Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2016 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

What could be better than entertaining at home with wine in the fall? The days are still warm but not unbearably hot, and the evenings are cool but still pleasant enough for alfresco reveling. Whether you’re throwing a full dinner party showcasing prized bottles or just hosting a gathering of friends on the patio with a few easy-drinking pours, it’s a great time to bring your love of wine and food to the home front. This month’s issue is dedicated to the art of home entertaining, with Lifestyle and Entertaining Editors Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen’s feature on creating a harvest-style party (page 44), giving you step-by-step pointers on how to celebrate in style. Tapping top wine, food and farmto-table stars in New York’s Hudson Valley, we outline delicious recipes,…

WINE PICKS: Although vegetables are often white wine territory, ingredients such as red peppers or olives allow you to serve a red. A light Sangiovese, like Avignonesi’s 2014 Rosso di Montepulciano, features complementary tart-cherry flavors and soft tannins. A natural pairing would be a Tuscan Vermentino, though for something a little different we turn to Sardinia, where the grape produces expressive white wines such as Pala 2014 Stellato Nature (Vermentino di Sardegna). One of grilling’s benefits is preparing a meal without heating up the house. And, once outside with a lighted grill, many of us turn primal: We char the thickest cuts of meat we can put our paws on—counterintuitive to the instinct to eat lighter foods in warmer weather. Some years back, we rented a house in Tuscany with…

As enjoyable as classic mules—which mix a spirit (usually vodka) with ginger beer and citrus—are, they can be a little basic. A spiced version, such as the one offered at Nashville’s Bastion, is easy to make, yet anything but simple. This autumn-friendly variation swaps Bourbon for vodka and adds warming layers of cardamom and ginger, as well as allspice liqueur for a little extra kick. At Bastion, which opened in February inside a former jam factory, inventive drinks are served in a sprawling, laid-back space with wooden bleachers for seating in addition to barstools. Choosing a snack is easy, as the menu consists of one item: nachos. FUNCTION OF SHADOW Courtesy Michael McCollum Bastion, Nashville 2 cardamom pods 2 mint sprigs 2 ounces Bulleit Bourbon ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice…

ÉPOISSES If you cut Époisses (pictured) with a knife, you’re doing it wrong. Époisses, a cows’ cheese, should be served at room temperature, so oozy that it threatens to run all over the table if you dare take it out of its box. In the early 1500s, monks discovered that rubbing cheese with Marc de Bourgogne during the aging process not only did what salt brine had—promote good molds and discourage bad bacteria—but it also infused complex flavors into the cheese. Époisses has graced the tables of Louis XIV’s nobles, Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte and cheese connoisseurs since. Époisses is so pungent, it’s notorious for its difficulty to pair with wines. If there’s anybody up to the challenge, it’s Vincent Bertheau, a sommelier at Michelin-starred La Truffière. The restaurant has the…

At the turn of the 20th century, Germany reigned supreme in the wine world. Its wines were priced similarly to or higher than firstgrowth Bordeaux. This heyday of German wine is often remembered by wine geeks who can quote the late 1800s prices of Schloss Johannisburg from a Berry Bros. & Rudd retail catalog or a Schönborn Marcobrunn from a New York restaurant menu. Sommeliers, wine writers and industry experts still champion the complexity, expressiveness and ageability of Germany’s finest Riesling, and increasingly, its Pinot Noir and other varieties. Yet, that perception runs counter to those of many American wine consumers. Some look down their noses at the mass-market remembrances of their youth (Liebfraumilch), or think that all Riesling is sweet. They haven’t yet learned that Germany produces some of…

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, Assistant Tasting Director Alexander Peartree, Contributing Editors Michael Schachner, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Mike DeSimone, Jeff Jenssen 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…

RÍAS BAIXAS 91 Terras Gauda 2015 O Rosal Albariño ( Rías Baixas). Peachy, floral aromas are friendly and clean. This blend of mostly Albariño and some Caiño Blanco and Loureira is round on the palate, with ample volume. Appealing flavors of melon, peach and apple finish dry and with a hint of white pepper. Wines like this are why almost everyone loves Albariño from Rías Baixas. Baron Francois Ltd . — M.S. abv: 12.5% Price: $ 24 90 Bodegas Muriel 2015 Pazo Cilleiro Albariño ( Rías Baixas ). For full review see page 106. abv: 12.5% Price: $ 20 90 La Gitana 2015 Rosa Nautica Albariño ( Rías Baixas ). Classic Albariño aromas of granitic minerality combine with apple and stone-fruit notes gets this off to a good start. A…

ETNA ROSSO 95 Biondi 2014 Contrada Monte San Nicolò ( Etna ). Fragrant and loaded with finesse, this opens with aromas of wild berry, blue flower, new leather, aromatic herb and a whiff of exotic spice. The structured, elegant palate delivers layers of red cherry, strawberry, flinty mineral, orange zest, star anise and clove framed in firm, polished tannins and bright acidity. It’s still young and will develop even more complexity. Drink 2019–2029. Oliver McCrum Wines . Cellar Selection. — K.O. abv: 13.5% Price: $ 30 95 Biondi 2014 Outis ( Etna ). This gorgeous wine opens with aromas of smoke, baking spice, red berry and flint. The mineral note carries over to the vibrant, silky palate, accenting juicy Morello cherry, white pepper, star anise, Mediterranean herb and tobacco. Polished…

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With fall approaching, you may start reaching not only for a sweater in the evening, but for a different wine as well. Our editors select five wines that illustrate the variety of tastes and textures available for seasonal drinking. As temperatures cool, my cravings pivot from crisp refreshment to reassuring warmth and richness. But that doesn’t necessarily mean tannic red wine. Toast the change of seasons with Paul Jaboulet Aîné’s 2014 Condrieu from its Domaine des Grands Amandiers (95 points, $124). This lush, concentrated Viognier combines cool-weather weight with summertime echoes of apricots and honey. —Joe Czerwinski The beauty of changing seasons is the transition itself, of golden days with the distinct bite of fall. The Umathum 2015 Rosa Rosé (92 points, $22), a rather full-bodied rosé, is a perfect…

WESTMALLE TRIPEL Made by Belgian monks, this ale has an easy-drinking appeal that contradicts its 9.5% abv. A heavenly mix of cracked pepper, cloves, ripe pears and apples, this tripel showcases the distinctive traits of its Belgian yeast strains. DRAAI LAAG BREWING CO. RELIC ALE This Pittsburgh brewery ferments its idiosyncratic, European-influenced elixirs with locally harvested yeast. Hazy gold Relic, made with microbes isolated from a 17th-century cabinet, is a funky mélange of citrus and earth. WEIHENSTEPHANER HEFE WEISSBIER Wheat gives this smooth and elegant German beer its lustrous head and hazy hue. Its distinct lager yeast—not spices or fruit—supplies the trademark clove-like aroma and appetizing banana flavor. LOGSDON FARMHOUSE ALES SEIZOEN BRETTA An Oregon saison that’s first fermented with four yeast strains, weaving a tapestry of citrus, tropical fruit…

Winemaker Michael McCay hustles from one gnarled vine to another in a row of 101-yearold Zinfandel. He’s scrambling to detach superfluous young green shoots and poorly placed leaves. It’s early May on this plot in Lodi, California, and the vines are growing quickly. As the owner of this land since 2011, McCay can’t resist thinning the greenery, allowing air and sunlight to reach the clusters that are about to bloom. We’re standing in Lot 13 of the Colonial Green Tract, the name on the property’s original deed. Pointing to some other Zinfandel vines not far away, McCay says, “Those are my young puppies, just 80 years old.” As a winemaker who uses estate fruit and buys grapes from several other growers, McCay says he sometimes feels like an archaeologist. He…

One night each month, the otherwise thoroughly modern Pouring Ribbons in New York City takes a trip back to the 1980s, celebrating the pop culture and, of course, the drinks of the decade. But these are no ordinary cocktails. The bar has given them a thorough re-engineering, creating drinks like a kamikaze made with gin and lime cordial, served in a glass rimmed with Pop Rocks. It’s ideal for toasting an evening dedicated to the film Weird Science. “These drinks have the feeling or flavors the originals were supposed to,” says Amanda Elder, creative director for Pouring Ribbons. “We’ve just finessed them a little.” A growing number of bartenders are rescuing drinks once dismissed as awful or undrinkable. The problem? Many were too sweet or made with inferior ingredients like…

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 94 Black Stallion 2012 Barrel Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ( Napa Valley). For full review see page 98. Cellar Selection. abv: 15% Price: $ 98 94 Black Stallion 2012 Bucephalus Red Blend ( Napa Valley). For full review see page 98. abv: 15% Price: $ 150 94 Écluse 2013 Lock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ( Paso Robles ). Inky in the glass and thick on the nose with deep blueberry and concentrated violet petals, this bottling is a study of richness and extraction, and would grab anyone’s attention in one whiff . Lavish flavors of blueberry and blackberry mesh with fudge, mocha and espresso on the palate, which hangs on extremely soft tannins and a boisterous acidity. — M.K. abv: 14.9% Price: $ 40 93 12C Wines 2013 Beckstoffer Vineyard…

MUSCADET CÔTES DE GRANDLIEU 92 Domaine du Haut Bourg 2006 Origine du Haut Bourg ( Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu). Aged for 10 years in underground tanks on its lees, this wine has just been bottled. That aging process has preserved the wine’s freshness, keeping the crisp acidity in place. So while the wine is beautifully mature, it is still so bright and fruity. Drink now. Polaner Selections . Editors’ Choice. — R.V. abv: 12% Price: $ 20 90 Domaine du Haut Bourg 2012 Signature du Haut Bourg ( Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu). From old vines and only produced in the best years, this is a wine that is mature while preserving a crisp, tight character. It has some toastiness as well as melon and apple fruits. Concentrated and with fine…

GRÜNER VELTLINER 93 Berger 2015 Lössterrassen Grüner Veltliner ( Kremstal ). Zesty lime and green fern aromas rise from the glass. The palate merely adds a little green pear fruit to this refreshing and enlivening combo of utter cleanness and verve. The linearity and drive make this moreish, very exciting and totally lip-smacking. Echoes of pepper on the aft ertaste make it even more intriguing. Skurnik Wines, Inc . — A.K. abv: 13% Price: $ 20 93 Bründlmayer 2015 Berg Vogelsang Grüner Veltliner ( Kamptal). Fresh but creamy notes of ripe Conference pear on the nose mute into a peppery, herbal, yeast-savory palate with verve and freshness of utter typicity. This is textbook Grüner that offers the full and perfect package of spice, freshness and fruit on a light but…

GOURMET FRIES MEET WINE Wine Enthusiast hosted the second annual Wines of Southwest France (IVSO) Gourmet French Fries Competition in New York City. Attendees sampled 50-plus wines from France’s southwest and fancy fries from some of the city’s top chefs. Judges Chef Hugo Uys of Bröd Kitchen, Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer, and WE European Editor Roger Voss named Añejo Chef Ricky Camacho the overall winner for his Carnita Fries paired with Alain Brumont’s 2011 Les Jardins de Bouscassé Pacherenc du Vic Bilh. PROVINCETOWN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Continuing Wine Enthusiast’s support of film, Senior Digital Editor Jameson Fink traveled to Cape Cod for the 18th annual edition of this prestigious festival, June 15–19. Italian wines were enjoyed at two WE-sponsored events, a waterfront kick-off reception at Wellfleet and a nighttime fireside…

Ditch the bulky cooler and leaky bags of ice. Your white or rosé wine now can stay cold for more than 24 hours, thanks to the “Vinnebago Edition” Corkcicle Canteen (corkcicle.com). The 25-ounce size is just right for a full bottle—perfect for a glass-free zone, or when you’re miles away from a refrigerator. The Corkcicle Canteen also comes in 9- and 16-ounce sizes. Looking to tote a large quantity of wine or a batch of cocktails? There’s a 60-ounce party size for that. Prefer a hot toddy or hot chocolate? All models will keep your drink toasty for 12 hours. ($19.95–$49.95)…

InTasting Rome (Clarkson Potter, 2016), a new cookbook by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill, the ancient city’s complex history is told through dishes both classic and unexpected. Recipes range from pizzas and pastas to of al (called quinto quarto, or “G f h quarter,” in Rome) and food from the diverse Jewish populations. This take on butcher Vito Bernabei’s porchetta—a perennial Roman favorite—replaces the traditional pork belly and loin with pork shoulder, which is easier to find and work with. Don’t be daunted by the size: Leftovers make fantastic sandwiches. PAIR IT Brancott 2012 T Letter Series Pinot Noir (Marlborough) Pork and Pinot is a can’t-miss combination. This is a fine representation of Marlborough Pinot Noir, sensational with food. Supple, with medium-full body, it offers great concentration of tart berries…

Paso Robles husband-and-wife winemakers Alex and Monica Villicana, of Villicana Winery and Vineyard, couldn’t bear to see even a portion of their hardearned grapes go to waste. So they rallied local winemakers to combine saigné (bled grape juice), which they distill into vodka and gin under the Re:Find Spirits label. Next in their bid to make sustainable spirits: turning grain used as vineyard cover crop into rye whiskey. —Kara Newman How did you get your start in wine? Alex: I thought I was going to go into the restaurant field. I met Victor Roberts [who was winemaker at Creston Vineyards in Paso Robles at the time], who said, “If you’re going into the restaurant business, you need to learn more about wine. They go so well together.” Looking back, I…

Less than 90 minutes from New York City, the Hudson Valley boasts hundreds of miles of hiking and cycling trails, which provide escape for urbanites and locals alike. But it’s also a destination for people visiting the wineries (almost 30), family farms, breweries and distilleries that dot the valley. THE MENU APPETIZERS Farmstand Corn & Summer Tomato Salad Grilled Zucchini & Eggplant Kebabs with Goat Milk Yogurt & Fresh Herb Dressing MAIN COURSE & SIDE DISHES Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs with Grapes Roasted Squash & Apples with Pan-Toasted Pumpkin Seeds & Goat Cheese Multicolor Heirloom Carrots with Carrot-Top Pesto Roasted Garlic Loaf DESSERT Baked Apples Peach Cobbler BEVERAGES COCKTAIL “The Autumn Apple,” made with Harvest Spirits Cornelius Applejack WINE AND BEER White Wines and Rosé Millbrook 2014 Chardonnay (Hudson River Region)…

For thousands of years, terra cotta containers called anfore, orci or giare in Italian were the only option available to early winemakers transforming grape juice into wine. Originating in what is now Georgia—the part of the Caucasus credited as the birthplace of wine some 6,000 years ago—these large ceramic jars are still used in the region. Georgia’s amphora wines remained virtually unknown to the rest of the world until the turn of the 21st century, when Italian winemaker Josko Gravner visited the area and brought some of the clay vessels, known there as qvevri, to Italy. Today, a small but growing number of producers have adopted amphorae of varying sizes and origins. For most converts, amphorae are the natural progression of a holistic approach to winemaking that includes avoiding harsh…

Washington State is generally known for the consistent quality and style of its wines, largely thanks to warm summers and irrigation. Recent vintages, however, have resulted in wines that show dramatic stylistic differences. The changes really started in 2009, which was a warm year ended by an early October frost. A number of varieties, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, were affected, sometimes showing burly, not quite fully ripened tannins. In 2010, Washington experienced its coolest growing season in over a decade. Flavor ripeness was achieved ahead of sugar ripeness, resulting in generally lower alcohol wines that were noticeably higher in acid. These are some of the most age-worthy red wines the state has produced. The 2011 growing season was even cooler. At their best, the wines are elegant and pretty. At their…

ROSÉ 91 Keuka Spring 2015 Dry Rosé ( Finger Lakes). Luscious red cherries and raspberries abound from nose to finish in this buoyantly fruity yet dry, elegantly structured rosé. Made from Cabernet Franc and Lemberger, it’s nuanced by faint whiffs of blossom and bramble. Revitalizing acidity makes it temptingly quaff able. Editors’ Choice. — A.I. abv: 12% Price: $ 16 90 Anthony Nappa 2015 Anomaly Pinot Noir ( New York). Sweet scents of sun-kissed watermelon and raspberry perfume this irresistibly zingy rosé. The bright berry palate is deeply concentrated, but also shaded by tones of bramble and mineral that lend depth and substance. It’s satisfyingly full in body with a thirst-quenching finish. — A.I. abv: 12.3% Price: $ 20 90 Damiani 2015 Dry Rosé ( Finger Lakes). Luscious watermelon and…

TAVEL 92 Domaine des Carteresses 2015 Tavel . This is ripe, round and lush. Cherry- scented goodness leads the way, accented by hints of cracked pepper, cinnamon and allspice that linger elegantly on the finish. Fruit of the Vines, Inc . — J.C. abv: 14% Price: $ 17 92 Les Vignerons de Tavel 2015 Cuvée Royale ( Tavel ). The 2015s from the Tavel cooperative universally impressed. This cuvée, drawn from terroirs dominated by galets roulé, combines notes of crushed stones and ripe cherries. It’s still tight and primary; like many good Tavels, it should drink better two years from the harvest than it does now. Fruit of the Vines, Inc . — J.C. abv: 14% Price: $ NA 91 Les Vignerons de Tavel 2015 Terroir des Sables ( Tavel…

There’s no wrong way to enjoy Bourbon, including rare or special bottlings. This month, some truly special Bourbons came up for review. Among them was the debut release by Wild Turkey’s new Master Distiller, Eddie Russell, and one of the final bottlings from Master Distiller Jim Rutledge, who recently announced his retirement from Four Roses aft er almost 50 years making Bourbon (P.S., we’re excited about his new project— making whiskey at his own J.W. Rutledge Distillery). Though it’s a nice problem to have, frankly, it can be a little intimidating to sit down to taste so many special whiskeys, including several that are old and rare. So it was refreshing to read the following story from James Beard award-winning chef John Currence, restaurateur and author of the newly-released Big…

Although wild ferments are famously rooted in Belgian brewing tradition, American brewers have adapted a style of their own. While many may assume that lines need to be drawn and sides taken in the timeless beer-versus-wine debate, others choose to believe that the path to enlightenment lies in our ability to become cross-drinkers, embracing the best of both worlds and never limiting oneself to just one or the other. I am a huge fan of this concept. However, it seems like an increasing number of brewers are looking for ways to bridge the gap between hardcore beer fans and serious wine lovers. Whether it is with the ingredients or equipment that they use, or the style in which they choose to brew their selections, their experimentation is resulting in the…

Michael Schachner considers America’s political front runners through his wine glass. Donald J. Trump’s son, Eric, owns Trump Winery in Charlottesville, Virginia, a stone’s throw from where Thomas Jefferson once tended vines. Hillary Clinton doesn’t own a winery. But in New York’s Hudson Valley, about an hour north of her adopted hometown of Chappaqua, you’ll find Clinton Vineyards. It’s loosely named aft er George Clinton, not the leader of Parliament-Funkadelic, but New York’s first governor and Jefferson’s vice president. The winery released a wine in 2012 called “Victory White,” made from Seyval Blanc grapes, to encourage Hillary Clinton to run for President in 2016. I sat down with bottles of Trump 2008 SP Reserve and Clinton Vineyards NV Jubilee. Absent of tea leaves, I thought tasting these wines might provide…