from late 2015.
This tight, juicy version of Mencía smells minerally like a vitamin, with black-fruit notes of cherry and boysenberry. Peppery blackberry flavors are short but fresh, while the finish is clean and fairly long.
This tight, mineral wine is still waiting to show its fruity side. Hints of apples, pears and apricots are taking their time to unfold. With the toast and fruit potential, wait until 2017 to drink this wine.
This tight, rather austere Syrah shows cool- climate flavors; it's hard and herbal, earthy and tannic, but there is a lot going on. It's not a fruit-driven wine, rather it has the earthy, composty complexity of a Cayuse Syrah, though less concentrated. Definitely a wine worth chasing.
This tight, rather sharp effort shows pear skin and lemon-oil highlights, with penetrating phenolics. It will benefit from substantial aeration, and/or another year or two in bottle.
This tight, stalky, still-young wine has a firm structure of tannins over the blackberry fruits. Wood aging has softened some of the harder edges and has also given the wine a chance to mature. Drink from 2017.
This tight, taut and crisp wine needs some time to bring out its true fruity character. Behind the texture, ripe green plums and fresh apples are cut with lime juice. The wine is still young and could benefit from a few more months. Drink from late 2015.
This tight, young Syrah has a succinct core of blueberry and raspberry flavors, which are wrapped in a mix of herb, earth and green tea. The tannins are just slightly bitter, but all in balance, and that bitterness is not at all unpleasant.
This tight, young wine has a steely, mineral texture as well as juicy fruits.Those fruits need to develop to give the full potential of this perfumed wine. Drink from 2017.
This tight, young wine is shot through with steely acidity and minerality. It tastes of the flinty soil of Pouilly, full in the mouth and concentrated. Give it until 2015 before drinking.
This tightly-wound effort is built from 40% Malbec, 40% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's forceful and elegant, with streaks of black tea, anise and iron filings set in tangy red fruits that play out vertically through a lingering finish.
This tightly stalky wine offers fresh red fruits and aromatic acidity. With tannins right up front, it is still young and needing to develop. The wine's name comes from the shirt numbers of the two French rugby players who feature on the label. Drink from 2016.
This tightly wound wine offers firm purple fruit flavors, along with a touch of sweet berries. There's ample acidity and a slightly chalky finish.
This tightly wound wine opens in the glass, with intense, bright acidity that wraps around herbal, minty undertones. Blackberry, raspberry and clove give it plenty of varietal classicism, but it's the strong earthy loam and forest floor that provide intrigue and elegance.
This tilts the fruit emphasis away from peach and into pear, with a slight suggestion of vanilla cream. It's got medium weight and concentration, and it's supple, well integrated, and balanced for immediate consumption.
This tiny-production wine continues to impress vintage after vintage, a small project of the Nunes family, who otherwise farm Nunes Vineyard. Aged in a selection of new and once and twice-used French oak, it impresses in wound-up kirsch, baked bread and cardamom spice, remaining both high toned and smoothly complex on the palate. Rose petals and citrus flirt into the body of the wine as well as the finish.
This tiny-production wine from a great vineyard sings in a layered perfume of roses, forest floor, pomegranate and more nuanced elements of cola and dark cherry. Bright and elegant within a substantive body, it is inviting in equal measures of plant, fruit and spice, showing tremendous taste.
This tiny-production wine made by Mark Jessup is tart in green pepper, cedar and clove, with an undercurrent of toasty oak. It persists in herbal characteristics on the finish, with suggestions of currant and sour cherry.
This tiny-production wine shows an attention to detail in the vineyard and cellar. The clonal selection shines, given partial barrel-fermentation, partial stainless steel, all aged in mostly neutral French oak. Honeysuckle aromas jump from the glass, followed by viscous, juicy tropical elements of mango and lychee. It finishes dry and lemony.
This tiny boutique does well with thick and heavy wines that frequently top 15% alcohol. This sweet, syrupy Syrah is loaded with blueberries, chocolate, licorice and espresso flavors. Nothing shy here, but it delivers a lot of flavor for the price.
This tiny hands-on artisanal producer has a particular gift for expressing the fruit of the Maresh vineyard, which was originally planted 45 years ago. This new release is elegant and aromatic, with precise details throughout. Fresh raspberries, light chocolate, a hint of nougat and persistent length are all part of the equation. Drink now through 2024.
This tiny maverick winery is doing wonderful things. This well-structured firmly textured wine offers a nice combo of ripe berry flavors, while touches of earth and oak give plenty to savor. It's medium to full in body, has moderate tannins, good balance and a lingering finish.
This tiny Oregon winery sourced Yakima Valley fruit for this wine. Though many West Coast producers take a stab at this Italian grape, most settle for a faux “Super Tuscan,” highly oaked style. This is closer to Chianti Classico, with strawberry and cherry fruit, good acidity and light herbal highlights.
This tiny production blend surely is made in the modern cult style. Its tannins are soft and sexy, its flavors deep and delicious with milk chocolate, blackberry jam, cassis liqueur and buttery toast. The only thing it lacks is subtlety, but it does deserve its score for sheer Napa power.
This tiny production Chardonnay shows the hallmarks of Edna Valley. It's bright and brisk in acidity, very clean and dry, and classically pure in lime, kiwi and papaya fruit. Bring on the Dungeness crab and buttered sourdough bread and enjoy.
This tiny production is marked by strong aromas of barbecue smoke and campfire, before unfurling an unfussy, soft and full-bodied burst of red fruit.
This tiny production SB is sweet and easygoing, with canned peach aromas along with pineapple and mild citrus flavors. Roundness and a smooth feel work in the wine's favor, because there's just enough acidity to push the length on the finish. Drink right away.
This tiny winery burst on the scene when its 2010 Cabernet scooped three trophies at the Margaret River Wine Show. This wine does show more weight and richness than the 2012, with a silky, satiny texture rarely found in young Cabernet Sauvignon and crisp, cassis-inflected fruit. Drink now–2030.
This tiny winery makes just a few hundred cases per year. The Merlot is grapey and rustic, with Grenache-like fruit flavors and some rough, chocolatey oak. —P.G.
This tiny, family-run production shows a tremendous talent at growing grapes and making wines of great substance and sophistication. It aims for a bright, restrained and complex style, which it achieves here with aplomb. Black cherry, mint and a tease of smoky oak accent a fleshy, lengthy texture and body that shines in acidity.
This toasty Barbera has small amounts of Syrah and Carignane blended in, giving it a dryness that somewhat overshadows the fruit, which is more ripe blackberry than anything else. A good go-to for pizza night; drink it slightly chilled and soon.
This toasty bottling shows some evident maturity in terms of fruit richness. It offers toasted walnut, espresso, vanilla and yellow apple-skin flavors alongside large, brisk bubbles and crisp acidity.
This toasty expression of Amarone delivers espresso, subtle oak, plum cake and smoky aromas. On the palate, notes of tobacco leaf and grilled herbs accent the primary raisin and prune flavors alongside tightly packed tannins that need a few more years to unwind. Drink after 2017.
This toasty, spicy selection is dominated by strong new-wood flavors. It has a rich character, with pear and peach flavors and gentle acidity. There is a crisp finish to this ripe wine.
This Tokaji has heady aromas of gardenia, white flowers, freesia, honey and dried apricots. It is full bodied in the mouth, with flavors of caramelized pineapple, apricot nectar and lemon curd.
This tonic and crisp Gavi offers sharply focused lines in the form of peach, talc powder, white almond and passion fruit. There's just enough acidity here to keep the palate refreshed and clean.
This too-powerful, wood-aged wine is impressive but has lost fruitiness in the search for richness. Strong spice and concentrated texture show up front, along with yellow fruits. A toasty character still dominates. The wine needs to smooth its bumps out, so drink from 2016.
This top-end Cabernet from the dynamic Moletto estate delivers impressive intensity and extremely attractive notes of black fruit, toasted spice and black stone. The nose is slightly sweet smelling and the mouthfeel is modern, penetrating, plush and velvety.
This top-flight effort features herbal, slightly pungent notes that accentuate the wine's ripe, nectarine-like stone-fruit elements. There's ample weight and richness on the palate, lightened on the finish by a fresh, green-leafy component.
This top-notch blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Mazzei's beautiful Maremma property boasts thick, modern concentration and pretty renderings of red fruit, vanilla and exotic spice. It has excellent texture in the mouth and is velvety and lively at the same time.
This top-shelf Cabernet never fails, and in this warm year the wine is dark in color, with lush yet precise aromas of graphite, fresh blackberry, baking spices and forest floor. A deep palate is just racy enough, while spicy flavors of cassis include integrated herbal notes. Closing flavors of coffee and chocolate, along with soft tannins, make this approachable now and best through 2022.
This top-shelf red blend from television producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick shows cooked blackberry, purple flower, soy and anise aromas on the nose. Oregano and marjoram lead the palate, which is moderately dense, with tangy blackberry and boysenberry flavors.
This top-shelf wine from Umani Ronchi has shown great improvement over the past two or three years. There's a rich layer of chocolate and ripe cherry that gives this red blend extra lift and intensity.
This top-tier blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot shows lots of black rocks at first on the nose, and then black plum, lavender, cigar box and rose petals emerge with patience. It shows floral depth on the palate, with lavender and fennel enhancing the blackberry fruit, all wrapped together by minty earth tones.
This top-tier bottling from Steve Martell, which blends 62% Grenache with 29% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre and 4% Petite Sirah, offers roasted coffee, charred black currant, burnt wood and baked earth aromas. The palate is tight and bright with flashy boysenberry and black raspberry flavors balanced by anise and sagebrush accents.
This top-tier vineyard delivers gorgeous flavors. Big, juicy, rich and round, it piles on the fruit flavors—apples, pears, white peaches and lemons. All are balanced against each other and the supporting, natural acidity, finished with a frame of new-oak toast. Drink 2016 to 2028.
This top Cabernet bottling from Taylors has been a consistent favorite over the last few vintages, and the 2004 continues the string. It's complex, bringing scents of mint, coffee, cassis and tobacco all to the dance, and matching that complexity with weight and richness. The tannins are a bit astringent right now, so try it from 2010-2020.
This top cuvée from Carignan has too much wood. That trait, along with its extracted character, makes it hard to like at this stage. With powerful tannins from superripe Merlot, this is going to take many years to reveal any balance. Drink from 2020.
This top cuvée from Château Cadillac has great fresh black currant fruits, dark plum skins and sweet tannins. It is also very obviously aged in wood, and this element needs to calm down. Wait another year, or decant now.
This top cuvée made by the Pelvillain family shows typical black Malbec color, and it has an opulent texture that's packed with notes of rich spice, black plum and balanced wood. While the tannins are present, the fruit offers a full, rich character. With its concentration, this will benefit from several years of aging.
This top tier effort captures all the most distinctive characteristics of good Oregon Pinot Noir. Black cherry fruit, a liberal dash of cola, a touch of sassafras and a dusting of baking spice combine in a burst of flavor. Delicious already, it will drink well for another half decade or longer.
This top wine from a major Cahors estate shows the potential of great Malbec. With its dense tannins, rich black fruit flavors, acidity and restrained power, it is a major force. Even with all its weight, it's stylish, complex and ageworthy wine. Drink from 2021.
This top wine from Joseph Perrier is rich, full in the mouth and well balanced. It is at the midway point of Brut, neither too sweet nor dry, giving ripe, creamy apple flavors and refreshing, concentrated acidity. There is no sign yet of maturity, the wine still so fresh. Drink now for the liveliness or wait until 2018 for maturity.
This top wine from Lamartine is a fine, solid expression of the firm nature of young Malbec. It has dark, dense black fruits layered behind the dry, tight tannins. With this concentration, this is a wine that needs to age. Leave until 2020.
This top wine from Quinta Vale Dona Maria comes from a small parcel of old vines on the estate close to the river Torto. Foot treading in lagars give the wine its richness and sumptuous character. It also provides tannins that are cushioned by the superripe black fruits and acidity. This long-term wine shouldn't be touched until 2020.
This tops a thoroughly outstanding lineup of eight estate-grown Rieslings from Trisaetum. Unctuous citrus and stone fruits abound: a luscious mix of Meyer lemon, pink grapefruit, peach and apricot. There are hints of honey, caramel and butter, and everything is tightened up by defining acidity. Though entirely ageworthy, this is so thoroughly delicious already you'll want to drink at least a bottle or two immediately. Drink now through 2035.
This Toro wine is a mindblower. The nose is exemplary: it bursts with smooth, rooty aromas of licorice, kirsch and roasted black plum. The palate is huge and tannic but luxurious, and the flavors of tobacco, cedar, lemon peel, spice and black fruit set up a finish with espresso, black cherry and a wall of tannins. Drink now through 2018.
This Torontel is elegant and stately, delivering apricot, peach, mango and spice aromas on the bouquet. A fruity, full-bodied palate is sticky but braced by proper acidity, while cinnamon, caramel, toffee and baked pear flavors finish long and yummy.
This Torrontés is a bit oily on the nose, with citrusy scents of orange and pineapple lurking in the background. In the mouth, it's a zinger, with sharp acids and a mix of tropical flavors and green apple. This finishes fresh and lean.
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 Torrontés smells round, leesy, soft and short on particular fruit aromas. Due to its age, this feels plump and low on edgy acidity. Powdery citrus and lime flavors end flat, with some burn. This is probably past its prime, but it's still in good shape to enjoy now.
This totally acidic wine is crisp and shockingly tart. Fruit has been overtaken by acidity that gives the wine a very fresh, very tangy character.
This totally fresh rosé is crisp with bright acidity, red currant fruit flavors and lively, bone-dry aftertaste. It's a fine summer wine to drink now.
This totally fresh wine has benefited from the quality of whites in 2007 Bordeaux. It is lemony with pink grapefruit flavors giving an intense lift. There is some herbaceousness, with green herbs and juicy fruits. To drink now.
This totally refreshing wine is crisp, lively and packed with acidity as well as red currant fruits. It's a delicious wine and a fine apéritif from the Doublet family in Entre-deux-Mers.
This totally young, herbaceous wine is packed with fruitiness. Crisp lemon and a dash of grapefruit accent this local blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. It's bright, ready to drink now.
This tough wine has overripe fruit. There are tough extracted tannins. It's a hard wine to like.
This tough wine seems light on fruit. It is hard and shows considerable extraction.
This tradition-bucking blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Viognier, 20% Sémillon and 20% Roussanne from three different vineyards is very subtle and clean on the nose with aromas of yellow apple, crisp pear, ripe grapefruit skins and the lightest hint of honey. The crisp palate is very grippy in texture, with pear and light lemon spray flavors. It will likely age well, due to strong acidity.
This tradition-bucking blend of 61% Chenin Blanc, 31% Viognier and 8% Roussanne offers soft aromas of sweet apple blossoms and peach, with a hint of barrel smoke. The palate offers a similar blend of peaches, pears and apples, warmed up with some oak influence.
This traditional-method Riesling sekt, made from a collection of Bernkastel vineyard sites, has been a consistent crowd pleaser from vintage to vintage. It's a cutting, spry wine with delicate, persistent bubbles and concentrated green apple, lemon and lime flavors. Brut in style, with revitalizing acidity and complexities of caramelized sugar and nuts, it makes an ideal apéritif.
This traditional blend of 36% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec offers the expected aromas of cedar, plums, tobacco, cracked pepper and slight mint. It's very easy on the palate, with boysenberries and a woody complexity, proving light and tasty.
This traditional blend of five Bordeaux varieties comes across as tight and streamlined, lacking much texture or richness. Cedar, cassis and mint finish crisp.
This traditional Bordeaux-style blend offers loads of bright blackberry and cherry flavors accented by notes of dark toast, coconut and spice. Moderately concentrated on the palate, it's juicy yet firmly structured. The finish is marked by bold, dense tannins.
This traditional Champagne-style blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier entices on the nose with hints of golden toast, vanilla and biscuit. It's dense on the palate with a thick, aggressively mouth-filling foam, but tart, sprightly acidity accents pleasant apple and pear flavors.
This traditional Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio is very thin and compact in the mouth with sour tones of white cherry, cranberry and bitter forest berry. It has bright acidity and would pair well with easy foods like bite-size pizzas or finger foods.
This traditional method  sparkler opens with a genteel toastiness on the nose and palate. Fresh and bright fruit flavors suggest apples dusted with cinnamon. It's vintage dated and sourced from a single vineyard. Beware when opening–the cork virtually exploded from the bottle as soon as the capsule was loosened!
This traditional method sparkling rosé is soft, rounded with strawberry fruit. There is a bitter almond edge to it that spoils its otherwise fruity character.
This traditional Shiraz displays aromas of prune and toasted spice, followed by flavors of cheerful cherry and vanilla. Though young, the wine has a balanced, silky texture and good finish.
This traditional Southern Rhône blend features some attractive floral and herbal aromas some might call garrigue, but also an intrusive cruciferous note. It's a crisp, medium-bodied wine with bright, red-plum fruit flavors and a hint of cabbage. Drink it now–2016.
This traditionally-styled wine has nice olive and herb aromas and smoky, dark cherry and bell pepper flavors. It's light-bodied, smooth and easy to sip.
This traditionally crafted Barolo has a balsamic fragrance of sage, leather and berry notes. The palate shows wild cherry and mint flavors, and bracing but ripe tannins. This is one to open soon or to enjoy 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.
This traditionally crafted Barolo shows earthy sensations of truffle, underbrush and leather along with delicious spice and ripe cherry flavors, along with uplifting mineral notes. The ripeness demonstrates the warmth of the vintage.
This traditionally crafted Brunello offers aromas of wild berry, violet, Mediterranean scrub and a whiff of new leather. There's lots of juicy Morello cherry and crushed raspberry on the palate, while notes of vanilla, savory herb, tobacco, licorice and a hint of salinity add depth. It's well balanced with velvety tannins and bright acidity that give it both power and finesse. Drink 2018–2030.
This traditionally crafted single-vineyard Barolo shows the forward nature of the vintage but is an excellent effort, with overripe berry, truffle and forest floor aromas. The palate shows ripe black cherry, prune and spice with firm but fine tannins. This is almost ready now—enjoy it over the next few years.
This traditionally crafted, unfiltered sparkler opens with heady aromas of white spring flowers, wisteria, hawthorn and white tree fruit. The bright palate offers green apple, pear and lemon-lime while a mineral note backs up the finish. Bracing acidity provides support while a refined mousse adds softness.
This traditionally styled Barolo has a classic fragrance of violet, rose and leather, with balsamic notes. The palate reveals ripe berry and spice with notes of pipe tobacco and while the acidity is tame the wine is massively tannic. Hold this for a few more years, but drink it before 2020.
This traditionally styled Barolo is loaded with tobacco, underbrush and leather aromas. The palate shows juicy wild-cherry flavors layered with spice and roasted walnut. This is tannic, but doesn't have enough acidity for lengthy aging so enjoy it soon.
This Traminer brings out all the spice associated with the grape, adding pepper, quince and some toastiness. If you want to drink lychees, this is where to come, but there is more to the wine, because the acidity adds its element of freshness, and there is considerable richness.
This Transylvanian wines has aromas of vanilla, whipped cream, apple and pear. It is medium dry, with flavors of pear and lemon juice that lead to a touch of sweetness on the finish.
This treads the line between slightly rustic and refined. The tannins are sandpapery, and it has lots of zingy acidity, making the wine feel a little rough. But the core of blackberry fruit is rich and dynamic. Probably not an ager, so give it a good decanting, and drink it over the next 2–3 years.
This Trebbiano-based wine from the Lake Garda area of northern Italy boasts a ripe, concentrated golden color and sophisticated aromas of mature peach, apricot, almond and yellow rose. The wine is thick and creamy in the mouth and would pair with white meats or fish.
This Trebbiano is fermented in concrete tanks with no selected yeasts. The nose isn't very expressive but the palate shows restrained notes of golden apple, lemon drop and flint. This is already evolved and starting to fade so enjoy soon.
This Trebbiano is off gold in color and opens with ripe aromas of apricot and candied fruit. The wine shows some heaviness in the mouth with afternotes of fruit and almond.
This tremendous red wine is robustly aromatic, layering its black currant, dark cherry and chocolate scents with dusty sage and cedar. Luxuriously textured and smooth, it finishes focused and direct, with a lift of welcome acidity and complexity.
This tremendous wine is 100% Pinot Grigio, of which 50% was aged in new wood. It is rich and full-bodied, with complex layers of vanilla. It comes from low-yielding, old vines. Only 8,000 bottles were produced.
This Trentino Sauvignon is surprisingly rich and viscous, coating the mouth with mixed fruit flavors, including tangerine, lime and pineapple. Despite the rich mouthfeel, the flavors linger delicately on the finish, giving an unexpected feeling of elegance. Best Buy.
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.
This Triolet is two thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cab Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Despite two years in French oak barrels, 30% new, it carries a strong herbal note in the nose, that carries all through the palate. Stem, herb and pepper are the dominant flavors, along with tart, compact red berries.
This trocken (dry) Riesling comes across as slightly rounded, almost plump, in texture, yet retains strong acids. Poached pear, damp moss and citrus notes come together in a pleasingly harmonious fashion, finishing clean and crisp.
This tropical mélange of fruit and blossoms lives up to its equally ebullient packaging. While deft in body, it bounds from the glass with floral perfume and juicy watermelon and cherry flavors. It's zesty and bold yet spry and fresh—an aptly named accompaniment to summer.
This Tuscan 65-35 Chardonnay-Pinot Blanc blend is golden delicious with a delicate toasty-smoky embroidery on the fringe of mature peach, vanilla, banana and white stone. It exhibits beautiful richness and depth in the mouth, with a complex collection of yellow fruit flavors, and bright acidity on the close.
This Tuscan blend of 85% Sangiovese, 7% Ciliegiolo, 5% Canailo and 3% Malvasia opens with aromas of underbrush, oak and a whiff of farmyard. The palate is tired. While you can detect black cherry, plum, black pepper and espresso, the fruit is starting to fade, leaving astringent tannins unsustained by fruit richness.
This Tuscan blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon opens with an inky, dark appearance and beautifully intense aromas of ripe fruit, cassis, blackberry, spice and leather. It's velvety soft, with a long, plush finish.
This Tuscan blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio opens with crisp, almost tart, tones of citrus, exotic fruit and honeydew. The wine shows substance in the mouth and enough heft to pair with tuna or chicken salad.
This Tuscan blend of Sauvignon, Moscato and Trebbiano offers fragrant aromas of white flower and honeysuckle, backed by notes of stone fruit and citrus. The mouthfeel is lean, easy and fresh.
This Tuscan Chardonnay is executed in a modern, New World style with ample oak-driven flavors and rich density and texture to match. However, the wine remains focused on complexity and elegance. It would make an ideal match to Indian butter chicken or creamy oven-roasted potatoes.
This Tuscan expression of Viognier doesn't show the intense floral aromas you usually find in this fragrant grape variety. Instead, you get layers of citrus, pear and white peach.
This Tuscan Merlot has a fragrance of ripe plum, berry and cocoa. The palate delivers black currant layered with chocolate and finishes on a drying note of wood. It doesn't have much complexity but it has very attractive fruit.
This Tuscan Merlot opens with dominant aromas of raw wood and wood chips with hints of black fruit muffled beneath the surface. Oak is also at the forefront of the palate, followed by toast, espresso and vanilla. There's not enough fruit richness to carry off the oak, and it finishes on a bitter note of astringent wood tannins.
This Tuscan Merlot shows unripe aromas of green herb and olive backed by a raw, sharp feel. It does offer bright acidity on the close.
This Tuscan red opens with aromas of red currant, cedar and espresso. The aromas carry over to the low-acid palate. The fruit is already drying up and the tannins are fleeting, so drink now.
This Tuscan rosé made using Sangiovese grapes opens with a pink-purplish color and bright aromas of rose, cranberry and wild forest berry. There's a pretty touch of bitter almond on the close.
This Tuscan Sangiovese opens with flavors of cherry, blackberry and bold modern spice. It delivers bright acidity, balance and crispness, with a food-friendly personality.
This Tuscan Syrah opens with aromas of black pepper, plum, blackberry and spice notes with whiffs of vanilla and toasted oak. This is a big brooding wine, with primary blueberry and blackberry flavors accompanied by clove, pepper and enveloping tannins.
This Tuscan white offers very mature notes of apricot, peach, honeydew and orange marmalade. The wine is structured, sophisticated and creamy with tart citrus notes on the close.
This twin county blend is a sophisticated Sauvignon Blanc. It shows the gooseberry tartness that Capture is known for, but not too much, with richer notes of citrus fruits and white flowers dominating. One quibble is that the wine is a little too sweet.
This twist-top bottling is bolstered by 15% Petite Sirah but remains a bit wound up and tight on the nose, with caramelized blackberry, caramel and chocolate syrup notes. The mouthfeel is soft and lush, with black cherry flavors cut by graphite, wild sage and bay leaf accents.
This twist-top take on a red Italian table wine is perfect for pizza, pasta or hamburgers, with black plum, cola and pressed purple flower aromas. Olallieberry, plum and licorice flavors show on the quite-dry palate, making it a solid weekday wine.
This two-acre premier cru situated north of Beaune city gives smooth and rich wines. This bottling shows the acidity of the vintage while also having a full, round character, ripe with strawberries and crisp with acidity. The wine needs more time, so drink from 2019.
This two-acre site dates back to 1975; this is only the fourth time that Ponzi has offered it as a designate. Muscular and authoritative, it is still compact and somewhat unyielding. Dark cherry and cassis fruit is packed with iron filings, coffee grounds and black licorice. Winemaker Luisa Ponzi does her usual excellent job of putting the polish on outstanding fruit. Give it another decade and it will show its best.
This two-barrel cuvée is the star of the Anam Cara 2010s, bearing a mix of pretty cherry fruit and milk chocolaty tannins. Some well-modulated earth and herb notes add interest, but it's the elegance and proportion of the wine that really shine.
This two-region Zin is from Atlas Peak and Amador County. It shows a really great Zin quality in the leathery spiciness that accompanies the berry flavors, and in the smooth, polished tannins. Amador seems to bring wildness, while Napa brings elegance. The result is a great Zinfandel at a great price.
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.
This Two Blondes is the best ever—powerful and ripe, with a plush mix of raspberry and strawberry fruit, tart and tangy and mouthfilling. This wine has a huge midpalate, but doesn't stop there; as it slowly winds through a full-throttle finish, threads of chocolate, coconut, caramel and coffee appear. The flavors go on for several minutes.
This typical blend from southwest France draws on the intensely herbal character of both grapes. It's crisp, perfumed and refreshingly fruity, making it a great apéritif.
This typical Provence blend with bubbles has a spicy, pepper-like edge as well as crisp fruit. Bright acidity and a creamy mousse give it an attractive, refreshing aftertaste.
This typical, fruity wine from Gascony offers lemon and herbal flavors and a crisply tangy texture. It's a light, breezy wine, full of fruit and tight with acidity. Drink this refreshing wine now.
This typically fresh, lemon- and herbal-accented wine is light as a feather and deliciously aromatic. Drink this carefree wine this summer.
This uber-informal wine has faint aromas that recall pressed wildflower and a whiff of pear. The simple, diluted palate shows hints of apple skin and a bitter medicinal note alongside brisk acidity.
This ubiquitous brand does a fine job with Willamette Valley Pinot. This is a spicy, peppery wine that smoothes out into a broadly flavorful middle with streaks of light cherry and caramel apple.
This ultra reserve, made in half bottles only, is labeled the winery's best offering. It lives up to the claim, with stunningly rich and broad flavors of black fruits, dusty cedar, tobacco, tea and coffee. The rich and complex barrel flavors are beautifully integrated, seamless and proportioned, and power through a breathtaking finish that lasts for minutes. Drink now and over the next five years.
This ultra rich style could be mistaken for a Chardonnay. Light gold in color, heady aromas of lemon curd, butter, ripe banana and bruised apple lead into a palate of baked stone fruit and toast, with medium to low acidity.
This ultrarich, opulent wine has such purity of fruit. With its pepper and spice flavors layered over mango and ripe nectarine, it is a straight line of pure flavor, rich and complex.
This ultraripe and fruity effort tastes of raspberry compote. There are drying tannins and a hint of bark or leaf, with just a bit of warmth on the finish. The fruit comes from two of Red Mountain's finest sites—Kiona and Ciel du Cheval –
This ultraripe Malbec-led blend suggests aged P. X. Sherry via raisin and citrus peel aromas. A jammy palate manages to exhibit balance, despite heavy ripeness, while flavors of blackberry, cassis and prune are dark and dense. A savory, warm, saturated finish continues the theme of maximum ripeness. Drink through 2020.
This ultraripe, happy Cab Franc bursts on the scene with jammy blackberry and prune aromas. The mouthfeel is lush, almost syrupy. Flavors of ultraripe blackberry, cassis and loamy earth finish warm, lusty and with chocolate and coffee notes.
This ultrayoung wine is all fruit. It is textured with minerality and a chalky character that is keeping the fresh green fruits in balance. The wine is delicious, although really not ready. Better to wait until 2016.
This unabashed ripe, oaky style of wine will please a lot of people. Caramel and melted butter aromas lead to ripe and buttery flavors with a candied edge. There is a definite emphasis on oak and other complex flavors, while the fruit component lies low.
This unabashedly powerful and jammy wine shows black-cherry candy, sweet roses, vanilla, black rocks and black pepper on the nose. The soft tannins carry forth waves of vanilla, coconut, caramel and blueberry jelly, perfect to please those seeking a whopper of a wine.
This unassuming red mixes six grapes together, with Tempranillo and Sangiovese comprising almost two-thirds of the blend. Nicely spicy and balanced, it has enough substance for the transition from late summer to early fall meals, and could carry into November-centric holiday meals as well.
This unbaked wine in a can tastes a bit tired, but it has an earthy appeal. The color is a brownish red and the aromas seem dusty and mature. The flavors are beefy and peppery while the texture is nicely tannic.
This unbalanced wine is caught between acidity and wood. It is hard to see how well this will develop. Owner Francis Boutemy, an inventor, created the “Bout'mobile” which glides seated pickers along rows as they cut clusters that are dropped directly into a mobile sorting machine.
This uncommon Alsatian variety seems to do well in the equally cool-climate of northern Michigan. Steely-lemon focused, with salty cheese rind and sea spray notes, this light-bodied white is given a bit of breadth from eight months aging in neutral French oak.
This uncommon Alsatian variety shares the same parentage as Chardonnay, which is a crossing of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc. Much like its Burgundian sibling, this grape seems to perform well in oak. This example is steely and citrus driven, with milky white-flower tones. Having spent one year in neutral French oak, the palate is broad and rich, yet impeccably balanced by crisp acidity.
This uncommon blend of Chardonnay, Gerwurztraminer and Pinot Noir smells a lot like cider, with a hint of vinegar thrown in. A high-acid palate is not welcoming, while sour citrus flavors end with underripe tangerine and citrus peel.
This uncommon Italian grape gets a good showing, with aromas of red apples, lychee and wet stone. The flavors are evenly presented with citrus and stone fruit, a straight-forward sipper perfect for sunny days.
This uncomplicated bottling is delicate and light, making for easy, pleasant sipping. Lime pith, nectarine and wet clay aromas show on the nose, while the palate offers tension and subtle stone fruit and citrus flavors.
This uncomplicated sparkling wine is fresh and fruity, with a touch of yeastiness. It's light, bright and dry yet also soft and ready to drink.
This unconventional, rather light-bodied wine has smoky, roasted herb aromas and broad cherry and black-pepper flavors that lighten up on the finish. The texture is pleasantly soft.
This under-$30 wine is perfect for either a weeknight dinner or special event. Round blackberry and black currant fruit pairs with fresh floral and forest floor notes on the nose. Dried black fruit shows on the palate, where concentrated coffee, dill, tar and crushed slate flavors cut through plum skin tang.
This undergoes a second fermentation in bottle that leaves a slight sediment at the bottom. Aromas recall delicate white flower, green apple, citrus and bread crust. The vibrant palate offers ripe Bartlett pear, nectarine and candied ginger accompanied by a creamy perlage. It's balanced with lively acidity.
This underrated village, which is located next to Savigny-lès-Beaune, has produced an attractive, fruity wine that has a fine structure, a red berry flavor and a twist of acidity on the finish. Keep this for 2–3 years.
This unfiltered wine is cloudy in the glass and rides the low alcohol, low ripeness movement, showing a tangy nose of green olive, tart cranberry and herbaceous peppercorns. The palate is all about spice and savory elements, with lots of acidity and not much ripeness at all. Drink 2019–2029 to test the early picking trend.
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.
This unfiltered, reserve-level wine ripened nicely in 2013, yielding a silky, high-toned palate with plum, berry and cherry fruits. Still in its infancy, this demands decanting and/or additional bottle age. It's a lovely evocation of both finesse and power, with a lick of chocolate in the finish.
This unfined and unfiltered wine carries itself lightly, as is appropriate to the vintage and the grape. It's clean and delicate, with light raspberry fruit and hints of leaf and dried herb.
This unfolding white offers lemon and oaky spice on the nose and palate, with rounded, silky flavors and a spicy finish. A bit bigger and richer, it can handle bigger dishes—think lobster, oysters, cream dishes.
This unidentified blend is simple and ripe with flavors of cola and cherry candy.
This unique and delicious dessert wine from Hungary offers apricot and honey on the nose and palate, as well as an earthier element of tobacco and mocha. It's dense but delicate, too, with a weight and complexity that unfolds in the mouth.
This unique and interestingly yummy wine shows the exuberance of carbonic maceration. A light-bodied beauty, it offers grenadine and kirsch-like exoticness, buoyed by a tang of rose petals and orange zest.
This unique blend is two-thirds Malbec and one-third Petit Verdot. Aromas of vanilla, baking spices, pepper, green herbs and dark fruit lead to full-feeling plum and raspberry flavors with a firm backing of tannins.
This unique blend of 37% Sauvignon Blanc, 38% Pinot Gris and 25% Riesling plays each grape to a distinct advantage. Its fresh aromas recall yellow blossoms, jasmine and stone, while the palate bursts with rounded stone fruit and tangy citrus peel flavors, all driven by bright acidity.
This unique blend of Aglianico, Tintore and Piedirosso, three native grapes of Southern Italy, offers deep layers of spice, resin, tar and tobacco. The wine has a fresh, fruity feel and a rustic personality overall.
This unique blend of Chardonnay, Viognier and Marsanne by Bob Lindquist is priced to sell. Fragrant Gravenstein apple, pink-grapefruit pith and a touch of honeysuckle show on the nose, followed by flavors of apple blossoms, lemon and lime zest on the light and easy palate that sizzles with a cider-like acidity.
This unique blend of Dundee Hill Pinot Noir and Walla Walla Syrah seduces instantly with a bouquet redolent of smoke and licorice, tobacco and vanilla. Though it's Syrah that seems dominant, adding flavors of supple purple fruits to the aromatic mix, it seems apparent that the Pinot Noir component extends the finish, turning a potent and powerful wine into one that exits with delicacy and breeding.
This unique Brunello shows aromas of ginger snap, cinnamon, cherry cola and wild forest berry. The aromas are delivered in a delicate manner, with tiny footprints, that add to the overall complexity and elegance of the experience. Violets, wet earth and button mushroom appear on the close.
This unique expression of Sangiovese Grosso is influenced by oak tones to produce aromas of Spanish cedar and sandalwood, giving the bouquet a rich personality. Bold fruit tones of cherry and blackberry also come into focus, and the wine is surprisingly firm in the mouth.
This unique old vine Chardonnay vineyard makes cool-climate grape flavors as interesting and complex as any fruit bomb. Spring herb, light floral, citrus and grapefruit combine in a delicate, elegant wine. It's Chablis without the chalk; plenty of acid.
This unique project focuses on one single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon each year. Aromas of vanilla bean and other barrel spices are at the fore at present, with dark fruit lurking in the background. The plum and black-currant flavors are lush and full, showing a bit of warmth on the finish. The oak influence is primary at present but it has good stuffing.
This unique red blend from New Mexico has a nose of candied spice and a smooth but structured character of red berry, spice and a touch of sweetness. It's not terribly complex but the flavors are good and the overall impression appealing.
This unique red sparkler from Piedmont offers cherry and earth aromas before turning lighter on the palate, with slightly sweet strawberry flavors and a soft mousse.  Aunique wine, the finish has nice length and appealingly full fruit flavors that have appeal even to serious wine drinkers.
This unique Syrah vineyard is located at the northwestern edge of the Columbia Valley AVA. Exotic, silky and compelling, the aromas and flavors combine gorgeously sleek berry fruit flavors with a foundation of liquid rock (hence the vineyard name). Supple, authoritative and long, it gathers both strength and subtlety as it breathes.
This unique wine offers light aromas of white pepper, bay leaf, coffee and dried leaves. The cherry flavors are elegant with a creamy feel and a tart finish, seeming a big compact at present but developing over time.
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.
This unique, port-style dessert wine fortifies its Marechal Foch, Cabernet Franc and Merlot base with walnut brandy. Smooth as silk, it has clearly benefitted from extra bottle age, and drinks like a dream. It's loaded with lush and generous flavors of crème de cassis, toffee, coffee, maple syrup and caramel.
This uniquely styled wine has flinty, earthy aromas that recall forest floor and dried mushrooms and savory beef broth, black pepper and tamarind flavors, backed by olive and plum. It's great to see an interesting wine like this one push the envelope for Rhône varieties in California.
This uniquely tan-colored Torrontés is “orange” in style. Aromas of orange peel, peach, apricot and floor polish are challenging but complex. This immediately turns grabby and astringent on the palate, while stone-fruit and pithy flavors are short, quick and dry.
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.
This unoaked Chard has a somewhat Chablilsienne quality to it, with a beautiful mineral-driven freshness supported by delicate aromas of white peach, green apple and lively orange citrus. Light and immensely refreshing, it's a perfect apértitif sipper to be enjoyed with cheese and crudité.
This unoaked Chard is light and peachy on the nose, with apple aromas. It's a fruity, driving, almost grating wine with apple, white grape and melony flavors. Super fruity and zesty without the wood tempering, with a citric, lightly bitter and pithy finish.
This unoaked Chardonnay has ripe, creamy fruit, along with acidity that seems typical of the 2002 vintage. Elegant and lively, with nice crispness.
This unoaked Chardonnay highlights a remarkable intensity of fruit flavors—from zesty tangerine and lime to ripe, rich yellow cherry and peach. While refreshingly crisp and sprightly on the palate, it boasts a long, blossomy finish.
This unoaked Chardonnay is awash in green apple, tart lemon and tropical pineapple, light and lifted on the palate. It goes down easily, and will track well at the table. Salads, seafood and brunch-type fare are all good bets.
This unoaked Chardonnay is marked by quite crisp acidity, as the malolactic fermentation was prevented. It's the opposite of opulent, a flinty wine with hints of Meyer lemons and Kaffir limes. Try with shellfish.
This unoaked Chardonnay is powered by tangy lemon and pineapple flavors. It's medium-bodied and has nice concentration without seeming overly ripe. Butter and vanilla touches weave through its lively fresh fruit notes.
This unoaked Chardonnay is so ripe and rich, you won't miss the buttered-toast flavor of oak. It's incredibly potent with limes, mangoes, oranges and pineapples, uplifted with brisk acidity. A weekend brunch of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon will be the perfect occasion.
This unoaked Chardonnay offers bright aromas of red apple and white peach, laced with the faintest hint of hay and yellow flower. It's light and zippy on the palate, with a lemon-lime freshness and a green plum flavor that results in a tart and refreshing finish.
This unoaked Chardonnay showcases delicious pristine mango, peach and apricot flavors. Approachable and uncomplicated, it's a fruit-forward yet refreshingly structured wine for everyday pleasure. Drink now through 2019.
This unoaked Chardonnay shows admirable weight on the palate, but slightly one-dimensional, citrusy flavors. Clean and correct on the finish; drink now.
This unoaked Chardonnay starts with aromas of citrus and stalky greens. It's plump in the mouth, with soft acids and flavors of pineapple and other tropical fruits. It's just fresh enough, but mostly it's innocuous.
This unoaked effort sure tastes sweet, with flavors of sugared orange, mango and apple juice. The acidity is fine, giving balance to the sweetness.
This unoaked Roussanne is fresh and fragrant, with loads of white florals, tropical fruit, peach and a touch of baby powder. The mouth is ripe and crisp with balanced acidity and a juicy lime-infused finish. Drink now.
This unoaked Sauvignon Blanc is crisply acidic, with honey-infused lemon, lime and pink grapefruit flavors. It has an edge of acrid gooseberries that some people will find troublesome, while others will compare it favorably to New Zealand wines.
This unoaked Sauvignon Blanc is really powerful in feline characteristics. Too powerful. Unless you like that peculiar smell and taste, it will turn you off.
This unoaked Sauvignon Blanc showcases pure flavors of lemon, lime and green melon. The acidity is brisk, providing brightness. A touch of sugary sweetness on the finish should make it pair nicely with Asian fare.
This unoaked Sauvignon Blanc shows the crisp tartness that Anderson Valley brings to white wines. Fully dry, its flavors suggest lemongrass, grapefruit and pepper, with a racy tang of cold steel. The aftertaste is long and powerful.
This unoaked white offers rounded tropical fruit aromas and flavors like pineapple, melon and pear. The style is straightforward and exuberant, with balanced acidity and a fruity, lush finish. Keep on the table for everyday enjoyment.
This unoaked wine is tart and simple, with sweet and sour flavors of oranges and pineapples, like fruit juice with alcohol.
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 unoaked wine smells like melons and pears, and tastes even more crisp and lively, like green apples and lemons. There's a touch of buttery richness in both the aroma and the flavor, and it's well balanced out by bright acidity.
This unoaked, 100% Grenache rosé is rich in orange, cherry, apricot and vanilla flavors. Crisp in acidity, it has a clean, vibrant mouthfeel. It's lovely to drink now with a wide variety of fare, from fried chicken to Thai food and tuna tartare.
This unoaked, Dijon-clone wine is lively and lush, with tongue-coating fruit. Melon, banana and papaya flavors steer it in a tropical direction, with a lick of mineral and phenolic bite giving further support.
This unoaked, fruity wine is crisp, full of green fruits and lively acidity. It is light and bright, with a touch of Douro minerality to lift the texture. Drink now.
This unoaked, low-alcohol Sauvignon Blanc is really elegant, and shows how you don't have to spend a lot to get a fine wine. It's dry, crisp and rich in lemon, lime, pineapple and vanilla flavors, with a savory creaminess from sur lie aging. A brilliant value; production was 77,500 cases.
This unoaked, tank-fermented, no-malolactic style delivers flavors as crisp and refreshing as a clear mountain stream. Steely and mineral-driven, its apple and pear flavors carry just a tongue-tickling hint of butter.
This unoaked, tank-fermented, straightforward Chardonnay has a certain steely precision that underscores crisp flavors of apple flesh and skin. Botanical highlights continue through a short, sharp finish.
This unpretentious wine has a light fragrance of blue flower and black berry, while the simple palate offers fleeting black cherry flavors.
This unpretentious, grapy and slightly herbal-tasting dessert wine is sweet but thick in texture and superfruity in flavor.
This unspecified rosé blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris offers bold cherry and cantaloupe aromas, some confected, bubblegum-like flavors and a clean, short finish.
This untamed, boisterous wine has aromas like herbs and cola leading to powerful grapy, berrylike flavors and an assertive, grainy texture.
This untraditional blend works well, with the leathery 25% Merlot component restraining the boisterous fruit of the 75% Zinfandel. The nose mixes gravel, black-cherry blossom, mint and black cardamom, while the palate is both ripe and grippy, with olallieberries, plum-skin tannins, woody elderberries and vanilla bean. It's quite complex and dynamic.
This unusual 100% varietal offering comes from this winery's young estate vineyard. Aromatically it offers notes of candied red apple, wheat cereal, raspberries and dry chocolate. The chocolate, cherry and apple flavors are sweet, ripe and full, backed by dry, grainy tannins.
This unusual Alsatian grape is a featured white wine at Adelsheim, and Björnson does a fine job as well. One-fifth was fermented in wood, the rest in stainless. It's fleshy and round, with a core of slightly candied tropical fruit. Smooth and engaging, it lingers in a graceful finish laced with streaks of caramel.
This unusual and attention-getting wine is full of spicy aromas and flavors, almost like a mulled wine, with cinnamon, clove and cardamom, plus a super-concentrated fruit core. The texture stays tangy despite the heavy spices, and the mouthfeel is very assertive and appetizing.
This unusual and distinctive Zin has a silky texture and rich, finely ground tannins. The flavors range from classic black and red currants, mulberries, cloves and pepper to pastry flavors of coconut macaroon and fig cookie. Could easily develop over a decade.
This unusual and quite distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon makes a strong case for the specificity of the Rogue Valley in relation to this international grape. Pungently herbal, yet neither stemmy nor vegetal, this lights up the nose with penetrating, resinous scents. In the mouth it's mostly reminiscent of high altitude Argentine wines—rock, acid, spice and red currant—a product, no doubt of the 1200 foot vineyard site, which is littered with river rock.
This unusual barrel-fermented white is blended with 5% Sauvignon Musqué for an exotic take on the variety. Floral with apple blossom scents, it reveals sharp acidity underlying its robust fig, preserved lemon, wild vanilla and lemongrass flavors. The texture is silky smooth.
This unusual blend holds 57% Mourvèdre, 34% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. It displays heaping amounts of black pepper along with aromas of dried herbs, vanilla and cherry. The style is elegant but with good concentration and a silky feel, with a tart uptick on the pepper and vanilla-filled finish.
This unusual blend is 68% Shiraz and 32% Malbec, resulting in a full-bodied, deeply plummy wine. Hints of clove, pepper and earth impart welcome complexity on the nose, while the flavors fold in a black olive component. Softly tannic, so drink now or hold 2-3 years.
This unusual blend marries Grenache, Pinot Noir and Malbec—in other words, Rhône, Burgundy and Bordeaux. None of the three is dominant, and the result is a pretty wine, with light raspberry fruit, and highlights of toast and coffee.
This unusual blend of 50% Viognier and 50% Grechetto opens with aromas of white spring flower, ripe stone fruit, flint and a whiff of pine sap. The linear palate delivers layers of white peach, juicy pear, green apple, spice and minerality brightened by fresh acidity. It finishes on a note of white almond. Hold a few years for complexity. Drink through 2020.
This unusual blend of 85% Syrah, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Petite Sirah comes together nicely, with the Syrah lending notes of cranberry and smoked meat and the Petit(e)s adding some heft to the plush texture and bitterness on the finish.
This unusual blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier combines the attributes of crisp acidity and fruitiness. The result is a delicious, fine wine, rich in citrus, apricot and pear flavors that are a little sweet in white sugar.
This unusual blend of grapes from both Washington and Oregon shows that each state can profit from the other. The Oregon grapes give more structure, acid, and delicate spice notes; while the baseline Washington fruit—melon and passion fruit—is bright and tangy and annotated with citrus andtangerine.
This unusual blend of Lagrein and Grignolino is quite dark in color for a rosé, and also feels and tastes heavy and sweet. It's a fruity wine, but lacks the delicacy you want in a fine blush.
This unusual blend of multiple red varieties sure has plenty of personality, with strong white-pepper, raisin and blackberry jam flavors, plus robust tannins and a very dry finish. It really takes over the palate, and needs to be paired with equally assertive food, like barbecue.
This unusual blend of Petite Sirah and Teroldego is very rich and ripe, brimming with blackberry, grilled mushrooms splashed with balsamic, cassis, pepper and cedar. It has lovely tannins, soft and refined. The only problem is excessive heat from high alcohol.
This unusual blend of Riesling, Chardonnay and Viognier is toasty but also stalky smelling, with modest fruit aromas. The palate is plump and simple feeling, with chunky weight and salty flavors of roast corn and bland citrus. Oak and saline define the finish.
This unusual blend of Silvaner and Traminer shows a distinctly earthy edge to its grapefruit and melon flavors and a pronounced tart tang that balances its ripe plumpness on the palate. Drink now.
This unusual blend of Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo and Mourvèdre is the kind of red wine that needs spicy, salty beef or lamb to balance it. It's tannic, acidic and peppery, with a roasted meat edge to the blackberry fruit. Calls to mind Italian-style fare, rich in olive oil and cheeses.
This unusual blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec comes from the folks who own Stagecoach Vineyard high atop Atlas Peak. A bombastically dense and concentrated wine, it's gamy, meaty and brawny all around. Black fruit, tar and tobacco combine to full-bodied effect. It would be best to wait on this one, cellaring through 2020.
This unusual blend of white grape varieties (everything from Sauvignon Blanc to Gewürztraminer) is a bit savory on the nose and palate with flavors of pressed apple and caramel. It's bold in alcohol, but a bit demure in flavor concentration and finishes with a hint of green, reedy notes.
This unusual blend, all co-fermented, includes roughly equal proportions of Vermentino, Viognier and Marsanne, with a splash of Roussanne. It's perfumed with the intensity of Gewürztraminer, a mix of baby powder and candied citrus, and those flavors carry through the palate. Though listed as just 12.5% abv, it tastes and feels much riper, showing some heat in the aftertaste.
This unusual blend, occasionally found in Alsace, gives a wine that is full and perfumed. It offers almond and spice flavors along with a tight texture. The wine, with its warm acidity, is ready to drink.
This unusual Bordeaux-style blend has a substantial amount (61%) of Petit Verdot, yet that often-inky and tannic grape does not overwhelm the other four, and gives the wine a powerful foundation. The palate broadens out with generous black fruits, polished tannins, and lively acidity, finishing with a bit of cedar and a whiff of roasted meat.
This unusual Cabernet, which includes small percentages of four different Rhône red grapes, doesn't show much of anything in the way of Cabernet flavor. Stemmy and tannic, with green tea on the finish, it registers high in alcohol but is green on the palate.
This unusual Chardonnay is fermented and aged sur lie in 60 gallon stainless-steel barrels. The pleasant mix of fruit includes cucumber, melon, jicama and apple, balanced and tart. The color, already a fairly deep gold, suggests that you drink it soon.
This unusual combo of Malbec and Syrah starts with hickory and campfire aromas and then medicinality enters the picture. The palate is choppy and features many holes in the road, but there's also solid black fruit flavors along with cocoa and berry syrup on the finish. In addition, the acidity seems high.
This unusual dry Gewürztraminer puts the flavor focus squarely on grapefruit and pineapple, with a bone-dry acid underpinning. It has moderate concentration and length, with alcohol rated at just 12.5%.
This unusual expression opens with aromas of butterscotch, vanilla, apple and white flower. The palate offers restrained peach and lemon-peel flavors, with a slightly bitter and buttery finish.
This unusual five-grape blend includes Chardonnay, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat. It maintains a sense of focus, with the grassy, herbal character of Sauv Blanc and Sémillon commanding most of the attention. It's stiff, woody (rather than oaky) and herbal. Try it with fresh goat cheese.
This unusual offering is a cross of two hybrids: Schuyler and Seyval Blanc. It immediately shows noticeable sweetness, opening with sugary flavors of honey and orange marmalade. Once in the mouth the acids kick in, and the wine turns tart.
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.
This unusual rosé blends Merlot rosé with substantial portions of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Gewürztraminer, highlighting textural and flavor attributes from each. It's luscious in mouthfeel with a dense concentration of tropical fruit flavors, yet brisk and effortlessly quaffable. A delightful new take on a Hamptons classic.
This unusual rosé is a blend of both white and red grapes fermented together in oak barrels, but there's a nary a hint of toast or vanilla to suggest time in oak. It's an exceptionally well-integrated wine with fine finessed berry and watermelon flavors along with delicate hints of spice and cherry blossom. Zesty acidity and a fresh saline finish lend to its refreshing appeal.
This unusual rosé is a cofermentation of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Blanc. It's an uneasy compromise, with neither grape really taking the lead. Kind of like one of those awkward wine and food combos where the whole is less than either of its parts. Sour strawberry flavors thin out quickly; that's about it.
This unusual rosé is all Pinot Gris, picked for thick skins, chewy tannins, high acidity, and given a 36-hour cold soak prior to fermentation. It's a pale salmon/copper shade, full-bodied and juicy, with fruit flavors of peach and citrus. Highlights of hibiscus tea and floral aromatics contribute further complexity.
This unusual rosé is half Syrah and half Pinot Noir. Sometimes the combo works; here it seems like a mismatch. Tart and simple, it's bone dry and unfocused, with short, thin flavors of watermelon and strawberry that quickly fade.
This unusual varietal wine has steely, mineral aromas and lively flavors like apricot and white peach, along with a relatively light body and lively acidity.
This unusual varietal wine hits with a giant wall of herbal aromas that suggest tomato leaf, oregano and basil. The palate is firm and structured in feel, with smacking tannins and flavors of dark berry fruits, green herbs and coffee. A peppery tasting finish with residual green flavors and mocha works for this decidedly herbal-leaning but high-quality wine. Drink now.
This unusual Walla Walla Valley-designated Sangiovese offers notes of vanilla, coffee and cranberry. It brings a rich, textured mouthfeel full of sweet cherry and plum flavors backed by a light grip of tannins. It doesn't seem varietally correct but it's undeniably delicious.
This unusual white from the southeast corner of Spain smells cidery, with stone-fruit notes and a hint of mustard seed. The palate is juicy but doesn't offer shape or structure. Flavors of peach, mango and celery finish mild, with modest acidity.
This unusual wine displays notes of cigar box, strong green herbs and woodspice. It drinks on the lighter side of medium bodied with coffee and nori flavors and a smoke-filled finish.
This unusual wine has a backbone of acidity akin to a squirt of lime juice, with flavors of green gooseberry, peppercorn, orange and pineapple.
This unusual wine is half 2005, half 2006 Cab, and includes 10% Syrah. It's lively and broad, with plenty of smooth and creamy chocolate filling in around spicy raspberry and red currant fruit.
This unusual wine marries the peppery spicy red-fruit flavors of the grape with terroir-driven components mixing rock, root and soil. Threading through is a streak of chicken stock, and the tannins jut out a bit, suggesting that further bottle age is in order. As with all the Minimus wines, this breaks the mold and rewards your attention.
This unusual wine offers aromas of nori, dried flowers, bittersweet chocolate and cherry cola. It's full flavored with a lightly tacky feel.
This unusual wine, fermented with wild yeasts and using 20% whole bunches, is still pulling all of its diverse components into focus. Grapefruit, citrus, lemon and a saline quality adorn the spare red fruits. The length and persistence are spot on, but this could benefit from another year or two of bottle age before you pop the cork.
This unusual wine, from Dunham's estate vineyard, is dark and shows Rhône-like flavors of blood and cured meats. The fruit is tart—wild berry and cranberry flavors just on the edge of herbal, but laden with grace notes of herb, mineral and coffee. It's a pleasure to taste a Washington Syrah with this complexity at a very French (13%) level of alcohol.
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.
This unusual, but successful, combination of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon is a great example of modern Paso blending. Each grape variety fills in the deficiencies of the others, resulting in a harmonious whole. It has the tannic weight of Cabernet, with complex cherry, mocha, cola and spice flavors that drink well now. There's some burn in the finish that detracts.
This unusual, deeply golden colored wine doesn't have a very expressive nose but the round, full-bodied palate offers candied lemon drop and white peach. An almond note closes the finish.
This unusually lively and vivid wine offers a nice twist on the variety, offering fresh pineapple, herb and lemon flavors, dazzling acidity and great balance despite its relatively high level of alcohol. Grown on the winery property, it's another good example of Holly's Hill's emphasis on purity of flavor.
This unusually rich wine has it all: ripe, round citrus and peach fruit compounded with oaky notes of vanilla, toast and butter. There's none of that grassy, straw character you find in so many North Coast offerings. With its fine, spicy finish, it's one of the best Sauvignon Blancs of the vintage. Contains 9% Sémillon.
This unwooded Chardonnay takes a bit of swirling in the glass before revealing subtle notes of citrus, stone fruit, melon, and blossoms. The palate really perks up with a chalky texture, medium weight and zingy, lemony finish. Crack this one open with poultry or veggies.
This upper-end bottling from the metalworks-minded winery shows black plum, black loam and charred pasilla chile on the nose. The palate is soft and lush, with a proper tannic presentation for the grape, showing more black cherry and a pinch of dill flavors.
This upper-end brand for Bill Foley's Santa Barbara projects delivers a nose of dark raspberry, slate and clove. Tongue-tingling acidity emerges amid flavors of pomegranate juice, black pepper and toasted sage. The lively palate benefits from a seared lemon-skin bitterness.
This upper-tier label shows condensed strawberry fruit against an herbal backbone of marjoram, black cardamom, rainbow peppercorns, dried tobacco and green olive. The palate is tangy with woody fruits of elderberry and juniper, likely to thrive with age.
This ups the percentage of Cabernet to 60%, with 25% Syrah, 14% Petit Verdot and just 1% Cabernet Franc. Released almost a full year later than the other Long Shadows reds, it is well-integrated and focused, with high-toned black cherry fruit set in dusty tannins. Scents of sandalwood drift through, along with cocoa and spice. As good or even better than the outstanding 2006.
This user-friendly Pinot Noir hits the right notes, starting with its bright, crisply delineated bing cherry aromas and progressing through dark undertones of cola and fresh compost. It's round, mouthfilling and very soft, with no hard edges. Drink over the next year or two.
This Valmur brings out great richness from the vineyard and the vintage while keeping an intense texture, orange zest and grapefruit flavors and a firm butter and toast aftertaste. Age for four years.
This Valpolicella blend opens with an aged, browning color and etched aromas of dried fruit and almond. The wine seems past its prime already.
This Valpolicella blend sees a few months of aging in large oak casks to produce aromas of dark cherry and sweet spice. At the back, however, is a tinge of dried apple skin and old leather.
This Valpolicella Classico Superiore shows aged aromas of licorice and tar followed by candied fruit and ripe cassis. It delivers medium density and persistency and would make a good companion to pork or roast chicken.
This Valpolicella shows a nice level of heft and density with ripe cherry and blueberry aromas. There's a slight tannic touch here and enough natural acidity to pair with cream cheese and chives on crackers.
This value-driven wine has a touch of spearmint and bay leaf on the nose, and remains savory and herbal on the palate. A bit of heft builds around black cherry and raspberry, ending seamlessly with only the faintest taste of toasted oak.
This value-minded selection blends plenty of bright citrus and apple flavors with good acidity and a hint of sweetness for a complete and pleasing package. It is medium bodied, light on its feet and refreshing. Enjoy now.
This value-minded wine from an iconic producer offers attractive initial scents of brambly berry and cherry, with additional touches of marzipan and vanilla that lend decadence. The medium-weight palate shows great balance, with ample acidity and firm yet fine tannins that frame the bright red-fruit flavors. Drink now–2018.
This value-minded wine is made in large quantities and maintains a classic edge of red berry and cedar, grippy on the palate, but able to open up in the glass. It'll serve well as a midweek house wine or staple for larger gatherings.
This value-oriented release spent time in one-fifth new oak, and it shows nicely in the nose and the flavor. Ample red fruits are coated with sweet toast and a touch of ginger cookie. The wine has excellent length and polish, especially at this price point.
This value-oriented white delivers nuanced flavor and body, mixing honeyed apple, pear and toasted oak flavors with crisp acidity on the midpalate.
This value-priced blend of Carignan, Syrah and Grenache offers heady upfront aromas of muddled blackberry and boysenberry that are infused with notes of raspberry sauce and mocha. Black fruit flavors continue to shine on the medium-weight palate, which boasts a supple texture, approachable tannins and a peppery spice on the finish.
This value-priced Chard offers a medium-intense bouquet of orange rind, Granny Smith apple and white peach pit followed by a round mouth with accents of apple skins and buttercup. Balanced with a solid finish and low alcohol.
This value-priced Chardonnay is fresh, crisply acidic, and immaculate. The green apple and jicama flavors are dappled with a hint of white pepper. 60% was fermented in neutral oak.
This value-priced label has turned out a notably successful 2009 Shiraz, combining red currants with enough meaty, savory elements to possess real interest. It's medium in body and fleshy yet crisp, making it very drinkable over the near term.
This value-priced low-alcohol wine has all the refreshing elements for a good rosé: light body, mild watermelon and peach flavors and a crisp texture. It has fresh acidity and good balance, too.
This value-priced offering starts off with slightly subdued notes of passion fruit, but gains a bit of intensity on the palate. It's a simple, tropically fruity Sauvignon Blanc with a soft, easygoing finish.
This value-priced Syrah is meaty, leathery and spicy smelling, which can be typical for the variety. The palate is a bit shrill and acidic, while narrow flavors of red berries, herbs and minty green settle on a lightly herbal finish.
This value-priced wine is a steal of a deal, layered enthusiastically in smoky bacon and soft, lavender-wrapped tannins and oak. Medium bodied, it'll satisfy as both a quaffer and a food-friendly wine, matching smoky meat against its smoky profile.
This value-priced wine shows pressed Bing cherry juice, sagebrush and balsamic fig vinegar on the nose. The palate offers a complex combination of flavors—mocha, espresso, blackberry and anise.
This value-priced wine struts like it comes from a better neighborhood. The nose is clean and is centered on berry fruit, while the palate is medium in size, with creamy, sweet berry flavors. Mildly medicinal and candied, but good overall.
This value brand makes a number of West Coast Pinots, with mixed results. Here are very strong, dominating flavors of vanilla and breakfast tea, of the sort often associated with oak additions during the winemaking process. Don't look for any specific Willamette Valley character here. It's a light generic red, tasting mostly of vanilla.
This value Garnacha is a fruity number with a no-nonsense berry character and clarity throughout. Cherry and plum aromas are vibrant, while flavors of black plum, boysenberry and medicinality are more than fine. Pepper, spice and overall warmth carry the finish.
This value Pinot Noir is perfectly fine for everyday drinking, with a light, silky texture framing raspberry and oak flavors.
This value selection is a no-brainer, with medium tannins providing good structure to the ripe palate. Boysenberry and black currant flavors mingle with spicy accents of hoisin sauce, licorice and coffee bean. Drink now.
This value wine opens with a fresh, citrusy bouquet and features a compact, streamlined mouthfeel.
This varietal Bobal from a designated pago (Finca Terrerazo) within Utiel-Requena is loamy, spicy and loaded with black plum and blackberry aromas. A ripe, pure palate is chock full of baked plum, cassis, spice and chocolate flavors, while the finish is chewy, complex and chunky. Drink through 2019.
This varietal Cabernet Franc comes from Blackrock Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. The notes are light and high toned with dill, vanilla, fresh herbs and dusty cherry. The 40% new American oak drives much of the flavor as well as the tannins, which come off as a bit too aggressive.
This varietal Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the producer's organic Chiles Valley estate. It's muscular and lushly layered, with spicy leather and tobacco notes accented by a delicate touch of violet and supported by firm, grippy tannin. Drink now through 2033.
This varietal expression of Petit Verdot shows a concentration of coffee liqueur and vanilla flavors that suggest that the barrels overtook the fruit. The alcohol registers 14.4%, and there is plenty of tannin. If you want to taste barrel more than grape, it's a flavorful bottle.
This varietal Garnacha is chunky and heavily oaked on the nose, with woody aromas of vanilla and plastic. An overtly oaky, awkward feeling palate tastes of resin on top of plum and blackberry, while the finish shows more resin mixed with mint.
This varietal Listán Negro from Tenerife in the Canary Islands opens with minerally cherry aromas offset by notes of earth and leather. A juicy, clamping palate with salty plum and raspberry flavors ends with light spice notes. This is elegant and svelte, but packs punch. Drink through 2021.
This varietal Petit Verdot is dry, tannic and oaky, with a linear profile, suggesting violets and cassis. It's elegant and complex, but lacks generosity.
This varietal Sauvignon Gris isn't as aromatic as the more pungent Sauvignon Blanc. In the mouth, this is medium in body, with good overall texture. Dry racy flavors of scallion and bitter melon are not exuberant but turn fruitier on the finish.
This varietal Syrah from the land of Garnacha is downright superb, and for $30 it qualifies as an outstanding value. Black cherry and ripe berry aromas are big and inviting, while the palate is thick, layered and still racy due to fine acidity. Flavors of blackberry, chocolate, vanilla and baking spice run for miles on the generous finish. Drink now–2016.
This varietal Trepat is fresh and dainty on the nose, with strawberry aromas. A direct, pure, juicy palate is elegant, and, like the nose, this tastes of red fruits, raspberry and cherry included. A clean finish glides away with grace and length. Drink now.
This varietal wine is toasty in caramelized oak and richly interwoven with flavors and aromas of pencil shavings, plum and black currant. Grippy, with a velvety texture, it provides structure and power in equal parts.
This varietal Xarello feels more flat than vivid. It has fleshy yet generic white fruit aromas, ripe melon flavors and a tired finish.
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 variety's signature dried- and fresh-herb aromas are on full display, with light barrel spices in the background. The palate brings lightly sweet plum and currant flavors that provide appeal.
This variety can benefit from new oak while aging, and the spicy layer that envelopes this wine is assertive but very attractive. The aroma is like toasted baguette slices and black-cherry juice, while the flavors are rich, layered and lingering. It's an outstanding wine made in tiny quantities.
This variety is a consistent strength for this winery. A warm vintage wine, it offers aromatic notes of freshly cut flowers, peach, creamsicle, pear and tangerine. It's textured in feel with abundant stone fruit and vanilla flavors that lead to a tart, apricot filled finish that lingers. The barrel influences play a big part but it works.
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.
This variety is a relative newcomer to the state. It intrigues with aromas of citrus and flowers that are followed by smoky flavors with a cranberry and flower-filled finish.
This variety is a relative rarity in Washington. This one offers quiet aromas of spice and cherry along with barrel accents. The tart cherry flavors are medium bodied and fruit filled.
This variety is a standout at this estate, and the latest vintage is the best yet. Classic pear-fruit flavors carry interesting notes of mint, cinnamon and even a touch of honey. It's rich and incredibly long through the finish.
This variety is an extreme rarity in the state but shows plenty of promise in this nascent growing region. Aromas of cherry, herb and spice lead to broad tart full cherry flavors that show a sense of purity, finesse and length.
This variety is an extreme rarity in the state, with only a small handful of bottlings made. This one offers aromas of herbs, spice and green apple skin that carry through to the palate, which drinks just off dry.
This variety is an extreme rarity in the state. It opens with aromas of plum, herb and spice that are followed by soft elegant fruit flavors that linger on the finish.
This variety is an extreme rarity in this appellation. This one offers aromas of wet penny, spice and red fruit. The palate is medium bodied, with the tannins bringing some grit.
This variety is commonly used in Champagne but rarely vinified on its own. This wine shows why. It's like Pinot Noir in the silky texture, but feels jagged and harsh, and the fruit tastes a little baked and sugary.
This variety is extremely rare in Washington, especially in single-vineyard wines that are dry farmed. Light aromas of white pepper, lime and herb are followed by a dry palate marked by a strong sense of acidity. It needs food to shine.
This variety is extremely rare in Washington. Fruit-forward aromas of cranberry, cocoa powder and herbs are followed by tart, appealing flavors that linger.
This variety is one of the traditional Port grapes. It should do well as a dry wine in the hotter areas of California, but no one has figured out how to make it happen. This bottling by Kenneth Voik does not advance the cause. The wine is heavy and dull.
This variety is still a rarity in the state, with vineyard-designated offerings even more so. Aromas of cherry, mortared herb and mineral are followed by focused tightly wound black-fruit flavors that persist on the finish. It appears to show a bit more oak influence than the winery is typically known for but still delivers the goods.
This variety is still a rarity in the state. Barrel aromas are out front, with notes of vanilla and coffee followed by herbs. The flavors are elegant, with a tart lick of acidity, but bring a stewed element that distracts.
This variety is still a rarity in the valley, though it is up-and-coming. This example displays aromas of funk, black olive, tobacco and mineral that are followed by plump, expressive fruit and savory flavors. It provides a lot of intrigue.
This variety remains an extreme rarity in the state but the early offerings show promise. Here, the aromas are light, with notes of citrus zest, lees and mineral. The flavors are broad and creamy in feel, extending on the finish. It should show well at the dinner table.
This variety, not usually used on its own, has produced an inky dark wine of considerable power and ample tannins. The blackberry and rhubarb fruit has great depth, and is very dry. It's not a bad wine, but seems better suited as a blender to Cabernet Sauvignon. It just might be interesting in 6–8 years. —S.H.
This veers on the lower side of aromatic intensity, with notes of dark raspberry and plum, raw meat, melted chocolate and underbrush. Lively acids define the light- to medium-bodied palate, while powdery tannins lend traction.
This veers strongly into the herbal side of Cabernet. It's scented with stem and leaf, and the flavors follow. It's tight, tart and chewy, verging on sour as it comes up short in the finish.
This veers toward the sweet side of Viognier, with pineapple, apricot, orange and honeysuckle flavors. The sweetness is balanced by firm acidity.
This velvet-textured wine, smooth and soft, has power and density, but all the edges have already smoothed away, leaving sweet hedgerow berries, dark chocolate and mint.
This velvety-textured blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Carignan and the remainder Mourvèdre and Cinsault offers some bright, red-fruit notes that enliven the core of black olive, dark chocolate and espresso bean. Drink now–2016.
This velvety red blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache is dark and heady but approachable and easily drinkable now. Boysenberry and black cherry flood the bouquet, accented by notes of purple flowers and cola. Balanced and lush in the mouth, the black raspberry fruit and peppery spice carry through to the long, evolving finish.
This velvety Vin Santo opens with intense maple syrup aromas that carry over to the palate along with apricot, orange peel, honey and spice. The dense, smooth texture is uplifted by fresh acidity that prevents it from being cloying.
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.
This venture is doing a fine job ferreting out Northern Rhône wines and offering them at realistic prices. This is a dark, concentrated Cornas, big and richly textured while retaining crispness and delineation. Plum and blackberry notes join black olive and espresso, but the overall impression remains savory, all the way through the long, velvety finish. Drink now–2020.
This Verdejo hits the sweet spot, with a crisp nose focused on green-apple aromas. The palate has a free-flowing feel and well-presented flavors of apple, peach and melon. An easy-fading finish ends this well.
This Verdejo is fruity and tropical on the bouquet. In the mouth, it's plump and smooth, with just enough acidic bite to keep things zesty. Flavors of melon, peach and pear finish solid and fairly long.
This Verdejo is in its late stages of life but it's hanging in there. Mostly neutral aromas of apple and lime set up a palate with citrusy acidity that keeps the wine alive. Narrow, simple flavors of orange and nectarine finish pithy but true to the variety. Drink immediately.
This Verdejo is past its prime. A leesy, chunky mouthfeel backs up basic aromas of orange peel, lemon and apple. Flavors of tropical fruits taste of stirred lees, while the finish simply stays the course.
This Verdejo is pungent and angular on the nose, with pyrazinic aromas of green citrus, sweat and cactus that are common to the variety and Rueda. An oily, grabby palate is cut by firm acidity, while flavors of tangerine, nopal and bell pepper finish short despite lively acidity.
This Verdejo smells like citrus fruits and wild field grass, with a hint of feline aroma. Crisp and fresh, it offers flavors of melon, nectarine and nettle. A long, slightly salty finish is braced by bright acidity. Drink right away, if possible.
This Verdicchio has subdued but pretty aromas of yellow flowers and mineral. The palate is lean, revealing peach and pear but the fruit already seems evolved and lacks richness although it has a crisp finish.
This Verdicchio opens with floral aromas of Spanish broom and acacia, along with a hint of petroleum that recalls Riesling. The linear palate is a bit lean but offers up lemon, bitter almond and mineral notes alongside bright acidity.
This Verdicchio, from the best grapes of the estate's Villa Bianchi vineyard, offers pretty renderings of honey, pear and stone fruit. The aromas are fresh, vibrant and inviting and the mouthfeel is long-lasting and bright. Thirty percent of the wine ferments in new French oak to give the wine added texture and flavor.
This Vermentino boasts a creamy mouthfeel and medium intensity, with notes of white flower, dried hay, peach and citrus. It feels smooth and silky on the finish.
This Vermentino from Sardegna doesn't have a very expressive nose, but eventually reveals hints of white flowers and thyme. The palate is linear and somewhat subdued, with nuances of apple and rosemary.
This Vermentino from the Tuscan coast opens with delicate aromas of honeysuckle and peach blossom. On the palate, a light mineral vein accents the creamy white peach and candied lemon flavors.
This Vermentino opens with a dense, creamy structure and offers fragrant tones of ripe fruit, apricot, pear and a touch of exotic spice. Pair this wine with baked salmon or halibut.
This Vermentino opens with distinct tones of almond skin and stone fruit. The mouthfeel is lean and clean, with a compact feel and medium intensity.
This Vermentino opens with restrained aromas of stone fruit and acacia flower. The palate seems tired, but offers up dried apricot, lemon zest, yellow peach and bitter almond-skin notes.
This Vermentino, which is blended with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc, shows a saturated golden color (a small percentage of the wine is aged in barrique). It has broad aromas of apricot, tangerine and almond paste. A touch of zesty acidity marks the finish.
This versatile red offers cola, cocoa and coffee aromas and earthy, balanced flavors of plum, dried cherry, cocoa and spice. Approachable but true to the variety, this wine is still evolving and can age for years to come.
This versatile, food-friendly blend is a great value that's perfect for entertaining. Scents of brambly berry and black plum skin immediately unfold on the nose, while dense notes of cassis and blackberry take center stage on the palate. Balanced and accessible, the crushed satin texture is framed with medium tannins and lush, rich fruit flavors that stay through the long cocoa-kissed finish.
This version of Calanìca (made from 60% Frappato and 40% Syrah) offers a low impact bouquet of earthy forest fruit and bramble. It's a light, lean wine with a touch of soft spice on the close.
This version of old-vines Carignan-Garnacha is heavily toasted to the point of smelling charred, with coffee and cured-beef notes. Big and blocky on the palate, reflecting a warm year, this tastes toasty, with flavors of wild herbs, baking spices, char and black fruits in the background. Licorice notes and a final blast of char control the finish. Drink through 2021.
This very affordable wine from the Gregory Ahn portfolio begins with clean notes of blackberry juice, black iced tea and graphite. It's spicy, bright and juicy once sipped, proving very refreshing, and a great example of the stripped-down wine everyone talks about making.
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.
This very approachable and likable wine puts the typical dried-grass aromas atop stone fruit scents. The palate is very herb-tinged, with parsley, thyme and rosemary finding a nice symbiosis with the riper nectarine and melon flesh.
This very attractive, medium-bodied wine emphasizes fruit flavor and freshness along with a lively texture. The raspberry aromas and red cherry flavors offer plenty of interest, and the balance makes it quite appetizing.
This very attractive, richly oaked wine melds all the wood smoke, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla of new barrels with delicious, ripe fruit flavors from the grapes. It has a suave, layered texture from the initial sip to the lingering finish, and is very hard to resist.
This very complete wine displays a fine balance between its tannins, black fruits and acidity. The structure is firm, still dry while giving space for the developing fruitiness. It is almost ready to drink, although it will be better from 2016.
This very complete wine offers dark tannins, ripe berry fruits and a velvet texture. It's rich, relying on blackberry and black plum flavors and a dense structure. Mouth-filling, it delivers delicious fragrant acidity at the end. Drink from 2017.
This very crisp, cool-climate sparkling rosé is a blend of Castelão and Merlot. It has acidity, a touch of raspberry fruit and a just off-dry ripeness.
This very drinkable and popular blend of 65% Grenache, 31% Syrah and 4% Mourvèdre is a great deal, offering red cherry, smoke and slate on the nose. The palate is equally simple yet quaffable, with red berries, allspice and nutmeg proving refreshingly pleasing.
This very dry Cabernet feels rugged and gritty in the mouth, with too much acidity that lends bite. The austerity is relieved by black cherry and sweet tobacco flavors. Drink up.
This very dry Petite Sirah has a wealth of cherry, cola, mulberry and spice flavors wrapped into sturdy tannins and acids. It's rustic, in the way of country wines, but will nicely accompany simple fare, especially barbecue with a rich tomato sauce.
This very dry Syrah has soft tannins and a full-bodied mouthfeel, with complicated flavors of baked cherries, cola, bacon and sandalwood. It's quite a good wine, but astringent now, making for a puckery feeling. Doesn't seem like an ager, so drink with rich fare.
This very dry wine is dominated by its hard tannins, and comes across as a bit rigid and austere, especially by California standards. Yet it's very finely structured, with a keen edge of black pepper to the currant and blackberry flavors buried way beneath. Give it through 2009, but if you must drink now, decant.
This very earthy wine with a barnyard character has lost its fruit. It does have structure but it is not likely to lose its animal edge.
This very elegant nose is like a love potion perfume of violet, sterling rose, myrrh and raspberry essence. The flavors veer toward tart raspberry and cranberry, with cola and purple flowers coming through before a brisk acidic finish.
This very expensive release is one of the rare examples of Chardonnay that absolutely requires bottle age. Dry and leesy now, with a mineral compactness, it shows a rich core of baked peach, spiced apple, butterscotch and smoky honey. As it warms in the glass, it develops great flavor and textural complexities. Should come into its own by 2009, and improve for many years after.
This very fairly priced Merlot from the Cosumnes River sub-section of Lodi has a juicy berry roundness that makes it inviting to drink, and softly textured all around. On the long finish is a remarkably vibrant strain of caramel-mocha flavor, and interesting secondary notes that may have developed over time on this 2007 vintage.
This very fairly priced wine from the fourth-generation winemaking family behind San Antonio Winery delivers aromas of black cherry-crusted charred meats with significant mint character. It's dense on the palate and quite tannic, but quite nice with blackberry paste, licorice and tanned leather flavors.
This very fine Cabernet wants a little time in the cellar. Right now, it's tight in tannins, with some acidic bitterness in the finish. The flavors are of black currants and smoky new oak. The Morisoli Vineyard has been home to very good, ageable bottlings from the likes of Sequoia Grove and Elyse, but in the last few years, Meander has expressed its terroir best. Try after 2012.This very fine Cabernet wants a little time in the cellar. Right now, it's tight in tannins, with some acidic bitterness in the finish. The flavors are of black currants and smoky new oak. The Morisoli Vineyard has been home to very good, ageable bottlings from the likes of Sequoia Grove and Elyse, but in the last few years, Meander has expressed its terroir best. Try after 2012.
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.
This very fine Petite Sirah mysteriously blends the variety's robust, full-bodied tannins with the silky delicacy of a Pinot Noir. The flavors are big and deep, offering an explosion of dried fruits, berries, tobacco, spicy gingersnap cookie and grilled meat. Drink with hearty stews and barbecue now, or stash it away for a few years.
This very floral and herbally tinged bottling shows fresh crushed thyme, black peppercorns, lavender and woody blackberries on the nose. The palate shows some of the same, but descends into a very purple Concord grape flavor.
This very focused wine is deeply colored, has smoky, meaty aromas and concentrated fruit flavors. It is full bodied, firm and moderately tannic in texture.
This very fragrant and floral dessert wine from southern Italy offers aromas of apricot, honey, toasted almond and candied fruit. The mouthfeel is thick and sweet but not over the top and for that reason you can pair this wine with most fruit-based desserts.
This very fresh and lively wine shows tart black currant, black plum and candied black cherry aromas, as well as elegant hints of lilac and potpourri. That purple flower note fuels the palate, with more lilac and lavender, and the structure is quite firm for its relatively light weight.
This very fresh wine from the Ducourt family is all crisp, crushed berry fruits and tight acidity. The 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is tangy, very dry and steely in character, with equal parts acidity and fruit. The aftertaste is lively, poised and refreshing.
This very fruity wine has light acidity and a fresh, crisp character. It doesn't have great depth, but is attractive now.
This very fruity wine oozes fresh apricot and elegant peach flavors. It's crisp and fragrant, a fine, ready-to-drink blend of Antão Vaz, Roupeiro and Arinto.
This very good go-to wine can stretch from weekday meals to special occasions. The aromas are ripe and fruity, shaded by light oak spices. Flavors are abundantly plummy and the texture is nicely firm and moderately tannic.
This very good, well-balanced wine combines savory, smoky elements with tasty, bright fruit flavors recalling red cherry and plum. It's medium bodied and has enough concentration to be interesting.
This very herbaceous wine shows almond, toast and a rich texture. The wine has a creamy feel, ripe in the mouth while retaining grapefruit-driven freshness at the end.
This very informal boxed wine from Northern Italy shows a quality of fruit that spans from exotic papaya and mango to slightly oxidized tones of butterscotch candy and pineapple. It drinks easily enough.
This very interesting expression of Sangiovese is light in color but bursting with small berry and floral fragrances. The wine does a lovely job of showing the elegant, feminine side of this Tuscan grape variety.
This very internationally-styled blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah displays dense fruit, brisk acidity and the lavish use of oak.  Extremely dark aromas and flavors predominate, with firm black plum, tobacco and earth elements.  The long and even finish of this weighty offering shows tart blackberry flavors and full tannins.
This very lemony wine is crisp and cool from the mountain vineyards of Savoy. It has a bright, creamy texture and baked-apple and pear flavors accented with a shot of citrusy acidity. It's a wine to drink now.
This very light, thin Merlot shows modestly ripe fruit and fairly substantial tannins, perhaps from the addition of 16% Petit Verdot. Flavors are herbal and the finish fades quickly.
This very limited block selection is too thin, herbal and green to offer much pleasure. Tannins are stemmy and overtake the fruit.
This very limited production reserve was fermented and aged sur lie in a concrete egg. Egg-zactly what that did for the flavor remains a mystery. It conveys crisp flavors of green berry, green apple and pear.
This very limited production wine is Foursight's most expensive offering. It smells like red cherries and cinnamon, tastes warm and spicy, and feels broad and velvety. While not quite as impressive as the 2013, it has a plush and welcoming personality that's difficult to forget.
This very limited reserve is from a particular block, and as with most block selections, it offers focused, somewhat constrained flavors. Precisely defined red berry fruit is set in a frame of vanilla, toast and coffee. It's a pleasant, albeit generic quaffer.
This very limited reserve mixes old-vine fruit from the Bacchus and Weinbau vineyards (all under the Sagemoor umbrella). Berries, cherries and cassis draw you into a dusty, detailed wine with nuances of herb and earth. A lick of rich dark chocolate ends it with a flourish.
This very limited, concrete-egg-fermented, and thoroughly splendid Pinot Gris is a good indication of the potential for PG in Oregon if the price limitations are lifted. Stunningly rich with citrus, lemon curd, ripe apple and light tropical fruits, this concentrated, deeply driven wine is both roundly full and amazingly dense. Certainly the best Oregon Pinot Gris in memory.
This very pale rosé from Syrah master Andrew Murray shows Pink Lady apple, cantaloupe and spun sugar scents on the nose. It's very fresh on the palate, with lively acidity that cuts through the riper cantaloupe and other melon flavors on the midpalate. Chalky texture raises it above many other rosés.
This very pretty wine is built upon soft, forward, ripe strawberry fruit, and dappled with details of cinnamon and baking spices. A touch of chocolate sneaks into the focused, lightly tarry finish, which is nicely balanced. This pioneering vineyard dates back to the 1970s, but much of it has been replanted since the beginning of this century.
This very quaffable blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah and 12% Grenache hails from a property in northeast Paso. Juicy strawberry, black plum and cherry meet with wet soil and chopped mint on the nose. These make for a fresh landing on the palate as well, where red berries mesh with anise and sweet clove notes. Soft tannins and bright acid hold it together.
This very rich Chardonnay oozes showy flavors of pineapples, pears and golden mangoes, with winemaking notes of buttered toast, crème brûlée and a slight taste of yeast. It's not particularly subtle, projecting power instead.
This very rich, ripe and forward Pinot Noir can be opened now for its vast array of raspberries, cherries, cola, red licorice and smoky sandalwood. It grows more interesting as it warms in the glass, showing facets of pomegranates and violets. Will provide good drinking through 2014.
This very rich, unctuous Syrah is immature and not especially subtle at this time. It's acidic and gooey in jammy blackberries and cherries and milk chocolate, with obvious oak influences. The idea seems to be ageworthiness, but that's a gamble. Could surprise.
This very rich, wood-aged wine is dense and powerful. The power takes away from the natural balance of a Bordeaux, giving dark tannins that dominate. Spice from the wood is also a strong element. It will round out, but will remain very ripe.
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 very ripe interpretation of Touriga Nacional brings out a dark black-plum flavor, which hides the grape's natural tannins. It is chunky, with powerful, forward fruit.
This very ripe wine tastes of supermature grapes; it' s soft and formless.
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.
This very small-production offering deserves its reserve labeling, a nicely balanced and concentrated wine with aromas and flavors of baked bread, big leather, cigar and black peppercorn. Tense on the finish, it shows promise of opening further in time. Drink now through 2023.
This very special property in Bolgheri includes one of Italy's most important experimental vineyards. Among the various wines made here, this super Tuscan blend opens with plush berry and spice notes as well as leather, roasted almond and ground clove.
This very strongly flavored Cabernet isn't showing much subtlety. It offers a blast of ripe blackberries and black currants, with notes of dark chocolate and sweet smoky notes from oak. High alcohol gives it a little heat in the finish. Drink now.
This very structured wine is dry, in the Laurent-Perrier house style. Crunchy green apples are supported by richness and a complex texture. With nine years in the cellar, it has already gained some maturity, but needs aging.
This very substantive wine carries rich and complex flavors on a firm and lively frame. It has an exotic, perfumed aroma, and plenty of fruit flavor and firm tannins. The elements of ripe cherries, suave oak and vibrant acidity all support each other for great balance and a long finish.
This very sweet wine has the usual bubbly flavors of yeast and citrus fruits, but also an Amaretto, almond liqueur richness. It's one of the sweetest sparkling wines available in California.
This very tannic wine is fierce and astringent at this time. It's almost old-fashioned in its puckery dryness. True, it has a deep core of ripe blackberry, cherry, currant, licorice and cola flavors that could emerge after sufficient aging, but it's not a certainty.
This very tasty wine was made in Chicago from California grapes. Mild aromas of jasmine and apricot are followed by rich flavors like poached pear, butter and almond. This is full bodied, flavorful, smooth in texture and well balanced, with a lingering finish.
This very underripe expression of Pinot Noir will win hardcore fans of that style. Tart raspberry meets with green peppercorns, underbrush and Kalamata olives on the nose. The palate is also full of olives, from Kalamata to green, with damp sagebrush, forest floor and more green-peppercorn flavors.
This very versatile Chardonnay finds a nice balance between fresh fruit flavors, crisp acidity and relatively light body. No obvious oak influence or overripe fruit flavors cloud its appetizing, appealing and sunny personality.
This very vibrant, fresh wine bursts with strawberry and red cherry aromas, and then delivers bright, tangy raspberry and cherry flavors on a stream of crisp acidity and fine-grained tannins. Medium bodied, it relies on an almost electric mouthfeel for its appeal, and should age well through 2020.
This veteran winery, located alongside Highway 101, gets serious on its small-lot bottlings, here presenting eucalyptus, anise, baked cherry, plum skin, pencil lead and concentrated rose petal on the nose. Complex and deep, the palate is structured around cranberry-cherry brioche flavors that are decorated with herbs, from oregano and bay leaf to fennel pollen and anise seeds.
This vibrant and sophisticated Cuvée shows aromas of sourdough, yellow fruit, subtle notes of exotic spice and dried apricot. The mouthfeel is dense and creamy and the wine boasts impressive persistency on the finish.
This vibrant blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Merlot opens with an intense fragrance of violet, lilac and raspberries accented with whiffs of orange peel and sandalwood. Juicy black cherry, black plum, white pepper and cinnamon-spice take center stage on the palate alongside a firm, tannic backbone. Already delicious, hold for complexity. Drink through 2018.
This vibrant Chianti Classico has ripe strawberry and raspberry aromas with hints of violet. The palate shows delicious red cherry layered with white pepper and a hint of chocolate, all in a fresh and supple style.
This vibrant metodo classico Brut sparkling wine from Piedmont delivers rich tones of peach, sun-dried apricot and toasted bread. It has tonic, persistent perlage and offers a creamy, sophisticated feel in the mouth.
This vibrant Pinot Grigio offers delicate scents of white flower, orchard fruit and a whiff of citrus. The crisp palate shows crunchy Granny Smith apple, green pear and tangerine while bracing acidity gives it a clean finish.
This vibrant Pinot Grigio opens with aromas of white flowers and white tree fruit. The round palate offers mature pear and green apple alongside bright acidity but the structure doesn't fully support the evident alcohol.
This vibrant red has red berry, new leather and fresh herb aromas that meld together. The sleek, light-bodied palate offers juicy wild cherry, cinnamon and a hint of star anise set against racy acidity and fine-grained tannins.
This vibrant red opens with aromas of ground pepper, dark-skinned fruit and blue flower. The tight palate delivers ripe black cherry, crushed raspberry, white pepper and aromatic herb along a backbone of firmly packed, polished tannins and bright acidity. It's still young and needs to unwind. Drink 2017–2022.
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 vibrant red opens with scents of small red berries and cherries, accented by touches of vanilla bean and black pepper. The medium-weight palate is well balanced and approachable, with fruit-skin flavors that harmonize with the fine tannins. A kiss of cocoa graces the finish.
This vibrant Roero Arneis from Northern Italy offers a very floral bouquet with layers of citrus blossom, melon and peach. There's a slightly sweet note in the mouth matched by some natural creaminess.
This vibrant rosato offers aromas of wild berry and spice. The fresh palate doles out ripe raspberry, juicy cherry and white clove alongside bright acidity.
This vibrant Rosso weaves together ripe plum, violet, crushed black cherry, sweet cake spices, menthol and Mediterranean herbs. The juicy palate is balanced by supple tannins and fresh acidity. It's already accessible but will offer easy-drinking enjoyment through at least 2016.
This vibrant sparkler opens with aromas of ripe red berry and spice. Made from Frappato, the lively palate doles out wild strawberries, crushed cherries and just a hint of white pepper alongside firm acidity and persistent bubbles.
This vibrant white features delicate but enticing aromas of black locust flower, jasmine and stone fruit. The round, bright palate offers creamy peach, crisp apple and juicy nectarine alongside firm acidity. It closes on a mineral note.
This vibrant white offers aromas suggesting elderflower, chopped herb, citrus and a whiff of tomato leaf. On the tangy palate, zesty acidity underscores grapefruit, apricot and nectarine zest while a flinty note seals the crisp finish.
This vibrant white opens with delicate scents of white flower and tree fruit. The zesty palate offers lime, Bartlett pear and a hint of white grapefruit alongside racy acidity. A note of bitter almond backs up the finish.
This vibrant white unfolds with fragrances of white spring flower, hay, earth, green apple and tropical fruit that all carry over to the palate. Crisp acidity brightens the juicy fruit flavors.
This vibrant wine begins with aromas of apples, stone fruit and mineral. The savory palate offers ripe Bartlett pear, citrus and peach alongside bright acidity. It closes on a bitter almond note.
This vibrant wine discloses aromas of delicate wild flowers and stone fruit. The bright palate offers juicy yellow peach, golden apple, lemon and lime zest alongside crisp, refreshing acidity.
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.
This vibrant wine opens with aromas of red berry, cake spice and a hint of toast. The bright palate offers sour cherry, raspberry, white pepper and aromatic herb alongside assertive but refined tannins that need to relax. An aniseed note marks the close.
This vibrant wine opens with aromas that recall tilled soil, iris, strawberry and an earthy note of porcini mushroom. The racy palate offers underripe wild cherry, grilled herb and a hint of baking spice while smooth tannins and bright acidity provide an easy-drinking framework.
This vibrant wine opens with intense aromas of rose, violet, ripe berries, pastry cream and a whiff of leather. The savory palate offers juicy black raspberry and tart red cherry accented with notes of mint, thyme and mineral alongside round tannins and fresh acidity. Drink after 2018.
This vibrant wine opens with varietal aromas of cut grass, passion fruit and crushed tomato vine. The linear palate offers up yellow peach, cantaloupe and a hint of ginger drop alongside racy acidity. It offers excellent value.
This vibrant wine shows how well this grape variety does in Amador County. It melds beautiful, pure, almost jammy aromas and flavors with a rich, layered and soothing texture. The color is quite dark, the aromas drip blackberry and boysenberry, the flavors are deep and the mouthfeel broad.
This vibrant young red opens with aromas of strawberry, dark cherry and a whisper of graphite. The bright, polished palate doles out morello cherry, white pepper and a hint of licorice alongside firm but refined tannins. Drink through 2018.
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.
This vibrant, dry expression of the Moscato grape from Noto, Sicily opens with an intense floral fragrance of wild rose, jasmine, orange blossom and citrus. The palate delivers nectarine zest, white peach and a hint of Mediterranean brush balanced with fresh acidity. Sip as an apéritif or pair it with shellfish.
This vibrant, easy-drinking red offers aromas of woodland berry, white pepper and a whiff of graphite. The lively, spicy palate doles out tart red cherry, wild strawberry, clove and peppercorn alongside brisk acidity and lithe tannins.
This vibrant, full-bodied wine combines truly vibrant fruit flavors like black cherry and black grapes with a broad and juicy texture. It delivers a sense of layering of fruit flavors on the palate and a lingering, ripe finish.
This vibrant, informal wine offers fruity aromas of crushed cherry, strawberry and woodland berry. The fruity aromas carry over to the palate along with a hint of tangerine zest and bracing acidity.
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.
This vibrant, polished red opens with a potpourri of red berry, floral and spice aromas. The bright, juicy palate doles out succulent red cherry, raspberry, anise and cinnamon while lithe tannins and lively acidity provide balance and a smooth, easy-drinking texture.
This vibrant, savory and linear white offers alluring spring flower and mature orchard fruit scents. On the elegant—almost ethereal—palate, hints of ginger and citrus zest add depth to ripe pear and juicy peach. Fresh acidity brightens the creamy flavors, leaving a crisp finish.
This vibrant, savory red weaves together sensations of black and red cherry, crushed raspberry, violets, orange peel and a hint of mocha. Easygoing and soft, it's made to be enjoyed now.
This vibrant, savory white opens with alluring scents of pear, tropical fruit and a whiff of fragrant white flower. The round, medium-bodied palate shows white peach, golden apple and mineral. Fresh acidity brightens the creamy flavors while an almond note backs up the finish.
This vibrant, slender white doles out grapefruit, pineapple and chopped herb aromas and flavors. An orange zest note closes the clean, crisp finish.
This vibrant, slightly sparkling wine is one of the best Lambrucos out there. Made entirely from the Sorbara variety, it opens with enticing citrus, woodland berry and wildflower scents. Its crisp, delicious palate doles out strawberry and pink grapefruit notes alongside baking spice accents and racy acidity. The lees that have settled at the bottom of the bottle gives the last glass even more flavor.
This vibrant, sunny wine opens with aromas of blue flower, red berry and a whiff of Mediterranean brush. The elegant palate delivers black cherry, crushed raspberry and hints of white pepper and herbs alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Enjoy soon to capture the juicy fruit.
This vibrantly aromatic wine brings generous notes of honey, pineapple, papaya and apricot. It's intensely sweet and rich in flavor and feel, lingering on the finish.
This vibrantly light, restrained wine comes from some hallowed vineyards, including Hudson, Stagecoach and Crocker & Starr, the blend comprised of 38% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. Dark in color, it offers aromas of cherry liqueur and orange, and remains dry on the palate, low in power and high in minerality.
This Vidal Blanc has intriguing aromas of honeysuckle, peach and powdered ginger. On the palate it is reminiscent of a sugar cookie. This is an easy-drinking wine, light in body and complexity.
This Vignobles Dourthe wine is ripe and richly textured. Full and blackberry flavored, it is 84% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. An attractive interplay between the fruit and the tannins gives a balanced wine. Drink from 2017.
This vigorous blend of Grenache (60%), Cinsault (20%, Tibouren (10%) and Syrah (10%) has a good balance between rich fruits and the freshest acidity. While there is a crisp, tangy background, the foreground is ripe with strawberries and apricots. The whole thing is finished with a lively, bright aftertaste.
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.
This vigorous wine shows the strong flavors that Laetitia Pinot Noirs most always display. It's powerfully ripe, with flavors of cherry, rhubarb pie, pomegranate and spicy persimmon. Full bodied, with pronounced acids and tannins, this offers plenty of generosity.
This village-designated Priorat is dry, spicy and fresh on the nose, with notes of mountain herbs as well as lively raspberry, plum and currant. It feels wide and packed with power and purity. Roasted berry, oak spice, earth notes and rooty sweetness define the flavor profile on this long-finishing wine with hard tannins and strong aging potential. Best from 2017 through 2024; only 100 cases made.
This village wine comes from a parcel of low-yielding 70-year-old vines. It is firm and concentrated with a strong layer of tannins over black fruits. Blackberry and black plum are balanced by the acidity. Together with the tannins, they promise aging. Drink from 2018.
This Vin Santo from Italy's northern Trentino region is made with the little-known Nosiola grape and offers outstanding complexity and intensity of aromas. Almond skin, apricot, dried fruit, caramel, butterscotch and honey come forward layer after layer. This is a distinctive wine with round, opulent nuances and excellent length.
This vine-dried dessert wine from Moscato Rosa grapes boasts a pretty shade of pink, reminiscent of the skin of a pomegranate. The aromas are simple and not particularly intense but do include cranberry, raspberry, root beer and peppermint. Easygoing in the mouth, it tastes very much like sweet grape juice.
This vineyard-designate Barbaresco features aromas of espresso, toasted oak and baked black fruit. The palate offers roasted coffee bean, vanilla and dried cherry alongside drying wood tannins.
This vineyard-designate Barbaresco opens with streamlined elegance and subtle aromas of chopped mint, crème de cassis and ginger. The firmness of the tannins holds it together.
This vineyard-designate Barolo offers soapy, floral notes of lavender and church incense with more spice and nutmeg at the back. The wine is broad, chewy and well-structured with solid tannins and a densely concentrated texture.
This vineyard-designate blend of Montonico, Greco and Malvasia opens with bright freshness and simple aromas of stone fruit and Golden Delicious apple. This easygoing wine feels soft and smooth on the close.
This vineyard-designate blend of Trebbiano and Grechetto opens with a luminous golden color and elegant aromas of stone fruit, citrus, Golden Delicious apple and mature pear. There's a pretty hint of vanilla and almond butter at the back.
This vineyard-designate Brunello opens with ripe tones of prune, thick blackberry fruit and lingering but subdued Indian spice. This is not an overblown or overly intense wine. Instead, the focus is on elegance and longevity.
This vineyard-designate Brut sparkling wine opens with subtle tones of sweet grapefruit and lemon curd followed by softer touches of peach and honey. The creamy bubbling is followed by a touch of white pepper.
This vineyard-designate expresses the variety with great finesse, offering softly layered black cherry, plum and just a hint of meat. Tobacco, earth and dried currant ride out the finish.
This vineyard-designate from a lovely, coastal site imparts flavors and aromas of golden and green apple along with noticeably juicy apricot and peach. Light bodied, it shows an exuberance of fruit alongside notable minerality and a slight hint of sea spray.
This vineyard-designate offers a wealth and breadth of cherry compote and orange peel, alluring on both the nose and palate, with a light sprinkling of Asian spice. Full bodied, it carries itself with determined grace and finesse, enjoyable now and yet teasing in complexity. Drink now through 2024.
This vineyard-designate opens in bombastic amounts of Asian spice and wild strawberry, making for a whirlwind of flavor and acidity on the palate. Black tea and rose garden dance around highlights of orange and cranberry, the wine tart in mineralogy, as well as full of length and density.
This vineyard-designate opens in inviting, perfumed aromatics of apple blossom and honeysuckle. On the palate it reveals substantial depth and breadth, the oak characteristic quite caramelized. Meaty in lemon zest and meringue, it provides a weight of body that's nicely balanced against stony minerality and traces of nutmeg.
This vineyard-designate opens with a luxurious nose of cardamom and plummy blackberry seasoned with dried herb, and is seamless and soft on the palate. An oaky swathe of tannin dominates on the finish.
This vineyard-designate opens with intoxicating aromas of violet and rose before expanding on the palate into seamless, sturdy waves of juicy pomegranate and red cherry. Earthy and somewhat feral, it ends with a note of black tea.
This vineyard-designate Picolit is a pale shade of gold and boasts elegant aromas of honey, nut, caramel, toast and interesting shades of mint and peppermint in the background. The feel in the mouth is lively and fresh and the wine awards a long, sweet finish.
This vineyard-designate Pinot Grigio is nicely executed, with aromas of creamy vanilla, apricot and melon. There's a fragrant touch of yellow rose and even a note of exotic spice that fills in the finish.
This vineyard-designate pushes the envelope in terms of ripeness, opting to go for a restrained, low-alcohol style. It retains a streak of menthol through a juicy red core of strawberry and oak-toasted tannin, finishing lean.
This vineyard-designate Ripasso opens with dark concentration and lush aromas of mature fruit, spice, leather, chocolate and dried beef or cured ham. This is a rich and velvety wine that could stand up to barbecued short ribs smothered in spicy sauce.
This vineyard-designate Riserva is a delicate and medium-bodied wine with aromas of wild berry, white mineral and violets. The nose is subtle and subdued but the mouthfeel is more intense thanks to the wine's fresh acidity and long berry flavors.
This vineyard-designate rocks its way into your heart, opening in spicy, soft aromas of cinnamon stick and dark, luscious fruit and toasted oak. Medium in body with a light finish, it teases along the way in fragrant rose petals and orange blossom.
This vineyard-designate sparkler shows enormous softness and creaminess, with plush aromas of peach, sweet grapefruit and sweet almond flower.
This vineyard-designate Taurasi Riserva is probably one of the biggest, boldest wines produced in Italy. It opens with an inky black color and intense aromas of black fruit, toast, spice, espresso bean and bitter black chocolate. The jackhammer tannins are steady and firm, and there's a long tail of prune and black fruit on the finish.
This vineyard-designate Valpolicella blend opens with soft tones of milk chocolate and cherry backed by mesquite wood and barbecue smoke. It's a soft, luscious wine that would pair with grilled beef or pork.
This vineyard-designate Valpolicella exhibits aromas of dried rose petal, bee's wax and lavender soap. It's a fresh and easygoing wine with a relaxing personality and loads of charm.
This vineyard-designate wine has evolved nicely in the bottle, producing aromas of dried berry, cherry cola, white licorice and cedar wood. It's silky and fine, with more drinking years ahead.
This vineyard-designate wine shows dark and austere aromas of cassis, dried berry, leather, pipe tobacco, licorice, dried ginger and prune. From the elegant 2006 vintage, the wine shows nuanced elegance and a long, silky feel on the close.
This vineyard-designated Carmignano Riserva (a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) shows superlush tones of mature fruit, plum, savory spice and a touch of cured meat. There's a hint of bitter almond on the close.
This vineyard-designated estate wine is restrained and elegant, allowing for a sparkle of raspberry and black cherry to speak. The oak is light and integrated, and the minerality well defined, with just the smallest traces of black licorice and pepper coming through on the finish.
This vineyard-designated Merlot includes 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage, Syrah is eliminated and alcohol is lowered—a welcome shift. Rich and loaded with black fruits, it carries interesting accents of caramel popcorn, yielding a delicious, tongue-coating wine with a silky-smooth mouthfeel. It has good length, and the possibility of aging for another five or six years.
This vineyard-designated Mourvèdre is nearly 100% varietal with just a small splash of Syrah added. The grape's white pepper, pomegranate and gamy character is on full display here, framed by the refreshing acidity of the vintage.
This vineyard-designated Riserva shows a broad portfolio of tertiary aromas with crushed stone, licorice, cassis, leather and smoked meat. It is evolved and silky, with a fresh, crisp close and enough complexity to ride smoothly across the palate.
This vineyard-designated Sauv Blanc is half fermented in stainless steel, 40% in concrete eggs and the rest in French oak. It is completely different from the winery's Columbia Valley bottling, with much riper and rounder fruit flavors showing off stone fruits, such as peaches and apricots, along with tropical hints of papaya. There's plenty of stuffing and spice, and a perfect mix of the grape's innate herbaceous and grassy qualities, ramped up with riper, sweeter fruit.
This vineyard-designated wine includes 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Syrah. The Syrah component seems to take over, in the form of tart berry, herb and dried leaf flavors. The alcohol, which is 15.5%, mutes any other complexities. It's a nice wine, but it doesn't offer standard Washington Merlot flavors.
This vineyard-designated wine reflects its sense of place remarkably well, offering tight dark cherry and blueberry around a strong character of wild earth, tea and herb. High in acidity and minerality, and yet powerfully understated, it's gorgeously drinkable now but will gain further complexity through 2022.
This vineyard-select is denser and richer than the estate's base Vino Nobile. The extraction and thickness is more noticeable here and the wine tastes chewy and juicy in the mouth with flavors that recall ripe cherry, wet earth and exotic spice. It is aged in barrique for 18 months.
This vineyard blend shows the riper, oakier side of a Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Rich, fruity and direct, it has luscious raspberry, strawberry and oak flavors, with a touch of sautéed mushrooms and heirloom tomatoes. Drink over the next few years.
This vineyard bottling is very vintage driven. The cool 2009 harvest has made it ripe and tart in cherry pie flavors, but also rather tannic. It's aloof, revealing little of its soul, beyond the primary fruit and oak. Needs time in the cellar. Could really be interesting over the next decade.
This vineyard close to the Mediterranean has produced a ripe wine with a cool, crisp texture and a touch of saltiness. Taken together, these elements give plenty of crispness, black currant fruitiness and a layer of tannin at the end. Drink from 2018.
This vineyard continues to impress in both this variety and others, this wine showing off its ability to offer fistfuls of red, blue and black fruit as juicy acidity signals freshness and ageability. A wooded undertone of brush and bramble meets swathes of lavender, licorice and ever-so-satisfying dark chocolate as the length of the wine goes on for days.
This vineyard dates to the Civil War era and is owned by Joel and Morgan Peterson, Joel of Ravenswood fame. Funky and selectively spicy, it shows its dry-farmed heritage with dusty tannin and stemmy earth, the density mellowed by piquant red fruit.
This vineyard designate Barbaresco delivers elegant mineral tones and pretty accents of chopped herbs, black fruit, forest floor, bramble and licorice. “Elegance” is the key word here and the wine finishes with soft tannins and impressive staying power.
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.
This vineyard designate is 100% whole cluster fermented, an interesting study on the grape. Floral and earthy with lavender and black licorice aromas, it imparts substantial oak and tannin beneath its light rendering of black cherry fruit.
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.
This vineyard designate made from 777 clone Pinot Noir was fermented in single-use barrels and aged in neutral wood. It's graceful, seductive and loaded with baking spice, cinnamon toast and mocha highlights. It's drinking beautifully at the moment, so no need to wait.
This vineyard designate offers mountain-grown characteristics like sage, dried herb and graphite. Full-bodied and built to age, it also shows earthy mushroom underpinnings that recall its forest-like aromas.
This vineyard designate opens with toasted oak aromas before unleashing friendly, fruit-forward layers of green apple and pear that mellow on the palate. Softly textured, medium-bodied and measured in acidity, it lingers on the finish in nutmeg and lemongrass flavor.
This vineyard designate, showcasing the oldest vines from the oldest vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, piles on the details of earth, grape and barrel. There's cassis, blackberry and fig in generously layered profusion, along with substantial components of dried herbs, cedar and pipe tobacco. The exceptional complexity, balance and length make this a sure-fire candidate for cellaring until 2024 or more.
This vineyard from the Santa Margarita Ranch at the southern end of the appellation produces a wine with blackberry, mint, slate and barrel smoke on the nose. The flavors aren't quite as dynamic, but still present cocoa, berry, beet juice and strongly mouth-coating tannins.
This vineyard has a long, distinguished history, even before it passed into Jackson Family's hands. It's a great mountain property, yielding focused, concentrated flavors of tropical fruits that are well oaked. There's also a firm minerality. One of the few Chards that can age. Better 2011–2013.
This vineyard has already established itself as a premier Riesling site, but Chardonnay is increasingly gaining attention. Aromas of lees, mineral, toast and spice lead to an elegant but well-balanced palate, with flavors that linger.
This vineyard has been Demeter certified biodynamic, one of just a handful in Washington to achieve that recognition. It's all natural, ripe and full-flavored, with a wonderful, mouthfilling intensity. The flavors are a lovely mix of stone, yeast, flower and a jumble of citrus and apple fruits.
This vineyard has been source to Ottomino's best Zinfandels for years. The '08 is right up there, rich and sweet in briary berries, cola, mocha and pepper spice. The tannins are firm; the acidity is just right. A bit young and sweet in primary fruit, try aging it for a few years in the cellar.
This vineyard has been source to some of Fogarty's greatest Chardonnays, and this 2009 bottling continues the tradition of excellence. It's bone dry and tart in acidity, with smoky oak and lees influences. But the real star of the wine is the fruit; the flavors of lemon and lime custard, papaya, guava and nectarine are delicious.
This vineyard has been source to some of the winery's greatest bottlings. The wine is enormously fruity, with raspberry, cherry and red-plum flavors that flood the palate. But it's no mere fruit bomb, offering the most wonderful tannin-acid structure and a dryness that keeps the wine stimulating through a long, spicy finish. Drinkable now, but also cellar worthy through 2018, at least.
This vineyard has been source to wildly variable Pinot Noirs, but Garnet, has succeeded in wresting a fine Pinot Noir. It shows the dry silkiness and acidity you want from a coastal Pinot, with elaborate, oak-influenced cherry, cola and pomegranate flavors that finish dry and spicy. Enjoy it over the next five years.
This vineyard has been the source of a string of rich, complex, classic Zins from Bella, and the '05 is the best yet. It's a big, lusty wine whose volume is pumped up with a dose of Petite Sirah. The flavors run toward blackberries, boysenberries, plums, coffee, carob and Asian spices.
This vineyard has done well in warm years such as 2008, but in the chilly 2011 vintage, it's tart with acidity. A cranberry bite dominates all else, from the red currant flavors to the spicy, vanilla-accented oak from barrels.
This vineyard has never produced anything less than great Cabernet, and Surh Luchtel, who buys grapes from it, has a great track record. As always, the '05 is stunningly rich and refined. It shows powerful flavors of cassis and minerals, which come from the grapes, and the most tasteful overlay of toasty oak. Fine now, and should hold for a decade.
This vineyard has proven it can ripen good Malbec, but here it seems as if something has gone sideways. There is a gluey scent underneath the blackberry fruit, and the wine seems chalky and disjointed in the mouth, with more of the band-aid flavors in 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.
This vineyard is a premier site for this variety, taming the mean, green aromas and flavors it can be associated with. Aromas of peppery spices, green herbs and cherry are followed by soft, sultry dark fruit flavors that show exquisite balance and length.
This vineyard is at one of the highest Castillon points. Big in tannins and also fruit, this is a dense wine. It has a dry core as well as rich blackberry fruits. Concentrated and full, the wine will be seriously worth drinking from 2019.
This vineyard is at the heart of the fine run of premier crus that lie midway up the slope above the village. This wine is packed with fruit and also with intense acidity and minerality. It is already refreshing and crisp, although as the toastiness develops, it will become even more impressive. Drink from 2017.
This vineyard is at the southern end of Meursault next to Puligny-Montrachet, lending the wine Puligny-like structure and texture and beautiful Meursault-like fruit. Yellow fruit flavors, layers of wood spice and juicy acidity all contribute to this very fine wine. Drink from 2020.
This vineyard is best known for its Merlot but this Cabernet keeps pace. It brings a mixture of fruit and barrel aromas of vanilla, blackberry, coffee, licorice and herbs. Flavors are sweet and rich, with coffee lingering on the finish.
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.
This vineyard is capable of producing fine wine, but the cold 2010 vintage seems to have robbed this Syrah of richness. While it has some elegant raspberry and cherry flavors, and balanced acidity and tannins, it also has some green peppercorn and chlorophyll notes. Drink now.
This vineyard is far better known for Pinot Noir, although Failla has excelled with its Chardonnay. Novy's 2010 isn't particularly like Chardonnay. Too floral. Could almost be Viognier. Yet it's a fine wine, crisp and rich in orange, lime and honeysuckle flavors.
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.
This vineyard is in the Sebastopol Hills, one of the cooler parts of the valley. With a cool vintage, the wine feels a bit tough with prominent tannins and acidity. It's a balanced, elegant wine, however, with flavors of rhubarb, raspberry and heirloom tomato. Drink now–2016.
This vineyard is in the West Oak Knoll area of the valley. The wine was left unfined and unfiltered by the winemakers, who employ native yeast for fermentation. Juicy stone fruit and zippy acidity strike a chord of balance and complexity that's low in oak and deliciously crisp in peach.
This vineyard is known for Pinot Noir, but the cool climate has yielded here a crisp, mouthwatering Riesling. Most California Rieslings have a touch of sweetness, but not this dry one, which accentuates the tartness of the grapefruits and limes. With some complexity, it's a wonderful cocktail sipper to get the evening started.
This vineyard is often featured in designate bottlings from some of Oregon's best producers. Here the black fruits impress immediately, with dense and powerful black cherry and cassis flavors. At first tight and slightly chalky, this wine responds very well to aggressive aeration, and the AVA's typical minerality emerges.
This vineyard is really coming into maturity, and it shows in the firm, polished and dense flavors. Black cherry and savory herb components meld nicely, with streaks of minerally earth. Some skin contact is apparent in the tannins, which will benefit from a bit more bottle age.
This vineyard is regarded as the finest of the Grand Crus, certainly for its more serious character. This 2014 has great complexity, toast and spice mingling with the mineral and white-fruit flavors. It is obviously set for long-term aging with its wood still not fully integrated. Drink this impressive wine from 2020.
This vineyard is relatively far north, hence lighter fruit with flavors of sweet tomato and fresh herb. Well balanced and tannic, it brings a pretty, resonantly toasty ring to the finish.
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.
This vineyard is widely regarded for its quality worthy of grand cru status, and this wine, from vines owned by Louis Jadot, is a fine example. It is both structured and richly fruity—dense with ripe red fruit flavors cut with acidity. A dry core of tannins will allow this impressive wine to age. Drink from 2024.
This vineyard is within the Oak Knoll District, a cooler section of the Napa Valley's southern end. Tart, tangy and richly woven, the wine is salty, with notes of toasted oak, apple skin and oyster shell. This shows a combination of savory spice and lush ripeness.
This vineyard is within the relatively cool Coombsville appellation. It leaves a memorable impression in its happy mix of violets, white pepper and blueberry, completely robust in integrated tannin. Boldly built, it's balanced, with a softness to the finish.
This vineyard near the confluence of the Salinas and Carmel valleys is producing strong wines, in this case one offering aromas of roasted game, smoked blueberries and cracked slate. It's juicy but not jammy on the palate, showing a pleasant, bright blend of blackberry and cherry fruits.
This vineyard produces quite good Pinots for J Vineyards. The 2010 is ripe enough in cherry, raspberry and cola flavors, with good balancing acidity. It's a bit heavy, though. Cellar at your own risk.
This vineyard selection blends Pommard and 667 clones, and spent 16 months in one-sixth new French oak. There's a light touch at work here, crafting clean, fresh flavors of raspberries, with a hint of bitter greens. It's a straightforward enjoyable wine, modest in length and concentration, and finishing with a noticeable vein of butterscotch.
This vineyard selection brings a bit more concentration and complexity than the other Coelho Pinots. The mixed fruits offer flavors of red candy and Orange Crush, with a touch of the region's earthy tannins. Just 20% went into new oak.
This vineyard selection captures the defining character of this tiny AVA—an underlying streak of gun metal, and an overall austerity that belies the complexity and subtle length of the wine. Tart cranberry fruit brings supporting acidity, and the wine rewards your attention with extra length and detail. Drink 2018 to 2028.
This vineyard selection offers a compact and clean aromatic package that hits all the right notes without being overdone. Blackberry, cherry, vanilla and spice chime in on the palate and help drive the wine's long, chewy finish.
This vineyard site, like many others in Green Valley, was once planted to Gravenstein apples. That heritage persists in this wine's tartness that highlights an earthiness of sassafras, pomegranate and even citrus, bright elements atop a velvety-smooth texture.
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 vineyard straddles the cool-hot line between Anderson Valley and Alexander Valley, but in this vintage, warm weather won out. The wine is good, but too full-bodied, and wants the delicacy Pinot Noir demands. The flavors have a heaviness more akin to Syrah. —S.H.
This vineyard was developed between 10 and 20 years ago. The maturing vines deliver a supple yet firm wine, anchored in a core of candy cherry fruit. Aromatic and flavorful highlights of cinnamon, clove and candied orange are also in play, along with a subtle hint of herb.
This vineyard was planted specifically for the No Girls project. The wine is fresh, fragrant and intensely floral, with a mix of rosewater and orange zest. Elegant, with a delicate, lacy texture, the flavors are savory and salty, braced with stiff, lightly peppery tannins. Notes of funk and mushroom come into play as it finishes gracefully and with unexpected length.
This vineyard, and the AVA it occupies, is often characterized by some sharp metallic mineral-driven flavors. Here it seems just marginally ripe, with beet, black tea and metal dominating the astringent finish.
This vineyard, at 900 feet, gives a cool take on Chardonnay. It is tight, structured and mineral in character. Vanilla from the wood aging mingles with the taut citrus fruit. The richness will develop as the apricot flavors develop. Drink this fine wine from 2019.
This vineyard, characterized by its cypress trees (aciprestes), is north facing across the Douro river. This attractive wine is ripe and balanced with smoky tannins and generous red fruits. Dense and with touches of spice, it will be ready from 2017.
This vineyard, first planted in 1982, was recently acquired by Jason Lett. A steely, earthy core provides the spine, wrapped in tart red currant fruit. Firm and focused, it's a multi-dimensional effort that still shows well after being open for three full days. Berries, smoke, dark chocolate, a whiff of curry and a saline finish are all in play.
This vineyard, just behind the Bourgeois winery, has the steepest slope in Sancerre. With a brilliant exposure to the sun it is capable of producing totally ripe rich wines. This example, packed with mango and apricot flavors, is far removed from an herbal character. Instead, it is exotic, ripe and likely to be ready to drink from 2019.
This vineyard, often featured in the Sineann lineup, moves over to WildAire for this sensational debut. The blend is a two-clone mix of 777 and Pommard, and it captures a range of delicate, well-defined flavors. Raspberry, cherry, light char, smoke, pepper, bitter herb, vanilla and camomile tea come rolling through. The prime location, which borders on Jadot's Résonance vineyard, contributes a great deal, but the winemaking brings it on home.
This vineyard, the “way to the church,” gives a full, rounded wine with very pure, direct fruit, and a green structure. This is an impressive wine that offers minerality as well as big fruit.
This vineyard, which dates back to 1978, ripened well in 2014. Scents and flavors emphasize fresh red berries, with a touch of stone. There's a firm grip to the tannins, a touch of black pepper, and everything is well-integrated, flavorful and ready to drink.
This Vino da Tavola rosé has no appellation or vintage date, butopens with ripe strawberry nuances and sweet almond paste. It offers a powdery, semisweet feel in the mouth.
This vino naturale (the wine is not filtered and has no added sulfites) opens with intense aromas of butterscotch, candied fruit, apricot and honey. The blend is Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Malvasia, and it tastes slightly oxidized overall.
This Vino Nobile offers a lighter, fresher interpretation of Sangiovese that would pair with white meat or turkey roast. Aromas include raspberry, white cherry and cinnamon. In the mouth, the wine is tight, linear and direct.
This vintage's blend is 50% Syrah, 25% Cinsault and smaller percentages of other varieties. It's an oaky, cedar-tinged, gamy red that's big in the mouth, dense and tannic with Michael David's smoky signature.
This vintage-dated expression of Chardonnay offers creamy aromas of peach and honey followed by dried sage, toasted almond and crushed mineral. Pair this luminous sparkling wine with rolled salmon canapés.
This vintage-dated Pinot Noir is the newest addition to the Evolution lineup. Tart and tangy, its light and lively pomegranate and raspberry flavors come from grapes principally fermented in stainless steel. In your wine-drinking pantheon, it might find a comfortable place alongside a cru Beaujolais.
This vintage-dated Prosecco beautifully captures ambient light within its luminous appearance. Persistent perlage and cheerful aromas of white flower, pear and peach seal the deal.
This vintage-dated sparkling wine opens with tight citrus aromas of lime and grapefruit backed by dried flower and stone fruit. There's loads of easy, fresh crispness on the finish.
This vintage brings a wine that's off-dry, with a sugary accent to the citrus and tropical fruit flavors. It's balanced with crisp acidity, and a hint of green gooseberry tartness.
This vintage delivers a wine with deep and rustic cherry, boysenberry, sweet herb and rose aromas, the latter contributing a penetrating floral dimension. Pure raspberry, potpourri and thyme notes pop on the palate, where clean acidity and tight tannins provide a light frame and carry the flavors toward a caramelized finish.
This vintage favors a blended, entry-level cuvée such as this, which comes on bright and succulent and ripped with lovely raspberry/cherry fruit flavors. There's a welcome touch—18%—of new oak, just enough to set off the crisp, fresh berry highlights.
This vintage has shaped a bold and powerful expression of Friulano with deeply etched aromas of stone fruit and apricot and thick density in the mouth. This is an extremely food-friendly wine that would work well with elaborate dishes that include cheese or cream.
This vintage has some Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in the blend to back the Sangiovese and Merlot, and is more complex and complete. There's cherry, tobacco, leather, spice, black fruit and a touch of cool freshness in the form of leafy greens. It's a sophisticated wine with tight tannins and a long, dusty finish.
This vintage has the Horiuchi artist label. Another glorious wine from the 2007 vintage, full and forward, packed with plum and purple fruits. Sweet tobacco and baking spices lead into a lush, fruit-loaded core, ripe with berries and plums. The finish—thick and textural and darkly chocolaty—wraps around polished, elegant tannins.
This vintage has the Tsutakawa artist label. Nicely crafted and in good proportion, it's a supple wine with plenty of powerful cassis fruit, backed with licorice. Compact and concentrated, with generous barrel toast, butterfat and smoke.
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.
This vintage is light in color with perfumed fruit and attractive red currant and orange fruit. It is floral, touched by raspberries as well as a strong streak of acidity. This refreshing wine is ready to drink.
This vintage is sourced entirely from the estate vineyard, a mix of four Rhône varieties. Cherry red, fruity and round, it's a crisp and stylish rosé for near-term drinking.
This vintage is the first that was under complete control of winemaker Tyler Thomas, and his studious touch shows magically. There's a powerful density of ripe but not sweet black fruit on the nose of this bottling, along with hints of violets, turned earth and leather. The structure is firm, dense and chalky but with a vivid acidity, offering ethereal, supple flavors of black currant and cocoa on the finish. Drink 2018–2034.
This vintage is thick in dusty chocolate, clove and cinnamon tones, with a sage underbite that gives it a wild edge. Soft, approachable tannins provide a crowd-pleasing entry and midpalate, while the finish reveals the wine's full-bodied, riper side.
This vintage marks a big step forward for this Oregon Sauvignon Blanc. As fresh and racy as a bright young Quincy from the Loire, this sappy Sauvignon has the snap of natural acidity and a tongue-tingling mix of melon, lime and grapefruit on the palate. It's drinking beautifully right now while at its most fresh.
This vintage marks a welcome return of Viognier to the otherwise all-red Cayuse portfolio. It's an immaculate, elegant, complex wine, redolent of wet stone, dried herbs (thyme, rosemary), jicama, cucumber, lime, grapefruit, melon and more. It is clear and clean, precise and focused. It does not push the ripeness, or overshoot the cool vintage, and never sacrifices complexity. Fermented and aged in a concrete egg, it's seen no oak at all.
This vintage marks the winery's 45th anniversary making this wine, a feat of historic proportion. Maintaining a fair price, it offers lime, lemon and grapefruit within bristling, buzzing acidity. The texture is thick and refined. Balanced, it's dry and refreshing.
This vintage mixes fruit from Red Mountain and Alder Ridge (in the Horse Heaven Hills). Aromatic and soft, it's a five-grape Bordeaux-style blend, half Cabernet Sauvignon, and it carries that grape's herbal stamp. Tannins are a bit earthy, but the time in bottle has smoothed their rough edges. Drink up!
This vintage no-dosage Cava is naturally smoky smelling and crisp as a whistle, with apple aromas. It feels entirely fresh and full of energy, with lemon, underripe pineapple and apple flavors. The finish is pure, and as you'd expect from a top-notch brut nature, minerally and elegant.
This vintage of Acquavigna (a white wine from southern Italy made with the unique Pallagrello grape) shows good integration of its high alcohol component and the creamy richness of the texture. Aromas include stone fruit, citrus and a touch of bitter almond. This is not a wine for everyone.
This vintage of Barolo Riserva San Bernardo (a wine that consistently scores in the 90-point range) appears much grittier and more oak-driven than past expressions. Carpentry shop and wood shavings come to the forefront of mature plum and blackberry jam.
This vintage of Bocca di Lupo shows balance and sophistication both in terms of its aromatic intensity and overall delivery of fresh fruit and spice. Flavors of dark plum, blackberry, black espresso and hickory smoke appear on the very rich and dense finish.
This vintage of Brancott's Sauvignon Blanc knocks it right down the center of the fairway—clean and refreshing, marked by brisk acids. Stone fruit and melon notes abound, tinged with just the right proportion of green herbs. Drink now.
This vintage of Broquel reflects the cool, challenged characteristics of the '08 vintage. It has snap and berry aromas and flavors along with obvious oak, char and mocha. The palate is more driving and linear than previous years, with juicy, snappy cherry and wood at the base. Finishes with coffee, toast and controlled bitterness.
This vintage of Cloudy Bay boasts aromas of struck flint and white grapefruit, then adds hints of pineapple and green herbs on the long, austere finish.
This vintage of Damilano's Cannubi cru Barolo is very impressive. Chocolate fudge and hazelnut are lavished over very good integrity of fruit. You can make out aromas of red currant, spice and blueberry. The tannins are thick and chewy but will unwind with five to 10 more years in the bottle.
This vintage of Deliella represents an enormous jump forward in quality and intensity. Nero d'Avola vines grow in chalky soils, create extremely elegant aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, cured meat, toasted pistachio and barbecue spice. In the mouth, the wine is rich, velvety and long lasting.
This vintage of Dog Point is unabashedly green without being overwhelming so. There's plenty of fig and melon fruit to provide support for the garlands of cut grass, tomato leaf and fresh herbs. The texture, as usual from this venture, is silky, while the finish is long and vibrant.
This vintage of Florus shows enormous purity and elegance and the various floral, fruit and almond aromas show seamless integration. The wine is thick, creamy and dense on the palate, but a zesty touch of acidity and chopped mint keeps it from ever feeling sticky or heavy.
This vintage of Fontal, a basic crianza from La Mancha, shows structure, some tannin and body, and finally solid cherry and plum fruit. With a blast of obvious oak and a forward personality, it makes its point.
This vintage of Fusion V is already approachable and enjoyable, with ripe aromas and flavors of brambly berry and cherry that are accented by attractive notes of cocoa powder, cigar tobacco, sweet spice and leather. The fine tannins are grippy and structured, complementing the black pepper, toast and licorice elements that linger on the finish. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, drink now–2019.
This vintage of Grattamacco's basic Bolgheri blend (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese) appears neutral and less intense compared to years past. It does show elegant mineral shadings and cedary wood behind bright berry fruit.
This vintage of Grifalco shows beautiful aromas of smoky spice backed by loads of black fruit and drying mineral. There's a sweet element to the bouquet that recalls vanilla seed or cinnamon. The tannins are supertight so pair this wine with a sweet, fatty food such as aged cheese.
This vintage of Il Musico presents united aromas of pine, almond, maple syrup, candied fruit and orange zest. It's a different, distinctive dessert wine that does not resemble most other Passitos because of the inherent spice and zestiness of its flavors.
This vintage of La Froscà Soave Classico ushers forth a bold and sophisticated style followed by thick, almost fatty tones of mature melon and peach. Pair with food that has an acidic bite to offset the wine's creamy density. Chinese chicken salad with tangerine wedges should do.
This vintage of Lascombes shows more restraint on oak than previous vintages. The result is a ripe wine, still showing some wood flavors although it is already beginning to balance these with the black fruits. It has an opulent style that is warm and generous. Drink from 2019.
This vintage of Madre features pretty aromas, inspired by fruit and flower-based elements. The wine boasts a deep ruby color and full concentration in the mouth. The finish is long and satisfying.
This vintage of Marsiliana (the top wine from the Maremma property of Prince Corsini) shows rich tones of espresso, chocolate, dark fruit, leather and spice. The wine is soft and well extracted, with a slightly tough, chewy finish.
This vintage of Matua's Sauvignon Blanc seems more tropical and fruity than other years, offering ripe guava, passion fruit and pineapple aromas and flavors. It's round and easy to drink, finishing on a bit of a sweet-and-sour note. Drink now.
This vintage of Mirabai is open and full-throttle fruity, with appealing cherry scents and flavors. It's a lovely, delicate shade of rose, with a floral component to the bouquet. It's a subtle, elegant wine that offers immediate enjoyment and the prospect of cellaring well through 2020 or longer.
This vintage of Peg Bay's Pinot shows the firm structure of the year, suggesting 2–3 years of cellaring. But while the black cherry fruit may not be immediately accessible, there's plenty of it, touched with herbal, minty complexity and a touch of oaky toast on the finish.
This vintage of Planeta's celebrated Chardonnay is full-bodied and lush, with notes of peach, yellow rose, vanilla and honey, framed by toasted hazelnuts. The wine delivers a creamy, almost chewy mouthfeel with power and intensity, and continues with a long, soft finish.
This vintage of Prunotto's bold Barbaresco delivers warm notes of mature blackberry, milk chocolate, luscious raspberry and cinnamon spice. There are also delicate background shadings of pipe tobacco, ash and natural rubber and the wine closes with a voluptuous, velvety feel and chewy finish.
This vintage of Prunotto's celebrated Bussia cru is also on the mature side (but not as much as the hotter 2005 vintage) and offers ripe aromas of blackberry preserves and strawberry. Dark chocolate, spice and dried prunes fill the mouth with bold flavors and intensity. The wine is ready to drink now or in the next two or three years.
This vintage of Rapet shows vibrant fruit flavors that stretch into the realm of over ripeness. The aromas include stewy plum, raspberry and strawberry and are brought in line thanks to contrasting notes of mineral and white mushroom. It offers bursting berry flavors and very polished but firm tannins.
This vintage of Re Noto (85% Nero d'Avola with 15% Syrah) tastes young and sharp in places with aromas of cherry candy, Graham cracker and cinnamon snaps. The nose is very sweet-smelling and there is lingering spice on the finish.
This vintage of Ripasso Ca' del Laito opens with meaty aromas of bresaola and cured beef followed by mature cherry and blackberry. The wine is soft and chewy, with succulent fruit pulp and a distinct note of sweet spice on the close.
This vintage of Rocky Gully Riesling comes across as quite ripe and rich despite the modest alcohol content. Smoky hints of struck flint and heating oil spice up flavors of baked apple and vanilla, then linger on the finish.
This vintage of Rupìcolo (a 70-30 blend of Montepulciano and Nero di Troia) is an austere wine with brooding aromas of spice, blackberry jam and bitter chocolate. The wine has drying tannins with deep dimension and persistency. The price is just right too.
This vintage of San Román is extremely ripe and oaky, with buttery richness sharing the nose with asphalt, wood resin, cassis and dark-berry aromas. The palate is dense and deep, but it also shows a bit of dead weight compared to better prior versions. Flavors of black fruits, woodspice and pepper finish long and a touch raisiny. Drink through 2020.
This vintage of San Rustico's Amarone seems more closed and reserved compared to last year. You'll get broad spice aromas and ripe cherry fruit, but the estate's characteristic intensity is less evident. It's an easy and genuine wine overall that will pair with lamb or pork.
This vintage of Svelte is still rough around the edges, with chalky, slightly green tannins sticking out. The fruit seems to be hiding behind the earthy components, and some unusual flavors of bread dough and biscuit are also in the mix. This is a wine that's tough to sort out.
This vintage of Tenuta di Trinoro's renowned super Tuscan (mostly Merlot with some Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Canernet Sauvignon) is a tad too ripe and mature to score higher. Bold notes of strawberry and blackberry preserves rob the wine of some of its inherent elegance and add a chewy, sticky element to its mouthfeel. Otherwise, you'll get bold tones of tobacco, leather and spice.
This vintage of Tezza's Corte Majoli Ripasso offers much more intensity on the nose that comes forward as smoky-spice, leather, tobacco and mature berry. The wine is aged in oak and this process had imparted background tones of vanilla and toasted nut.
This vintage of the Darkness Syrah is framed in an elegant, acid-driven, vintage-specific style. There is plenty of fruit—dark and roasted, with a mix of berries, pepper, and a splash of citrus—but the overall flavor set is highlighted by its acidity, and supported by earthy tannins. A fine food wine, with some years of life ahead.
This vintage of the famous proprietary wine is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, a testament to how much the winemakers loved the variety on its own in this year. Root beer, cola and red plum notes make up its core of flavor, the texture velvety-soft. With its firm structure and clove accents, it will benefit from further time in bottle. Enjoy 2023–2033.
This vintage of the hearty proprietary blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc highlights the best of the harvest. It's dense with mouth-coating red fruit and a touch of sweetness from oak. As it unwinds, more developed graphite, black olive and dried herb accents come to life. Enjoy 2023–2030.
This vintage of the Reiver seems mintier than others, and at times the mint seemed a dominant feature of this wine, which otherwise offers jammy berry fruit and chocolate aromas and flavors. At 15% abv, it's not a shy wine, but neither is it as richly textured as might be expected. Drink it 2013–2020.
This vintage of the winery's Sauvignon Blanc doesn't reflect the tropicality that's started to define the region. It has more warmth to the nose than the grassy pungency common elsewhere, but the stronger differences are on the palate, with cooked apple, squeezed lemon and a brisk acidity, though not a particularly long finish. Altogether, this is a mellow, subdued wine.
This vintage of this Cab-Sangiovese-Merlot blend is uniquely attractive and refined, offering a modern, direct approach and delivers pristine aromas of black cherry, blackberry, exotic spice, leather and pipe tobacco. In the mouth, it boasts thick tannins and excellent length.
This vintage of Valle d'Oro presents almost exaggerated aromas of violet, dried rose and cinnamon potpourri. Definitely more floral than it is fruity, the wine closes with sweet spice flavors, density and polished tannins.
This vintage of Vino Nobile shows lots of fresh acidity, but it has little fruit to soften the cut. It feels slender and crisp, and it shows a light berry flavor, veiled by mild spice and leather notes.
This vintage of Volpaiole's (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) shows a fresh or unripe note of green pepper and rosemary. Ultimately, there is more dimension here compared to 2006.
This vintage Port-style wine is warming and full of comforting flavors. Cooked prune, raisin, coffee and spices fill your senses. It feels lucious and smooth, but has lively acidity as well. It would be a lovely accompaniment to a cozy night beside the fire.
This vintage rosado is as good as always, but a bit lower on the quality ladder than previous years. The color is light pink and soft on the eye, while the nose suggests brick dust and orange peel. Smooth and easygoing, with sweet, generic flavors of orange and berry.
This vintage seems more medicinal and overtly ripe than the more balanced 2003. It has high alcohol (15.2%) and medium acidity, thus it's a touch gummy and syrupy. But if you like power at the core of your Cabernet-Merlot blends and you don't mind a little fire in the hole after drinking, then we recommend this chewy, ripe, very modern offering.
This vintage seems to have taken a step forward compared to past years. It's bright pink in color, with tight, salinic aromas of cherry and apple skins. Tastes tangy and crisp, with plum, nectarine and citrus flavors. Real good for the price.
This vintage shows cut grass, ripe apple, pear, wet cement and nectarine sorbet aromas in a wine that's almost as clear as water. The palate is textural and full of zip, with rainy day-like crispness and green fruit flavors.
This vintage sparkling blend of Pinot Nero and Chardonnay offers warm, yeasty notes that recall baked bread, butterscotch and crème caramel. The wine is dense, but easy-drinking at the same time, and closes on an elegant, crisp note.
This vintage the wine is comprised of Malbec, Cabernet and Petit Verdot. It's a deeper, darker, richer wine than the '07, with which it was co-released, and equally high-scoring. Almost sweetly jammy in black cherries, raspberries, cola and caramelized oak, it's rescued by firm tannins and a finish that dries it out in minerals and spices. Now–2016.
This vintage was a good one for Iron Horse, resulting in this wine of finesse and clarity. It's fruit-forward, with excellent acidity and a sour, yeasty bite help to balance its rich quality. The mousse is exceptionally refined. This has the potential to age quite well over the next decade.
This vintage will be the last Resonance bottling under the Sineann label, as the vineyard has been sold to Burgundy's Louis Jadot. This delicious, ripe, detailed wine bursts with mixed red fruits. It's a lovely way to say goodbye, good luck and bon chance with the new owners. The perfectly ripened fruit is accented with toast, sandalwood and mocha as it heads into a deep, concentrated and lingering finish.
This vintage, disgorged in 2013, is now at its peak. It is well balanced between fresh fruit and secondary, toast and almond flavors. There is a tangy character and a tight mineral underlay to this well-made wine that is now ready to drink.
This vintage, VF's flagship red is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec and 7% Petit Verdot. Although it's full-bodied and lush, it's by no means the world's biggest or ripest Cabernet blend. Instead, it's impeccably balanced and gentle, serving up cassis, vanilla and a touch of baking spices in generous swirls that reach a crescendo on the long finish. Drink now–2030.
This Viognier-based blend with Sauvignon Musque opens in pretty floral aromas and flavors deep in honeysuckle and peach. Structured and soft, it has some weight midpalate that keeps it lifted through the long finish. Enjoy chilled on a porch overlooking a sunset with cracked crab.
This Viognier from the Danube Plain has aromas of yellow peach, freshly sliced apricot and jasmine flowers. In the mouth it is balanced with flavors of apricot and peach. The finish is pleasantly acidic and slightly perfumed.
This Viognier from the outlands region of Elqui is minerally but low on fruit aromas. A fresh, linear palate offers lettuce, lime and other limited green-leaning flavors, while the finish is lasting and firm, with zesty acidity.
This Viognier from Tuscany opens with enticing aromas of peach, apricot and mineral. However the palate is lean and linear and while fresh, it lacks fruit richness.
This Viognier has jammy flavors of apricots, pineapples, limes, tangerines, vanilla and fennel, and is brightened with a crisp scour of acidity. Good with Asian fare or a grilled chicken breast topped with a fruity salsa.
This Viognier is a combination of peach and honeyed spice on the nose and palate. Refreshing but with a round, fragrant curve, the wine has a velvety texture and finishes with a spin of peach and tropical fruit.
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 Viognier is loaded with honey, apricot and ripe fig. It's a well made, full bodied and substantial white wine, ready for buttery sauces.
This Viognier shows off the variety's characteristic tropical fruit, honeysuckle and apricot flavors, with an oaky finish and a trace of honey. There's a bit of overripeness on this lush, soft wine, but the finish is dry.
This Viognier takes the variety's exotic tropical fruit and orange flavors, combines them with minerals, and finishes off with a crisp bite of acidity. The result is a rich, elegant wine, with a hint of honeyed sweetness.
This Viognier was grown in a warm climate, and that has made it slightly soft but enormously ripe. It offers a blast of tropical fruit, wildflower, Asian pear, buttered toast, caramel cream and spicebox flavors. There's a honeyed richness through the long finish, but the wine is fundamentally dry.
This Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne blend is the poster child for overoaked white wine. Buttered toast, butterscotch and caramel dominate the underlying tropical fruit, orange and lime flavors. Exceptionally high alcohol also adds to the impression of unbalanced sweetness.
This Virginia Cab Franc starts soft and ripe with loads of juicy black currant and berry flavors flecked with sweet, warm baking spices and cedar notes. A zesty kick of acidity on the midpalate and a flash of fresh, green herbs on the finish add elegance and balance.
This viscous wine offers an underlay of toasty oak notes that round out its gravelly texture. Light-bodied and filigreed with acidity, its lemon, quince and fig flavors remain fresh and vibrant on the palate.
This vital, athletic wine is tempting now but will be best to drink after 2018. It has a dark color with a red-brick rim and opulent fruit aromas. Tangy, mouth-filling cherry and raspberry flavors come with a vibrant, tannic, lively texture. It's a bit tight to enjoy now, but will mellow and mature in the cellar.
This Viura-Chardonnay blend smells odd, as if musky cologne was blended with body oil. The palate seems caught between heavy and racy, while flavors of candied white fruits, apple and pear come with residual sugar and a sketchy foundation.
This Viura smells oxidized and soft, with barrel-based aromas in charge. A soft, watery palate is resiny, tasting bready and yeasty more than fruity. If you dig around, there's some complexity and quality, but this is not the best vintage for Capellanía.
This Viura smells waxy and oxidized for a 2011. The palate feels chunky and awkward, while the flavor profile deals maderized pear and apple.
This vivacious white is a beach pour with class. Fresh lemon zest and floral aromas and a combination of white fruit, minerals and citrus on the palate are lively and light, but the wine has some weight behind it.
This vivid pink-colored wine tastes of candy with added acidity. There is some sweetness along with the artificial flavors.
This vivid pink-colored wine, 50-50 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, is soft, with gentle fruitiness and crisp edge. Acidity and a herbal edge add a more textured character. Drink now.
This vividly effervescent sparkling Chardonnay offers notes of bruised apples and pears on the nose and a palate of rustic apple cider and lime pith flavors. A bright, lemony acidity makes this a refreshing, easy-drinking sparkler that would match perfectly with pork in a braised apple sauce.
This volatile, sharp-toned wine barely makes the cut. Those who are particularly sensitive to scents of nail-polish remover may wish to steer clear. Despite relatively low alcohol and high sugar, it burns a bit in the finish.
This voluptuous white blend highlights Chardonnay's body and roundness with aromatic streaks of Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. It's richly concentrated, showcasing layers of ripe, fleshy melon and apricot accentuated by a cinnamon and vanilla haze. Brisk acidity brightens the finish.
This voluptuous wine offers concentrated golden honey, baked apricot and pear notes, with integrated oak. Made in a full-bodied, creamy style that's hard to resist, it has a looming acidity that works behind the scenes to provide balance.
This voluptuous, fleshy Shiraz seamlessly blends superripe berries with vanilla, coffee and cocoa notes. It's full-bodied, with a creamy texture that persists through the lengthy finish. Between the touch of warmth and ultrasoft tannins, smart consumers will want to drink this over the near term—now through 2015.
This voluptuously seductive wine is also elegantly balanced. Citrus, wet stone and sea salt lift the minerality to pronounced levels, accented by a crispness of lemon peel and papaya wrapped in blossoming jasmine. Many of the vines on the site date back nearly 40 years, a demonstration that in age there is beauty.
This voluptuously textured wine balances a dry, elegant palate with plush peach and preserved quince flavors. Silken and supple, it clings lovingly on the palate, but finishes bold with a steely, mineral touch.
This Waiheke Island-based winery sources its Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. The result is a rather leafy, slightly vegetal wine that's reminiscent of tomato stalk and celery leaf, yet remains refreshing and pleasant, with a strong citrus core. Try it with ceviche or simple broiled sole.
This walled vineyard has produced a surprisingly tannic, if impressive, wine for a Savigny in this vintage. It has a dark and firm character, the red berry fruits just beginning to break through the firm and dry tannins. It needs 4–5 years' aging.
This wallet-friendly wine leads with fresh notes of stone fruit, green plum, mango and pineapple core, with just a touch of white and yellow floral character. The light-weight palate is juicy and refreshing, with crisp citrus flavors that end clean and pure. Drink now.
This warm-climate Chard shows its origins in its ripe, sweet peach-nectar aromas, kissed with caramel and smoke. Weighty in the mouth—close to syrupy—then it finishes cleanly in a burst of tart, lime-like acidity.
This warm-climate Chardonnay displays aromas of baked apple, toast and spice. It's resiny and heavy in the mouth, but there's enough acidity to maintain balance. Flavors of honeyed peach, baked apple, cinnamon and white pepper finish in tropical fashion, where banana is the lasting fruit note.
This warm-climate Falanghina (a native grape of southern Italy) delivers lively aromas of pear, Golden Delicious apple and stone fruit. The creamy, smooth mouthfeel could match calamari stuffed with breadcrumbs and parsley.
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.
This warm-climate Sauvignon Blanc is soft and very fruity, with the merest hint of herbal character. Its juiciness, acidity and peach flavors are refreshing.
This warm-climate Viura hits with plodding barrel aromas and flavors but there's not a lot of high-quality natural material to support that much faux/forced oak. Along the way it hints at mealy apple, spice, cinnamon powder and resin. A lot of noise but not much music.
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 warm-vintage wine is more aromatically reticent than recent vintages, with notes of stone fruit, slate and mineral. It drinks a hair off dry, with depth to the lightly spritzy fruit flavors and razor-sharp acidity.
This warm-vintage wine strikes a perfect mix of restraint and intensity, with its abundant notes of peach and pear. It's lightly creamy in feel, with deft fruit flavors that show an exquisite sense of balance throughout.
This warm-weather Viognier is fleshy and chunky on the bouquet, with generic white-fruit aromas that suggest gardenias. A plump palate is low on acid and heavy in weight; flavors of melon and green herbs finish soft and could turn flabby in a short time.
This warm and rich wine has bold red fruit and a background of tannins and wood-derived flavors. It's full of ripe fruit and balanced acidity and has an open character that makes it drinkable soon. Drink from 2018.
This warm climate Primitivo opens with subtle tones of dried herb and light spice that give it a very Mediterranean feel. But there's also a touch of warm rubber that distracts from the overall picture. The high alcohol adds extra heat on the close.
This warm expression of Nebbiolo opens with aromas of stewed prunes, resin and raisin. The palate offers plums steeped in spirits and espresso alongside green wood tannins that generate an abrupt finish.
This warm fruity wine is rounded and ripe with flavors of vanilla as well as red-berry fruits. It is soft with just a light tang of orange zest and finishing acidity. Drink this attractive wine now.
This warm ripe blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay has some firm tannins as well as juicy red fruits. It is concentrated and structured while also having a generous, fruity character. Drink this wine now.
This warm Rosso starts with aromas of toast, woodland berries and cake spices. The juicy palate offers dense black cherry accented with notes of vanilla, mocha and clove alongside assertive tannins. Enjoy it soon.
This warm style of Sauvignon Blanc has apricot and citrus flavors. Packed with fruit and with refreshing acidity, it makes a fine apéritif.
This warm style of Sauvignon Blanc has easygoing acidity and gooseberry fruit flavors. It's lightly tangy, with a bright, crisp texture.
This warm wine brings out the roundness and open accessibility of warm-climate Chardonnay. With yellow fruits and clean acidity, it is attractively ready to drink.
This warm, forward wine has sensations of nail polish remover, underbrush, resin, mature black plum and overripe black cherry. The evolved palate is framed by astringent tannins that dry out the mouth.
This warm, ripe Chablis has a hint of tangy texture along with intense white-fruit acidity. It is a delicious wine, still young, and will be better from 2018.
This warm, ripe wine has a balance between spice, rich fruit and a fresher background. It has enough spice to make it completely typical Gewurztraminer while keeping style and elegance. Drink now.
This warm, ripe wine has spice notes, layers of wood and vivid blackberry fruit. Still young, it will be ready to drink from 2019.
This warm, ripe wine is full of forward black fruits and just the right amount of firm tannins to balance. A smoky character comes from wood aging. Lightly structured, it is ready to drink.
This warm, ripe wine is full of great, easy fruitiness. With lemon zest and fine acidity, the wine is refreshing and lively. This is a great apéritif style, poised between really crisp and soft.
This warm, ripe wine is open and ready to drink. With its bold red fruit and generous, well-integrated tannins, it's made for barbecues. Drink now.
This warm, ripe wine is smoothly creamy and ready to drink. Touches of yellow fruits are balanced with just the right amount of acidity. The wine is rich and generous.
This warm, ripe wine offers good acidity, but its main thrust is rich yellow fruits and spice. It is drinkable now, but will develop well over the next few months to give a rounded, generous character. Drink from 2017.
This warm, ripe wine, with its balance between creamed quince and lemon acidity, is immediately attractive with its fruitiness, its touch of minerality and its final bright acidity. Drink now.
This warm, robust expression of Sangiovese opens with aromas of underbrush, scorched soil and mature black-skinned fruit. The densely extracted, monolithic palate offers blackberry extract, coffee and black pepper alongside raspy tannins that leave an astringent finish. It lacks fruit richness and freshness. You'll also notice the heat of evident alcohol on the finish.
This warm, rounded and ripe wine offers balanced fruit and acidity. A crisp edge to the rich pear and spicy flavor is lifted by an attractive touch of cinnamon. The final acidity is steely, bringing in a mineral element. Drink now.
This warm, rounded Champagne is full of strawberry flavors. It is ripe and soft, perhaps too soft with a suggestion of sweetness as well as the natural acidity of the wine. Drink now.
This was 40% barrel-fermented, and carries a whiff of oak in the aroma. Apple scents and flavors follow. It's fresh, forward and fruity, with simple, straightforward flavors.
This was a cool, acidic vintage, and this has a fairly strong herbal streak, along with broad flavors of vanilla and tobacco. The Cabernet fruit falls a bit short of fully ripe, and the oak treatment does not completely mask the bitterness.
This was a difficult vintage in Washington, and the style of this dry Riesling seems to have changed significantly, perhaps as a result. The grapefruit flavors have no body or texture; it's light, certainly refreshing, but rather simple.
This was a difficult vintage, and the wine reflects it. It feels off-balance, with astringent, chalky tannins, and lean, simple fruit.
This was a difficult wine to taste. It was seriously extracted but it did not show a lot of fruit, and showed a slightly sweaty component. On the palate it was heavy and slightly coarse, but redeemed itself with a medium finish where some fruit came through.
This was a good year in Chablis, a breath of freshness after the impressive, powerful 2005, but a vintage that still has weight and intensity. This Chablis shows all that, with an extra dimension of spice, nuts and a tight apple-skin structure leading to a fresh finish.
This was a great vintage Port year, and this white Port, which was bottled in 2015, has hints of the firm tannins and structure that marked out the year. It also has preserved an amazing amount of freshness still suggesting orange marmalade flavors. These are backed up by the fine, concentrated old wood tastes. The wine is, of course, ready to drink.
This was a hard vintage, especially in cool places like Monterey, and this Syrah-Grenache blend is decidedly lean. There's enough raspberry fruit to get by, but green mint and vegetable flavors distract.
This was a hot vintage, but this beautifully elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot boasts enormous purity of fruit and deep layers of penetration and intensity. It is a more fruit-forward version of the wine, but it does offer drying minerals and bright fruit flavors with tight tannins to keep it balanced.
This was a perplexing wine to evaluate. The aromas feature toasted hazelnuts, lemon curd, pineapple and more than a hint of banana bread. The flavors follow in a similar vein, but are exaggerated, coming across as strongly tropical and confected, then drawing to a crisp finish.
This was a Vintage Port year for many producers and the quality of the year shines through in this rich, still-young wine. It is solid with tannins that are brightened by red plum and bitter cherry; the solid structure promises potential. It will age a few years in bottle, so will drink at its best from 2016.
This was aged but three months in oak, but it smells and tastes woody. Char, resin and toasty blackberry and black plum aromas lead into a resiny palate with charred flavors of black cherry and plum. Burnt, bitter notes rise up on the finish.
This was aged in equal parts new and used French oak. The new takes the lead with its aromas and flavors of coffee, cocoa and barrel spices out in front of dark fruit. It brings undeniable appeal but the variety seems to get a bit lost.
This was aged in used French barrels for several months, just enough to give it a rich edge of soft butter and honey. The basic fruit flavors are pure, ripe and delicious, with suggesting notes of tangerine and mango, brightened by a vibrant thread of lime juice.
This was an interesting showing for Dry River's 2008 Pinot, which seems to be showing more structure now than when I first tasted it last November. Now it's a bit blockier than I remember it, with potent cherry-berry fruit, a bit of vanilla and an long finish that ultimately smooths out and turns silky. Try 2013–2020.
This was barrel fermented in neutral oak, and not put through malolactic fermentation. A mix of apple, white peach and green-melon fruit opens up the core flavors, then it seems to stop short. The feeling of being attenuated may simply reflect the youth of the wine, or a need for further bottle age. Drink 2019 to 2025.
This was barrel fermented, and picked up a fair amount of oaky flavor as a result. The barrels overtake the light apple fruit, at least for now, but consider this as a fine, inexpensive alternative to Chardonnay.
This was co-fermented with 3% Viognier. It's a very light Syrah that punches below its weight and skirts around the edges of clear varietal character. Citrus skin flavors and thin red fruits push it close to generic red, serviceable but without the power of most Washington Syrahs in this price range.
This was done half in stainless and half in oak, and the blend is near perfect. Spicy and full-bodied, the peppery fruit is nicely set against a gentle backdrop of barrel toast. Cantaloupe, apple and papaya flavors are in abundance, with a finish of toasted coconut.
This was fermented from dried Barbera, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo grapes, concentrating the flavors yet retaining an elegant lightness that belies its high alcohol. Mixed fig, raisin, soy and chocolate components lend extra complexity. It's drinking well and is perfect for near-term consumption.
This was fermented using dried Sangiovese and Barbera grapes, which were sourced from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard on Red Mountain. Smooth and spicy, it has sweet tomato, red apple and Italian herb flavors, supported by firm acids.
This was fermented with 50% whole clusters, which slows down and evens up the process. Along with rich flavors of black raspberry fruit, it's dense with savory herbs and marvelous details of earth and forest floor. Delicious now, but just wait until 2020–2022!
This was half whole cluster-fermented and neatly incorporates hints of earth and bark into its tart cranberry and pie cherry core. Its verticality and tannic power suggest it will age quite nicely through the late 2020s.
This was made from a saignée after a full-day's skin contact, resulting in a sultry, soulful, tiny-production wine that's refreshing and fruity in orange and lime, dry and completely in balance.
This was my top Mexican white wine from a recent tasting. It's light and clean on the nose, with apple and just a touch of brininess. This shows off a good body with weight and acidic balance. Pear, papaya and dry melon are the key flavors, followed by vanilla and toast on the finish.
This was not an easy vintage in which to make wine with as much fruit and concentration as this bottling, but winemaker Luisa Ponzi has done it. Deep cherry fruit comes laced with cola and chocolate notes, filling the textural, detailed and full-bodied palate. It demonstrates terrific length and an elegant, balanced finish.
This was one of the best Rieslings of the year last vintage, and the '07 is even better. It's absolutely dry and superbly racy. Acidity, at .82, is one of the highest I've seen in years. Balancing that is a broad, complex array of citrus, peach, apple, flower, petrol, mineral and spice flavors. If California Riesling is making a comeback, it's because of wines like this.
This was picked at the same time as the regular Viognier, but fermentation was stopped, leaving it as a sweet wine (about 4.8% r.s.). The fruit is laced with honey, lime and apricot; it's delicious without being cloying.
This was pressed whole-cluster and fermented in French oak, roughly one-third new. It's a flavorful wine with caramel apple appeal, good definition and medium length. The barrels put a pleasing toasty frame around the finish.
This was sourced from Bethel Heights, which is a very good source indeed. It's packed with pure tangy red-berry fruit. The mouthfeel is lively, the length and concentration well above par. It's sappy and bright, with a light touch of new oak showing. Drink 2018–2028.
This was the final vintage Patrick Campbell fully presided over before selling the winery. It's a dense and compact wine, showing mountain tannins framing black currant, cassis, mineral, violet and new oak flavors. Despite the opulence, the finish is dry. Made from 100% Cabernet, the wine needs time in the cellar. Try it after 2018, and it should be rolling along in the mid-2020s.
This was the first vineyard bought by the Bouchard family, purchased in 1791. More than 220 years later, this 2011 has a delicate touch of wood nestled in the heart of creamy fruit flavors. Crisp lemon and tight acidity give a bright, fresh aftertaste. Drink from 2016.
This was the first winery to make a truly white Pinot Noir (back in 2004). Produced exclusively from Pommard clones, it's barrel fermented and aged much like a Chardonnay. Along with great texture and length, there's plenty of acid supporting its palate-pleasing mix of white peach, melon and gooseberry. It finishes with a thread of lightly buttery caramel.
This was the last vintage at Clos Fourtet under the ownership of the Lurtons. They made fine wine, but the potential of the property was never quite realized. The wine just fails to excite: it is rich and concentrated with ripe tannins and some sweetness, but at the same time, there is a layer of acidity and structure which gives the wine a firm, solid shape.
This was whole-cluster pressed and fermented in stainless steel. Low in alcohol  and high in acid, it's bone dry, short, and finishes on the sour side of tart, with a hint of rot.
This watermelon-colored wine brings aromas of strawberry and herb. It drinks dry with a fleshy feel to the fruit flavors, needing a bit more acidity to stand it up.
This wavers from the classic Australian recipe of dry Riesling to offer something with a touch of residual sugar (13.6 g/L). Notes of crushed stone, pineapple and lime are buttressed by tart acids, while the sugar helps to balance the finish. A strong candidate to pair with spicy-sweet Asian dishes.
This waxy, heavily oaked Chardonnay regularly pulls the same score. This vintage has aromas of grapefruit, quince and garlic. Blasting oak and modest acidity result in flatness, while oak resin is by far the dominant flavor, with creamy apple and pithy bitterness lurking.
This waxy, petrol-infused wine underwent both barrel and stainless-steel fermentation. It's dark in color, exhibiting a majority of barrel-induced flavors like caramel and toast with any hint of fruit remaining elusive.
This waxy, stalky Pinot Grigio comes with a can't-miss whiff of corn chips prior to a fleshy, flat palate of bland banana flavors. The dull, chunky finish is on its last legs.
This wayward wine shows yeasty aromas, generic red fruit and citrus flavors and a cleansing finish.
This weakly constituted Cabernet opens with raisiny aromas. Those are backed by a chunky, low-acid palate with raisin and baked plum flavors. The finish tastes baked and feels rubbery.
This wears its 16.5% alcohol well, like a heavy but graceful dancer. It's softly sweet in glycerine, with flavors of milk chocolate and blackberry jam, sprinkled with black pepper and anisette liqueur.
This weaves spicy melon and pear flavors into a soft, smooth, fleshy and fruity core. Forward and accessible, it's best served chilled.
This weighty California lookalike nevertheless comes across as balanced, thanks to a long, mouthwatering finish. Citrus and yellow-plum flavors stand up well to a hefty dose of vanilla and buttered toast.
This weighty Malbec is more rough than refined, but what's here is decent. The nose is round and full of plum and berry aromas, while there's a full blast of berry fruit along with detectable oak on the palate. The finish is basic and clean, with some buttery oak on the very back.
This weighty Vermentino has splashes of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. It tastes as though it spent a great amount of time in barrel, however the aging vessel is listed as 100% stainless steel.
This weighty wine has small percentages of Petit Verdot, Petite Syrah, Merlot and Zinfandel, contributing to robust and impactful tannins and ripe fruit. Juicy and approachable on the palate, it highlights touches of tar and clove.
This weighty, structured, dark-colored blend of Syrah, Carignan, Carmenère and Petit Verdot pours on the berry, vanilla and baking spice aromas. The mouthfeel is full, with a lot to savor, especially toasty, typically Chilean flavors of olive, herbs and berry fruits. A spicy, dry, harmonious finish closes the show. Drink now through 2015.
This weirdly named wine is a blend of 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. It's a bit soft and melted in texture, like liquid licorice, with flavors of cherries, red currants, mocha, anise and smoky oak, and the finish is dry. Notable for the elegance and purity of its tannin structure.
This well-aged Brunello shows a brownish hue in its ruby coloring and exhibits aromas of dried currants, licorice, cola, balsam and ground white pepper. This expression has more heft and determination in the mouth (compared to other Brunellos from the 2005 vintage) and lasts long on the palate.
This well-aged Cab Franc opens with raw, scratchy aromas that can best be described as abrasive and herbal. The palate brings a hard, acidic feel and high-toned, herbal flavors of cherry, plum and rhubarb. A lactic oak flavor meshes with green bean notes on the finish.
This well-aged Cab offers savory and lovely aromas of salted Asian plum, light licorice, dried violets and lilacs, and expertly seasoned beef. The palate retains a tense, chewy structure and juicy acidity that frames flavors of dried blueberry, rose hips and more plum.
This well-aged release definitely falls on the ripe-to-the-point-of-raisins side of the fruit spectrum. It's almost Port-like, with flavors of blackberry pie and coffee. Not a dessert wine though—it's bone dry and ready to drink right now.
This well-aged release, from one of Oregon's premier vineyards, is soft and approachable, well-rounded with lovely plum and black cherry fruit holding down the center. Barrel aging adds baking spices to liven up the finish.
This well-aged wine has a slightly earthy, new-leather aroma. Tasty, spicy flavors meet up with rich black cherry and cocoa chords to resonate through the finish. It's medium to full bodied, well balanced, moderately tannic and ready for the dinner table. The winemaker kept it in barrels for an unusual 43 months.
This well-balanced and smooth wine is the debut California offering from French producer Pommery. Made from 96% Chardonnay and a dab of Pinot Noir, it carries aromas of toasted baguette and flowers, with crisp apple and white peach flavors on fine-beaded bubbles. The concentrated fruit amplifies on the palate and lingers on the finish.
This well-balanced blend of 48% Grenache, 32% Syrah and 20% Mourvèdre showcases many of the strengths of southern Oregon. Tart and herbal, it mixes mulberry, plum and sour-cherry fruit with a generous dash of pepper. The refreshing minerality and acid base keep it lively through the finish.
This well-balanced Merlot displays a deep ruby/purple color and plenty of plum flavors. Coffee and herb notes add a touch of complexity and the texture is smooth and even. The finish has good length for a modestly priced red.
This well-balanced Merlot displays a deep ruby/purple color and plenty of plum flavors. Coffee and herb notes add a touch of complexity, and the texture is smooth and even. The finish has good length for a modestly priced red.
This well-balanced nonvintage Champagne from this major producer in the Aube region is dominated by Pinot Noir, giving rich character and structure. Red apple and ripe melon flavors mean everything is in place, making for a wine that is deliciously ready to drink.
This well-balanced Pinot Noir shows red-cherry fruit, with complex hints of anise, star anise, thyme and even tarragon on the nose. Both the acidity and tannic structure are lively but not aggressive, carrying tart cherry flavors deep into the finish.
This well-balanced red made from a variety used in Port wines grows on you with each sip. It has bright cherry and raspberry aromas, exotic floral flavors, good acidity, a smooth texture and medium body. It should be versatile with food.
This well-balanced ripe wine shows the hand of Pedro Sâ, wine and vineyard director for all Sogevinus Ports. Sweet with a hint of yeastiness and good acidity, its ripe strawberry flavors are strong and fresh. This is a pink Port wine that is ripe and fruity, finishing with both sweetness and freshness. Drink now but with this blend, Kopke doesn't rule out sip-store-sip over a couple months.
This well-balanced wine has fresh red berry fruits, soft tannins and attractive acidity. It is ripe with a touch of spice, licorice and a bright aftertaste.
This well-balanced wine has light floral, appley aromas, good acidity to drive its mouth-filling fruit flavors along, and just enough body to contribute a smooth mouthfeel. Hints of white pepper and lemon zest give it an attractive savory edge.
This well-balanced wine has scents of finely ground black pepper, dried cherry, black plum and violets with flavors of plum, blackberry and tart cherry. The tannins are smooth and the finish is persistent.
This well-balanced wine is both rich and tightly fresh and crisp. It's aromatic from the steely Chardonnay that treads a fine line between generous fruit and great minerality. The wine is just reaching its peak with touches of toast beginning to develop. Drink now through 2019.
This well-balanced wine is full of both acidity and fruitiness, the two characters a 10-Year-Old tawny should have. It is dry, showing the wood aging subtly with an aftertaste that brings back the excellent balance.
This well-balanced wine is poised easily between ripe red fruits and some light tannins. It has great spice, attractive perfumed acidity and great style. Touches of pineapple give a more tropical character to the aftertaste.
This well-balanced wine is rich, just off dry and with a mineral texture. Plenty of freshness with a crisp aftertaste balances the softer side of the wine. It's for immediate drinking.
This well-balanced wine tames the tannins and brings to the table a relaxed texture plus layers of fruit, spice and oak flavors. Still it has great underpinnings of ripe cherry and raspberry, plus a sense of completeness and reserve.
This well-balanced wine tastes more nimble than the huge bottle it comes in. The wine has oak and balsam aromas, fresh raspberry and cherry flavors, full body and just-right moderate tannins for good grip on the palate. This is a great example of a high-alcohol wine that doesn't taste extreme and is very enjoyable.
This well-balanced, deliciously ripe wine is full of black fruit, dark tannins and crisply textured acidity. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, it's juicy and rich while also poised and stylish. The wood aging shows slightly at the end, along with dry tannins, so it needs to age further. Drink from 2020.
This well-balanced, enjoyable red opens with aromas of blackberry, blue flower and a whiff of baking spice. The generous, savory palate delivers juicy blackberry, cassis, ground pepper and a cocoa note alongside velvety tannins that lend finesse. Drink through 2018.
This well-balanced, flavorful and medium-bodied wine will pair nicely with many different meat, poultry and pasta dishes without distracting from the food. It smells lightly spicy, tastes like raspberries and red cherries and has light tannins that add some needed grip.
This well-balanced, medium-bodied wine blends ripe strawberry aromas and blackberry flavors with a lively texture that's bolstered by good acidity and firm tannins. It's easy to enjoy the fresh fruitiness.
This well-balanced, off-dry wine has a fine line of acidity to balance its gentle sweetness. It features flavors of vanilla and baked apples. The wine could be matched with fruit desserts, but it is best consumed on its own.
This well-built, aromatic wine smells of fresh raspberries. The mouthfeel is soft and smooth, the tannins subtle and the finish kisses you goodbye with a lick of milk chocolate.
This well-crafted blend is principally Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris, with a dash of Muscat. It's aromatically inviting, an explosion of citrus fruit and blossom. What follows is a tasty jumble of Meyer lemon, nectarine and pineapple, full, fruity and just plain fun.
This well-crafted red wine is supple and smooth. It opens with scents of violets and berries, fills in with round, lush berry and cherry fruit flavors, then applies a wash of milk chocolate to the tannins.
This well-crafted reserve boasts a solid core of blueberry and black cherry fruit, thickly accented with dark chocolate notes. Produced from heritage (Calera, Swan and Mt. Eden) clones, it's textural and dense, with dark char, espresso and black licorice flavors.
This well-crafted wine is reflective of the vintage, which brought its share of challenges. Tea-leaf flavors run throughout, along with quite light red fruits and plenty of acid. The finish is on the green side, but not so much that it's detrimental. Drink this wine while cellaring the bigger wines from riper years.
This well-defined Cabernet offers blackberry, black cherry and a hint of sweet grape jam. It's set in a frame of rock and tannin, that seems to catch and hold as it enters the back of the throat. Perhaps an indication that more bottle age, or some hours of decanting, are in order? In any event, it stops a bit short.
This well-extracted and mature expression of Nebbiolo from the Antinori estate in Piedmont is a mature and fruit-driven expression of Barbaresco with dense concentration and a New World style. There's very good complexity here in the form of black licorice, chopped mint and rhubarb.
This well-integrated wine delivers intoxicating aromas of jasmine, tangerine and peach. These intertwine citrus-y minerality with a candied sweetness, especially on the finish.
This well-integrated wine is full of black plums and stylish tannins. The structure is all there, giving firm tannins as well as richness. It is already a beautiful wine, ripe, solid and with excellent potential. Drink from 2026.
This well-known Burgundy négociant has branched out into the Rhône, like so many others have before. The good news is that the wine is bursting with bright cherry flavors—tart and juicy. Would make a nice burger or sandwich accompaniment.
This well-loved vineyard brings old vine complexity into play. The brambly berry fruit is enhanced with lighter notes of earth and compost, cola and a dash of brown sugar. The acids are bright and citrusy, with a pineapple tang.
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 well-made blend aged in 20% new French oak showcases red fruit, with cracker, coffee and earth suggestions. A hint of alcoholic heat comes through on the finish.
This well-made dry Furmint has a complex bouquet of citrus flowers, apple blossom and freshly cut white peach. In the mouth, there are flavors of peach, pineapple and passion fruit that dance on your tongue before the crisp acidic finish.
This well-made full-bodied wine exudes a juicy core of red currant, cranberry and vanilla as a persistence of tannin provides power and wooded support. Oak and cedar play nicely together and add a wealth of savory concentration.
This well-made red blend has no shortage of ripe black-fruit flavors or gripping texture. It's full bodied, very dark in color, smells like cinnamon, clove and cherries, and tastes very ripe and concentrated: like chocolate covered cherries without the sweetness.
This well-made regional blend shows aromas of struck flint, sage notes accent white grapefruit aromas. The flavors follow in a similar vein, picking up hints of red currant and wet stone on the mouthwatering finish. Drink now.
This well-made wine brings briary, brambly notes to its core raspberry fruit. The impression of light herbaceousness continues through a medium-long finish, with a hint of thistle and wet stone. The wine spent 10 months in 50% new French oak.
This well-made wine features tangy flavors of citrus, nicely mingled with orange rind and a hint of grapefruit. Good texture, bracing acids, a food-friendly balance and some spicy complexity in the finish.
This well-made wine has appealing aromas of milk chocolate, coffee and plum. The style is lighter, with the concentration not seeming quite all there, but it still provides plenty of appeal with its elegance. Put it at the dinner table to see it at its best.
This well-made wine has the classic fresh herb and gooseberry aromas, followed by tangy acidity and bright lemon and grapefruit flavors. It's a lively one: light, dry and well-balanced, not to mention very affordable.
This well-made wine in a rich style smells like ripe pears and melted butter, and tastes soft and almost sweet, resembling pear and peach juice. The texture is smooth and soft and the body is medium, so it's easy to enjoy.
This well-made wine is concise and focused, with pinpoint flavors of cut pear holding the core. Hints of thin red berry and a whiff of tea-tree oil animate the nose. It's unusual and well made.
This well-made wine is fermented in both stainless steel and neutral French oak. Aromas of freshly cut grass and honeysuckle dominate on the nose, while flavors of fig and lemon peel come into play on the racy palate.
This well-made wine is powered by lush red and black fruits and berries. The acids keep it lively and fresh, tannins are polished and the outstanding fruit is a real joy. It's unfiltered and aged in French oak, 50% new.
This well-made wine lies on the crisper, lighter-bodied style of the equation, softly textured and lengthy in that brightness of acidity. Anise, Good & Plenty and shocks of nutmeg provide intriguing notes of spiciness that complement the tartness of preserved lemon and green apple.
This well-made wine offers cherry pie flavors, evoking fruit but also crust, with excellent concentration and length. Despite its modest alcohol, it's a persistent, powerful rosé with enough concentration to stand up to entrées as rich as roast pork or chicken.
This well-made wine opens in earthy compost and black licorice before unwinding a topknot of grippy tannin. Even with its power and concentration, it offers velvety mouthfeel and an expansive wave of juicy, robust acidity, particularly on the finish, making good use of smaller additions of Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot.
This well-made wine shows an interesting mix of cucumber, lime, pineapple and apple flavors, underscored by racy, mineral-drenched acidity. It's bone dry, textural and refreshing. It's fun to find a low-alcohol, bone-dry Oregon Pinot Gris that fits the region's seafood so well.
This well-made wine, blended with small percentages of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot, is an astounding value. Currant and cranberry notes and an underbelly of tannins play together in a smooth texture of rich concentration.
This well-made, crisply styled wine is zesty in lime and stony minerality, with a background grasp of the sea. Briny, it has well-manicured layers of toasty oak, green apple and persistent acidity—a wise choice for the table.
This well-made, pure Sauvignon Blanc seems to have a noticeable amount of residual sugar—not surprising in a high acid vintage such as 2011. Zesty, lightly grassy, spicy and stylish, it's fresh and rich on the palate, with a finishing streak of minerality.
This well-made, ripe and fruity wine has soft tannins that are already well integrated with the red-berry fruits. Acidity keeps it all fresh and suggests the wine could age over the medium-term. Drink from 2018.
This well-made, ripe wine has a good balance between its fresh black currant fruits and tannins that are already softening. It is a success for the vintage, emphasizing fruit and fresh acidity, and will likely be ready to drink soon. Drink from 2018.
This well-made, stainless-steel-fermented and aged Chardonnay offers notes of red apple and spice. It's straightforward and provides pleasant, easy drinking.
This well-made, well-priced wine over-delivers in terms of quality. Smoky cherry and plum accentuate the toasted oak, as a sturdy foundation of tannin gives it power and strength. The savory finish mixes forest and tea.
This well-made, widely distributed wine will serve a range of purposes and palates. Spiky acidity meets a muddle of apple, caramel and baked overtones of pineapple seasoned in nutmeg. Medium-bodied and food-friendly, it offers a long finish.
This well-mannered, well-balanced and medium-bodied dry wine offers tasty raspberry and pomegranate flavors. Light tannins add a little grip.
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.
This well-oaked Chardonnay has a full apple and caramel bouquet, flavors that follow in suit, and a pleasing, round mouthfeel. There are no surprises here, but no letdowns either. A middle-of-the-road pleaser with nice toast and butterscotch notes on the back end.
This well-oaked offering has classic Cabernet aromas and flavors, with blackberry and cassis melding nicely with the heavy toast. The mouthfeel is full, even and plush, and the dark cherry and densely oaked finish is smooth and pleasing.
This well-oaked, smoky wine is a great value. It has abundant baking spice aromas, as well as rich flavors of ripe pear, nutmeg and vanilla. Ample acidity and delicate tannins help maintain balance.
This well-priced blend of Sangiovese (70%) and Merlot offers friendly and approachable aromas of ripe berry fruit, blackberry jam, spice and light touches of leather and tobacco. The fresh finish makes it a perfect Tuscan red to pair with ravioli stuffed with minced meat or cheese.
This well-priced bottling offers Italian herbs on the nose, from oregano to marjoram, alongside tart red cherries, dried tobacco, cola and a touch of smoke. Graphite minerality frames the sip, which shows red cherries cooked with thyme and bay leaf as well as rustic sagebrush. It's complex, tense and lingering.
This well-priced effort is loaded with flavors, in a forward, fruit-powered style. Streaks of root beer, cola, earth and citrus create a nicely layered mouthfeel, but it's the ripe, sweet fruit that really shines here. It's perfect for drinking now through 2020.
This well-priced Friulano would pair nicely with spicy Indian or Thai food thanks to the creaminess and richness of its mouthfeel. In addition, the wine offers a solid bouquet of peach and melon that would not compete with fragrant ingredients.
This well-priced Moscato offers intense sensations of honeysuckle, tropical fruit, ripe yellow peach and juicy honeydew melon. The palate is brightened by fresh acidity, which imparts a lively, bright character.
This well-priced Nero d'Avola takes an informal approach thanks to its pretty notes of black fruit and mature raspberry. By your second sniff, however, you'll pick up spicy tones of BBQ sauce, smoked meat and steak sauce. The wine's tannins are soft and supple.
This well-priced Pinot Grigio (in a screwcap bottle) is simple and clean with crisp aromas of lemon drop and white peach backed by a tight, bright feel in the mouth.
This well-priced red blend (with a large Cabernet component) shows dark density and sweet aromas of mature cherry, chocolate and spice. It shows soft, mellow tannins with a touch of smoked bacon on the close.
This well-priced Ripasso opens with soft, but plump aromas of ripe fruit, blackberry and barbecue spice. The wine shows a clean, smooth quality with a simple but satisfying finish.
This well-priced sparkler opens with aromas of toast, yellow apple, nut butter and a hint of honey. On the palate, fine bubbles and crisp acidity balance the pear, citrus zest and roasted walnut flavors.
This well-priced white wine is simple and clean with fruit-driven aromas of peach, melon and honey. You can taste sweet notes from the strong sunshine and the wine has good density and firmness throughout.
This well-priced wine opens with defined mineral nuances and segues quickly into blueberries and violets. The mouthfeel is lean and bright and there's a blast of sour cherry on the finish.
This well-priced wine shows Cabernet's lighter side. It offers bright sensations of red currant, hints of cedar wood and baking spices along fresh acidity and supple tannins. It's is made to be drunk young so enjoy soon.
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 well-priced, light-bodied Pinot Grigio provides flavors of stone fruit—mostly apricot—with a tiny trace of petrol. It would make a fine apéritif, particularly alongside oysters or shrimp.
This well-proportioned wine has ripe fruits along with generous texture and acidity. A touch of wood gives extra weight. It's ready to drink, but will be even better by the end of 2014.
This well-regarded vineyard shines here, ripening the grapes fully in a challenging vintage. Raspberry and cherry flavors are joined with a streak of red licorice. Among the 2013s from Purple Hands, this is likely to be the longest lived.
This well-ripened white is mainly Grenache Blanc, part of which is matured in oak for six months. The melon flavors hint at vanilla and peach, and although it's a rich, moderately oaky wine, it remains crisp on the finish. Drink through the end of 2012.
This well-structured effort is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it bears nuances of herb and briar. There is a balanced mix of plum and black cherry flavors that are wreathed in smoke and coffee notes, which resolve into firm but smooth tannins.
This well-structured white boasts an alluring bouquet that recalls beeswax, acacia flower and stone fruit. The polished palate offers juicy yellow peach, green apple and a honey 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.
This well-structured wine offers flavors of preserved lemon and grilled pineapple, while floral nuttiness and a cheese-like impression give it a hint of funk. It shows some barrel reduction, which blows off as it opens up.
This well-structured, ripe wine has spice, as well as juicy black-currant fruits. With a crisp edge as well as a mineral character, the wine should be ready to drink from 2018.
This well-tuned vineyard is a favorite among many Oregon vintners. Here are well-entwined streaks of tea, berry and tobacco leaf. It's textural and detailed, yet retains a certain delicacy that rewards your extra attention as it lingers across the palate.
This well built wine boasts tart cherry fruit and citrusy acidity. That lemony character carries through the finish, adding lift and mouth-cleansing astringency.
This well constructed pure varietal bottling has sappy purple fruit flavors at the core. Light streaks of carpaccio, olive and fennel add texture and flavor complexity, gliding into a medium-long finish.
This well crafted wine opens with textured renderings of barbecue spice and toasted oak followed by velvety fruit and blackberry. The wine is layered and deep with a playful touch of sour fruit on the close.
This well known négociant has turned in a sold effort. The nose is slightly herbal, but with attractive black-pepper shadings, while the fruit flavors favor dark-skinned plum. Drink this medium-bodied, supple wine over the next few years.
This well known vineyard captures the light, elegant and downright pretty nature of the Pinot Noir grape. Plum, raspberry and Bing cherry flavors combine, with fresh acidity adding some citrus highlights.
This well priced wine offers typical Shiraz aromas and flavors, ranging from cherries to black olives and weaving in some smoky and tarry accents. It's medium-bodied, with a plump feel but also a firmly tannic backbone that would serve it well alongside steak, chops or burgers.
This well structured wine from sunny Sardinia opens with an off-gold color and intense aromas of ripe melon, apricot, honey and almond. Spice and acidity make for a crisp finish.
This Western outpost of Yalumba's empire has produced a supple Cabernet that's already approachable. Cedar, mocha and vanilla notes wreathe the red-berry fruit, giving this a woody but harmonious nature. Drink now–2025.
This white's nose offers waves of fresh-cut grass, herbs and spices, with tropical fruit, gooseberry and citrus flavors that follow. The wine has a dense, full-flavored character, but its crisp mineral backbone keeps it aloft. The finish is lingering and rich.
This white blend from Mallorca is melony up front and, like an island wine is prone to show, saline is all over the nose. In the mouth, this is melony but not too soft, with flavors of papaya, banana and honeydew. A smooth, creamy finish says drink this soon.
This white blend from the Salamanca area relies on local grapes like Palomino and Rufete Blanco. It's almost fruitless on the nose, while the palate feels chunky. High acidity bolsters citrus flavors, while the finish exhibits mild oxidation and a leesy quality. Drink now.
This white blend has semisweet flavors of orange, pear, tropical fruit and honeysuckle. The spicy finish is crisp and clean, making it an easy match with Mexican, Thai and Indian fare.
This white blend is composed of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Riesling and 10% Gewürztraminer. It has aromas of lemon, mint and white peach, with flavors of green apple and white peach.
This white blend is comprised of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Gewürztraminer. It has delightful aromas of white flowers, honeysuckle and lime pith and flavors of jasmine, lemongrass and dried rosemary in the mouth. The finish is clean, crisp and refreshing.
This white blend is subtle, not overtly fruity, but has a complexity in the aroma that leads to an intriguing white peach and almond flavor, a rich mouthfeel and lingering finish. It's made from 62% Viognier, plus Muscat Canelli, Marsanne and Roussanne.
This white blend is the quintessential seafood wine. It offers citrus, stone fruit, crushed mineral and pretty flower nuances.
This white blend is two thirds Sémillon, one third Sauvignon Blanc. It has continued to improve from vintage to vintage, and this is the best yet. A Washington take on Bordeaux blanc, it's dry and fresh, with golden apple and sweet grain extending across the palate and on through a lingering, lightly peachy finish.
This white blend of 50% Chardonnay, 30% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon has aromas of citrus blossom, vanilla bean and lemongrass. In the mouth it has flavors of lemon curd, lemon-lime zest and mango. The finish is clean with a savory note of dried herbs in the post palate.
This white blend of Catarratto and Chardonnay from Capo Soprano (a sub-brand of Fazio) offers aromas of stone fruit and yellow flower that are framed by drying mineral tones. The mouthfeel is flat and not particularly exciting and the wine ends crisp but short.
This white blend of Gros Manseng and Petit Courbu, both local grapes for Saint-Mont, produces a ripe, floral wine with touches of honey. It is refreshing as well, with lime juice acidity that sails right through to the end.
This white blend of Malagousia and Moscholfilero starts with aromas of bright citrus, tropical fruit and a hint of musky spice. On the palate, it's a creamy blend of tropical fruit and peach, though slightly clumsy. The wine finishes with a spicy spin.
This white blend of Vermentino, Moscato Giallo, Fiano and Pinot Grigio is elegant and austere with notes of lemon and grass. Herbal and fresh, it shines with Vermentino's distinct personality. This is a unique white blend from Mendocino with Italian roots that's definitely worth trying.
This white blend offers a full nose of vanilla and spice, followed by full-bodied flavors that are both fruity and spicy. Pair with salads, cheeses or sip alone on a hot day.
This white blend offers aromas of melon, vanilla and mango, followed by a rich array of creamy white fruit and pineapple flavors. Balanced by a pronounced minerality and a touch of spice, it's a wine that will pair well with richer poultry and fish dishes.
This white blend offers floral aromas and a medium-bodied array of honey, spice and citrus. Big enough to pair with richer seafood dishes.
This white blend offers tropical guava and fig amid thick, creamy layers and floral aromas.
This white blend starts with a nose of toasted spice and lemon peel, leading into a fresh, citric character heavy in minerality. Clean and lively, it's a great choice for spicy dishes or drinking on a hot day.
This white blend—an assemblage of Clairette (40%), Bourboulenc (30%), Grenache Blanc (20%) and Ugni Blanc (10%)—is geared toward maximum freshness. It's flinty up front, with fruity notes reminiscent of citrus and fennel fronds that are bright, clean and zippy on the finish.
This white Burgundy is crisp, rich and lemony, and it comes with touches of vanilla and apricot and taut acidity on the finish. Ready to drink.
This white combines 48% Roussanne with 35% Marsanne and 17% Viognier to creamy, tropical effect, its balance between ripe melon and pear fruitiness and spiced acidity well woven. From one of the few sources of some of these grapes in the Russian River Valley, this Rhône-inspired wine is ready to pair with lobster or a roast turkey dinner.
This white from southern Italy offers a delicate fragrance of yellow flowers with a hint of tropical fruit, vanilla and spice. The palate delivers creamy golden apple, citrus and lemon drop along with crisp acidity.
This white Garnacha is strange smelling, with a mix of cream soda, pickled fruit and vanilla aromas. It's tart, briny and citrusy on the palate, with a sour finish.
This white Garnacha starts with a salinic nose that contains aromas of pear, papaya, salami and ham. It's a little flabby on the palate, with pithy, oily flavors of papaya, melon, lychee and salt. There's mild bitterness to the finish, but not enough to sink the wine.
This white has a bit more meat on its bones than its non-vineyard designated companion, the grapes from a Ulises Valdez-farmed site, always a good sign. Structured and substantial, it shows oak and even a whiff of petroleum darting in between the crisper elements of apple and stone fruit, the finish entirely steely.
This white has a light, delicate nose of citrus and apricot. On the palate it's smooth and balanced with lush apricot and spice flavors. A touch of acidity gives the wine lift. A lingering finish adds to its poise. Pair with a creamy cheese or sip alone.
This white has a touch of everything desirable. The nose is perfectly structured and classic, with bright stone fruits, white flowers and mineral underlined by a hint of ginger. Spices, lemon, peach and pear fruit come through in the mouth,and persist nicely on the long finish. This flavorful wine calls for flavorful food; think ceviche. Drink now or hold five-plus years for more complexity.
This white has aromas of hay, adhesive bandage and crushed rock along with a vegetal note. The lean palate shows grapefruit, bitter almond and medicinal herb alongside racy acidity.
This white invites you in with floral, citrus and tame tropical aromas and flavors; otherwise it's soft, mid weight and integrated in oak. Made from Mendocino Wine Company's estate La Ribera vineyard, the grapes show off elevated minerality on the finish.
This white is a study in unexpected complexity and pleasure. Quince, sulfur and grapefruit notes define it best, as supple minerality and gravelly texture provide dimensionality.
This white is barrel fermented and then aged further sur lie in a mix of French oak, stainless steel and concrete egg, with the goal of additional texture and complexity coming into play. It does, the wine intoxicating in floral apple blossom and honeysuckle, with a taste of crisp, refreshing lemon and grapefruit. Light bodied, it doesn't hold back on mouthfeel, offering richness without overripeness.
This white is blended with 20% Pinot Gris, making for an unusual, interestingly crisp and delightful wine. Stony minerality defines it more than fruitiness, which leans more into savory stone fruit and hazelnut. It offers length and breadth in a medium-sized body.
This white is overtaken by alcohol, giving it a sharp taste of weight and oak over slight wafts of sour apple and honey.
This white is quite tropical, with a hot, spicy note of jalapeño. Light in terms of texture and body, it finishes with a suggestion of orange peel and mango.
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.
This white starts by presenting aromas of orchard fruit, pressed yellow flower and toasted almond. The bright palate offers white peach and crisp pear alongside the bracing acidity that characterizes this vintage.
This white traditional to Spain is finding pockets of homes in California. This one tends more to the full bodied side of things, falling a bit flat with a taste of butter betwixt a subtle core of apple and melon.
This white will appeal greatly to those who prefer stainless-steel treatment, with its tangle of sour apple, sharp acidity and full but not heavy texture. It gets better in the glass, softening that sharpness and tang, opening up to elements of melon and lime.
This white wine from Basilicata delivers sweet fruit aromas of passion fruit, green melon, papaya and peach. But there are also drying mineral tones that give it a clean and polished feel.
This white wine from Lazio (the region of capital city Rome) is made with 100% Bellone a little-known indigenous grape found sporadically in central Italy. It shows bright, fruity characteristics of stone fruit, melon and citrus zest with a creamy texture in the mouth.
This white wine from Serbia has aromas of caramelized pineapple and elderflower. It is lively and energetic, with flavors of Japanese apple and ripe pineapple.
This white wine is fruity and crisp with a deliciously refreshing herbal edge. Lemon and pink grapefruit are cut by some zingy acidity and finished with a bright aftertaste. Drink now.
This white wine seems to channel the stony soils of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, displaying aromas of crushed stone and melon. That's backed up by ample weight and more stoniness on the palate and a long, mouthwatering finish featuring hints of ginger and white pepper.
This whole cluster-fermented bottling shows pure cherry and strawberry aromas on the nose as well as rust, thyme, oregano and pepper. It's quite smooth on the palate, with well-integrated herbs and spices tucked into the plum and cherry fruits, framed by a grippy acidity.
This whopper of a wine sees 24 months in wood and is a powerhouse blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Add the fact that it comes from a hot vintage and you have one syrupy thick, divinely decadent super Tuscan. Dense black fruit and mulberries intermingle with chewy tannins and thick concentration.
This wide-open, flavorful wine is lifted by accents of tobacco and cocoa that sit above the light and pretty cherry flavor. The finish is laden with a mocha note, which provides a pleasing conclusion.
This wide open Syrah shows berry and heavy vanilla notes. As the flavors wind through the palate, the back end seems to tighten up, and it finishes with a somewhat green, lightly herbal flourish.
This widely appealing wine has bright acidity and ripe tropical fruit and citrus flavors. It's a bit sweet in fruity essence, suggesting pairing with southeast Asian fare, arroz con pollo, or even scrambled eggs and bacon.
This widely available and comparatively cheap bottling nabbed quality fruit to present aromas of black raspberry, dark cranberry, crushed graphite and chaparral. There is refreshing if slightly dried fruit on the palate, where blackberry paste is lifted by thyme, marjoram and turned-earth flavors.
This widely available and well-priced appellation blend shows dark aromas of black raspberry, elderberry, wet slate and crushed gravel on the nose. The wine makes a soft entry on the palate, where mulberry meets with Earl Grey tea and a pinch of anise.
This widely available bottling by the Niven family is a very safe and reliable expression of Cab, with black plums, crushed slate, a touch of oak, some purple flowers and a little soy on the nose. The palate is also down the middle, with earth, wood and dark fruit all present, framed by strong acidity and firm but not overwhelming tannins.
This widely available Oregon Pinot Noir has lovely aromas of berry, cherry and rose petals. Ripe but not sweet, its tart, juicy fruit is wrapped in plenty of acid and punctuated with fresh herb, resin and peppery spice. Nicely blended and balanced, it's a quintessential food wine.
This widely available white is unfussy and medium bodied, with toasted oak and baked apple flavors, brightened by a squeeze of lemon.
This widely available wine delivers aromas of cherries, leather and Provençal herbs upfront, followed by a silky texture on the palate and hints of cocoa. Drink it over the next few years.
This widely available, bargain-priced tawny remains an Australian classic, offering toffee and walnut aromas and flavors along with dust-covered leather and just a hint of fresh fruit. It's lighter in weight than you might expect from a Port-inspired New World wine, but offers a tasty drop on a wintry evening. Imported by Pacific Wine Partners.
This widely available, entry-level-priced wine shows black raspberry, clove, allspice and fennel pollen on the nose. Flavors of sour raspberry, cranberry and a touch of gravel arise on the palate, where the tartness extends into the finish.
This widely found local grape has produced a crisp, wine full complex berry and black fruits that are balanced with tannins. Richly structured, the wine is held together by the tannins and by the bright acidity typical of the grape. Drink now.
This widely produced Chardonnay is soft and oaky, with honey-infused vanilla, mango and Meyer lemon flavors. It's your basic Chardonnay, creamy and easy to drink.
This widely ranging blend includes Bordeaux-style grapes, Tannat and Syrah. This wine is fruity, light as a feather and with the typical caramel underlay that comes from the Merlot in the blend. Red fruits and a crisp texture give this wine its attractive acidity. Drink now.
This wien is rich in balsam notes of eucalyptus, dried rosemary, ginger and cherry cola. The bouquet is distinctive, and the wine ends with a bright, fresh finish.
This will appeal to lots of people. It's made in the popular style, bearing y ripe citrus, tropical fruit and honey flavors that are set into a creamy texture. It finishes with a touch of smoky, buttery oak.
This will be a delicious, ripe and full wine. Already the red fruits and acidity are filling out the generous space left by the spicy wood. It has dark, smoky tannins and a rich character. Drink from 2019.
This will be a wonderful wine. Already, it is fine, with lovely acidity, bright and richly sweet at the same time. Yellow fruits mingle with honey, pear, almonds and the intense sweetness of botrytis.
This will be the last Ovide from En Cerise grapes. It's an explosion of cherry and milk chocolate flavors, remaining firm with expressive highlights of olive, earth and herb. It is two-thirds Cabernet and one-third Syrah, a perfect melding of the two grapes. Arguably, one gets better aromatics than Charles Smith, and the wine flavors deliver on their initial promise.
This will divide the Zinfandel community. Some will find its earthiness and herbaceousness an attractive complication to the briary berry and spice notes. Others will think it's not quite ripe enough and lacking richness. The score reflects the wine's complexity and adaptability to a wide range of foods.
This will impress red wine lovers with its sheer deliciousness. It offers waves of blackberry and blueberry jam, dark chocolate, anise and cedar wood flavors, leading to a long, spicy finish. It's a bit soft, which might limit ageability, but it is a lovely wine to drink over the next few years.
This will likely prove a bit too vegetal for some, as the aromas hint at asparagus. But there's pineapple and honey on the palate and decent weight in the mouth.
This will now be a regular offering from Patit Creek. It has black cherry fruit, laced with iron filings and light streaks of tobacco and coffee. The high pH and low acidity adds some chalkiness to the finish, and suggests that this is best drunk up in the near term.
This will satisfy your Chardonnay sweet tooth with its flavors of orange and apricot jam, pineapple and vanilla-cream. It's pretty basic, but benefits from crisp acidity.
This will turn into a smooth, ripe wine as it ages. It already has concentration and power as well as generous rich Merlot fruits. Dark berries and firm tannins are balanced and shot through with acidity. Keep this wine at least until 2020
This Willow Creek district winery delivers a powerful blend of 71% Grenache, 19% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre and 1% Viognier. It offers aromas of black licorice, black cherry and elderberry, with roasted meat in the background. It's very rich, bursting with flavors of blackberry and balsamic vinegar that evolve toward creosote and tar, all wrapped up in silky tannins.
This Willow Creek winery hits a home run with this blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of dried black cherries, cola, soy sauce and balsamic reduction are pleasing. The sipping experience is cohesive, with blackberry fruit, black pepper spice, plum skin tartness and an expert amount of tannins.
This win is dense and dusty, with ripe ripe red and black fruit, meat and earth. The palate follows with fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. A plush, powerful Shiraz.
This windswept vineyard just within the appellation, a stone's throw from the Sonoma Coast, contributes a viscous, textured experience on the palate, velvety and ripe. Honeycomb, graham cracker and green olive accent deeper, richer flavors of tropical papaya and toasted oak.
This wine's a steal for the price, a no-oak white that's stony, tropical, ripe and simple. It'll serve well at larger gatherings or anytime with friends sitting on the porch or picnic blanket, staying balanced and refreshing in the glass.
This wine's alcohol is apparent from the start, as is a huge oak component and jammy, confected fruit. It's cedary, minty and grapy, with a warm, woody finish.
This wine's apple, melon and pear aromas are bright and appealing. The flavors are taught and focused, with a light creaminess and lemony acidity. It's interesting overall, providing both quality and value.
This wine's apricot, spice and creamsicle scents are followed by tart, medium-bodied, lightly creamy fruit flavors. Tart citrus notes fill out the finish.
This wine's aroma and first sip come with ripe Amalfi lemon freshness. As it opens, it reveals a pithy, phenolic edge, the palate slender but not lacking in concentration. The finish is dry, textured and full of zesty lemon.
This wine's aroma evokes a thicket of strawberries and blackberry bramble, feeling densely ripe yet bright with fruit. The finish veers towards sweeter notes of cola and vanilla.
This wine's aromas and flavors amount to an inconsistent mix of superripe (chocolate and prune) notes with those that are less so (herbal, tart raspberry) at first, but it does seem to settle down with some time in the glass, becoming more integrated but staying rather crisp on the finish. Drink 2013–2020.
This wine's aromas are a bit locked up at present, revealing plum, herb, clove and barrel spice notes as it opens. The palate is dense and rich, full of dark fruit flavors and generous barrel accents. It pulls no punches.
This wine's aromas are bright and fruit forward, with generous black pepper, raspberry, fresh flower, smoked meat and barrel spice notes. The full-bodied palate delivers cranberry flavors that are appealing but more ponderous than the aromas might suggest.
This wine's aromas are bright, with honeysuckle, ripe peach, mandarin orange, slate and lime zest notes. It drinks just off dry, with abundant stone fruit flavors, mouthwatering acidity and a balance that's spot-on.
This wine's aromas are brooding and high toned, with herb, vanilla and cherry notes. The palate is focused and brings textural appeal, with plum and cocoa flavors that linger long into the finish. It shows a lot of poise and subtlety.
This wine's aromas are fruit forward, suggesting cantaloupe, melon and pear. The palate is spicy and broad, bringing a lot of appeal.
This wine's aromas are locked up but still show nuance, with fresh herb, flower, vanilla, chocolate and cherry notes. The palate shows restraint despite the warm region and vintage, with firm, lightly dry tannins providing support. It shows well at the dinner table.
This wine's aromas are marked by bright cherries and an undercurrent of button mushrooms. It's medium bodied and crisp, with just enough silky-textured tannin to give it some grip. Drink now.
This wine's aromas are muted at first but open delicately into strawberry and cherry most predominantly, representing the 55% Mourvèdre and 35% Grenache in the blend. On the finish, the 10% Petite Sirah speaks up in the form of chocolatey tannins.
This wine's aromas are one-dimensional, with a note of pithy white-grapefruit zest at the fore. Light to medium bodied, the palate is marked by tame acidity, and it finishes with a flavor reminiscent of raspberry-infused lemonade.
This wine's aromas are perfectly pretty but with a sharp edge, blending tight boysenberry, raspberry and red-apple with lilac and scarlet-red rose-petal florality and an anise-peppercorn spice. The palate is full, soft and yet focused, with dried strawberry, plum and red cherries giving way to pencil lead and sage.
This wine's aromas are quite generous, suggesting herbs, vanilla, baking spice and purple fruit. Its cranberry and cherry flavors are both tart and ripe, supported by soft tannins and a lingering café au lait note. The oak influence gets in the way of the fruit at times, but it's pleasant all the same.
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's aromas are slightly reserved at first, recalling yellow pear and chalk. The flavors are also restrained on the zippy palate, with Asian pear and honeysuckle hints. But what it lacks in expressivity it makes up for in crispness and textural grip.
This wine's aromas are strongly citrusy, with a squeeze of lime zest that gives it a lively sensation, but the flavors are more sedate and ripe, veering gently into apricots and melons. The texture is plush and luxurious, while the finish is undeniably sweet and decadent.
This wine's aromas are surprisingly reserved for the variety, with faint peach, lime and mandarin orange notes. It's just off dry on the palate, with zippy fruit flavors. It delivers enjoyment despite its muted aromatic expression.
This wine's aromas are vibrant and fruit forward, with plum, blackberry seed, barrel spice, herb and clove notes. The palate delivers plush, tart, textured flavors. A compelling example of the variety.
This wine's aromas bring cherry and chocolate to mind. The palate provides pleasing fruit and barrel notes, but the two seem disconnected.
This wine's aromas display a mixture of fruit and barrel, with notes of vanilla, coconut shavings and plum. The flavors are the same, silky and elegant, with barrel flavors lingering on the finish. It's a very stylistic wine.
This wine's aromas of baked apple, honey, cinnamon and brown sugar are immediately attractive, and in the mouth it doesn't disappoint. It's broad and mouthfilling but avoids heaviness, finishing long, with hints of orange rind.
This wine's aromas of melon and citrus don't seem entirely varietal. Still, it brings plenty of appeal with zippy, elegant flavors that linger.
This wine's aromas suggest asphalt, herb and dark fruit, showing whiffs of volatility. The palate delivers bountiful black fruit flavors supported by smooth tannins, providing appeal.
This wine's aromas suggest bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, cherry and spice. The palate is rich and layered, with sumptuous red and black fruit flavors speckled with plentiful barrel accents.
This wine's aromas suggest black fruit, minerals, dark plum, barrel spice and kirsch. Its black fruit flavors are sweet and sappy, augmented with toasty barrel notes.
This wine's aromas suggest woodspice, herb, parsley, cherry and smoke. Its cherry and coffee flavors are light in style and cut short on the finish.
This wine's assertive game, toast, leather, underbrush and balsamic aromas carry over to the tight, linear palate, along with cranberry, red cherry and white pepper notes. Close-grained tannins and racy acidity provide the framework.
This wine's baking spice, vanilla and black-skinned berry aromas drift out of the glass. The straightforward palate offers mature black cherry, clove and tobacco flavors while rounded tannins lend easygoing support. Drink soon.
This wine's balsamic notes of camphor, oak, toast and crushed mint emerge in the glass while the linear palate offers licorice, sour cherry, cranberry, thyme and tobacco flavors. Close-grained, somewhat astringent tannins lend grip to the finish.
This wine's barrel spice, barnyard, coffee and vanilla aromas lead to medium-bodied fruit flavors tinged with a strong, distracting gamy note.
This wine's barrel spice, licorice, cranberry and cherry aromas are high toned. The palate is broad, with generous fruit flavors that taper toward the finish.
This wine's black-skinned berry, cooking spice and violet aromas drift out of the glass while the racy palate offers ripe black cherry and cranberry jam flavors with a touch of clove. Brisk acidity and supple tannins provide the framework. Enjoy through 2020.
This wine's black cherry and plum flavors veer dangerously toward prune—no doubt a product of the exceedingly hot summer. It's creamy and supple in texture, adding just enough tobacco, vanilla and smoke for complexity. But for all the fruit and ripeness, it finishes with great elegance and precision. Drink now–2020. Imported by Acadia Imports.
This wine's black cherry fruit, backed by tart acidity and ample tannins, quickly emerges. Cola and brown spice hints reflect its 15 months aging in 15% new French oak, yet it fades on the midpalate as if recently bottled. As with the Carlton Hill bottling, this should benefit from an additional year or two.
This wine's black currant aromas shine. It's still young and structured, its firm tannins at the fore. But those black currant flavors are crisp and fruity, highlighting its fine balance, as all the elements fall into place. Drink from 2020.
This wine's blend symbolizes the Tarn's halfway position between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. So it is has the perfumed Syrah and the more structured local Braucol to give a bright fruity wine with some touches of tannin as well as red-berry fruits. Drink now.
This wine's bold cassis fruit is accented by charred capsicum and vaguely herbal notes, giving it ample complexity at this young age. It's full bodied, yet creamy and supple in texture, with soft tannins on the long, mouthwatering finish.
This wine's bottle aging allows a confluence of layers to work in harmony. The nose shows dill, black pepper, wet slate, just-ripe black cherry and pencil shavings, while the palate stacks black raspberry and blackberry fruit up against dried sagebrush and graphite. It's rich, but with enough earth and tartness to achieve balance. Drink now.
This wine's bouquet is peppery, meaty, spicy and altogether honest. The palate feels frisky and juicy, not heavy or flat, then tastes of char, black coffee, cola and spiced, herb-tinged berry. The finish is long, toasty and snappy.
This wine's bracing acids and dry finish suggest it's anything but a cupcake. It's a medium-bodied, vibrant mouthful of Sauvignon Blanc, boasting hints of nectarine and tomato leaf layered over a core of gooseberry fruit.
This wine's bright aromas include cranberry, cherry, vanilla and red fruit. The flavors are tart and full, with an appealing mouthfeel and a lingering finish.
This wine's bright berry notes make it very accessible—the raspberry perfume is virtually irresistible. Those berries are capably framed by cedary elements, but on the palate, the structure of the wine is taut, wiry and crisp. Drink it over the next few years for its fruity appeal.
This wine's bright purple fruit tastes as if the fermentation has only just stopped. Jammy red berries are laced with some tannins, and acidity freshens the wine, only spoilt by a slight oxidative edge.
This wine's bright raspberry jam, pencil lead and barrel spice aromas lead to quite ripe, dried out fruit and barrel flavors. The tannins are a bit drying.
This wine's bright, fruit-forward raspberry, herb, cocoa and barrel spice aromas are followed by exquisitely pure, elegant red plum flavors that coat the palate from end to end. A delicious rendition of this seldom seen variety.
This wine's brooding black cherry, spice box and black licorice aromas are followed by a medium-bodied, well-structured palate that finishes with tart fruit flavors. It should perform particularly well at the dinner table and have a long life ahead of it.
This wine's calling card is its electric acidity, which provides a poignant counterbalance to the wine's plump feel on the palate. Ripe citrus notes of pineapple and orange offer plenty of flavor to go along with the superb length. It's ready to drink, yet should prove capable of aging at least 5–6 years.
This wine's cedar, espresso, herb, spice, vanilla, dark chocolate and black cherry aromas lead to a supple, well balanced palate full of cherry and bittersweet chocolate flavors that carry long into the finish. With its grippy tannins, it shows finesse and elegance, though oak plays a prominent role.
This wine's charred nose suggests over-the-top oak. The palate is a rough road of hard grape skin tannins. Char and clove flavors blanket its savory, meaty berry fruit, finishing woody and redolent of clove.
This wine's chopped herb, dark culinary spice, eucalyptus and oak aromas unfold in the glass. The firm palate offers raw cherry, ground clove, star anise and tobacco set against close-grained tannins that grip the finish.
This wine's citrus blossom and ripe orchard fruit aromas lead to a tangy palate. Round and savory, it doles out creamy green apple, white peach and tangerine drop flavors.
This wine's citrus, apple, floral and vanilla flavors are dryish to off-dry. It's a soft, simple wine that will appeal to folks who like a little sweetness in the finish.
This wine's citrus, cactus and dusty yeast aromas make for a solid entry. Its light, slightly dilute palate delivers lime, orange peel and green herb flavors into a steady, lasting finish.
This wine's classic Albariño aromas of white flowers and stone fruit are simple and nice. It feels round and true but a touch flat. Thompson grape, melon and ripe apple flavors hold steady on the finish. Drink now.
This wine's classic Nebbiolo scents of fragrant blue flower, new leather, aromatic herb and red berry waft out of the glass. The firmly structured palate offers Marasca cherry, sage, truffle and ground clove flavors framed by tightly woven but refined tannins and vibrant acidity. A licorice note rounds out the finish.
This wine's clean lines of honey, chamomile, Gala apple and ripe Asian pear grow more tropical the longer it breathes. Its medley of flavors includes candied lemon, white peach syrup and melon, but a honey-laced chamomile tea note comes out strongest.
This wine's coffee, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, coconut, herb and cherry aromas are followed by a rich, full bodied palate loaded with black fruit flavors and generous barrel accents. Its oak influence seems prominent at times but doesn't stand in the way of its hedonistic appeal.
This wine's cola, forest floor, cherry and cassis aromas are promising, but on the palate it's a tannic crusher, with mouth-blasting acids. It feels abrasive and tastes of rubbery black fruits.
This wine's compact, lightly toasted berry aromas are reticent but also slyly complex. The palate is packed with firm, abrasive tannins. Dark berry, spice, toast and chocolate flavors finish long and harmonious, with equal amounts of herbal, exotic, oak and berry flavors. Drink through 2026.
This wine's concentrated dark fruit shows in the color—a vibrant dark garnet—and in the aromas of blueberry, vanilla and dried spices. The 16% alcohol is well concealed, manifesting only as wonderfully full, creamy density on the palate, magnifying the intense cola, earth and spice complexity. A pronounced peppery, black licorice note adds extra length to the finely textured finish. Drink now–2020.
This wine's core has a flavor of hard cherry candy with a coating of milk chocolate. The tannins are firm, and the wine has good midpalate concentration.
This wine's cranberry and raspberry fruit is framed by scents of smoky, toasty oak. It's light in body, with a tart, tangy finish. Try it with seafood dishes that can handle a light red, like grilled or broiled salmon.
This wine's cranberry, orange peel and herb notes are atypical for the variety. Its fruit flavors are tart and elegant, needing a bit more structure to prop them up. It's a bit thin in concentration, with consistent orange peel flavors throughout.
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.
This wine's creamy, woody maple and tobacco aromas are within Rioja norms. On the palate, it's blocky and thick, with vanilla and marshmallow flavors that taste sweet, finishing with little structure.
This wine's crushed herb, mineral and blackberry aromas lead to intensely rich, full-bodied black fruit and smoked meat flavors. It's big and bold and ready for steak.
This wine's crushed mint, menthol, underbrush and iris aromas carry over to its nervous, racy palate, along with tart cherry and unripe strawberry. Tightly wound tannins and firm acidity provide the lean framework.
This wine's crusty, minerally aromas of black fruit are lightly toasted and earthy. On the palate, it feels tannic and high in acidity, with roasted, earthy flavors of plum and raspberry. Concentrated and grabby on the finish, it has a touch of lemony oak and astringency.
This wine's damp cellar floor and weedy underbrush aromas carry over to its lean palate. It completely lacks fruit richness and has tannins that are evolved and fleeting.
This wine's dark-pink color borders on mauve, indicative of the darker style that ensues. Aromas of dried cherry, kirsch and orange peel are a tad boozy. The palate offers brown spice, cherry, black plum and nutmeg flavors, proving flavorful though not as refreshing as many other pink wines.
This wine's dark berry cinnamon, blue flower and truffle aromas come together in the glass. The taut palate shows Morello cherry, cranberry and white pepper notes alongside firm acidity and somewhat grainy tannins.
This wine's dark cherry aromas veer into lipstick territory a bit and then the North Coast-sourced Merlot becomes overly tannic and a tiny bit green. Decent for the $10 price tag but not going to convert anyone into Merlot (this one's got 22% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in as well).
This wine's dark golden color opens the door to a rich core of apple fruit wrapped in toasted oak that's well integrated and cohesive. Vibrant and rich simultaneously, it shows the lushness of the variety finely balanced with acidity.
This wine's dark root beer and cola notes surround a core of plummy fruit. There's ample body and richness, supported by soft tannins and crisp acids, but the overall sense is one of immediate approachability.
This wine's delicate nose offers white spring flower, Mediterranean herb and wet stone aromas. They carry over to the fresh palate, along with fruity green apple and pineapple notes while a savory mineral note backs up the finish.
This wine's delicate pear, apple and beeswax aromas carry over to the simple, enjoyable palate, along with a citrus note. It's refreshing, with bright acidity.
This wine's delicately lemony bouquet belies the exuberant tropical mango and guava flavors that await on the palate. While intensely ripe and boldly concentrated, it balances neatly with a refreshingly citrus finish.
This wine's distinct and intriguing nose pairs cola and cinnamon with cranberry, chopped chaparral scrub and wildfire smoke. That scrubby character of green sage and mugwort extends to the palate, spicing up the beet juice, ripe raspberries and a pencil-lead backbone.
This wine's dried flower and dark chocolate aromas emerge in the glass, with brambly berry notes in tow. A well-structured effort, it tastes of tart raspberry and cherry fruit with darker streaks of anise and espresso. The tannins, though proportionate, are a touch green.
This wine's dried pear, hay and hayflower scents create an immediate impression of richness. The palate underlines all of these generous flavors with a unique, streamlined freshness that illuminates. This is what happens when good Grüner Veltliner benefits from a little bottle age: Its herbal, lifted allure comes to the fore. Savor this.
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.
This wine's earthy cherry and plum aromas come with a hint of milk chocolate. The palate is edged with rubbery tannins, its savory, lightly salted plum flavors growing jammier and more fig-like as it breathes. A textbook fruit-forward Grenache.
This wine's elegant, ripe, grapefruit and tropical fruits are concentrated and suggest 2–3 years aging. Its lively acidity, layered with green apple skin tannins and richness, gives the true pungency of Sauvignon Blanc.
This wine's elevated alcohol level (16.2%) gives it plenty of fullness on the palate, and combined with jammy fruit and superripe tannins makes for a slightly sweet palate impression and a creamy texture. It does offer waves of raspberry and blueberry fruit topped by hints of cinnamon and vanilla as well as savory undercurrents of grilled meat and tapenade. Drink now and over the next few years for its exuberant fruit.
This wine's elevated—for a fruchtig German Riesling—alcohol level (11.5%) and botrytis-influenced flavors of dried apricots and orange marmalade suggest early consumption, although some may want to see if it settles down in another five years. It's fat, oily and rich right now, and a bit warming on the finish.
This wine's enticing rose, blue flower, menthol and herb scents come together in the glass. On the taut, precise palate, tightly knit, refined tannins enwrap crunchy red cherry and juicy cranberry flavors. White pepper and clove notes add depth, while bright acidity lends balance. Drink 2023–2035.
This wine's excellently layered yet light nose mixes pomelo skin with tangelo and lime-spritzed pink-apple notes. The palate is extremely nervy, with grippy lemon-skin texture and squeezed-citrus flavors, all balanced by riper apple. It's like biting into a cold, crisp, just-ripe pear or nectarine.
This wine's exotic spice, leather, toast and vanilla aromas unfold in the glass. The taut, linear palate offers dried black cherry and pomegranate flavors, with a sprinkling of cinnamon, assertive, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity.
This wine's expressive aromas and flavors of sweat, green herbs and passion fruit all speak of the Dillons Point subregion, but those excesses are toned down by aging in 1,000-liter oak casks known in German as fuders. That aging has imparted a pleasant creaminess to the midpalate, again mellowing the regional character.
This wine's firm, almost chewy texture makes it lively and lip-smacking, with tart red and black cherry flavors that provide good intensity and length. It's made from a grape variety that's widely used in Champagne but rarely seen as a varietal still wine.
This wine's firm, sizable tannins underscore mountain sage and brush aromas, as layers of red and black cherry come into focus. Medium bodied and gravelly in texture, it shows power within a comfortable frame of integrated oak.
This wine's flamboyant aromas of passion fruit and cut grass are unfortunately not quite matched on the palate, where the flavors are more restrained. It's medium in body and rather lean, with a crisp, fully dry finish. The blend is 69% Sauvignon Blanc, 31% Semillon.
This wine's flavors maybe take it a step too far into baked apple and pear territory, adding superripe melon to the mix as well. It's full-bodied, silky textured and broad in the mouth, with a touch of warmth on the finish.
This wine's flinty, mineral aroma gives way to lively citrus flavors, great acidity and smooth texture that carry into the finish. It's subtle and medium bodied, with very good balance and enough complexity to hold interest.
This wine's floral and baking spice aromas pave the way for refreshing pineapple, kiwi and freesia flavors. It's smooth in the mouth, with citrus and floral notes that mingle on the pleasant finish.
This wine's floral aromas, complete with hints of apricot, citrus and spice, are fine, and the palate delivers a cornucopia of fruit, but despite this wine's ample spritz, it comes across as a bit heavy and sweet.
This wine's floral, lightly jammy red berry aromas smell like nice bath soap. It's tight and raw on the palate, expanding a bit with air. Its mix of red fruit and herbal flavors is linear and lively, although the finish is slightly abrasive.
This wine's forest floor, new leather, wild berry, clove and balsamic aromas lead the way, along with a heady whiff of violet. Its smooth, structured palate evokes dried black cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon and white pepper, while tightly knit, polished tannins provide framework. Drink 2020–2030.
This wine's fragrance evokes underbrush, toast, chopped celery and prune. The tight, angular palate offers dried cherry, star anise, espresso and sage notes alongside bracing tannins that clench the finish.
This wine's fragrant blue flower and red berry aromas lift out of the glass. On the savory palate, ground clove accents raspberry jam and wild cherry notes, all hemmed in with refined tannins.
This wine's fresh and boisterous nature make it great for barbecues. Aromas of blueberry jam, condensed lilacs and smoked meats are very inviting. The fruit-forward palate combines smoked boysenberries and blueberries with roasted pork, dried oregano and a unique salt-and-pepper component.
This wine's fresh, fragrant fruit comes with a steely blade of acidity and minerality. It is just beginning to show its concentration, and the citrus and white peach flavors are starting to develop.
This wine's fresh, ripe red cherry and aromatic strawberry touches make for an inviting nose. The palate shows the same intense primary fruit, bolstered by freshness and a fine, filigreed structure. Its supple, pure fruit makes it very enjoyable now, but it's sure to evolve further with bottle age. Drink now–2025.
This wine's fruit is overripe, which spoils the structure that has been built around it.
This wine's fruitiness comes from stalky black currant flavors that have a green edge. It shows tannins, bitter chocolate and considerable acidity.
This wine's fruity aromas of red cherry and strawberry carry over to its bright, juicy palate together with black pepper notes. It's savory and easygoing, with round tannins that make it ready to enjoy soon.
This wine's full-bodied nature and chunky-blocky texture matches its name. It's dark and brooding in style, with hints of charred meat, asphalt and black olive. Give it some time. Drink 2018–2022.
This wine's full dark berry and desert herb aromas are typical of Vall Llach. Its full-bodied, chunky palate delivers brandied black currant, black plum and baked berry flavors, with a finish that's strong with peppery, herbal notes. Drink through 2022.
This wine's golden apple, yellow pear and beeswax aromas carry over to the bright, straightforward palate, along with a hint of citrus. It has a clean, fresh finish.
This wine's grapefruit and lemon flavors are lean, showing too much tartness and heat.
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.
This wine's green, herbal character suggests underripe fruit. All bell pepper and spice flavors, the fruit seems left behind.
This wine's greenness shows that it's not quite ripe, but it's an interesting wine. Dry, racy and creamy, this is not without complexity.
This wine's grilled herb, celery, dark spice and camphor aromas follow through to its bracing palate. The fruit is completely dried out, leaving toasted notes framed by aggressive, astringent tannins.
This wine's heady crushed grape and wild red berry aromas segue to its dry, slightly tannic palate along, with ripe blackberry and blueberry notes and savory herbal hints. It's frothy, vibrant and balanced, with firm acidity and a pleasantly bitter note on the finish.
This wine's heavy oak aromas are toasty but not overdone, while bacon and tobacco notes lurk in the background. Its raw, supremely tannic palate delivers woody, spicy berry flavors.
This wine's herb, clove, coconut, leather and camphor aromas slowly take shape. The palate is rather raw, offering unripe sour cherry, cranberry, vanilla, espresso and star anise flavors framed by tight, grainy tannins that leave a raspy finish.
This wine's Honeycrisp apple and Applejacks cereal scents lead the nose before bold layers of luxurious texture confirm its complexity and overall appeal on the palate. Densely packed with flavor, it also shows plenty of structure to support its powerful range.
This wine's honeysuckle-tinged nose comes with zesty grapefruit freshness. The palate is aroamtic, light and dry, with a slightly short but very clean finish. A lovely, light-bodied wine for spring and summer.
This wine's incredibly distinct nose of pure fruit shows plump raspberries alongside delicate grapeseed, a pinch of baking spice and a whiff of yeast. Though the wine is light in color and frame, the palate shows lots of earth, tobacco smoke, cherry pits, bouquet garni and rosemary, with refreshing wild berry fruit.
This wine's intense berry aromas are followed by equally deep flavors, as its meaty, earthy, spicy nuances develop with each sip. It has complexity, concentration, a very smooth texture and that certain wild element that's attractive in Syrah.
This wine's intense grapey, jammy aromas lead to very fruity and blackberry jam, melted butter and strawberry syrup flavors. It's medium bodied and sweet.
This wine's inviting aromas of tar, menthol and rose take shape in the glass. The elegant palate doles out red cherry, cranberry and dried herb flavors set against a backdrop of refined tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2021–2028.
This wine's inviting blue flower, dark berry and cake spice aromas emerge in the glass. The vibrant palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon and star anise flavors while firm, refined tannins and fresh acidity provide support.
This wine's iris, perfumed berry, truffle and baking spice aromas emerge in the glass as it opens, along with a whiff of crushed herb. The structured, elegant palate shows ripe Marasca cherry, vanilla and mocha flavors alongside fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2019–2029.
This wine's jammy black fruit aromas lead to a soft, full and ripe palate. Black plum flavors, rich tannins and layers of toast from wood aging signal both youth and solid, firm character. Drink from 2021.
This wine's juicy fruit and ripe tannins show it's full of potential. Firm now, it has rich black fruit and perfumed wood flavors that will soften with time. Drink from 2021.
This wine's light and refreshing nose cuts between orange-blossom ripeness, lime-juice sharpness, chalky minerality and a touch of milk fat. There is good energy on the palate, powered by tart green apple rinds and citrus zest.
This wine's light aromas include herb, black pepper, licorice and cherry notes, showing volatility. It's full bodied on the palate, with black cherry flavors that run a bit sweet.
This wine's light, rusty color and herbal, dilute nose tell you most of what you need to know about this weakly constituted Monastrell-led blend. Tea, leafy fruit flavors, pepper and rooty flavors are what it's about.
This wine's light, sugary, red cherry and watermelon aromas lead to similar flavors and a light, lean texture. It has a bright coral color that's eye-catching.
This wine's lime, kiwi and Asian pear flavors come with a spicy kick. Four months on the lees seems to have helped smooth out the midpalate, which leads to a pleasantly creamy finish dappled with hints of dried straw.
This wine's lovely rose petal and strawberry aromas, along with other tart and tangy wild berry notes, gather with appealing weight and length. It's quite dry and finishes on a lively dash of white pepper.
This wine's macerated cranberry, raspberry jam and dried orange peel aromas are bright. Its raspberry and cranberry flavors are sweet and focused, delivering a lot of appeal, though seeming a bit ripe.
This wine's magically layered nose blends graphite, black cherries, dried violets, hints of savory smoke meats and the oddly captivating scent of composting rose petals. From a vineyard on the appellation's eastern edge come a spice rack of flavors, from black peppercorns and hoisin sauce to soy and blackberry fruit.
This wine's matchstick, dark fruit, vanilla, herb and spice aromas are brooding. It's full and rich on the palate, with dark fruit flavors that linger on the finish.
This wine's mature black plum, exotic spice, French oak and underbrush aromas take shape in the glass. Bold, full-bodied and savory, it delivers dried black cherry, raspberry jam, vanilla and tobacco flavors enveloped in velvety tannins. Fresh acidity lifts the mineral-laced finish.
This wine's mellow petrol notes meet lemon pith and crushed chalk on the nose for a fresh introduction. The palate is grippy and structured, presenting rounded tangerine and candied lime flavors, with the slightest hint of petrol.
This wine's melon and mango aromas come with an oily note of lanolin. It feels lazy on the palate, with just enough acidity to maintain freshness. Mild tropical fruit flavors turn yeasty on its hollow finish. Drink immediately.
This wine's menthol, crushed herb, red berry and violet aromas emerge in the glass. The palate evokes raw red cherry, pomegranate and white pepper and is structured by firm acidity and bracing tannins, feeling tight and austere.
This wine's menthol, new leather, blue flower and sage aromas lead the nose, along with a whiff of toast. It's taut and savory on the palate, offering crunchy red berry, star anise, ground clove and tobacco notes framed by youthfully assertive, fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity.
This wine's menthol, new leather, toast, eucalyptus and exotic spice aromas lift from the glass. The firm palate shows dried cherry, pomegranate, chopped sage and roasted coffee bean flavors while grainy tannins lend a raspy finish.
This wine's menthol, oak-driven spice, toasted oak and dried herb aromas slowly take shape. The lean palate offers sour cherry and roasted coffee flavors alongside grainy, astringent tannins that leave a tongue-drying finish.
This wine's milk chocolate, herb, cherry, barrel spice and plum aromas lead to a plush, soft palate loaded with chocolate and plum flavors. It strikes a lovely balance.
This wine's modest strawberry and sous-bois notes are pretty unremarkable. It's light in body and short of finish.
This wine's most outstanding quality is the elegant and delicate manner with which the bouquet slowly reveals itself. This vineyard-designate wine is a traditional blend of Sangiovese and Canaiolo, opening with subtle aromas of red cherry, dried violet, moist earth, vanilla and cured meat.
This wine's name translates to “cherry,” and cherries are in its aroma along with spice. The palate shows a juicy, forward fruity character, a tang of acidity and soft tannins. It's a fine wine, but not for long-term aging so drink now and over the next few months.
This wine's name translates to “dear father” in Farsi, the Persian owner's native tongue.The blend of 63% Shiraz and 37% Petite Sirah offers black fruit, wet earth and anise on the nose—altogether quite reserved for such a dark wine. The mouthfeel is full, but the flavors of black currant and cola are very shy.
This wine's nectarine, mango and citrus aromas are mild. It has a solid mouthfeel that suggests proper balance. Apple, green banana and tropical fruit flavors finish short and low on acid.
This wine's neutral nose includes mild citrus scents. It's tired and bland on the palate, with yeasty flavors, finishing with papaya and commercial white bread notes.
This wine's new leather forest floor, menthol, pressed rose and exotic spice scents emerge in the glass. Full-bodied and focused, the palate delivers layers of cherry, pomegranate, crushed herb, licorice and cinnamon flavors. Bright acidity and youthful tannins provide balance and an ageworthy structure. Drink 2023–2038.
This wine's new leather, exotic spice, truffle and chopped herb aromas lift out of the glass while the full-bodied palate delivers dried berry, orange zest, exotic spice and espresso hints. Fine-grained tannins provide firmness.
This wine's new leather, menthol, steeped prune and French oak aromas seemingly fill the glass to brimming. The firmly structured palate offers dried Morello cherry, chopped mint and licorice flavors framed by bracing, close-grained tannins.
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 wine's nose and palate bring linzer torte, raspberry jam and charred meat to mind. Thick, big-boned and robust, it finishes on sweet vanilla.
This wine's nose barely hints at ripe apple and white pepper, but the palate sings with aromas and flavors: fresh lemon, ripe and juicy red apple and a slightly herbal, grassy touch. All of this appears on a delicate, light-bodied frame enlivened by zesty acidity. The finish is long, intriguing and dry.
This wine's nose bears an uncanny similarity to animal crackers, and along the way there's peach and melon aromas. The palate is sweet and slightly punchy, with mango and white raisin flavors. Overall, bank on sweetness and liquidy ripeness from this drink-now Albariño.
This wine's nose begins very steely, with fresh cracked chalk aromas, then allows soft caramel candy, pound cake and white flowers to emerge. The very inviting flavors include apple flesh and skins, fresh cut pineapple and slated nuts, all clinging to a very pithy element that cuts the entire palate.
This wine's nose gives little more than a suggestion of zesty ripeness. The palate, on the other hand, is full of friendly, lively fruit. Crisp green and yellow apple and ripe citrus pervade its slender but joyful frame. Zesty and fresh, it only faintly hints of the variety's usual nuttiness.
This wine's nose has a sharply spiced tinge, with wet herbs, cola, and cranberry aromas. At first, it's a bit muddy on the palate, but then the strong acidic backbone presents both herbal tones and tart cranberry against an earthy core.
This wine's nose is a tad hollow, offering poppy seed, roast beef and black-fruit aromas. The palate conveys blueberry, blackberry and chocolate flavors, with a rising acidity on the finish.
This wine's nose is all about earth and minerality, showing iron, rust, mushrooms and eucalyptus, but in a rather pungent way. The flavors are sanguine, nearly metallic, with Indian spices and cranberry fruit combining for a sip that is lean in body but grippy with tannins.
This wine's nose is initially quite shy, releasing a whiff of Mediterranean herb with some air. The simple palate offers citrus and a saline flavors while crisp acidity gives it a fresh finish.
This wine's nose is rather subdued, but the palate comes in with hints of green pear and lemon. Dry, light and clean, with the tiniest bit of enlivening spritz, it's as thirst-quenching as its name (Getränk, which translates to “beverage”) suggests.
This wine's nose is restrained and carries just a faint hint of peach and nettle. The slender, juicy palate is all about zesty, lithe citrus and herbal spice. Very refreshing and light.
This wine's nose is shy but fresh. The palate shows taut, tart fruit, with hints of red apple and citrus. This is very slender and light with a clean, dry finish.
This wine's nose is still closed, but its palate presents velvety, cinnamon- and vanilla-tinged black cherry fruit. The tannic structure acts like a velvet grip around its pleasantly fruit-dense core. That richness is countered by freshness in a package that's sure to give lots of pleasure through 2022.
This wine's nose is very shy, giving just a citric, herbal hint. The palate is fluid and dry, lacking only for focus. Nonetheless, it's refreshing and easy-drinking.
This wine's nose promises fleshy, ripe, red cherry fruit, and its palate delivers, with ample juiciness and uncomplicated freshness. This is made for summer and will do very well when chilled with its light body and fresh cherry notes.
This wine's nose suggests fresh lemon. The palate adds green pear to that citrus notion, providing a light, zippy, easy-drinking body with a clean, dry finish.
This wine's nose suggests game, forest floor, truffle and leather. It's tight and raw, offering roasted coffee bean, powdered sage, licorice and unripe cherry notes set against a backdrop of raspy tannins and firm acidity.
This wine's oak and butterscotch aromas follow through to the lean palate, along with hints of toasted nut. Although linear and focused, it doesn't have enough fruit richness to stand up to the evident oak.
This wine's oak, toasted nut and menthol aromas carry over to its evolved palate, along with a coffee note and bracing tannins. It's shy on fruit richness and intensity.
This wine's oak, weedy underbrush, celery and vegetable broth aromas carry over to the lean palate, along with a roasted coffee bean note. Raspy tannins clench the finish.
This wine's oaky entry derives from 10 months aging in French and American oak. It's creamy and voluptuous in style, with simple flavors of apple and a moderately long finish.
This wine's orange and lemon aromas are crisp and fresh overall. And like all standard Chilean Chardonnay, it's plump and round. The wine tastes of melon, honey and peach, and even as it turns slender in flavor, the finish remains strong.
This wine's overripeness shows up in the form of a bitter, dry, raisin taste, with heat from the alcohol. It has a solid core of blackberry fruit and beautiful tannins, but it won't age.
This wine's peach, melon and flowers aromas are bright. The palate is dry and fleshy with a bitter note that distracts.
This wine's peardrop fruitiness is evident right away. Fresh but slightly dilute, It's a very light, easy-drinking party wine with a dry finish. Drink now.
This wine's peppery details act as counterpoint to its well-defined raspberry and cherry flavors. Streaks of toast and graphite add to the layers, suggesting further complexity will develop with another year or two in bottle.
This wine's perfumed melon, white flower, vanilla and baking spice scents are followed by broad stone fruit flavors that finish tart. It goes down easy.
This wine's personality is all peach fuzz and tropical thunder, wrapped in grassy herbs. With bristling acidity, it's refreshing and bright, with a flattened finish.
This wine's personality is driven by its cola, wild berry, spice, leather and maraschino cherry notes. It's slightly raw and rustic, with a bitter almond accent. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
This wine's pink color edges ever so slightly toward brown, and offers aromas of orange juice and pink rose petals. It's a tad flat on the palate, suggesting sour orange and lemon rinds, a touch of maraschino cherry and a slight baking-soda minerality.
This wine's pinkish-coppery hue suggests a bit of skin contact, as does the silky texture on the palate. Hints of gingery spice accent flavors of poached pear, finishing on a dry, dusty note.
This wine's plum and Bing cherry flavors glide smoothly through the midpalate with moderate density. It was sourced from own-rooted vines from a half dozen vineyards, notably Temperance Hill and Sunnyside.
This wine's plum, mocha and cedar notes are carried by ample body and a silky texture. It's a round, supple blend of 59% Shiraz, 31% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre that finishes long, reverberating with fresh acids and mocha shadings. Drink it over the next several years.
This wine's plum, vanilla, milk chocolate and blue fruit aromas are followed by a palate saturated with supersmooth fruit and barrel flavors. The variety isn't immediately apparent, but it's delicious all the same.
This wine's prominent buttery aromas grab one's attention right away, and that same buttery element runs through the flavors and lingers on the finish. The fruit components are mild and melon-like, the body is medium and the texture reveals good acidity.
This wine's prune, menthol, tobacco and grilled herb aromas carry over to its bracing palate, along with dried black cherry and licorice hints. Assertive, tight-knit tannins grip the finish. Drink after 2020.
This wine's raspberry jam, cocoa, fig and barrel spice aromas really pop. Its red fruit flavors are rich and ripe, providing hedonistic appeal.
This wine's raspberry, garrigue, black pepper and citrus aromas lead to intense flavors that linger on the finish. The round mouthfeel heightens the appeal.
This wine's raspberry, red apple, spice and red fruit aromas are bright. The flavors are ripe and full bodied, showing some heat.
This wine's red and yellow apple and melon aromas lead to broad, fleshy fruit flavors. It's direct and delivers a lot of appeal.
This wine's red apple, flower and lees aromas lead to off-dry, leesy fruit flavors that seem a bit heavy and weighed down.
This wine's red berry, fragrant blue flower, aromatic herb and new saddle leather scents lift out of the glass. The firm palate offers juicy Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, cinnamon and anise notes set against tightly wound tannins and vibrant acidity. Youthfully austere, it needs time to fully come together. Drink 2022–2034.
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.
This wine's red fruit flavors have sharp, vinegary tones, giving it a hint of Balsamic. It's all right for drinking now.
This wine's restrained aromas take time to come around, showing a mix of dust and black pepper before waves of juicy red fruit and soft tannin and oak mingle together seamlessly on the palate. Toasted oak and vanilla notes mark the long finish.
This wine's restrained nose just hints at blueberry and cinnamon. The palate comes in with freshness, verve and balance. Crunchy red cherry fruit is at the core, balanced by freshness and a taut structure. An elegant, ripe, medium-bodied red.
This wine's richness is masked by acidity and given a mineral texture. Apples mingle with green plums and a herbal character. The powerful acidity is very dominant and needs to integrate.
This wine's ripe berry aromas are accompanied by creamy oak, pepper and licorice notes. It feels choppy yet built to last, with spicy, lightly herbal berry and plum flavors and an abrasive but fresh finish, suggesting it will not suffer from further aging. Drink through 2024.
This wine's ripe berry aromas include integrated oak, tar and vanilla notes. Its plum, raspberry, vanilla and cream flavors are appealing, yet it finishes raw, jagged and a bit shrill.
This wine's ripe berry, vanilla, toast, raisin and cedar aromas set the stage for an intense palate with choppy tannins. Its blackberry, caramel and vanilla flavors are rich and ripe, tasting pure on the finish, with a strong punch of chocolaty oak. Drink through 2024.
This wine's ripe cherry fruit and milk chocolate notes suggest softness and roundness. But the wine shows astringency and firmness on the close.
This wine's ripe plum and berry aromas feature an oaky note of bacon. On the palate, it's choppy and aggressive with tannic bite. Dark fruit flavors are bolstered by oaky spice, tobacco and chocolate hints that persist long on the finish. A texbook Toro wine.
This wine's ripe, dark-skinned fruit, culinary spice and new leather scents lead the way, along with a menthol note. The firmly structured, chewy palate offers dried Morello cherry, raspberry jam, licorice and espresso flavors alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2020.
This wine's ripe, earthy bouquet is enhanced by the bright aromas of strawberry and blackberry preserve aromas. It's soft, round, supple and there's a distant note of plump berry sweetness.
This wine's ripe, mineral texture balances its yellow and white stone fruit flavors. It has a toasty, caramel character, giving extra richness. Drink from late 2017.
This wine's ripe, raisiny aromas include vanilla and a hint of animal hide. Its dense, oaky palate is generally in balance, with plum, tomato, spice and vanilla flavors typical of Rioja. It flattens out on the finish, tasting slightly baked.
This wine's rose petal, herb, dark spice and woodland berry aromas slowly take shape, along with a whiff of new leather. The full-bodied, energetic palate delivers juicy red cherry, cranberry, clove, cinnamon and orange peel flavors while youthfully austere tannins and vibrant acidity provide the framework. Drink 2023–2033.
This wine's rubbery latex, briary plum and berry aromas are potent. Its plum, berry and vanilla flavors finish with shrill acidity, hard, choppy tannins and long-lasting dark berry notes. Drink through 2028.
This wine's sawdust, green herb, vanilla and spice aromas are brooding. The light- to medium-bodied palate delivers cherry flavor, bringing appeal but wanting more expression.
This wine's sharp, charred oak aroma grabs one's attention, while its bold smoky, meaty flavors accent ripe blackberry and dried plum notes on the palate. An assertive Cabernet sure to please oak aficianados.
This wine's sharply etched, bright pineapple and underripe peach flavors gain depth from aging in 13% new French oak. A touch of honeyed apple and butterscotch lingers on the finish. Drink now through 2022.
This wine's shy nose barely hints at black cherry and plum. The palate is taut and framed by smooth, finely woven tannins that still hold its juicy red fruit tight. A pleasant, fresh, aromatic grip lingers.
This wine's shy nose suggests fig leaf and citrus. Green-tinged herbal notes and faint lime fruit swish sinuously n the light-bodied palate. It's slender yet creamy, lithe and full of personality. The finish is dry and refreshing.
This wine's silky-smooth nose blends aromas of cherry pastries and cinnamon donut with black gravel and gingerbread. The palate is grippy with tannins that add mouthfeel but not a ton of structure, offering flavors of dense strawberry and tar.
This wine's smoke, seaweed, black pepper, orange peel and purple fruit aromas pop. The palate features easy-drinking fruit flavors, with gritty tannins to back them up.
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.
This wine's smooth, even mouthfeel can't compensate for an odd, cheesy note on the nose and the fact that the dark cherry and bitter chocolate flavors are deeply under wood. Shows some back-end bite, seeming past its best, as if it would have shown better earlier. —M.M.
This wine's spiced plum, underbrush and French oak aromas waft out of the glass. The linear, ethereal palate offers prune, dried cherry and star anise flavors, set against austere, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. It closes on an espresso note.
This wine's spring blossom, yellow apple and almond scents carry over to the light, rather diluted palate. Although simple, it's a great utility pour for large, informal gatherings or picnics.
This wine's strawberry and raspberry flavors carry a slightly funky bouquet, but call it a feature, not a flaw. It has salted caramel notes from aging for nine months in 30% new French oak, and it's creamy and focused on the palate, finishing on a hint of cola.
This wine's strawberry jam aromas lead to a palate dominated by tannins. It's dry and missing fruit.
This wine's subdued baking spice, clove and mature black-skinned fruit aromas follow through to the lively, simple palate. Round tannins provide easygoing support. Drink soon.
This wine's subtle aromas of black-skinned berry, pressed violet and cooking spice emerge in the glass. The dense palate offers ripe black plum, licorice and leather hints, with chewy tannins and heat from evident alcohol. Drink through 2019.
This wine's subtle underpinnings of smoke, toasted hazelnuts and baking spices add layers of interest to the melon and citrus fruit. This is medium to full bodied and just a bit creamy on the palate, making it a nicely balanced, all-around solid Chardonnay for drinking over the next few years.
This wine's suntan lotion aromas and mild volatility are a bit disconcerting. On the palate, it's full and dark, with abrasive, rubbery tannins and jammy currant and black cherry flavors that finish strong.
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 wine's tart, high-pitched acidity greets the palate with a youthful splash of lemon and lime before revealing its true concentration of rich toasted oak and baked apple flavor. Fulsome on the palate, it ends on a taste of the tropics.
This wine's thick and buttery aromas range from cashew cream and caramel to honeysuckle and Maui onion. Its powerful acidity cuts through the palate's unctuous and oily qualities, with buttercream and lemon juice flavors combining for a big personality.
This wine's tight nose gives little away. Its light-bodied, dry and slightly spritzy palate delivers fresh lemon fruit, which lingers into the zesty finish. This easy, fresh and ready for immediate drinking.
This wine's tightly wound woodspice, black cherry, cocoa, caramel and herb aromas are followed by tart, plentiful dark fruit flavors. It needs some time for its chewy, lightly dry tannins to settle, but plenty of good things are going on. Give it some time in the cellar or a long decant.
This wine's tilled earth, coffee and black plum aromas waft out of the glass. The hearty, full-bodied palate doles out mature black cherry, licorice and baking spice flavors alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2021.
This wine's toast, oak, scorched earth, burnt rubber and nail varnish aromas carry over to its tired, evolved palate, along with a hint of menthol. Raspy tannins clench the lean finish.
This wine's tropical fruit and fragrant white flower scents lift out of the glass while the lively palate doles out juicy white peach, green apple and grapefruit flavors. It has clean, crisp finish.
This wine's truffle, underbrush, dark berry and baking spice aromas take center stage. Still young and primary, it shows unripe red berry, sage, ground clove, truffle and star anise flavors on the palate, structured with bracing tannins and vibrant acidity. Give it time to fully come together. Drink 2021–2028.
This wine's unassuming nose belies the thrilling depth of juicy, sweet white peach, tangerine and quince flavors that burst on the palate. Luminous fruit and spine tingling acidity collide, hinged by a kick of phenolic bitterness that lingers on the finish.
This wine's underbrush, French oak, espresso, coconut and spiced plum aromas carry over to round, concentrated palate, along with licorice, clove, raisin and dried cherry notes. Fine-grained tannins provide polished support, but drink soon to capture the remaining fruit.
This wine's underbrush, menthol, dried herb and game aromas follow through to the firm, linear palate, along with sour cherry, pomegranate, espresso and clove flavors. Tightly woven tannins provide grip while a star anise note marks the close.
This wine's underbrush, toasted oak, coconut and exotic spice aromas rise from the glass. The firm palate offers dried cherry, cranberry, clove and sage notes while assertive tannins clench the finish.
This wine's underbrush, truffle, leather and herb aromas unfold in the glass. The firmly structured palate offers dried black cherry, licorice, espresso, oak-driven spice and toast flavors framed by close-grained tannins. Roasted coffee bean and powdered sage notes mark the finish.
This wine's unusual purple fruit, citrus, herb and wood spice aromas waft up from the glass. The palate brings abundant orange peel flavors supported by tannins that are surprisingly firm for the variety. Citrus twist notes linger on the finish.
This wine's vanilla, woodspice, black cherry and dried herb aromas lead to tightly wound fruit flavors with hefty tannins. Oak plays prominently, but it largely works, needing only additional time in the bottle or a short decant to strut its stuff.
This wine's velvety mouthfeel sets it apart from the pack, as does the vibrancy of its dark berry fruit. Hints of vanilla and mint accent the fruit without detracting from it, as does a subtle layer of mocha. Long and layered on the finish; drink now–2020.
This wine's violet and red-skinned berry aromas lift out of the glass. The palate is bright and racy, with juicy raspberry, red cherry and cake spice notes and lively acidity. Drink through 2020.
This wine's violet, baking spice and herb aromas carry over to its bright, straightforward palate together with sour cherry, pomegranate and a blast of orange zest. Bracing tannins and racy acidity, although assertive, provide support.
This wine's vividly layered nose blends dusty garden herbs of oregano and marjoram with hints of chile pepper, wet concrete and plum skins. The palate is supple and complex, showing dynamic spices and herbs, cut olives, savory meats and pipe smoke, much like a Middle Eastern tagine.
This wine's white flower, apple, pear and almond aromas carry over to its medium-bodied palate, along with a hint of citrus peel. It's linear and fresh, with bright acidity and a saline note on the close.
This wine's wild berry, violet, porcini, forest floor and crushed herb aromas leap out of the glass. The vibrant, focused palate evokes wild cherry, cranberry, star anise and orange zest. It's a classic Barbera framed by firm acidity and refined tannins that shows its Nizza origins.
This wine's wild raspberry, mace, composting violets, kola nut and musk hints make for a very pretty but extremely complex nose. Fermented with 30% whole clusters, it's energetic on the palate, with dark cranberry and sharp raspberry flavors enhanced by allspice and anise. It has a very long finish.
This wine's wild red berry aromas follow through to the flavorsome, zesty palate along with blackberry and grape notes. Lively acidity and a salty quality balance its fruity flavors. Pair this with hearty pasta dishes.
This wine's woodland berry, rose petal, dark spice, chopped herb and espresso aromas fill the glass. Elegantly structured, the palate offers Marasca cherry, clove and star anise flavors framed by fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity.
This wine's yellow flower, Mediterranean brush and citrus aromas will grab your attention. On the full-bodied palate, a white almond note underscores ripe Bartlett pear, nectarine and candied lemon flavors while a mineral note energizes the finish.
This wine (with the maximum percentage of foreign grapes added to the blend) has a broad, meaty mouthfeel with loads of spice and background notes that recall smoked bacon and ripe black cherry. It offers a bit of sweetness and loads of chewy, flavor-rich succulence.
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.
This wine aims to call attention to the tendency of Clone 17 (also known as the Robert Young clone) to provide baked apple and ripe, almond flavors and aromas, which this bottling does, in spades. Caramel, oak and vanilla round out the rest of the experience, which is balanced, but big in ripeness and wood.
This wine all comes Chandler Reach Vineyards. The aromas seem to lack clarity while the cranberry, prune and cherry flavors want for midpalate concentration.
This wine all comes from Block 18 at this esteemed vineyard. The aromas bring a medley of herbs along with graphite, licorice and black cherry. The palate is medium bodied, but pulls up a bit short on the finish.
This wine all comes from Block 46 of Les Collines Vineyard and was fermented 100% whole cluster in a mixture of concrete and stainless steel. This vineyard's signature violet aromas are accented by plum, smoked meat and herb. The palate is elegantly styled with tart, fresh acids and plenty of hang time on the finish.
This wine all comes from Oasis Vineyard. The aromas are light, with notes of citrus peel, herb and guava, showing some reduction. The palate is sleekly styled with nervy acids that keep the interest up.
This wine all comes from Red Heaven Vineyard. Aromas of barrel spice, dark fruit and black licorice are followed by full-bodied black-fruit flavors backed by grainy tannins, with baking spice flavors lingering on the finish. It provides a lot of appeal.
This wine all comes from Rosebud vineyard and is blended with 17% Sémillon. Bright aromas of lees, pineapple, fig and lemon are followed by tart, full-bodied flavors with mouthwatering acidity.
This wine all comes from Watermill Vineyard down in the Rocks District. Seeing only 27% new French oak, it rises up from the glass with appealing aromas of orange peel, moist earth, ember, herb and smoked meat, along with wisps of black olive. The palate is supersmooth and silky, showing a beguiling sense of texture. The concentration seems a bit light at times, but overall it delivers.
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.
This wine already has delicious red fruits. It is soft, made to be drunk young with attractive fruitiness and light tannins. Drink this wine from 2019.
This wine already has great balance, with its dry structure setting off the concentrated cherry and red-berry fruits. The acidity, tense while also fragrant, gives a background of freshness to the wine. It is still young, firm tannins still prominent. Drink from 2020.
This wine also contains 25% Zinfandel and is wildly savage in herb, baked plum jam, tobacco and a strong arm of oak. Midpalate, it takes on more savory peppercorn and herb over fruit, finishing mildly.
This wine also contains small percentages of Petite Sirah and Grenache to good effect, providing a soft and approachable entry of well-balanced black fruit and leather.
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.
This wine and many like it were caught in the Brunello fraud scandal that rocked Montalcino in 2008. Whether it mirrors tradition or not, there's no doubt that this is a well-crafted wine. It opens with an inky dark color and offers aromas of red fruit, chopped herbs and spice.
This wine and the entire brand often punch above their weight, in this case showing black cherry, cedar, dried dill, crushed graphite and peppercorns on the nose. The palate offers oregano and dill at first, but proves silky with dried cherry and cranberry fruit.
This wine announces its modern intentions with polished opening notes of vanilla, caramel and coffee from aging in small French oak barrels. The intense palate shows cherry and boysenberry fruit which lead into a long, very complex finish. Will gain more complexity with a few years in the cellar but may be drunk now for the appeal of its youthful fruit.
This wine announces itself with bright aromas of plum, blueberry, dried herb and spice. The flavors are broad, with espresso and citrus flavors on the finish. It's a prototype for the variety.
This wine appeals for its plump, almost custardy texture, but the aromas and flavors of pineapple are simple and straightforward, turning crisp on the finish.
This wine appears to mark a departure from Trottevieille's normally strict style, showing more opulence, new wood and ripeness. There is still a touch of austerity initially, but from that point, the wine opens out with a great burst of fresh blackberry jelly and stylish texture.
This wine appears to need a bit more time to come fully into its own. Tight and dark with notes of blackberries, plum skin, burnt coffee residue and herbs, the full mouth is overcome by firm tannins on the finish, preventing much else from coming through on the end. Some aging (try at least a year) should bring things into balance.
This wine arrests the senses with dazzlingly pure aromas of dark raspberries, cherries, clove, mineral and spice. Flavors are intense, layered, and rich without sacrificing one iota of balance. The plush mouthfeel and long finish only add to the enjoyment and sensory experience.
This wine astounds in big, juicy waves of jammy cherry, strawberry and forest floor, its fruit sourced from Gap's Crown, Dutton Ranch, Goldrock Ridge and Jenkins vineyards, among other sites. Textured and layered, with powerful force, it shows richness and concentration but also fresh acidity.
This wine at the top of the Goldeneye hierarchy conveys a feeling of elegance and full body at the same time. It has spicy, toasted oak aromas, ripe and tasty fruit flavors, a rounded texture and full body. Nuances like ripe blackberry and black cherry are nicely layered with nutmeg and toast for delicious complexity.
This wine backs up the price tag with a fruit-forward nose showing blackberry, black cherry, dried mint and tarragon. The palate is more tart, with dried sour cherries, espresso-bean bitterness, lava rocks and graphite. It's surprisingly both dark and lean, offering solid complexity.
This wine balances between the sweetness of a Rosé d'Anjou and fresh, crisp fruitiness. It makes for an attractive wine that's both full of red fruits and that has a light texture.
This wine balances fresh fruit, citrus and tropical fruit with a crisp minerality. The wine offers freshness as well as spiciness and a touch of curve. Pair with sautéed fish, salads.
This wine balances honeyed sweetness with intense acidity to give a wine that would be best as an apéritif. It is light and poised, finishing crisp with orange-marmalade flavors.
This wine balances intense fruit with a steely core of minerality. It is packed with apple, crisp pear and kiwi fruits, contrasted with this tight texture and hints of wood aging. Well balanced, the wine will be ready to drink from 2018.
This wine balances ripeness with crispness. There is a spice note as well as a smooth texture that will round out further as the wine develops over the next four years..
This wine balances swathes of ripe berry fruit with hints of tannin. It's fruity, full bodied and delicious to drink now. A great barbecue wine.
This wine bears a strong resemblance to its sibling from one block over in with its berry and flower aromas. The palate however brings more lushness and texture that persists through the finish.
This wine bears the blue label, and includes 20% Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. The grapes were co-fermented and aged in oak. The wine is grassy, woody and herbal, with tart acidity. Unusual, but perhaps it would have been better if left entirely in stainless.
This wine beautifully blends vivid fruit, enticing spice and luxuriously creamy flavors that are concentrated, layered and complex. It pulls it all off gracefully due to underlying acidity that supports a lush texture and leads to a long finish.
This wine become pretty pricey but that's because consumers recognize its quality; its sheer deliciousness can't be beat. It has all the elements of fine Russian River Pinot—it's dry and has lots o f ripe fruit, pretty oak, toast and spice—and it puts them all together in a super-elegant package. The vintage is light but the wine doesn't seem to mind. Its class shows. `
This wine begins a bit wound-up and restrained on the nose, but then reveals waves of cassis, blackcurrant, elderberry and caramelized beef tips. The flavors are woven together perfectly, showing deep blueberry syrup, dark-chocolate chips, brighter plums, lovely lilacs and a touch of tar. It's deep, dark and complex.
This wine begins tight and peppery, with cranberry and cherry cola flavors. Tasted over a period of several days, it not only held up well, but seemed to gain in focus. It's not a big wine, but it has authentic grip and surprising ageability.
This wine begins with a clean and cool nose featuring green banana and other subdued tropical notes as well as salty seaspray. Once sipped, the tropical side emerges more, with papaya and guava, as well as overripe peach. Altogether, the alcohol feels a bit high.
This wine begins with aromas of espresso, vanilla and berries. The palate is already quite evolved, with dried cherry sensations and hints of baking spices alongside astringent tannins. Terravino Eurobiz, Medallion Global.
This wine begins with aromas of oak, coffee bean and toast. The palate lacks fruit richness, offering instead dried tobacco leaf, oak extract, espresso, dried sage, vanilla and mocha alongside bitterly astringent tannins.
This wine begins with aromas of ripe black fruit, prune, spice, leather and a hint of espresso. The palate is dominated by oak, delivering toast, roasted coffee bean, prune and fig alongside excruciatingly dry wood tannins that generate an abrupt and bitter finish.
This wine begins with aromas that recall red peppers, black berries and spice with a whiff of grilled sage. The palate offers ripe black cherry and plum accented with white pepper and cinnamon-spice and thyme. It still has youthful, aggressive tannins that need a few more years to soften. Drink 2016–2021.
This wine begins with intense oak and a voluptuous texture before settling into the crisp delicacy of bittersweet lemon and honeyed apple. Full bodied and nicely complex, it's a balanced expression of a cool vineyard site.
This wine begins with rustic charm, and it features notes of olive, cigar box and cedar, followed by equally earthy flavors of spicebox, tomato, vanilla and pepper. The sturdy tannins and texture are softened by a wave of red fruit. Pair this with grilled lamb or burgers.
This wine benefits from some time in bottle. Wood and fruit are integrated, bringing out the spice in the fruit, while leaving delicious apple and white currant fruits to blossom. Screwcap.
This wine blended from multiple vineyard souces represents tremendous value for its quality. Black cherry and cedar notes mark its flavorful but thick midpalate, giving way to dried herb and black currant on the chocolatey finish.
This wine blends 49% Syrah with 27% Mourvèdre, 18% Grenache and 6% Counoise. Together, they provide a smooth, seductive taste of strawberry pie that invites and delights within a full-bodied package that's enjoyable now.
This wine blends 53% Monterey County and 47% San Luis Obispo County fruit to deliver a well-priced winner. Key lime, lemon peel, white flowers and almond butter show on the nose, while the palate delivers nicely rounded nectarine, sea salt and oaky flavors that are buoyed by ample acidity through the finish.
This wine blends 6% co-fermented Syrah from a single lot, the fruit celebrated in all its ripe, full-bodied glory. Cherry, chocolate and barbecue flavors commingle on the soft, round palate that develops further richness in the glass. The tannic profile is strong and thick.
This wine blends 70% Viognier with 30% Roussanne, so it shows some of the flamboyant apricot fruit of the former, and some of the medium-bodied structure of the latter. It's clean and correct, with a bit of citrus on the finish. Drink now.
This wine blends all 12 clones of Pinot Noir grown on the property, to tremendous effect. Sanguine, it traffics in pretty pomegranate and cranberry, with a quenching taste of kirsch-like cherry. Lightly spiced, it delivers an end note of milk chocolate on the lengthy finish, a stellar, drinkable wine from start to finish.
This wine blends an earthy aroma with plenty of soft, almost sweet fruit character and a gentle, easy-drinking texture.
This wine blends competing elements of steely minerality and ripe, nearly sweet elements of red apple and squeezed tangerine on the nose. The flavors are also well-rounded, with apple fruit and Asian pear balanced by lemon juice acidity.
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.
This wine blends in Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah and Malbec, reining in the bold, tart red fruit to create a medium-bodied, softly textured palate with a leathery backbone. Clove notes are followed by a chocolate chaser on the lingering finish.
This wine blends Merlot from Stagecoach and Antinori vineyards on Atlas Peak with Malbec from the Trefethens in Oak Knoll and Merlot and Syrah from Hudson Vineyards in Carneros. Together the varieties provide a juicy hit of dark cherry and plum that's densely built and moderate in acidity. The finish is marked by meat and tobacco.
This wine blends near-equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with a smidgen of Cabernet Sauvignon (3%) rounding it out. It pulls no punches with sweet, opulent aromas and flavors of dried herbs, coffee, licorice and cherry—an unabashed crowed pleaser.
This wine blends rich fruitiness like ripe pear with light oak and almond accents and an appetizingly tangy texture.
This wine blends the rich qualities of Malbec with proper acidity and tannic bite, and the result is excellent. Chocolaty aromas of berry fruits and leather set up a bouncy palate with oaky flavors of mocha, plum, herbs and spice. On the finish, it's long and a touch minty. Drink now–2018.
This wine boasts a creamy palate, with aromas of fresh and baked apples that transition to flavors of apple crumble laced with citrus zest. Concentration, precision and lively acidity mean that this will pair well with many fatty foods. It's glorious now, but its acidity means that you can expect pleasant development over the next five years.
This wine boasts a great combination of sweetness and richness with elegance and finesse. Aromas are honeyed and floral yet minerally, while the flavors run toward pears and peaches steeped in honey. The finish is undeniably rich, but supercharged by a lively skein of citrusy acids.
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.
This wine boasts a lot of character and evolution, and is layered and complex. The bouquet leads with aromas of hay, beeswax, orange oil, wood-grilled apple and sweet spice. Medium weight, but with ample acidity to keep it balanced, rich fruit flavors are accented by notes of toast and wood that carry through the long finish. It's drinking perfectly now, but should last well through 2015.
This wine boasts a lovely nose redolent of dried apricots and bergamot, with fresh, mossy hints on the background. On the palate, it's medium bodied, not overly sweet or concentrated but with clean melon and citrus flavors that finish clean and fresh.
This wine boasts a lovely, creamy texture and citrusy freshness enhanced by deep concentration. Along with the citrus you'll find apple, pear and melon fruitiness. This is an irresistible summer sipper.
This wine boasts a riot of tart huckleberry, marionberry and purple fruit flavors that taste as if they have been lightly soaked in Bourbon. The dusty tannins set up a long ride onto the palate-pleasing finish.
This wine boasts admirable complexity, but comes across as a bit angular, with the acids maybe a touch too prominent. Still, the flavors of mint, pepper and meat layered over plum and raspberry fruit offer a lot to like, and the acids may actually make this wine more versatile with food than many more unctuous Shiraz.
This wine boasts an attractive nose of garrigue and mixed berries, but falls off a bit on the palate, where it comes across as a bit thin in texture. The cherry-berry flavors are pleasant, but the wine appears to lack concentration and richness. Tasted a second time, I found it slightly better (86 points), but still have concerns about the lack of texture on the midpalate.
This wine boasts an attractive nose of rose petals and red cherries, followed by cherry and pomegranate flavors on the lightweight palate. The tannins are supple and the finish fades quickly, making this a drink-now proposition.
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.
This wine boasts aromas and flavors of dried red fruits, fresh mint and cocoa powder. Medium weight, with soft, dusty tannins and a medium-length finish. A young wine, but quite approachable now.
This wine boasts blackberry, raspberry, white pepper and earthy sensations. It's simple but well-made and cries out for food such as hearty minestrone soup.
This wine boasts subtle black cherries and plums, framed in a bed of toasty, mocha-tinged oak. It's rich and silky, with a discreet dusting of cocoa on the long finish.
This wine breaks on the palate like a slider crossing the corner of the plate, just out of reach. A forward, fruit-driven entry drops into a tart midpalate, with plum and berry fruit. It fades away into a finish with strong acids, light chocolate and a hint of bitterness in the tannins.
This wine brims with almost overripe pear notes on the nose. The palate follows with equally full-fruited accents shot through with citric freshness, making for a super-juicy, super-easy, off-dry white. Drink soon to make most of the fruit.
This wine brims with fruit and freshness. A host of apple notions comes alive on nose and palate: The appetizing, ripe tartness of Cox Orange Pippin, the mouthwatering crispness of Granny Smith and the mellowness of Golden Delicous. It has a refreshing, open honesty, juicy and totally inviting. Underneath all that allure lies rich autolysis, underlined by a fine, creamy mousse. Flavors and freshness linger.
This wine brings a whole lot of appeal with its fresh, lively but rich pear and melon flavors. The balance is spot-on and the flavors linger.
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.
This wine brings aromas and flavors of cherry, coffee, herbs, medicine cabinet and oak spices. The style is reserved, with a seamless, focused feel to the tart cherry and plum flavors that keep the attention on each sip.
This wine brings aromas and flavors of pear along with light tropical accents. The concentration dips toward the finish.
This wine brings aromas of blackberry, dates and spice. The palate displays abundant cherry flavors with lightly chalky tannins.
This wine brings aromas of bright flowers, fresh green herbs, green olive and lemony citrus. There is an exquisite sense of weight, balance and deftness to the palate that carries through the extended finish, with expertly managed tannins that back it all up. The green edges may turn off some, but others will look beyond it and find much to enjoy.
This wine brings aromas of caramel, blue fruit, barrel spice and herb that are followed by elegantly styled fruit flavors and gritty tannins, with a light bitter note that distracts.
This wine brings aromas of herbs, black cherry, chocolate and flowers. The palate is medium bodied, showing a mixture of fruit and barrel flavors that include vanilla, cocoa and cherry.
This wine brings aromas of pineapple, lemon drop, chamomile tea and custard to the bouquet. The flavors are ripe and full, showing a sense of texture and weight followed by a persistent finish.
This wine brings aromas of toast, dried herbs, dark raspberries and cranberries. It's silky in texture, with the concentration a bit wanting. It doesn't seem entirely varietal but it still provides enjoyment.
This wine brings charming aromas of cracked pepper, smoked meat, dried herbs and crushed violets, with dark chocolate and mixed fruit lurking in the background. The green olive and other savory flavors are restrained, coating the palate with a soft, textured feel that shows precise balance. It demands attention without overwhelming.
This wine brings crystal clear aromas of candy corn, summer squash, clarified butter, spice and whiffs of tropical fruit. The palate is elegant in style, showing nuance and detail to the straw flavors that lead to a warm finish.
This wine brings enchanting aromas of toast, spice and cardamom that lead to reserved, exquisitely balanced fruit flavors. It shows a lot of restraint and delicacy.
This wine brings fruit-forward aromas of cranberry, red Fruit Roll-Ups and spice. It's tart, with the flavors seemingly lacking in concentration, backed by lightly gritty tannins.
This wine brings high-toned aromas of white flower, lychee and spice. The palate is broad and light, with a distracting bitter note on the finish.
This wine brings immediate appeal, with notes of blueberry, vanilla and baking spices. The palate is sweet and supple, with plentiful blue-fruit flavors that linger.
This wine brings notes of cassis, crushed violet, blueberry and lavender to the nose. These notes are prevalent on the palate as well and work nicely with it's tingly acidity.
This wine brings notes of plum, dried herbs, mocha and wood spice. It's rich and silky in feel with sharp-edged acids, showing some warmth on the finish.
This wine brings obvious fruit flavor that is ripe to overripe, good acidity and a nicely gripping texture. It tastes a bit earthy and woody and seems to be plenty mature.
This wine brings out all the fruitiness of Gamay, along with an extra perfumed character. It is soft, rounded and smooth, with cherry fruits and a touch of spice. Drink now.
This wine brings out the fruitiness of the vintage. Its bright red berry aromas presage the attractive fruit and juicy acidity. Wood aging gives it a dry core, although it is developing quickly. Drink from 2019.
This wine brings out the structure inherent in this vineyard. Tensely textured with young fruits that have a touch of bitterness, the wine offers kiwi and green plum flavors given a more exotic character with some mango. It's a deeply structured wine that needs to age. Drink from 2018.
This wine brings out the tannic side of Saint-Estèphe. However, the 2013 is less wood-laden than some previous vintages from this estate, allowing more room for the fresh fruits and ripe tannins. The wine therefore has good potential, drink from 2020.
This wine brings out the variety's richness and depth of fruit flavors, while keeping the texture smooth and pleasing. It's very firm with tannins and acidity, yet not overly full-bodied. The ripe blackberry and cassis flavors have the intensity to match the structure and make for great balance overall.
This wine brings pleasingly pure notes of red fruit, bramble, black olive and earth. The flavors are full, lush and pure, backed by tart, cranberry-like acidity and a lengthy finish. It's a compelling example of the variety, showing very pretty nuances.
This wine brings spicy cranberry and strawberry, underscored with a whiff of leather. Flavors punch down and finish strong, with a leathery note that does not preclude the solid fruit.
This wine brings the funk (in a good, barnyard way) on the nose, along with some raspberry and blueberry aroams. The flavors are jammy, with plums and berries leading the way, but also contains baking spice and pie-crust accents. Edgy acidity and a dense body give way to a long, jammy finish that ends in a burst of spice.
This wine brings the Trebbiano grape to a whole new level of sophistication. You'll get stone fruit, melon and apricot, but you'll also be rewarded with radically unique aromas of melted butter, brown sugar and crunchy crème caramel. The texture is smooth and firm and the wine's persistency can be counted in minutes.
This wine brings together sensations of tilled earth, espresso, oak extract, coffee, overripe black plum and vanilla. The palate displays tightly packed tannins but it's low on fresh acidity so drink it soon.
This wine brings together the two native grapes of Gaillac in one ripe, light and fruity whole. It has soft tannins and fine juicy acidity. There is a youthful rusticity to the wine and a crisp bright red-fruit aftertaste. Drink from 2018.
This wine brings vibrant aromas of dried orange peel, raspberry, umami and potpourri. The flavors are medium bodied, fresh and pure, showing no new oak influence.
This wine bursts from the bottle with rich and appealing fragrances and flavors of grapefruit, pineapple and citrus. Tart and expressive, it seems to gain extra dimensions from fermentation with wild (native) yeasts. It holds a floral character that is most intriguing.
This wine bursts open with vibrant tones of sweet cherry and forest berry followed by cola and a touch of fruit liqueur. The wine is easy and fresh but also shows the depth and intensity that link it to its celebrated siblings in the greater Brunello family.
This wine bursts with grapefruit aromas and continues with vivid lemon, lime and herb flavors on the palate. It smells dry and tart, but tastes more rich and layered, its tangy citrus character persisting well into the finish.
This wine bursts with the scents and flavors of fresh strawberries. It's soft and fruity but finishes dry, with flavors gently turning from berry to cherry candy.
This wine by Adam Lee shows concentrated touches of nutmeg, crushed pepper and dried thyme laid across a base of hearty blackberries, with dried leaves on the nose. There is a strong herbal component to the sip, with eucalyptus oil and black-pepper dust spicing up the hearty beet juice and black-fruit core. A strong menthol lift arises on the finish.
This wine by Gypsy Canyon's Deborah Hall raises money for dogs in Thailand, but it's certainly no gimmick. Deep aromas of black raspberry, cherry chiffon and dried violets mix with chipped slate, charred pine, morel mushrooms and turned loam. The palate shows sharp cranberry followed by graphite and herbal saps, with noticeable grip.
This wine by retired baseball stars Rich Aurilia and Dave Roberts shows both ripeness and restraint in all corners. On the nose, that means star anise and slate layered across black cherry and blackberry fruit. On the palate, the very full mouthfeel packs thyme, crushed herbs and elderberry flavors into an earthy package.
This wine by the family-owned winery on Highway 46 East—now home to a large amphitheater for rock concerts—shows aromas of oak smoke, squeezed blackberries and a just barely noticeable hint of camphor. It's evenly spiced on the palate, like a well seasoned beef roast, with dried Italian herbs giving complexity to black cherries, blueberries and coffee notes.
This wine by winemaker and owner Dan Kessler offers a zesty nose of crushed boysenberry, black raspberry, scarlet rose petal, wild sage and a touch of violet. There is lots of fresh zip to the sip, where woody elderberries and black plum are lifted by mint and more lively violet character. The finish is laced with juniper.
This wine by winemaker Fintan du Fresne shows sea salt, apple blossom, cherimoya and tangerine rinds on the nose. Flavors are clean and pure, with dried apple, more sea salt, a bit of nectarine and orange spritz, offering a profile that could comfortably rest on the tongue all day long.
This wine calls itself “a bit slutty” in its marketing materials and yes, like a high-priced call girl, it's long on perfume and smoke. From there, this gigantic, mind-stopping wine is mouth-filling in vanilla, blackberry, oak and chocolate. You'll need a cigarette after you're done.
This wine came out of the disaster of shriveled Duras grapes after an especially hot period. Rather than discarding them, Domaine Rotier made a wine. Wood aged, it has many of the characters of a late harvest with its rich, sweet, lightly tannic flavors and sufficient acidity to balance. A surprising success.
This wine captivates with its exotic aroma profile of citrus peel, mango, leather, cranberries and pepper. The acid is bright and it possesses a textured, palate-coating mouthfeel and a long finish that demands attention.
This wine captures the essence of Swan's 2010 Pinot Noirs. It shows the effects of the cool vintage, and it bears an earthy, mushroomy inflection to the plummy and cherry-like flavors.
This wine captures the passion fruit notes typical of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, then underscores them with a silky textural element. Hints of white nectarine and celery stalk add nuance to the long, white-grapefruit-inflected finish.
This wine captures the popular grapefruity, grassy style of the variety in a crisp, refreshing and flavorful way. Light to medium bodied and full of bracing acidity, it will be great with seafood or as a pre-dinner drink.
This wine carries a new label, very spare; the drawing of house and vineyard is gone; it's all white with simple type. The wine is simple, soapy, light and showing just a watery impression of citrus, banana and tropical fruits.
This wine carries a whiff of honeyed fig, which opens out into a luscious, rich, satisfying, full-bodied Sémillon. It's a complete wine, which seems to run through a lifetime's evolution in the mouth, finishing with a creamy, plush mix of fruit and barrel. Long, seamless and delicious.
This wine carries aromas of blackberry and olive. Its dominant flavor of berry with an herbal-rhubarb twist is solid. The finish lifts, with a hint of tomato.
This wine carries aromas of white blossom in the dusk and freshly ripened stone fruit. The palate continues on this dreamy note, enveloping the tart-ripe freshness of red apples and a touch of citrus. The fruit is remarkably ripe and fresh for a wine from the 2012 vintage. The just off-dry palate hides nothing and just charms and entices. Lovely, dreamy, pure flavors from start to long, long finish. Drink 2017–2030.
This wine carries fairly broad fruit flavors of mixed red fruits, along with leaf and earth. Tannins are well managed; the finish light and fruity.
This wine certainly is rich with powerful fruit. But it also has delicious, refreshing acidity that cuts through the ripe fruit flavors to give the whole wine a lift. It is best with food and will be even better at the end of 2014.
This wine certainly packs in the flavor. It has lots of jammy, grapy aromas, and flavors that drip boysenberry and blackberry, followed by baking-spice accents. It has a full body, an almost thick texture and mild acidity and tannins.
This wine charms with aromas of freshly sliced green apple, white peach, wet stone and flowers. It drinks off dry, with zippy acidity providing plenty of tension to keep the interest high.
This wine checks all the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc boxes. It's medium in weight and ably marries some green, leafy character with white grapefruit notes. The lasting impression is of an herbal grapefruit sorbet that leaves behind a clean, refreshed palate.
This wine clearly needs to breathe. It is only after a few minutes of airtime that it shows its true colors: then very tart and aromatic apples appear, alongside a hint of smoke and a sheer touch of lemon freshness. The palate continues on that lemony streak and is absolutely dry. The body is lithe and slender and shows great freshness and intensity. Apple and stone flavors linger. Drink 2020–2030.
This wine combines 32% Petit Verdot with 28% Merlot, 26% Malbec and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's intense in milk chocolate and blackberry-raspberry jam, high in acidity and low in oak, showing a tendency toward bitterness on the finish.
This wine combines 38% Cabernet Sauvignon with 35% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, with fruit from Stagecoach and Alta vineyards contributing to the mix. Dusty tannin and a weight of leather saddle permeate the nose and palate, with graphite puncturing through the soft texture and finish.
This wine combines 42% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc. It is inviting in juicy red berry and currant, with accents of lavender and herb. Full figured, it offers additionally compelling layers of subtle spice before a focused finish.
This wine combines 90% Sangiovese with 10% Syrah and is both tart and grippy in tannin. Smoky char displays prominently on the palate, as more green elements of dried herb and cedar ride a quiet wave to the finish.
This wine combines a slight majority of Syrah blended with 28% Grenache and 14% Viognier, the fruit coming from three vineyard sites, including Big River Ranch. Slightly reductive, it carries a huge barrel imprint at first, settling into softer, brighter, luscious tenets of blueberry pie and leather.
This wine combines ample fruit concentration with generous oak in ideal proportions. Peppery herbs and red berries get a boost from vanilla and baking spices, while raspberries linger on the tannic finish. Drink 2020–2030.
This wine combines both the richer, ripe style of Pinot Noir with an underripe, herbaceous strategy. Dill, thyme, bay leaf and camphor show on the nose, as does dense elderberry and cranberry. The palate offers much woody intensity as well as green olives, baked tomatoes, peppercorns and annatto seeds, yet also shows baked black plum as the core fruit. Quite an intriguing combo.
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.
This wine combines elegance and power, complexity and drinkability. Orange rind, strawberry, flowers, Chinese Five Spice and a hint of raw meat all dance together on the pretty, lifted nose. The palate is satiny and leans more towards tart cranberry, with the spice character really shining, followed by superfine but sturdy tannins. Pair with roast duck, beef teriyaki, or a veggie stir fry.
This wine combines freshness and structure. It's full of acidity and bright berry fruits. At the same time, the solid structure gives the wine balance and a fine future. Wood aging offers further support to the fruitiness of this ageworthy wine. Drink from 2017.
This wine combines fruit from both cool and warm sites, which in the vintage might have both leaned on the warmer side. Black fruit and licorice give it a burly character at first. Decanting or letting the wine open in the glass will help, but still it retains smooth, velvety tannins and resolved oak.
This wine combines fruit from Ciel du Cheval, Obelisco, and Shaw vineyards. The aromas suggest fresh plum, gun smoke, herb, flower, vanilla, cinnamon and spice. The flavors are soft and supple, with tannins combed to a fine sheen.
This wine combines fruit from several notable vineyards, including Goldrock Ridge, Thale's Estate and Wildcat Mountain. Together, they drive a focused expression of smoky dark fruit and tart, moderate acidity. The fruit shows a depth of ripeness that's intense, with a finish of spicy black tea.
This wine combines green, herbal overtones with puckering, bitter tannins, a unsavory mix that doesn't please the palate.
This wine combines Merlot, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Zinfandel from multiple appellations, including Atlas Peak, Coombsville and Mount Veeder. Funky in cinnamon stick and clove, it features a silky, medium-sized build and soft, generous tannin, with a dry, spicy finish.
This wine combines notes of melon and candied apple with hints of pepper and ginger. Despite its modest alcohol level, it seems weighty, and even a bit sweet, then finishes on a mouthwatering, spicy note.
This wine combines oaky sweetness with good, plummy fruit flavors and a lightly grippy texture. It's tasty and approachable in style.
This wine combines opulent, ripe, almost sweet fruit flavors with good, firm tannins in an appealing way. It tastes full-bodied, drenched with blackberries and finds a good balance that makes it appetizing.
This wine combines ripe raspberry and cherry flavors with sweet, smoky oak tones. A wine to drink now, it shows classic Russian River acidity, and it bears a minerally, salty profile that lends structural elegance.
This wine combines smoky, baked blackberry fruit with sweet vanilla accents. It's full bodied, soft and smooth on the palate, proving likably approachable.
This wine combines the best of Chenin Blanc, with its nutty, terroir-driven character, and the round ripeness of Chardonnay. It is fruity and fresh with a smooth texture that is lifted by final acidity.
This wine comes alive on the expansive, fleshy palate of black pepper and olive tapenade flavors. It walks a fine line between tenacious structure and high-cheekboned fruit—a mélange of raspberry, cassis and blueberry compote. The aromas are enticing and reminiscent of violets. Though it can be enjoyed now, it will evolve well through 2034.
This wine comes from 35-year-old vines at French Creek Vineyard. Light aromas of spice and cream lead to a creamy palate marked with lighter-styled apple and stone-fruit flavors. It's a very pretty expression of the variety.
This wine comes from 35-year-old vines at French Creek Vineyard. Light aromas of spice, herb and candlewax are followed by a medium-bodied palate brightened by lively, lemony acidity. Put it on the dinner table to see it at its best.
This wine comes from a densely planted seven-acre estate, typical of many small properties in Pomerol. Strongly led by its wood aging, it's a structured, still very dry wine. It needs time to develop the black plum and juicy acidity that are there. Drink from 2019.
This wine comes from a four-acre parcel of 55-year-old vines. It has the concentration that is so special to old vines. That goes with the ripe red fruits and generous tannins that give the wine great richness. It is a young wine still even though so fruity and will be better to drink from 2019.
This wine comes from a large 300-acre estate on the island's east coast. It has subtle raspberry fruit and plenty of acidity. With its crisp aftertaste, filled out with a touch of caramel, it's ready to drink.
This wine comes from a large family-owned estate on the island's east coast. It's loaded with bright fruit, crisp acidity and a rounded, ripe red berry-inflected aftertaste. Drink now.
This wine comes from a new project from winemaker Melissa Burr (Stoller Estate), focusing on old-vine vineyards. This bottling comes from vines planted in 1968. The aromas are light, with notes of cherry, cigar box, dried leaf and earth. The flavors are cranberry tart and mouthwatering, showing an exquisite sense of balance, with a lingering finish.
This wine comes from a new vineyard source for the producer, who continues to astound with Chardonnay. The site rises to well-crafted heights in the winemaker's hands. Made in a small quantity, the wine offers zesty lemon intensity and concentrated acidity, the entire balanced experience rewarding in its bright complexity.
This wine comes from a one-acre parcel on the Corton hill. It is dense and dark both in color and in black-fruit flavors. Concentrated from the 50-year-old vines, it is firm with tannins and solid with rich fruitiness. The wine needs time; drink from 2022.
This wine comes from a parcel that is planted at a superhigh density of nearly 7,000 plants per acre. This gives the plants greater competition between each other and encourages concentration of the wine. That is true in this rich wine with its impeccable balance between white fruit and mineral texture from the chalk soil. The wine will age, so drink from 2020.
This wine comes from a partnership between winemaker David Galzignato of Jada Winery in Paso Robles, and Mark McWilliams of Arista Winery in Healdsburg. A devotion to Sauvignon Blanc, it succeeds with this sophisticated expression of lemon chiffon and mandarin orange that's bright and complex. With two handfuls of Sémillon to the mix, it's medium in body and length, with just the slightest suggestion of caramel-vanilla oak.
This wine comes from a recently planted area of valley, high on a ridge top. A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 6% Malbec, the aromas boast high-toned notes of mineral, herb, cherry, licorice and dark fruit. The cranberry and cherry flavors bring a sense of concentration and richness. It shows well now, but should only get better with some additional time in the bottle.
This wine comes from a select lot from Boushey Vineyard. Reserved aromas of mineral, funk and dark fruit are followed by taught, layered cranberry and cherry that show precision and deftness.
This wine comes from a selection of parcels on the plateau above the Lot river in Cahors. It's rich and firm, with great wood and spice notes as well as exuberant black plum and berry fruit. With its acidity, still-young tannins and firm texture, it will age. Drink from 2020.
This wine comes from a selection of the best concrete egg, oak and stainless-steel-fermented selections of this vineyard-designate, combined with 3% Sémillon. It shows a golden honeyed touch of oak and a rich nose, notions that follow on the palate. Full bodied and lengthy, it holds highlights of lemon, quince and ginger.
This wine comes from a single-parcel, walled vineyard on the north bank of the river Vienne. It is a ripe wine, with delicious cherry and spice flavors balanced with acidity and a firmly tannic core. The wine will age well, so drink now for the attractive fruit or wait until 2018.
This wine comes from a single vineyard in the heart of the appellation. It is soft, just hinting at the lime acidity while focused on ripe yellow and green-plum fruits. This wine can develop further and will be at its best from 2017.
This wine comes from a single vineyard in the western part of the appellation. Aromas suggest honeysuckle, lemon cream sauce and a wild array of garden herbs and spices, from scallions and green garlic to fresh oregano. It's light and bright on the palate, with a steely focus of lime juice on peach.
This wine comes from a single vineyard on the south bank of the Vienne river. It is ripe, perfumed and generously rich with concentrated blackberry fruit and balanced tannins. Some wood aging has broadened the wine rather than adding flavor. The wine could age another year with noticeable benefit, so drink from 2018.
This wine comes from a single vineyard, planted on flint soil. It has a definite steely character that has been softened by the year in bottle. That gives a pure wine shot through with citrus and apples, showing power and concentration from the intense fruit. Drink the wine now.
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.
This wine comes from a small parcel of 41-year-old vines in the Muraires vineyard. It has concentration, richness and a structured character that suggests aging potential. Of course, this impressive wine is ready to drink now for its freshness.
This wine comes from a small parcel of 70-year-old vines within the Deschamps vineyard. It has great concentration and a dense structure. That contrasts with the complex black fruit and ripe berry flavors. Wood aging has smoothed the fruity edges. Drink this wine from late 2017.
This wine comes from a small parcel of vines planted on the marble soil found around the Estremoz area of Alentejo. It's a limited edition blend of Alicante Bouschet and Trincadeira. Almost black in color, it's a powerful, dense and beautifully rich wine. Aromatic, packed with black fruits as well as tannins that will soften, it is going to age for a many years. Drink from 2020.
This wine comes from a steeply sloping vineyard just above the town of Nuits Saint-Georges. It is richly structured and dense with plenty of ripe fruits and acidity. The wood aging has softened the young fruitiness to give a balanced and layered wine that will be ready to drink from 2018.
This wine comes from a vast 460-acre vineyard on the plateau just west of Pauillac. The wood-aging just shows in what is otherwise a ripe and fruity wine. A firm tannic core indicates the youth of the wine rather than masking the fruit. Generous and fruity, this wine will develop well. Drink from 2018.
This wine comes from a vineyard 1,000 feet above Annapolis owned by Thomas Rivers Brown and Fred Schrader, and farmed by Ulises Valdez. It demands time to open, concentrated as it is in juicy blackberry, plum and a hit of earth, the tannins integrated and silky soft.
This wine comes from a vineyard farmed by Charlie Chenoweth and shows the backbone of meticulous farming in its good color extraction and juicy balance of fruit, spice and acidity. Minty oak and chocolate-covered cherry give it a brightness that finishes rich.
This wine comes from a vineyard owned by the Gagey situated in the northern part of Nuits-Saint-Georges, close to Vosne-Romanée. It has firm structure and a perfumed character that is already enticing. Richly fruity with juicy acidity, it will be impressive as it ages. Drink from 2023.
This wine comes from a vineyard planted in the early 2000s in the Sebastopol Hills by Charlie Chenoweth for the Jenkins family, a country music trio consisting of Nancy Jenkins and her two daughters. It is inviting and seductive in black cherry and baking spices. Tightly wound, it has nuance and a lingering afterthought of savory pepper and meat.
This wine comes from a vineyard surrounded by Grand Crus. It delivers a huge, smoky palate that is firm with tannins and dense with structure and fruit. The wine is rich, still shot through with the freshness of the vintage. Black fruits are balanced by the dry core of the wine. It will age well, and should not be drunk before 2022.
This wine comes from a vineyard that is wholly owned by Chanson. It is juicy, ripe while having a great, straight line of acidity. The red-berry fruits are still developing and coming through the firm, smoky dark tannins. The wine, with its spicy aftertaste, will be ready to drink from 2020.
This wine comes from a vineyard, created in 1894, in which the vines are planted against walls to get the maximum reflected heat. It is a majestic wine—a smooth wave, opulent and rich with intense acidity and just a hint of spice. The wine is just ready to drink, although it will be even more impressive from 2018.
This wine comes from Alexander Valley-grown Malbec, a variety the producer has been planting in earnest over the last few years. Dark pink-red, it is medium bodied and refreshing, with notes of cherry, blueberry and vanilla.
This wine comes from all free-run juice and was aged 16 months in three- to four-year-old French barrels. The result is a luxuriously pure wine that puts a premium on the feel of its plum and cranberry flavors, with a light squeeze of tannins that brings it home.
This wine comes from an 8.6-acre parcel of old vines above Jolivet's home village of Bué. It is mineral and tight, with concentration and intensity. The herbal character on this very young wine will soften into the fine fruitiness that is there. It needs to age a bit more, so drink from 2017.
This wine comes from an assortment of top sites across the Columbia Valley and it shows. Aromas of dried herbs, pencil lead, toasty spice and blue and red fruit lead to sweet, rich and appealing flavors. There's intensity but also a good sense of acid and chalky tannic structure backing things up, along with undeniable deliciousness.
This wine comes from an estate in southern Alentejo. Aged for 14 months in mainly new barrels, it is rich in spice and toast that are balanced by great black fruits and generous tannins. This excellent wine is still aging; drink from 2019.
This wine comes from an estate purchased by Vallado in 2008 in the upper reaches of the Douro Superior, where the owners have planted a 74-acre organic vineyard. This dense, firm wine is the first release. It's packed with intense black plum fruit and wood spice and will continue to improve with age. Drink from 2021.
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.
This wine comes from an up-and-coming vineyard site. Very varietal aromas of black cherry, herb and cedar give way to soft fruit flavors and lightly grainy tannins. The tart acidity keeps the interest high. Put it on the dinner table to see it at its best.
This wine comes from Château le Gardera on the slopes above the Garonne river in the Entre-deux-Mers region. It's a big, wood-aged and spicy wine that's full of attractive red berry fruits. There is a dry core of tannin, so the wine could age although it is quite ready to drink now.
This wine comes from Gascony, where the Gascon and his famous beret are inseparable. This blend of mainly Gros Manseng has some herbal character but it also has yellow fruits, and a ripe edge of honey that softens and fills out the crisp green-fruit flavors. Drink now.
This wine comes from grapes grown in Green Valley's Mill Station, Sullivan, Walker Hill and Rued vineyards. High-toned to the last drop, it shows Gravenstein apple and Meyer lemon flourishes, with a subtle backbone of oak.
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.
This wine comes from hillside vineyards in the far northern reaches of California's grape growing counties. It has an unusually dark color for Pinot. The ripe and fruity aromas are accented by oaky spices and flavors that bring out black-cherry and clove notes. It's full bodied, mouth-filling and flavorful.
This wine comes from less than an acre in Mâcon's smallest appellation. The result is a tight wine with a steely edge. Strong citrus and crisp apple flavors are lifted by the nervy acidity and finished with a shot of lemon juice. Let this wine calm down and drink from 2017.
This wine comes from Moscatel Graúdo, the most fragrant of the Moscatel family. Certainly very perfumed, it's dry with attractive acidity, and a crisp, floral and lightly spicy character.
This wine comes from older vines at Conner Lee, Dionysus and Elephant Mountain vineyards. Light aromas of herb, dark plum, menthol and licorice lead to quite sweet full-bodied fruit flavors and a warm finish. It delivers a sense of hedonism and unabashed appeal, though the variety doesn't seem entirely clear.
This wine comes from one of a group of wineries with vines in the small area north of Listrac called Le Fourcas. It's packed with red fruits and juicy acidity. The dominant Merlot gives a bold, rich texture backed up by the more structured Cabernets. It will develop quickly and be ready from 2017.
This wine comes from one of Côtes de Provence historic cru classé estates. It is a ripe and smooth wine with crisp acidity and a fine bite of spice. The wine is packed with red fruits and finished with refreshing acidity.
This wine comes from one of the best vineyard sites in Savigny-lès-Beaune, on the slope closest to Beaune. It is a smooth, perfumed and ripe wine that has a balanced structure under the bright red-cherry flavor. Still bursting with young fruit, the wine will age, so wait to drink until 2019.
This wine comes from one of the coolest Premier Cru vineyards, giving it an initial austerity that then fills out as the wine breathes. It's crisp and bright with white fruit and intense, lemony acidity. Age it for a few more months and drink from 2018.
This wine comes from one of the few white-wine vineyards in Vougeot. It is opulent and rich with creamed apple and ripe green plums. The fruit lies over the subtle wood aging that has smoothed the crisp texture. The wine is still young and will be best from 2021.
This wine comes from one of the grand aristocratic estates that line the eastern bank of the Tagus (Tejo) river. With ripe berry fruits, it shows signs of generous tannins as well as plenty of acidity. The wine is fruity, likely to age quickly. Drink from 2018.
This wine comes from one of the producer's oldest blocks in Carneros, where grapes retain vibrant acidity. Reduced on the nose, it opens up into a mix of fennel, preserved lemon and almond aromas that follow through on the steely palate with grace.
This wine comes from one of Washington's top vineyards, best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, however this Malbec seems to shine as well. Almost 100% varietal, it boasts vibrant plum, coffee, clove, vanilla and herb aromas. The palate is loaded with plump, creamy fruit and an oak note of lingering espresso.
This wine comes from one parcel that has particularly flinty soil. With a strongly mineral character, it is tight and nervy, needing some time to calm down. The fruit is all there, fresh citrus, apples and green plums, all ready to burst out over the next few months. Drink from 2017.
This wine comes from perhaps the most well-known of the many Beaune Premier Crus, from a small parcel of vines that are over 100 years old. It is a rich wine, generous and with a ripe future. At present, the structure and tannins dominate, allowing the wine to have good aging potential. Drink from 2020.
This wine comes from some of the oldest vines in the valley, planted in 1977. Aromas of pear, hay and hazelnut lead to stone-fruit and butterscotch flavors that are light and elegant in style with a very pretty sense of balance.
This wine comes from the branch of the Folonari family that moved out of Ruffino after a recent re-organization of the company. It is a nicely understated wine, showing great style, with new wood and dusty tannin flavors combining with smooth, modern fruit. The acidity is just too dominant at the end, but otherwise a delicate, elegant performance.
This wine comes from the coolest pocket of the producer's estate, the last part typically picked. It offers a study in savory tannin development and thickness, the skins unable to soften gently in the cold. Earthy clove defines the flavor, along with a leathery meatiness and firm structure. A suggestion of black cherry tries to muddle through. Drink now through 2023.
This wine comes from the fourth-generation winemaking family behind Los Angeles' San Antonio Winery, which owns vineyards in Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco. It offers aromas of smoked pork loin and wild berries and is peppery on the palate, with tart raspberry fruit and the driving sense of smoke throughout. The tannins are a bit firm right now, so wait until 2016 or so.
This wine comes from the furthest west of the Chablis Premier Cru vineyards, and furthest from the Serein river. The coolness of its chalk soil reflects in its crisp, appley and tight mineral character. The fruit is bright, in accordance with the 2014 vintage. Drink now, or, better yet, from 2018.
This wine comes from the Guedes family's Carvalhais estate in the heart of the Dão. Only made in better vintages, this latest release is almost at its peak. It has smooth, ripe tannins with leather, spice and acidity rather than the primary fruits. That makes for a sophisticated, complex wine that will be ready to drink from late 2016.
This wine comes from the heart of the Dão region. It is firm and dark with tannins and a concentrated texture. Fine acidity cuts through the black-fruit character. The wine is ready to drink.
This wine comes from the highest terrace above the Lot River, giving it a cool, fresh feel. Gravel and chalk soil give both lightness and minerality. Black fruits, integrated tannins and juicy final acidity mean this is a wine that will be ready to drink soon. Drink from 2018.
This wine comes from the historic walled vineyard around the Château des Bachelards in Fleurie. It is floral, dense and spicy, rich with pepper, concentrated spice and tannins. With its dark character and still-firm tannins, the wine needs more time, so drink from 2017.
This wine comes from the home region of this producer, and features the local Baga grape. Once difficult to control, this grape can now produce richly structured wines, as it does here. This is packed with as much fruit as tannin—ripe fruit giving red-berry flavors that are bursting with juice as well as acidity. Drink this wine from 2018.
This wine comes from the joint venture between Quinta de la Rosa and winemaker Jorge Moreira. It is ripe yet crisp in acidity, with smooth vanilla and rich apple, citrus and spice flavors. The wine is developing still and will be ready from 2017.
This wine comes from the Les Pougets parcel, in the heart of the Corton-Charlemagne vineyard. It is an exceptional wine that's concentrated and dense, with ripe fruit packed into a impressively structured parcel. Yellow plums and cherries, taut pink grapefruit and fine wood aging all add complexity and longevity. Drink from 2018.
This wine comes from the Madiran vineyard of the Lesgourgues family, who are also producers of Armagnac and Bordeaux. It is just beginning to mature, with the rich tannins integrating with the powerful structure and intense black-plum and currant fruits. The dry edge gives the wine concentration, while the finish brings out black-currant acidity. Drink this fine wine from 2018.
This wine comes from the most northerly of the Beaujolais cru villages as it merges gently in Burgundy's Mâcon region. The wine is structured and firm, but with bright red-cherry fruit and acidity. It will age and be best from 2018.
This wine comes from the négociant side of the Muré business, which buys grapes from the hot, sunny slopes above Rouffach, south of Colmar. The exposure gives this wine a particular richness for the year, with aromas of citrus fruits and apples. It is already ready to drink.
This wine comes from the Niven family, whose winemaker Christian Roguenant enjoys pushing varietal boundaries. Lively and vivacious, aromas suggest jasmine tea, lime, green pear and wet cement minerality. The palate blends the welcoming flavors of orange blossoms with cut-grass herbaciousness and chalky minerals.
This wine comes from the north of the Gascony region in Southwest France. It has some herbal character as well as a delicious cool feel. Riper fruit flavors such as peach and pineapple give a warmer, soft aftertaste.
This wine comes from the northern reaches of Tejo, giving it a structured, cool and bright, fruity character. Juicy acidity cuts through its tannins and black plum flavor. Needing a few more months of bottle age, it will be ready to drink in 2018.
This wine comes from the Nussberg vineyards close to the Vienna woods. It is aromatic, spicy and richly textured. The wine has warmth as well as crisp acidity and green-fruit flavors. Give it a year to mature. Screwcap.
This wine comes from the only Burgundy region to grow Sauvignon Blanc. It's soft in style, more nutty than herbal, with almond and white fruit flavors. Immediately drinkable and refreshing, it's ready to go now.
This wine comes from the original Merlot blocks at this vineyard, planted in 1982. It's aromatic, with notes of plum, raspberry, clove and generous spices. The flavors coat the palate from end to end, backed by firm tannins that need time to soften out but have the strength to go the distance. It will be best after 2022.
This wine comes from the original, own-rooted, 1965 plantings. It would be interesting to trace the ancestry of these vines, as such things were far less understood 50 years ago. Soft, round and fruity, this offers pleasant flavors of melon and apple. A dash of vanilla cookie coming through as it finishes.
This wine comes from the producer's 100% organic farm, 55 acres of its 356 planted to vines. It shows balance and grace, the grapes having enjoyed extended maceration on their skins, then let to age in mostly stainless steel, and a tiny amount of neutral oak. Light, crisp and simple, it offers a length of melon and stone fruit.
This wine comes from the producer's home turf in Pouilly. Ripe and round, it shows good potential. Acidity and white fruits are balanced with a touch of minerality. The wine is ready to drink with its warm character and crisp final acidity.
This wine comes from the recently awarded Malibu appellation, and shows promise for the future with perfumey white flowers, toasted marcona almond and a hint of oak smoke on the nose. On the palate, the acidity is present but not overpowering, the ripe apple flesh flavors offset by a grapefruit pith bitterness
This wine comes from the San Lucas area of the southern Salinas Valley, on the way toward Paso Robles. It's a peppery wine, rustic, hot and dry, with strong jammy flavors of cherries and blackberries, and a long, spicy finish. Drink now.
This wine comes from the state's oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines, planted in 1957. Light in color, the aromas draw you into the glass with notes of earth, cassis, dried herb and cherry. The cranberry flavors are light and elegant, with a zing of acidity that keeps the interest high. It's a very pretty expression of the variety, best suited for the dinner table.
This wine comes from the stony slopes above the river Tarn, 45 minutes northeast of Toulouse. That gives it its strongly mineral texture and powerful tannins. A blend of rare and local Duras, Braucol and Prunelard grapes, it's firm and structured while also full of great black fruit and potential. Drink from 2021.
This wine comes from the two districts of Bué and Sancerre, from vines that are between 30 and 60 years old. A blend of richness and a tight mineral structure, it is a firm wine, full of white fruit and likely to age well. Drink from 2018.
This wine comes from the vineyard that sits at the pinnacle of Chardonnay in Burgundy. It is majestic and opulent, a powerful wine full of deeply concentrated fruit as well as the ineffable acidity of the vintage. It is structured, tensely mineral and demands long aging. Drink this beautiful wine from 2023.
This wine comes from the winery's plantings in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, a relatively unexplored region of the valley. Brooding aromas of ember, black and green olive, flower and earth lead to exceptionally pure-feeling fruit and savory flavors. It brings a compelling mouthfeel and sense of balance.
This wine comes from this vineyard's original Cabernet blocks planted in 1980. Wound-up aromas of woodspice, herb, pencil lead and dark fruit are followed by concentrated but still supple black-fruit flavors. It's high up on the hedonistic scale, accentuated by a lengthy finish. Decant to let it open up.
This wine comes from three-year-old vines at this esteemed vineyard. Lighter in color, it has aromas that pop and are very primary, with notes of boysenberry, raspberry and herb. Lighter in style, the flavors are pure and direct, showing no new oak influence (neutral barrels for four months) and an appealing feel. The purity is dazzling. It impresses on its own but is meant to be shown at the dinner table.
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.
This wine comes from top sites Canoe Ridge Estate, Champoux, Seven Hills and Wallula. An intriguing blend of 43% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot and 17% Malbec, it offers high-toned aromas, with notes of toasty spice and herb in front of raspberry and cherry. Supple and well balanced, the fruit flavors show poise and length.
This wine comes from ungrafted vines, planted in 2000, a rare phenomenon because of phylloxera. It may be because of that origin, that the wine has its own creamy intensity or it may just be a fine wine anyway. It is rich and full of creamed apples and finely balanced acidity. Drink now.
This wine comes from village appellation vineyards. It is soft and without the powerful tannins often found in the area. It compensates with dark berry fruits and some ripe tannins that are finely integrated into the wine. Acidity at the end adds to the potential of this wine which will be best from 2019.
This wine comes from vines planted in 1968. Fragrant aromas of orange peel, flower, spice and sweet herb lead to dry-drinking fruit flavors. The concentration seems a bit lacking but there's still interest to be had.
This wine comes from vines south of the Mont Sainte-Victoire and close to the edge of the Aix-en-Provence region. The cool vineyard site helps the wine keep extreme freshness. Plenty of wild strawberry flavors are lifted by acidity and a refreshing citrus edge.
This wine comes from vineyards high on the hill above Pinhão, in the heart of the Douro vineyards. With solid tannins and dark fruits, it is still developing. Powerful and ripe, it shows its wood aging in the spice and toast flavors. It needs to wait a little, so drink from 2018.
This wine comes from vineyards outside the boundaries of the Dão region but has the same typical blend. It shows minerality as well as rich fruit and soft tannins. The wine is balanced, stylish and deliciously ready to drink.
This wine comes from vineyards planted in the late 1970s. It shows pleasing aromas of Bosc pear, melon and flowers. The wine tastes a hair off dry, with a full, appealing feel to the apple and passion fruit flavors.
This wine comes from Weinbau, Lady Hawk, Champoux, Shaw and Obelisco vineyards. Its high toned vanilla, toffee, cherry, herb, coffee, barrel spice and plum aromas lead to generous cherry and espresso flavors. Lightly grainy tannins provide support.
This wine comes from Woodinville Wine Cellars. It displays aromas of lemongrass, custard and tropical fruit. The flavors are ripe and full bodied, lingering on the finish.
This wine comes in with a low, unheard-of (in Washington) 12.2% alcohol. The aromas offer reticent and unusual notes of wheat, lemongrass, tobacco, vanilla and herbs while the flavors are tart and supple. It doesn't seem outright underripe but comes off as faint.
This wine comes off a bit green and vegetal with aromas of tomato leaf, plum skins, pepper and black olive. The mouth is firm and assertive with gripping young, green tannins that linger, leaving a strong sense of astringency on the finish.
This wine comes off as quite green especially considering the variety, vintage and appellation. Aromas of bell pepper and green herbs lead to cherry and savory flavors, with the tannins bringing some heft.
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.
This wine comes out of the chute strongly leafy and herbal, with notes of celery and tomato leaves. Despite all those prickly herbal nuances it's fairly richly textured and weighty on the palate and features a potent undercurrent of ripe gooseberries.
This wine commands attention with aromas of coffee, milk chocolate, toast, herb and black cherry. The palate has elegant, layered chocolate and cherry flavors, backed by a light squeeze of tannins. Just a baby now, it needs some time in the cellar to be fully appreciated. It will be best from 2018 to 2024.
This wine commands attention with its aromas of black pepper, dried flowers, asparagus, fresh herbs and mineral. The potpourri and blue fruit flavors are sweet and rich, carrying some warmth along with them but generally holding it well.
This wine commands attention with its aromas of dark raspberries, milk chocolate and barrel spices. Flavors show plenty of richness and intensity with a supple texture that dazzles.
This wine consistently scores in the upper 80s. This vintage is dealing hard spice and herbal aromas along with tight-grained oak scents. Fresh but tannic, with bite and juicy, racy flavors of berry matched by woodspice. Fades away with hickory and BBQ flavors.
This wine consists of all five red Bordeaux varieties plus 5% Syrah. Tart, soft and juicy with black and red cherry fruit, it's direct in its delivery of dried herb and licorice—flavors that complement the robust ripeness and density.
This wine consists of all five red Bordeaux varieties, with 54% Cabernet Sauvignon making up the majority. A juicy front palate of cassis and blueberry leads to leathery, dusty tannins and notes of graphite, cedar and tea.
This wine contains 14% “mixed blacks,” including grapes like Alicante Bouschet, and is powerful and ripe. Its flavors seem at once tart and sweet, framed by dusty cherry and vanilla. There's a persistent, feral, compost-like thread throughout its dense structure and tannic finish.
This wine contains 7% estate Cabernet Franc, showing bittersweet elements of dark chocolate, cedar and currant around an extracted core that drinks full-bodied, boldly structured and lush.
This wine contains a drop of Petit Verdot. At more than five years of age, it has shed its babyfat, and is starting to develop bottle complexity. You can certainly drink it now for its luscious red cherry, blueberry, licorice and spice flavors. The tannins are as velvety smooth as anything in Napa Valley. However, it's guaranteed to continue to develop well in the bottle. Hold until 2018, at the very least.
This wine contains a rather high (for Hermitage) 30% Roussanne in the blend (the balance is Marsanne). It's full bodied and luscious on the palate yet somewhat neutral in flavor. Fleeting hints of toasted nuts and stone fruit on the nose are followed by subtle oak and citrus notes, while the long finish features touches of mocha and flamed orange peel.
This wine contains some material over 100 years old, but shows no signs of fragility. Instead, it's concentrated through age and should hold in the bottle indefinitely. It's dark coffee-brown in color, with delectable aromas of rancio, dried fig, molasses and black tea, yet despite enormous concentration avoids excessive weight. And it's amazingly complex and fresh on the nearly endless finish.
This wine continues a long-standing tradition, showing a mastery of the art of blending. It's made using grapes that are sourced from at least six vineyards scattered from Yountville to St. Helena. Right out of the bottle, it's a soft, smoothly tannic wine that's rich in blackberry jam, black currant, blueberry, raspberry, dark chocolate and spice flavors. The wine, which contains small amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec, is so powerful, it easily carries the 100% new French oak. Just gorgeous now, and it should develop bottle complexity for at least the next 10 years.
This wine continues the improvements at this classed growth chateau at the far southern end of the Margaux appellation. It is firmly structured, but the fruit is rich, showing juiciness from ripe, black fruits. The concentration and intensity offer excellent aging potential.
This wine continues the upward progression of Clerc-Milon. It has weight and density while also showing sweetness and delicious acidity. A very complete wine.
This wine continues to be big, with bold fruit and notable oak and lees influence. It's as full bodied as a red wine, with flavors of apricot, orange, buttered toast and yeasty cream flavors. Drink up.
This wine conveys a powerful sense of extraction and nuttiness, with aromas of caramelized nuts, marzipan, honey, toasted oak and even some marshmallow. It's quite quaffable on the palate—rich, nutty and honey-like, but with zesty acidity that wraps it all together.
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.
This wine costs a lot for what it's giving. The nose starts out hard and fruitless, and while the aromas come around, the wine always holds onto its corn and haystack character. Zippy acidity gives the mouth zest, and it also livens up papaya, banana and apricot flavors. Complex and different, but does it taste good enough to justify a $78 price tag?
This wine could be labeled a Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up 83% of the blend, with the rest Merlot. The aromas of fruit leather, dried blackberry, black licorice and medicine cabinet are bright, though they seem considerably more evolved than the wine's age might indicate. The black-fruit flavors display a sense of balance that carries through the finish. Drink now.
This wine could be the poster boy for Australian Chardonnay. The nectarine and peach aromas and flavors are coddled by a touch of vanilla and the entire package is soft, juicy and easy to drink. It's nothing fancy, just yummy weekday wine.
This wine could easily be mistaken for French Chablis. It's notable for the tight, nervous feeling that acidity and minerals combine to stimulate, and the finish is very dry. There is, fortunately, a great heart of sweet tropical fruit, like the purest golden mango purée, ripe and succulent and honeyed. Terrific now, but such is the balance that this could be one of those Chardonnays that changes in interesting ways over the next 5–6 years.
This wine dazzles with detailed aromas of black currant, plum, herbs, cassis and earth along with barrel accents. The palate is wound up tightly at present but still accessible with layered, seamless fruit flavors along with a lengthy finish. It will be best enjoyed from 2022–2030.
This wine dazzles with perfection. Sourced from vineyards throughout Sonoma County, it refutes the belief that a great Cabernet must come from a single vineyard. It does not. The master's art of blending, coupled with demanding vineyard practices lends completeness. The blend is 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec, making it an extraordinary success despite the absence of Cabernet Sauvignon. Give credit to winemaker Pierre Seillan. The wine itself is absolutely dry. It starts with a tug of tannins, baring flavors of blackberries, black currants, minerals and new oak, with earthy, herbal and meaty complexities. This is a magnificent wine; it dazzles now and should evolve over the next 6–8 years.
This wine defines luxurious texture, at once velvety, richly layered and bright. From one of the warmer sites in a cool climate zone, it complements its fruit concentration with deeper sarsaparilla, vanilla, tea and cardamom scents, the finish delightfully playful in orange peel accents.
This wine defines overripe but palatable Malbec. The nose is raisiny and heavy, but not very powerful. In the mouth, it runs soft and flat, with sweet, thick flavors of cola, raisin and baked out berry. Chunky and chewy on the finish.
This wine definitely shows a ripe side in its cured meat, tobacco, sandalwood, smoked bacon and old spice. Delivers a rich, plump feel in the mouth, backed by gritty tannins and bright acidity. Despite the cooler vintage, this wine packs power, heat and a tiny touch of sweetness on the close.
This wine deftly combines 52% Napa County Merlot and 33% Sonoma County Syrah with 15% Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon. Each of the varieties is allowed its chance to shine, showing firm structure and leveled, supportive acidity around dark red cherry, meat, leather and coconut oak.
This wine delivers a deep and sophisticated personality, with creamy aromas of banana, caramel, pineapple, vanilla and butterscotch. It definitely shows a big, bold style.
This wine delivers a fresh hit of zesty acidity and earthiness that balance each other well, that liveliness a good match against more brooding aspects of black tea. Light bodied with just enough weight on the palate, it finishes with tastes of wild raspberry and strawberry.
This wine delivers a full-figured spectrum of flavor and texture, including apple, pear and honeyed caramel notes. Supportive oak plays nicely in the background as the finish winds down softly.
This wine delivers a savory blend of earth, meat and leather notes, all softened by hints of red fruit, a supple texture and silky finish. Enjoy it over the next several years.
This wine delivers a solid hit for the popular Chardonnay style, with oak-inspired orange and mango flavors, in a creamy package. For the price, it's a good buy.
This wine delivers aromas of molten-lava chocolate cake with black cherry syrup and a mint leaf on top. The palate shows bacon fat, blackberry extract, dark chocolate and freshly ground espresso, with a peppery roast-beef crust on the finish. It's a touch hot, but the wondrous flavors are worth it.
This wine delivers creamy, divine deliciousness from some of the vineyard's oldest vines. It's voluptuous and nutty, layered with preserved lemon, brioche, quince and kumquat flavors. A touch of green olive savoriness dances on the finish, framed by fresh acidity.
This wine delivers electric intensity backed by mature notes of black cherry, prune, plum, tobacco, leather and spice. It's a bit on the ripe, juicy side and that's what gives this Chianti Classico its chewy texture and lengthy persistency. It has good balance between spice and fruit in the mouth.
This wine delivers fruit, fruit and more fruit, at a deliciously affordable price. Bold black-cherry aromas and flavors feature just a tinge of spice, then fade away quickly on the faintly dusty finish. Drink now.
This wine delivers good value for its quality, a medium-bodied expression of ripe, exuberant honeycomb, baked pear and anise that is supported but never distracted by mellowed oak. Refreshing and balanced, it has moderate acidity and a luxurious mouthfeel.
This wine delivers handsomely for the price, made in a style that embraces balanced herbaceousness and moderate ripeness. Sage, cedar and graphite accent a sizable underlying grip of tannin that should mellow with age and a vibrant layer of black fruit adding context.
This wine delivers in flavor and aroma, a refined layering of cherry and strawberry that celebrates what this aromatic clone can do in Russian River Valley. Orange peel and tart, tight acidity combine around a silky texture, with a ginger-spice finish and lingering hint of rose petal.
This wine delivers just about everything you'd possibly expect from the variety and the region—grassy aromas, a bountiful mix of herb and tropical fruit flavors, ample weight and texture, and a long finish built around a solid core of grapefruit.
This wine delivers light herb and citrus aromas. The flavors seem washed out, lacking cohesion. It comes off as quite generic.
This wine delivers notes of forest floor and small berries  backed by clove, green spice, pretty herbal and menthol notes. It's a bit raw and thorny in the mouth but it does offer refreshing crispness and sweet fruit on the finish.
This wine delivers on richness of flavor without being overwhelming or overdone. Refined in soft tannins and a core of expressive, juicy blue and black berry fruit, it is seductive and smoky on the finish, sourced mainly from vineyards in the Dry Creek Valley.
This wine delivers plump cherry and blackberry with a soft, velvety, easy-going mouthfeel.
This wine delivers pretty stone fruit and grapefruit notes, with a hint of honey and blossoms. The palate is light to medium bodied and offers plenty of acidity to balance. A slightly spicy, white pepper note marks the finish.
This wine demands attention for its deep, dark color, distinct smoke, bacon and maple syrup aromas, rich fruit flavors and a texture saturated with fine tannins. It will appeal to those who love boldness, lots of oak flavor and full body.
This wine demonstrates Viognier's exotic side, with flavors of tropical fruit, tangerine, white flower, vanilla, honey and spice. Despite the richness, it's dry and the acidity is mouthwatering. Don't serve this too cold, and pair it with Asian fare that's slightly sweet.
This wine develops slowly in the mouth, providing a finely structured, rich and elegant character. There's a round white-fruit flavor that's shot through with taut acidity. With its tight finish, it could age a few more months.
This wine discloses a richness of compost-like earthiness, rose petal and black tea. Medium bodied, it also shows dried herb and wild strawberry.
This wine displays a broader fruit profile than The Rocks is often known for, with aromas of plum leading to crushed rock, cracked pepper, olive, herbs and smoked meat. The texture is captivating, both elegant in its styling yet rich, commanding attention with floral notes on the finish.
This wine displays a fascinating aroma profile of lees, lemon and custard. There's a real sense of vibrancy and energy in its creamy texture, with lively acidity drawing out the fruit tones. The balance is spot-on with outrageous length.
This wine displays all of the intensity of expression of Cold Creek. Aromas of toasty spices and pear are light but lead to a full, rich-feeling palate, with the acids providing a perfect counterbalance.
This wine displays ample concentration in its inky color and potent aromas of dark berry fruit. There's a hint of raisining as well. In the mouth, it's mouthfilling but lacks a bit of texture; the flavors include dark plums, vanilla and hints of dried fruits, like figs and dates. With a finish that calls to mind chocolate fudge (minus the sugar), opt for drinking this wine over the relatively near term, now to 2020.
This wine displays aromas of green herbs, black and green olive, vanilla and sweet plum. The black and blue fruit flavors are sweet, backed by blocky, dry tannins.
This wine displays aromas of tobacco, cracked black pepper, clove and mineral. It's elegant in style with tart fruit flavors and lightly chalky tannins.
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 wine displays attractive notes of bay leaf and thyme typical of the region, but they overshadow the cherry fruit. Some leathery flavors also show up on the palate. There's a silky mouthfeel, finished off by cocoa-powder-like tannins. Drink now–2025.
This wine displays brooding aromas of dried herbs, Bing cherry, dusty chocolate, black licorice, cinnamon and high-toned barrel spices. It's medium bodied, supple and palate-coating in feel, with tart cranberry flavors on the finish.
This wine displays generous aromas of white pepper, woodspice, raspberry and cherry. The flavors are elegant with a peppery finish.
This wine displays peppery, spicy, briery fruit sweetness without discernible berry character. It's silky and plump on the palate, making it easy to drink in the near term.
This wine displays plenty of weight and an unctuous texture alongside aromas and flavors of toasted nuts. There's also a strange herbal note, elements that are decidedly egg-like, and a long, honeyed finish. File it under “intriguing,” and drink it over the next several months.
This wine displays the aggressive acidity typical of Central Coast Merlots. While it's rich and dry in raspberry, cherry and red currant flavors, with a fine note of smoky oak, the tartness is central. Pairing this with ham will help tame the acids.
This wine displays weight, richness and intense fruits. It also has structure and a texture that offers a tangy, steely character. It's still young and needs to age, so drink from 2015.
This wine does a good job of delivering ripe cherry and plum flavors, and has a smooth, inviting texture in spite of a firm level of tannin. The flavors are mild enough to please most anyone.
This wine does a good job of transforming ripe Pinot grapes, with all their raspberry and cherry fruit, into a rosé that's ethereal and delicate. The wine is dry and the alcohol level is moderate, making it delicate and crisp in the mouth.
This wine does a great imitation of a Port at a lighter alcohol level. The color is deep and inky, the aromas are concentrated and uberripe, and the texture is thick, nicely tannic yet smooth. Bring on the chocolate or cigars.
This wine does a nice job balancing its tropical fruit aromas and flavors with leafy, green notes. Ripe nectarine and grapefruit lie at the core, while herbal flourishes garnish the nose and finish.
This wine does better when alcohol levels are elevated, which ripens and fattens the fruit. Here,  the alcohol is 15%, and the juicy flavors range from blackberry and mulberry jam through chocolate and sweet briary tobacco to exotic vanilla and Asian spices. Then there's the structure, near-perfect in acids and tannins.
This wine does not display the Riesling sweetness scale that's found on most Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Rieslings. This is off dry, and it has punchy peach, pear and apple flavors.
This wine does take time to open up but convinces with a spicy freshness dominated by lemon zest and a suggestion of wet pebbles. Concentrated yet subtle, this deserves some aging but is delicious right now.
This wine doesn't appear to have fully come out of its shell, with light aromas of plum, tire rubber, pomegranate, herb and a dusting of spices. The flavors display a pleasing sense of purity, with lightly grainy tannins providing support.
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.
This wine doesn't fully come together, with a somewhat uncomfortable mixture of grapy aromas, wood and herbs. It's medium bodied with cherry flavors and grainy tannins, trailing toward the finish.
This wine doesn't give up its refreshing acidity as it adds plenty of buttery, toasty oak tones to spice up the vivid crisp apple and pineapple flavors at its core. It makes for a lively, dry and appetizing drink to enjoy now.
This wine doesn't have much going on. It's dried out, chalky in the mouth, stemmy and bitter with green tannins. The fruit is dried out and there is a scent of brett as well.