Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2015 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Italy’s current pantheon of soon-to-be-stars has moved beyond the wines that sommeliers stockpile for their own tables, and onto the mainstream market. Italy has long bewitched American wine drinkers with its iconic collectibles, such as Barolo, Amarone, Bolgheri, Brunello and palate-pleasing favorites like Prosecco. But the modern face of Italian wine goes beyond the storied pours that have made the country famous. Look to emerging regions like Etna in Sicily, Franciacorta in Lombardy and Alto Adige in the north for some of the country’s most eclectic, terroirdriven flavors. From spirited Nero d’Avola to crisp and clean Müller-Thurgau to the refined bubbles of metodo classico wines, Italy’s current pantheon of soon-to-be-stars has moved beyond the wines that sommeliers stockpile for their own tables, and onto the mainstream market. Food-friendly and affordable,…

TASTES GREAT, LESS FILLING Beer’s role at the dinner table used to be so simple. Like wine, it was there to work with your dish, be it a brisk Pilsner cutting through your burger’s fatty richness, or a f oral and bitter IPA quelling a curry’s fames. But in the latest quest to push the boundaries of flavor and aroma, beer makers are plucking ingredients from the fridge and farmer’s market and making brews that taste like, well, a meal. Short’s Brewing makes the brunch-ready Bloody Beer with tomatoes, horseradish and dill, while Off Color Brewing’s Dinosmores mixes suds with marshmallows, cocoa nibs and graham flour. Right Brain Brewery’s Thai Peanut is packed with peanut butter, cilantro and peppers for a taste reminiscent of pad Thai. The best of these…

With the approach of the Jewish holiday, Passover, the demand for kosher wine rises, as four glasses of wine per person are ritually consumed during the holiday dinner, or seder. To accommodate this need, shoppers turn to the kosher section at their local retailer, a small space that generally includes plenty of Concord grape wine and a tiny handful of Israeli wine selections. Thankfully, times are changing. Savvy wine shops have acknowledged that consumers deserve, or possibly even expect, more, and that Israeli wines should be treated like any other high-quality wine-producing region—with a balanced selection of offerings that represents the best of what the area has to offer, across all price points. Israeli wines are worth considering not just for the holidays, but for year-round enjoyment, regardless of whether…

RIESLING KABINETT 90 Schloss Johannisberger 2013 Rotlack Kabinett Riesling Feinherb ( Rheingau ). Sweet yellow cherry and blossom notes extend from nose to finish in this lip-smackingly delicious wine. Honeysuckle nectar sweetens the palate, highlighted by an intense sheen of acidity and minerals. It’s delicate and dainty, yet leaves a big impression. Mionetto USA . — A.I. abv: 11% Price: $ 38 89 Bischöfl iche Weingüter Trier 2013 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett ( Mosel ). Lemon rind and white blossom aromas entice on the nose of this lively wine. Peach and pear H avors sweeten the palate gently, but it’s invigoratingly brisk, finishing on a refreshing stream of limeade. Schmitt-Söhne USA . — A.I. abv: 8.5% Price: $ 23 89 Johannishof 2013 Johannisberg V Riesling Kabinett ( Rheingau ). Aromas…

DOURO REDS 92 Muxagat 2011 Cisne ( Douro ). The second vintage of this wine comes from a great Douro year. It gives structure, dark fruits and a serious tannic structure that has been rounded by wood aging. Spice, berries and mint f avors all contribute to this powerful, ageworthy wine. Drink from 2017. Winebow. Cellar Selection. — R.V. abv: 14% Price: $ 60 91 Muxagat 2012 Tinto ( Douro ). This wine tastes of the hard landscape from which it comes. It is G rmly tannic, tough in its youth and packing a structured punch. Impressive, it hints at the black berry fruits that are underneath. Give this wine several years and drink from 2018. Winebow . — R.V. abv: 15% Price: $ 30 91 Quinta dos Avidagos 2010…

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 96 Darioush 2011 Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon ( Napa Valley ). Sanguine and brooding in dense layers of juicy black fruit, leather and tobacco, this is classic Napa Valley Cabernet with an elegance at its core, that’s also seamless, complex and age-worthy. From relatively cooler sites in Oak Knoll and Mount Veeder, and a cooler year too, this vintage sings for this producer, showing balance and power in equal measure. Editors’ Choice. — V.B. abv: 14.8% Price: $ 95 94 B Cellars 2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ( Napa Valley ). For full review see page 76. Cellar Selection . abv: 14.9% Price: $ 185 94 Chateau Margene 2012 Cask 4 Cabernet Sauvignon ( Paso Robles ). For full review see page 76. abv: 14.9% Price:…

CHARDONNAY 88 Veramar 2013 Estate Club Chardonnay ( Virginia ). Underripe peach, candied lemon and white flower aromas are lifted and bright on the nose. The palate is zesty and crisp, with ripe red-apple flavors leading to a slightly chalky finish. — A.P. abv: 13.1% Price: $ 26 87 Chatham 2012 Church Creek Steel Chardonnay ( Virginia’s Eastern Shore ). Lemon curd and citrus blossom ride over un derripe melon and apple on the nose. The creamy and full palate is a result of extended lees contact, while flavors of honeydew and lemon lead to a sea-spray finish. A perfect pairing for the Eastern Shore’s local fare of raw oysters. — A.P. abv: 12.5% Price: $ 17 87 Jefferson Vineyards 2013 Rsv. Chardonnay ( Virginia ). Lemon zest and orchard…

ACIDITY TRIP I learned my friends Maxwell Leer and Adam Vourvoulis were hosting their latest Winerave pop-up inside a tepee (yes, tepee) at the Beefsteak party at Vibiana in Los Angeles. For those not in entertainment, the annual Beefsteak bash is a sort of carnivore cotillion ball for the comedy world, where joke prosdance and dine on mounds of meat—no forks or napkins allowed.Hosted by comic EricWareheim—the “Eric” in Tim & Eric—the party raises money for the LosAngeles Regional Food Bank. Despite not really being into electronic music, I immediately asked to volunteer in whatever way I could, because wine and comedy are theonlytwo things I really love. Sorry, Dad. As it turned out, volunteering meant being covered in DayGlo body paint and serving shots of Skittles-tasting Jakob Schneider Riesling,…

Right now, sips are taking an exotic trip, as elixirs crafed with Asian ingredients are bringing the Far East as close to you as your glass. Libations are brightened by a squeeze of yuzu or kumquat, while muddled kaffir lime leaves or chopped lemongrass turn up the volume on aromatics. Heat—chilies, sriracha, peppercorns or baking spices—appeals to masochistic mixologists who want to make you sweat. And that fifth taste, umami, pops up in hoisin, soy and bacon. These shaker-worthy components deftly complement Far East spirits to create striking cocktail bases. The best part? These creative concoctions require neither a long list of ingredients nor a passport to deliver palate-piquing flavor. Ma Collins Recipe courtesy Juan Coronado, beverage director, Think-FoodGroup, China Chilcano, Washington, D.C. The name for this cocktail at China…

Buying Guide The Buying Guide includes ratings and reviews of new-release and selected older beverage alcohol products evaluated by Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s editors and other qualified tasters. Regular contributors to our Buying Guide include Tasting Director/Senior Editor Lauren Buzzeo, Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa, Managing Editor Joe Czerwinski, Contributing Editors Michael Schachner, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Mike DeSimone, Jeff Jenssen and Andrew Hoover, and Spirits Editor Kara Newman in New York; European Editor Roger Voss in France; Italian Editor Kerin O’Keefe in Switzerland; Contributing Editor Anne Krebiehl in England; Contributing Editors Virginie Boone, Jim Gordon and Matt Kettmann in California; and Contributing Editors Paul Gregutt and Sean Sullivan in Washington. If a wine was evaluated by a single reviewer, that taster’s initials appear following the note. When no initials appear following…

GEWURZTRAMINER 95 Trimbach 2008 Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre Gewurztraminer ( Alsace). For full review see page 75. Editors’ Choice. abv: 14% Price: $ 59 94 Domaine Weinbach 2013 Altenbourg Pinot Gris ( Alsace ). For full review see page 76. Cellar Selection. abv: 14.5% Price: $ 55 94 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht 2012 Herrenweg de Turckheim Gewurztraminer ( Alsace). By rights, the Herrenweg vineyard in Turckheim should be a Grand Cru. Certainly in the hands of Zind-Humbrecht it behaves like one. This is a powerful, rich and totally spicy wine. It has weight and pepper in abundance, a complex wine that’s full of ripe fruits and an opulent am ertaste. Drink from 2017. Kobrand . — R.V. abv: 14.5% Price: $ 55 93 Domaine Weinbach 2013 Cuvée Laurence Gewurztraminer ( Alsace).…

CHARDONNAY 93 Kumeu River 2012 Hunting Hill Chardonnay ( Kumeu ). For full review see For full review see page 78. Editors’ Choice. abv: 13.5% Price: $ 49 93 Kumeu River 2011 Hunting Hill Chardonnay ( Kumeu ). The 2011 Hunting Hill is an immediately seductive Chardonnay. Toasted nuts, grilled white peaches and hints of pineapple all come together on a sumptuous midpalate, then finish bright, citrusy and long. Wilson Daniels Ltd .Editors’ Choice. — J.C. abv: 14% Price: $ 45 93 Kumeu River 2011 Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay ( Kumeu ). The 2011 Mate’s Vineyard appears to have more focus and drive than the Hunting Hill, but fewer curves. Toasted nuts garnish pineapple and tangerine fruit, while the finish is long, tight and richly textured. This should be long-lived by…

CHARDONNAY 95 Domaine Drouhin Oregon 2012 Édition Limitée Chardonnay ( Dundee Hills). This reserve-level cuvée has been made since 2004, but in severely limited amounts. A mix of one-third new, one-third once-used and one-third neutral oak barrels aged the blend. Rich, tight and sappy, it shows generous ripe stone and tropical fruits, along with rich layers of butterscotch and toast. Drink now through 2025. Cellar Selection. — P.G. abv: 14.1% Price: $ 65 94 Domaine Drouhin Oregon 2013 Arthur Chardonnay ( Dundee Hills ). From 20-year-old, Dijon clone estate vines, this substantial, tongue gripping Chardonnay has intense depth of flavor. A luscious mix of grapefruit, apple, melon, spice and mineral elements, it drives down through the palate and never quits. Editors’ Choice. — P.G. abv: 13.9% Price: $ 35 93…

BONE UP As a rule, buying local is better. The food is fresher, healthier and often more flavorful. Cured ham, however, is the exception. Just like wine, climate plays a crucial role in open air curing, and pork legs tend to do best in mild, elevated regions where the temperature swings are great, like North Carolina, San Daniele, Italy, and Spain. Like many, you may look upon American ham as the country cousin to the more haute and costly European meats, like prosciutto and jamon Iberico. If that’s the case, you’ve just been buying from the wrong charcutier—something top chefs have long understood. (Chef David Chang’s Momofuku in New York famously only serves ham—sliced see-through thin— from America’s top artisanal purveyors.) And while it might seem weird to have your…

For decades, Canadian whisky’s (that’s right, no “e”) reputation has been, well, not that great— boring and stiff , while being old school in the lamest possible way. Your Grandpa drank those bad Canuck-born blends; you, rightfully, sip single-malt Scotch and craft American whiskeys. But recently, Canada is creating a slew of small-batch stuff that’s wooing the whiskey world. Our Spirits Editor, Kara Newman, runs down her favorites to try. Tap 357 Canadian Maple Rye Whisky ($30) A base of 3-, 5- and 7-yearold Canadian rye whiskies gives it a steely backbone, but lip-smacking maple and vanilla flavors. Collingwood 21 Year Old Rye Canadian Whisky ($60) Mellowed with maple wood, it’s like bananas Foster in a glass with caramelized sugar, but with a spicy kick on the finish. Lot No.…

Rheinhessen, perhaps the bigges t comeback kid in recent wine history, may not be familiar to most Americans. As Germany’s largest wine region, Rheinhessen’s global identity, until recently, was based mostly on its tarnished past. The birthplace of Liebfraumilch—the cheap, simple sweet white wines that drove German exports throughout the 1980s—Rheinhessen’s reputation tanked as tastes shifted, dragging the nation’s wines down with it. Yet today, the region is the buzzed-about home to some of Germany’s most dynamic winemakers. The driving forces of this resurgence are the junge winzer—young, enterprising winemakers with well-stamped passports and a collaborative approach. The first generation to have trained abroad (from Burgundy to Piedmont, New Zealand and beyond) and returned to Rheinhessen, they’re making wines that truly celebrate their native terroir. Favoring quality over quantity, these…

ETNA BIANCOf 93 Benanti 2006 Pietramarina Bianco Superiore ( Etna ). Spanish broom, dried lychee, aromatic Mediterranean herb and balsamic notes are just some of the aromas of this multifaceted wine. The linear palate shows compelling depth, delivering layers of mature yellow apple, Bartlett pear, thyme, salvia and energizing mineral alongside still-bright acidity. This wine could go on for another several years at least. Drink through 2021. Lyra Wine . Cellar Selection. — K.O. abv: 13% Price: $ 75 92 Barone di Villagrande 2013 Bianco Superiore ( Etna ). Very pretty aromas suggest lychee, Spanish broom, Mediterranean brush and a balsamic sensation. The linear palate delivers nectarine, creamy green apple and savory herb while edgy acidity generates a crisp, clean f nish. It closes on an energized mineral note. Omniwines…

RÍAS BAIXAS 92 Granbazán 2013 Etiqueta Ambar Albariño ( Rías Baixas ). Stony peach and mandarin orange aromas are touched up by a note of white licorice gumdrop on this well-cut, finesse-G filled Albariño. In the mouth, an elegant dance ensues between minerality, lees notes and citric acidity. Flavors of apricot, peach and melon finish minerally and with a slow but steady fade. Drink through 2016. Europvin USA . — M.S. abv: 12.5% Price: $ 24 91 Pazo Baión 2013 Albariño ( Rías Baixas ). For full review see page 83. abv: 12.5% Price: $ 40 90 Casa Rojo 2013 La Marimorena Albariño ( Rías Baixas ). For full review see page 84. abv: 12.5% Price: $ 20 90 Granbazán 2013 Etiqueta Verde Albariño ( Rías Baixas ). Melon, nectarine…

MALBEC 94 LTU 2010 Malbec ( Uco Valley ). LTU is a small-production label that reaches big. The 2010 Malbec is rich and smooth up front, with robust, lusty aromas of coconut, graphite, blackberry and blueberry. Creamy oak and fresh acidity make for a plush, modern mouth-feel, while flavors of coconut, toffee, vanilla and blackberry are deep and pure. A ripe, round, decadent finish with flavors of toasted coconut flake, berry extract and tight tannins wraps this up. Drink through 2020. Quintessential Wines . Editors’ Choice. — M.S. abv: 14.8% Price: $ 65 93 Achaval-Ferrer 2012 Finca Bella Vista Malbec ( Luján de Cuyo ). Dusty cherry, wild berry and minerally aromas comprise a compact, deep nose that’s entirely inviting. Juicy, bold and bright on the palate, with sturdy tannins,…

RIESLING 88 Bowers Harbor 2013 Langley Late Harvest Riesling ( Old Mission Peninsula ). There is a sense of restrained purity on the nose, showing unripe pear, apple skin, lemon zest and crushed stone. The palate is more evoking, offering notes of juicy apple and candied citrus that are balanced by lemon-lime acidity. — A.P. abv: 9% Price: $ 18 88 St. Julian 2013 Reserve Riesling ( Lake Michigan Shore ). Dusty peach, orange spice and lemony black tea show brightly on the nose of this exotic Riesling. A palate housing soft but driving acidity brings notes of ripe stone fruits that lead into a white tea finish. Best Buy. — A.P. abv: 12% Price: $ 13 87 Bowers Harbor 2013 Block II Riesling ( Old Mission Peninsula ). Steely…

Give Southern Italians lemons, and they’ll make the sunny yellow liqueur known as limoncello (sometimes called limoncino). Since lemon trees thrive in the Mediterranean climate, it seems as if each household at the bottom of the boot has its own recipe to make the most of the citrusy abundance. Limoncello isn’t dif cult to make, and it can be a satisfying endeavor for those who enjoy a DIY project. It requires a base spirit (most of the bottles reviewed this month use neutral grain spirit or grape brandy), sugar and, of course, lots and lots of fresh, fragrant lemon zest. However, it also requires time and patience—most recipes call for a one-week to two-month resting period to allow the spirit to fully infuse. Luckily, a number of liqueur producers provide…

While it’s generally beneficial to present a clearly defined style on beer labels, there are exceptions—styles that might cause a bit more confusion. IPAs and stouts are pretty standard these days, and so are the “imperial” or “double” iterations of these of erings. Consumers understand what to expect—that “double” means two times the overall experience in terms of favor, strength and intensity of profile. So what happens when people come across a tripel? Will it make you combust upon first swallow from sensory overload? Obviously that won't happen,but I wonder how many people shy away from the style,thinking that it's going to be fartoo overwhelming. It's a shame, because although these beers aren't short on strength,they represent some of the most complex and well-crafted beers available today. Tripel is a…