Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2021 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 COORDINATORS Craig Chamberlain, William Johnson DIGITAL ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR Emily Saladino SENIOR DIGITAL EDITOR Dylan Garret DIGITAL EDITOR Kristen Richard ASSISTANT DIGITAL EDITOR J’nai Gaither SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Elyse Estrella SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Marco Bruno DESIGN ART DIRECTOR Monica Simon 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 Virginie Boone, Mike DeSimone, Jim Gordon, Paul Gregutt, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Jeff Jenssen, Matt Kettmann, Christina Pickard, Michael…

NATURAL CALIFORNIA In this issue, we check out the state’s shifting vinous landscape. But winemakers in El Dorado County make a point to check in with their surrounds regularly via a range of outdoor activities. Turn the page to learn where and how they test out the terrain. The granite peaks, volcanic slopes and snowmelt streams of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains have created high-quality conditions for grape growing throughout El Dorado County. These rugged features, some up to 10,000 feet above sea level, are doubly valued by local vintners who also enjoy a bit of adventure and dabble in recreational activities that range from kayaking and fly fishing to biking and horseback riding. Here are the sports they love most, and the spots they visit to test themselves against…

If there were ever a rule meant to be broken, it’s that artichokes are “impossible” to pair with wine. Whether steamed, stewed, roasted, grilled, deep-fried or even shaved raw in a salad, artichokes’ subtle flavor and meaty texture actually suit a variety of pours. The trick is to account for their cynarine, a naturally occurring compound they contain that can increase the perceived sweetness of anything consumed alongside it. If you keep the wine dry and crisp, however, you can focus on some of this thistle’s more tempting traits. GRASSY Artichokes have an elegant herbal character reminiscent of fresh-cut grass. Sancerre, made from Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley, shares this grassiness and has a crisp and bone-dry profile that makes it perhaps the best wine for artichokes. NUTTY…

With summer finally upon us, you may be excited to get outside and explore your surroundings. Luckily, California beverage makers have your back, and their production of ready-to-drink cocktails and wines that come in easy-to-carry boxes, cans and pouches continues to rise. Whether you’re headed to the backyard, the park down the road or farther afield, here are four new and notable portable options to consider packing. SANS WINE CO. Among the early entrants to the can space, Sans is the vision of Napa Valley couple Gina Schober and Jake Stover, whose day jobs are also in the wine industry (sales and vineyard management, respectively). They work with organically farmed vineyards, including small lots of old-vine gems in Napa and Mendocino. The Rosé Bubbles is a standout new release,…

Long recognized for their instrumental role in the spread of wine across the ancient Mediterranean world through trade and transport, recent archeological findings have verified that the Phoenicians produced their own wine in what’s now Lebanon as early as 7th century B.C. “There was a history of wine [in Lebanon] before the French came,” says Farrah Berrou, a Lebanese wine expert and host of B is for Bacchus, an educational wine podcast. “They revived it, but it was the Phoenicians who introduced wine to Europe, not the other way around.” Romans would eventually bring wine back to the Levant and build a towering temple to Bacchus, their god of agriculture, wine and fertility, in Baalbek, Lebanon, sometime between 150–250 A.D. Winemaking then faded until the 1850s, when French Jesuit…

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 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 appear following the note. When no…

MALBEC 95 Bodega Corazon del Sol 2017 Gran Reserva Revana Vineyard Malbec (Los Chacayes). An opaque purple color along with heady aromas of blackberry, cassis, black olive and rubber unveil this Malbec’s power, balance and complexity. A deep palate is layered and supple, while this tastes of cured meat, licorice and black fruits. A smooth and lasting finish is silky and refined, with grip but no bite; enjoy this voluptuous Uco Valley Malbec through 2028. Revana Family Partners. Editors’ Choice. —M.S. abv: 14.5% Price: $75 94 Doña Paula 2017 Alluvia Parcel Bush Vines Malbec (Gualtallary). Ripe blackberry and cassis aromas are backed with stony minerality, while this bush-vines Malbec from a high-elevation rocky vineyard oozes complexity on the nose, palate and finish. Bright acidity stemming from altitude makes this a…

RIBERA DEL DUERO 94 Astrales 2017 Christina Colección Familiar (Ribera del Duero). Smoky, toasty black-fruit aromas are lightly charred but calm and stately. This has bounce to its step, but mostly the palate is dry, tannic and aggressive: an indication that this needs more time in bottle. Toasty blackberry flavors are backed by savory meatiness, while this shows chewy tannins on a warm finish with lots of depth. Best from 2023–2032. Hidalgo Imports, LLC. Cellar Selection. —M.S. abv: 14.5% Price: $85 94 Garmón 2017 Ribera del Duero. Blackberry and cassis aromas are accompanied by savory notes and leathery warmth. Going in a different direction, the palate is crisp, tight and dry, with strapping muscularity. Black plum, wild berry, earthy spice, lemony oak and chocolaty support combine to create a superb…

BAROLO 98 Comm. G. B. Burlotto 2017 Monvigliero (Barolo). For full review see page 97. Cellar Selection. abv: 14.5% Price: $110 98 Elvio Cogno 2017 Ravera (Barolo). Made by the estate that put this celebrated cru on the map, and showing an enviable combination of elegance and power, this stunning wine opens with aromas of wild berries, underbrush, dark spice and balsamic notes of cedar and new leather. The tense, savory palate is loaded with youthful energy, showing succulent Marasca cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and star anise framed in tightly knit, refined tannins and surprisingly bright acidity for the vintage. A mineral note suggesting iron adds depth to the close. Wilson Daniels Ltd. —K.O. abv: 14.5% Price: $114 97 Brovia 2017 Villero (Barolo). Elegantly structured and delicious, this fragrant red has…

ROBOLA 92 Gentilini 2019 Wild Paths Robola (Cephalonia). Named for the steep, single-vineyard location where it’s grown, this delicate and refined wine starts with lemon-lime and peach aromas, followed by zingy waves of citrus fruit and stone on the palate. A touch of vanilla and honey gives it extra heft, but the wine finishes pert and fresh. Athenee Importers. —S.K. abv: 13% Price: $43 90 Sclavos 2019 Di Sasso Robola (Cephalonia). This intense white starts with aromas of white flowers, tangerine, peach and grapefruit, followed by vibrant flavors of lemon, peach, stone and orange rind. Medium bodied with bright acidity, the wine finishes with toasted nut and honey. DNS Wines. —S.K. abv: 13% Price: $28 89 Gentilini 2019 Robola (Cephalonia). Aromas of citrus and lemon curd and a whiff off…

The Bourbon boom continues apace, and the range of what’s available continues to widen and delight. It seems there’s something for everyone. Flavor profiles can span from rich toffee and caramel, like in the Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, to lighter honey and spice-driven examples like that of the Broken Top Bourbon. That expanse is aided by innovative mash bills. In addition to the minimum 51% corn component required for Bourbon, distillers are adding unusual grains to the mix. Buckwheat adds dark fruit to Cardinal Spirits’ Perry’s Secret Stock Buckwheat Bourbon, while a mix of steel-cut oats and barley malted/roasted in the style of pale ale and chocolate malt create a warming chocolate oatmeal stout character to New Riff’s Winter Whiskey. Many producers have issued special releases or auctioned rare…

The land of ingenuity and imagination, California has also become a standard of resilience. Though the last 12-plus months have been difficult around the globe, the state has weathered more setbacks than many—including a record number of devastating wildfires—that have added to the formidable challenges of the novel coronavirus pandemic itself. Yet despite it all, California—and its wine industry—prevails. As tasting rooms reopen and wine regions across the state amp up to an altered but energetic hum, we’re reminded of why the world-class wines made here, and the inspiring regions and people who produce them, remain so popular among new and established vinophiles. Our celebration of the Golden State includes Contributing Editor Virginie Boone’s focus on the bounty of emerging Napa reds that extend beyond Cabernet Sauvignon (page 56).…

A small crop of American winemakers is brightening up fortified wines with summer-friendly pink bottlings. In doing so, these producers are putting their own twists on ancient traditions. Made by adding grape brandy to a still rosé during the fermentation process, these offerings typically fall somewhere between 17–20% alcohol by volume (abv). They shine when they’re served with cheeses as an aperitif or alongside dessert, and like their lower-proof rosé cousins, they are best enjoyed chilled. These three bottles are a great introduction to this blossoming style. BJÖRNSON RATAFIA ROSÉ Salem, Oregon The idea for this wine started in 2016, with the rare Oregon vintage that yielded a secondary crop. Winemakers Pattie and Mark Björnson used the bonus Pinot Noir grapes to make a pink-hued ratafia, a fortified wine…

In Cook Real Hawai’i, Sheldon Simeon intertwines traditional Hawaiian recipes with the state’s contemporary, multicultural fare to tell the story of the eclectic cuisine enjoyed throughout the islands. This version of kinilaw, a dish with origins in the Philippines, is modeled after one he would eat with his grandparents while growing up in Hilo, Hawaii, which was made with tiny freshwater shrimp known to leap from mountain streams. While he recommends using whole shrimp and sucking the juices out of the heads as you eat, you can use headless shrimp if you prefer. JUMPING SHRIMP KINILAW Adapted from Cook Real Hawai’i: A Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2021), by Sheldon Simeon with Garrett Snyder 2 pounds large head-on, tail-on raw shrimp, peeled and deveined1½ cups calamansi juice, or ½ cup orange…

Though located in Chicago with a menu of Middle Eastern dishes, Galit restaurant has several ties to New Orleans. The strongest of note: The executive chef, Zachary Engel, is a NOLA transplant. “I thought it would be fun to have homage to that special place while tying in some Middle Eastern ingredients,” says the Beverage Director Olivia Duncan of her reimagined version of a Sazerac, one of the city’s most iconic cocktails. Her version of the drink adds the rich fruitiness of dates and swaps absinthe for arak, an anise-flavored spirit served historically throughout the Middle East. SAZ ARAK Courtesy Olivia Duncan, beverage director, Galit, Chicago 1 teaspoon arak2 ounces Sazerac Rye¼ ounce Date Demerara*5 dashes Peychaud’s bittersLemon peel Place Old Fashioned glass in freezer until chilled, about 10…

CHARDONNAY 96 00 Wines 2018 Richard Hermann Cuvée Chardonnay (Eola-Amity Hills). A single new French oak barrel was given the distinction of producing this reserve-level wine. It’s very much in the style of the previous vintage: incredibly rich, palate-coating and creamily delicious. Details of apple cobbler, Key lime pie and cantaloupe come through, and despite the overall power of the components, they all remain in focus and in proportion. The lengthy finish adds toasted hazelnuts and a hint of butter brickle. —P.G. abv: 14.1% Price: $150 95 00 Wines 2018 Freya Hermann Cuvée Chardonnay (Eola-Amity Hills). One of three winery reserves named for family members, this was aged for 23 months in a one-year-old French oak puncheon. It’s smooth as silk, a rich weave of apricot, melon and papaya fruit,…

FORTIFIED WINES 100 Seppeltsfield 1920 100-Year Vintage Para Tawny (South Australia). Seppeltsfield’s Centennial wines have been released annually for past 140 years and are believed to be the only single-vintage wines with such unbroken lineage on the planet. While the full composition is unknown, this now 101-year-old wine is composed primarily of Shiraz and Grenache and fortified with grape spirit. Resembling molasses in both color and texture, it is deeply evocative—a bottomless well of aroma and flavor that goes on and on: first chocolate, dates and praline, then baking spice and coffee beans, then tree sap, forest floor and the dusty spine of an old book. Intensely concentrated yet extraordinarily fresh, it is like drinking the essence of the past, a time in Australia just after WWI when hope was…

CROZES-HERMITAGE 93 Emmanuel Darnaud 2018 Au Fil du Temps (Crozes-Hermitage). Of Darnaud’s excellent series of 2018 Crozes-Hermitage, Au Fil du Temps is the heavyweight that highlights the richness and power of a hot vintage against an earthen, iron-struck core of minerality. Matured 18 months in equal parts new and seasoned oak barrels, it’s a meaty, intensely concentrated red framed in soft, feathery tannins. It’s ready now but the wine should improve through 2028. Fruit of the Vines, Inc. Editors’ Choice. —A.I. abv: 14.5% Price: $55 93 Emmanuel Darnaud 2018 Les Troix Chênes (Crozes-Hermitage). Voluminous yet fresh, this full-bodied Syrah highlights ripe, perfumed plum and blackberry flavors shaded by graphite, cedar and crushed peppercorns. Matured in a mix of concrete and large-format oak barrels, it’s a supple, pure-fruited red edged by…

BOLGHERI 98 Tenuta San Guido 2018 Sassicaia (Bolgheri Sassicaia). For full review see page 98. abv: 13.5% Price: $255 96 Guado al Tasso 2017 Bolgheri Superiore. For full review see page 99. abv: 14.5% Price: $130 93 Guado al Tasso 2018 Bolgheri Superiore. Made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Merlot, this has aromas of cassis, French oak, leather and a whiff of bell pepper that waft out of the glass. Elegantly structured, the bright, linear palate offers black-skinned berries, licorice and coffee bean set against taut, fine-grained tannins. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. —K.O. abv: 14.5% Price: $135 92 Campo alle Comete 2017 Bolgheri Superiore. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this opens with aromas of mature black-skinned berries, roasted coffee bean…

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 90 Domeniile Sahateni 2017 Karakter Cabernet Sauvignon (Dealu Mare). This Romanian Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby colored with aromas of vanilla, mocha and black raspberry. In the mouth there are flavors of black fruits especially black cherry. The tannins are nicely grippy and there’s a touch of powdered cocoa on the finish. Terra Firma USA Inc. Best Buy. —J.J. abv: 14% Price: $15 89 Domeniile Sahateni 2016 Anima Cabernet Sauvignon (Dealu Mare). This Romanian Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby in the glass with aromas of lilac, lavender and black plum. The tannins are a bit grippy with flavors of plum, black raspberry and dark cherry on the palate. The finish is pleasantly astringent. Terra Firma USA Inc. —J.J. abv: 14.6% Price: $27 89 Vitis Metamorfosis 2014 Folklore Cabernet…

There is a bit of romance and reward in saison. These farmhouse ales have roots in Belgium and were created as grain-forward ales with relatively low alcohol. They were brewed in colder months, fermented and then served on hot summer days. Hearty yet light, these are beers with a distinct character and often showcase a sense of place. Many classic examples of the style can be found in Belgium and one of the most notable producers is Brasserie Dupont. Known the world over, this saison is fruity, floral, slightly funky and a little spicy. It’s not uncommon to see hand-picked fruits, vegetables and herbs added to a saison. Today, it is easier than ever to find a locally made saison in the United States, with most breweries embracing the style…

During June, a variety of wine and beverage brands launch campaigns or products wrapped in rainbows to support LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations around the globe. But LGBTQ+ folks who work in wine carve out accepting spaces and open doors all year long. Read on to get to know three LGBTQ+ members of the wine community who help to create a more inclusive industry from different segments of the wine world. THERESA HEREDIA Winemaker, Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery A lesbian woman, Heredia has long offered support to programs within the LGBTQ+ community, both on her own and in conjunction with California’s Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery. One of the most notable efforts has been their joint involvement with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), one of America’s leading LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations.…

In the early 1900s, vines sprawled from the slopes of California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, across the Santa Clara Valley to the foothills of East San Jose. But plantings disappeared as suburban development swallowed the landscape. Only the most stubborn could remain. It was these gnarled Grenache vines, planted west of Gilroy in 1910, that the Bessons purchased in 1949. The family, descendants of French shoemakers, had owned a nearby Zinfandel vineyard since the 1920s. For decades, the roughly 10 acres of grapes went into bottles of Randall “Bonny Doon” Grahm’s Clos de Gilroy. In 2012, Alex Krause and John Locke took over the vineyard and began to use the grapes for their Birichino label. They now also sell fruit to other vintners, like Sandlands’s Tegan Passalacqua and Angela Osborne…

Does anyone still believe that for a wine to be good it has to come in a heavy bottle? Or that all heavy bottles contain great wine? Jancis Robinson, MW, has drawn a line and declared that it doesn’t matter if the wine is good or not, the heavy bottle has to go. As someone whose arms are often tested by weightlifter wines, I agree it’s time to rethink this kind of packaging. My biceps will recover, but the planet may not. In February, Robinson announced that she and her team at JancisRobinson.com would start weighing bottles when they taste and record the weights of particularly heavy or light bottles “in order respectively to condemn or praise those producers who had chosen them…in recognition of the fact that making and…

Are you looking for a Pinot with lavish black cherry and baked berry flavors sprinkled with baking spice and toasted oak? Or is an ethereal and tense option more your choice, with its brisk red fruit and waves of bay leaf and juniper? You can have either style of Pinot Noir from California’s Central Coast, where the chameleonesque grape reflects a myriad of microclimates and winemaker whims, usually with delicious results. The chamelonesque grape reflects a myriad of microclimates and winemaker whims. Given the appellation’s more than 90,000 vineyard acres planted across nearly 300 miles, from the San Francisco Bay to the Santa Barbara coast, the variety shouldn’t surprise. But recent interest in more transparent wines unleashed a wave of winemakers eager to explore such austere styles. Melville Winery packs…

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 94 Avennia 2018 Sestina Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley). This is blended with 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, with the fruit coming from top sites Bacchus, Dionysus and Red Willow. Plum aromas are followed by notes of mocha, scorched earth, pink peppercorn, dried leaf and cassis, showing detail and subtlety. The flavors are polished and seamless, with barely a hair out of place. It’s loaded with tannins combed to a fine sheen. An extremely long finish caps it off. The balance and intensity are impressive, but it’s the nuance and detail that defines this wine. Best after 2026, with a seemingly immortal life beyond that. Cellar Selection. —S.S. abv: 14.5% Price: $75 93 Mark Ryan 2018 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Mountain). For full review see page 108.…

DOURO 92 Pormenor Vinhos 2019 A de Arinto (Douro). Fermented and aged in wood, this limited production wine brings richness to the natural crispness of the Arinto. Touches of toast, tangy white fruits and a tight mineral texture mark out a wine that is still young. The wine will be ready from 2022. JD Selections. —R.V. abv: 12% Price: $30 91 Pormenor Vinhos 2019 Reserva Branco (Douro). A rich blend of Rabigato and Malvasia Fina yields a spicy, oak-aged wine. There is freshness as well as poise between the mineral texture. Classic for a Douro white, with crisp lemon and kiwi fruit acidity. Drink from 2022. JD Selections. —R.V. abv: NA Price: $40 91 Quinta São Sebastião 2019 Val Moreira Reserva (Douro). Wood aged, this wine is generous, ripe and…

COTEAUX D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE 93 Château Paradis 2020 Terre des Anges Rosé (Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence). Syrah and Mourvèdre give structure and perfume to this dense wine. With spice, vanilla and intense red fruits, the wine is ripe, full and laced with acidity. Drink this rich wine from late 2021. Bridge Imports. —R.V. abv: 13% Price: $35 92 Château de Fonscolombe 2020 Cuvée Prestige Rosé (Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence). With 70% Syrah in the blend, this wine has a rich texture and hints of tannins. It is dense with red-berry fruits, acidity and good concentration. This wine could age for a while, so try waiting to drink until 2022. Bridge Imports. —R.V. abv: 13% Price: $35 91 Château de Fonscolombe 2020 Esquisse Rosé (Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence). With an attractive hint of pepper as well as fresh red…

RIESLING GROSSES GEWÄCHS 97 Dr. Loosen 2014 Erdener Prälat Riesling Réserve Alte Reben Dry GG (Mosel). For full review see page 98. Editors’ Choice. abv: 12.5% Price: $162/375 ml 97 Maximin Grünhäuser 2019 Abtsberg Riesling GG (Mosel). Struck flint and river rocks introduce this brilliantly steely dry Riesling. Compared to the youthful, almost tropical, charm of the producer’s 2019 Herrenberg GG, lime and grapefruit flavors in the Abtsberg are bracing and linear in youth but suggest a depth and elegance that should reward cellaring. Best to hold till 2024 at least. It should evolve wonderfully through 2035 and hold longer still. Loosen Bros. USA. Cellar Selection. —A.I. abv: 12% Price: $70 97 Schäfer-Fröhlich 2018 Bockenauer Stromberg Riesling GG Dry Gold Cap (Nahe). Sourced from volcanic soils, this is a smoldering,…

MERLOT 93 Golan Heights Winery 2016 Yarden Allone Habashan Vineyard Merlot (Galilee). For full review see page 107. Kosher. abv: 15% Price: $88 90 Recanati 2019 Merlot (Galilee). This violet-red hued wine features aromas of strawberry, pomegranate and violet. It is sophisticated on the palate, with flavors of black cherry, blueberry pie, thyme and chocolate covered espresso bean. Lush tannins slowly drop away to reveal a slightly salty note on the finish. Kosher. Palm Bay International. —M.D. abv: 13% Price: $17 89 Galil Mountain 2018 Merlot (Galilee). Red-violet to the eye, this wine has a nose of cherry, black currant and clove. It is an easy drinking red, offering soft tannins and flavors of black cherry, cassis, aniseed and lavender. The finish is notable for a burst of pomegranate flavor.…

When I decided to move sort of suddenly back in November, you could say I was, uh, a bit outside of my comfort zone. Relocating is stressful for most people under normal circumstances, let alone during a global health crisis or with just two weeks to prepare. To me though, it was necessary, both to escape the crowds that had invaded the town in which I had been living and to help get a hold of the depression I had let consume me. Plus, I’d found the ideal place, a converted 19th-century carriage house all of 15 minutes from my family. I couldn’t pass it up. Since facilitating a pandemic-era move meant just as much going with the flow as much as it did planning meticulously, I decided to…