Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2020 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Adam M. Strum PUBLISHER Susan Kostrzewa EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jacqueline Strum ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR Lauren Buzzeo TASTING DIRECTOR Alexander Peartree CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marco Turelli DIGITAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Julia Lea EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR Layla Schlack SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sarah Daniels TASTING ASSISTANT TASTING DIRECTOR Fiona Adams TASTING COORDINATOR Craig Chamberlain DIGITAL ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR Emily Saladino SENIOR DIGITAL EDITORS Dylan Garret, Siobhan Wallace SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Elyse Estrella SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Marco Bruno DESIGN ART DIRECTOR Monica Simon ASSOCIATE DIGITAL DESIGNER Eric DeFreitas VISUALS PRODUCER Jesse Reiter ASSOCIATE PHOTO PRODUCER Tom Arena CONTRIBUTING EDITORS EUROPEAN EDITOR Roger Voss ITALIAN EDITOR Kerin O’Keefe WINE Michael Schachner, Paul Gregutt, Virginie Boone, Jim Gordon, Matt Kettmann, Sean P. Sullivan, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Anne Krebiehl, MW, Christina Pickard SPIRITS EDITOR Kara Newman BEER EDITOR…

This wine-spiked spritz variation comes courtesy of Triple Creek Ranch, a luxury resort getaway that’s slung between Montana’s Bitterroot Mountain Range. For this cocktail, Angela Gargano, the venue’s wine and spirits director, recommends a slightly sweet, aromatic wine, like an off-dry or kabinett-style Riesling. If using a dry white wine instead, she suggests adding an ounce of elderflower liqueur “for a touch of sweetness.” THE HIGH NOON SPRITZ Courtesy Patty Pyles, head bartender, Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, MT ½ cup frozen cranberries2 thin lime slices½ cup off-dry white wine¼ cup club sodaRosemary sprig, for garnish Add cranberries and lime slices to large wine glass. Pour white wine into glass. Top with club soda, and stir. Garnish with rosemary sprig.…

Cocktails with a Twist (CHRONICLE BOOKS, 2019) With six cocktail books under her belt, Spirits Editor Kara Newman is no stranger to the world of hardcover. This petite compendium is her latest, and it may just be her most fun yet. Organized by drink, it prompts you to unfold 200 colorful, eye-catching pages that reveal more than 100 twists on 21 classic recipes. Brunello di Montalcino: Understanding and Appreciating One of Italy’s Greatest Wines (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS; FIRST EDITION, 2012) Italian wine can be intimidating, a description that only seems to intensify the more storied the bottling. Thankfully, Italian Editor Kerin O’Keefe, long considered an authority on the subject, unraveled all the details of one of the country’s best in this reference. She leads you through Montalcino’s rich…

JOHN MALKOVICH The actor brings unconventional sensibilities to his French wine label, Les Quelles de la Coste, which blends Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon in the southern Rhône. What bottle of wine were you drinking when you decided to plant a vineyard? I would like to think that when we decided to plant the vines—we didn’t buy a vineyard, we had a farm in France for over a quarter of a century—I must have been on some hallucinogen. I’ve never taken one, so maybe it was a just a bottle of Bandol Domaine Tempier, whatever the vintage, because it seems they aren’t in the habit of making a bad one. It was, in fact, my wife Nicole’s idea to plant vines. The farmers who had cultivated and planted our…

Sauvignon Blanc may be New Zealand’s calling card, but a slew of red wines add to the diversity this pair of sea swept islands has to offer. When it comes to Kiwi reds, Pinot Noir is king. The country has earned itself a formidable reputation for mostly premium bottlings of the variety, which flourishes at the bottom of North Island in the Wairarapa region. There, the wines offer dense, dark and tightly wound expressions. On the South Island, Central Otago yields complex wines from varying subregions that express exotic spices, dried flowers and an abundance of fruit. Other regions that produce the variety include Marlborough, Nelson, North Canterbury and Waipara, which craft softly spiced, fruit-led expressions. Syrah has emerged as a force to be reckoned with, particularly for collectors and…

TANNAT 92 Garzón 2018 Single Vineyard Tannat (Uruguay). For full review see page 98. abv: 14.5% Price: $30 91 Bouza 2017 Parcela Única B6 Tannat (Canelones). Ripe, malty berry aromas are baked and come with notes of Bourbon barrel and raisin. This is rich and sappy in feel, with edgy tannins and fiery intensity that’s to be expected from a 15.5% abv Tannat. Baked berry, heavy oak and malted flavors finish creamy and full. Drink through 2024. Elixir Wine Group. —M.S. abv: 15.5% Price: $45 91 Familia Deicas 2018 Atlántico Sur Tannat (Juanico). For full review see page 100. abv: 13.5% Price: $22 91 Familia Deicas 2015 Massimo Deicas Cru Tannat (Uruguay). Ripe, earthy blackberry and prune aromas are a touch cheesy, while this feels full and jammy but with…

SAINT-ESTÈPHE 93 Château Le Crock 2017 Cru Bourgeois (Saint-Estèphe). This wine is structured and dense, with dusty tannins as well as full-bodied black-plum flavors. Made by the winemaking team of Château Léoville-Poyferré in Saint-Julien, the wine has good aging potential. Drink from 2023. Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 13% Price: $59 93 Château Lilian Ladouys 2017 Cru Bourgeois (Saint-Estèphe). Now under the same ownership as the revived Château Pedesclaux in Pauillac, this property is hitting its true potential. This latest release is textured while also having great fruits, rich tannins and considerable aging ability. This wine should be drunk from 2023. Château Lilian Ladouys. Editors’ Choice. —R.V. abv: 13% Price: $23 92 Château la Haye 2017 Cru Bourgeois (Saint-Estèphe). Dating back to the 16th century, this estate…

WHITE WINES 91 Savage Grace 2018 Underwood Mountain Vineyards Riesling (Columbia Gorge). With 15% of the wine aged in neutral barrel, the aromas are reserved for the variety, with notes of white peach, almond skin, green apple and lemon balm. The citrus flavors drink dry and are framed by electric, puckering, lemony acidity that commands attention. One wishes for more aromatically, but the palate more than makes up for it. Acid hounds, this one is for you. Editors’ Choice. —S.S. abv: 13% Price: $22 90 J. Scott Cellars 2018 Albariño (Columbia Valley). Vibrant aromas of pear, melon, whole pineapple and flower are followed by off-dry drinking, rich, full-bodied, nectarous stone and tropical fruit flavors, with enough acidity to balance it all out. —S.S. abv: 14.4% Price: $20 89 Idilico 2018…

TEQULA IN THE LIMELIGHT You could call it the “George Clooney effect.” Ever since the actor launched Casamigos Tequila with Mike Meldman and Rande Gerber in 2013, more celebs than ever have rolled out their own branded bottles. Arguably, 2019 represented a peak. It saw the arrival of labels from singer Rita Ora (Próspero Tequila) and Third Eye Blind’s Stephan Jenkins (SummerGods), as well as star collaborations like Nick Jonas and designer John Varvatos (Villa One Tequila), Sammy Hagar with Guy Fieri (Santo Fino Blanco Tequila) and Michael Jordan with four other NBA owners (Cincoro Tequila). Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also announced plans for a brand (Teremana), though it wasn’t released before year’s end. WHY TEQUILA? WHY NOW? “Like pretty much everything in the marketplace, drinks have fashions,” says…

♦ BRINY The bright citrus and saline notes of Albariño are always good with seafood, and they’re an especially refreshing match for the deep briny character of lox. Pro tip: Sip it with lox and honeydew, which will bring out the wine’s subtle melon notes. ♦ HERBY Play up the fresh dill flavors in gravlax with Chardonnay aged in American oak. The variety of wood lends hints of dill that aren’t present in French oak, while the wine has the body to stand up to this most flavorful cured-salmon style. ♦ SILKY In terms of mouthfeel, the curing process leaches liquid from the fish, which concentrates its natural oils and lends a silky, almost buttery texture. Pinot Noir has similar sensations, and its tannins help cut through the fat. ♦…

The cuisines highlighted by the string of Los Angeles-area restaurants owned by Chef Brooke Williamson and husband Nick Roberts may range as wildly as island contemporary at Da Kikokiko to New American at The Tripel, but all of them offer dishes that strike a balance between familiarity and bright seasonality. This salad is a great example of that perspective. It uses the abundance of spring greens as a vehicle for immense yet simple flavors. SPRING GREENS WITH LEMON-SHALLOT DRESSING & BLUE CHEESE Courtesy Brooke Williamson, chef/restaurateur, Los Angeles ¹⁄₃ cup chopped shallots1 clove garlic1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons lemon zest3 tablespoons lemon juice¹⁄₃ cup rice vinegar1½ teaspoons brown sugar1 cup canola oil8 cups mixed spring greens, such as arugula, watercress, mâche, mizuna and Bibb lettuce½ cup crumbled blue…

Savory flavor profiles are becoming a fascination everywhere. Though typically associated with drinks like the Bloody Mary and Dirty Martini, savory flavor profiles are becoming a fascination for bartenders everywhere. They’re using earthy, spicy or umami-filled ingredients and different infusion techniques like fat washing to create a whole new cast of cocktails. “Cocktails tend to mirror what’s happening in food culture,” says Erin Cusick, a bartender at Clover Club in New York City. “[Any] common obsession with gastronomy in the media, like on Chef’s Table and that kind of show, is sometimes a natural place to look.” From fascinating and scientific to completely unheard of, a range of unique culinary concepts often serves as the biggest draw for these outlets. Over time, ideas will move from screen or page…

Petite Sirah is the black sheep of California wines that never broke out into mass popularity on its own. Simultaneously, it’s well loved by winemakers and beef eaters for its awesomely dark color, its plump blueberry and dark chocolate flavors, and its notoriously thick texture. Botanist François Durif created the grape in France during the late 19th century with seeds from Peloursin and pollen from an unknown source. It became known as Durif in his honor. California growers began planting it in the 1880s and used the name Petite Sirah to refer to Durif and other dark-skinned grape varieties including Syrah and Zinfandel. The diminutive was not far off the mark, as it turned out. DNA fingerprinting at the University of California, Davis, during the 1990s confirmed that Durif had…

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 Alexander Peartree, Editor-in-Chief Susan Kostrzewa, Managing Editor Lauren Buzzeo, Assistant Tasting Director Fiona Adams, Contributing Editors Michael Schachner, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Christina Pickard, 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; Contributing Editors Paul Gregutt and Sean P. Sullivan in Washington; and Beer Editor John Holl in New Jersey. If a wine was evaluated by a single reviewer, that taster’s initials…

DOURO WHITE WINES 93 Colinas do Douro 2017 Quinta da Extrema Edicão II (Douro). This is an impressive, wood-aged wine from the eastern Douro Superior region. With its fine balance between the toasty wood aging flavors and the wine’s smooth apricot and pear flavors, this is a wine for further aging. Drink from 2021. USA Wine West. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 12.5% Price: $45 92 Quinta Vale D. Maria 2018 Vinha de Martim (Douro). A small production field-blend wine that has been wood-aged to bring out its great fruits and tight mineral texture. The wine with its combination of spice and fine fruitiness should be aged and drunk from 2021. Aveleda Inc. —R.V. abv: 12.5% Price: $100 92 Van Zellers 2018 CV Curriculum Vitae (Douro). This is a young, perfumed…

BOLGHERI SUPERIORE 96 Guado al Tasso 2016 Bolgheri Superiore. For full review see page 92. abv: 14.5% Price: $130 95 Ornellaia 2016 Bolgheri Superiore. Cedar, French oak and cassis aromas follow over to the vibrant palate along with coconut and dried black cherry. Racy acidity lends energy and youthful tension while firm fine-grained tannins offer elegant support. It’s still young and primary so it give it time to fully develop. Drink 2024–2036. Vintus LLC. —K.O. abv: 14.5% Price: $260 94 Campo alle Comete 2016 Bolgheri Superiore. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot opens with aromas of Mediterranean brush, black-skinned berry and tobacco. The concentrated palate offers blackberry jam, licorice and mocha alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2030. Vias Imports. —K.O. abv: 14.5% Price: $125 93 Castello…

Tequila has been on a tear the last couple of years. Sales are spiking, new bottlings are constantly rolling out, and especially in May, when Cinco de Mayo throws a celebratory spotlight on Mexico’s native spirit, bartenders are mixing all sorts of margaritas for thirsty American revelers. The growth of celebrity Tequila hasn’t hurt either (see story on page 18). Stars are drinking Tequila on the red carpet, and plenty are releasing brands of their own to quaff. One of the newest, Villa One from singer/songwriter Nick Jonas and designer John Varvatos, is reviewed below. Blanco Tequilas, sometimes called silver or plata, are the No. 1 choice of most consumers. Although longer-aged styles like reposado and añejo tend to receive the most attention, blanco Tequilas, sometimes called silver or plata,…

There’s been a renewed interest in the lager category as of late. This is a glorious thing because it highlights a few key developments concerning the current brewing industry. The first is that consumers want small-batch, crisp, clear, flavorful lagers that celebrate the four main ingredients in beer and deliver in a refreshing manner. Second is that the craft brewers in America now have the bandwidth, talent and ability to make lagers alongside the ales that have typically been the preferred category. Third, and maybe most important, it means brewers are branching out beyond the well-known light pilsners and lagers and bringing back some styles of beer that have been sidelined for too long. With that in mind, now’s the time to discover the several categories of dark lager. A…

APPEARANCE Up close, the two have some striking differences. For one, wine barrels appear more polished, with a sanded exterior and galvanized steel hoops. “You’re typically using the best oak,” says Chris Hansen, general manager at Seguin Moreau Napa Cooperage in California. “You don’t want defects…because wineries want the barrels to look pristine and perfect.” Whiskey barrels, meanwhile, allow for silight imperfections, like visible knot holes and sapwood. “The sugars in the whiskey allow for a more open grain without leaking,” says Tony LeBlanc, president of Silver Oak Cellars, which owns The Oak Cooperage in Missouri. “Wine…requires a much tighter grain with no sap, knots or [other imperfections], or it will leak.” SEASONING Deviations extend beyond cosmetics, however, with some taking shape before barrels are even put together. Prior…

MAIBOWLE The key to and truly seasonal ingredient in this traditional German May Punch spritz is called woodruff (Galium odoratum). It’s a fragrant herb that must be gathered before flowering. Look for it at farmers markets or specialty stores, or buy a small potted plant at your local nursery. The original recipe doesn’t have strawberries, but a few slices add a touch of color. Adapted from Der Neuzeitliche Haushalt, by Erna Horn (Verlag Albert Pröpster, 1957) Place 10 sprigs fresh woodruff in punchbowl. Add half bottle of dry Riesling, and allow woodruff to infuse for 1 hour. Remove woodruff and discard. To serve, add remaining dry Riesling, 1 bottle of Riesling sekt and a 750-ml bottle sparkling water. Sweeten to taste with gomme or simple syrup, if desired. Garnish…

As a native Californian, I’ve always wanted to like Zinfandel more. Though its roots are in the Old World—it’s genetically identical to both Italy’s Primitivo and Croatia’s Crljenak Kaštelanski, which also goes by Pribidrag and Tribidrag—Zinfandel found popular footing in California’s original wine boom. By the early 1900s, it was grown nearly everywhere in the state, from the redwoods of Mendocino and hillsides of Paso Robles down to the flats of Rancho Cucamonga and elsewhere throughout Southern California. As consumer tastes are shifting toward more elegant, less alcoholic wines, so is a lot of Zinfandel. When the state’s modern wine industry took off in the 1970s, Zinfandel enjoyed distinct advantages. Not only did its jammy profile attract American consumers seeking ripe flavors, but many wines came from old-vine vineyards, which…

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 95 Viña Don Melchor 2017 Puente Alto Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Puente Alto). For full review see page 93. Cellar Selection. abv: 14.5% Price: $120 94 Concha y Toro 2017 Gravas del Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon (Puente Alto). Savory aromas of olive, forest floor and oak spice blend seamlessly into black fruit scents, while this Cabernet from Puente Alto’s alluvial soils feels full, rich and slightly creamy. Fully ripe blackberry flavors include welcome herbal undertones, and on the finish this is chewy, meaty and slightly jammy. Drink through 2028. Fetzer Vineyards. Editors’ Choice. —M.S. abv: 14.5% Price: $70 93 Concha y Toro 2017 Terrunyo Cabernet Sauvignon (Pirque). Dark berry, rubber and brambly notes of wild brush open this well-built, saturated Cabernet. Spicy blackberry and herbal flavors are pure Maipo-Pirque, while…

RIESLING 97 Trimbach 2017 Clos Ste. Hune Riesling (Alsace). Juicy, fresh white peach on the nose of this wine is framed by lemon. Zesty headiness presses pleasure buttons in the brain with ethereal lift. The palate echoes that zesty, juicy lemon theme, teetering between tart freshness and aromatic abundance. Bone dry, incisive and concentrated, the wine is gorgeous. Wait for it to unfold. Drink 2025–2045. Taub Family Selections. Cellar Selection. —A.K. abv: 13.5% Price: $400 97 Trimbach 2017 Cuvée Frédéric Emile Riesling (Alsace). Tart lemon has an edge of softness reminiscent of a fresh Mirabelle tart. The palate of this wine majors on bright lemon juiciness with mouthwatering efficiency. For now, the wine is tight, clenched and needs to come out of its shell and share its stony secrets. It…

CHARDONNAY 95 Alpha Omega 2016 Drew Vineyard Chardonnay (Mount Veeder). Creamy vanilla and buttered toast topped in almond greet the nose and palate of this elegant and gorgeously complex white wine from the high-elevation site. Integrated, floral and robust in pineapple and pear, it melds together with ease, leading to an exotic, spicy and herbal finish. —V.B. abv: 14.1% Price: $125 95 Scar of the Sea 2017 Block 11 Bien Nacido Vineyard Mount Eden Clone Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley). Scratched lime peel, freshly sliced Valencia orange and a line of steely minerality make for an intriguing set of aromas that smell very alive and appealing on the nose of this bottling. The palate is wrapped in extreme tension and exuberant energy, offering light brushes of exotic lemon, Asian pear and…

In my office cabinet rests a tiny bottle with a handwritten label. It holds about two sips of a brandy that retails for more than $15,000 per bottle. On the shelf above and below sit several dozen other vials with half ounces of Cognac or Armagnac—XOs, Hors d’Ages, 50-year-olds, Vieille Réserves—that typically sell for anywhere from $500 to $3,000 a bottle. In one vial remains a scant quarter-ounce of a pre-World War II Calvados that I have never seen for sale. It may actually be priceless. To be clear, I am not a wealthy person. I am a freelance food and drink writer who, even after two decades of experience, still lives a chaotic seat-of-the-pants existence. I have the great fortune to travel to Europe a half-dozen times a…