Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2023 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Jacqueline Strum EDITOR & PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR, PRINT John Capone TASTING DIRECTOR Anna-Christina Cabrales CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marco Turelli EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL Rachel Tepper Paley SENIOR EDITOR, PRINT Stacy Briscoe SENIOR EDITOR, DIGITAL Arielle Weg DIGITAL EDITOR Kristen Richard ASSISTANT EDITOR, PRINT Jacy Topps CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, FOOD Nils Bernstein WEB PRODUCER Samantha Sette DESIGN ART DIRECTOR Monica Simon DIGITAL VISUALS EDITOR Evan de Normandie DIGITAL DESIGNER Eric DeFreitas VISUALS PRODUCER Jesse Reiter ASSOCIATE PHOTO PRODUCER Tom Arena TASTING SENIOR EDITOR, TASTING Jim Gordon SENIOR TASTING COORDINATORS Craig Chamberlain, Cody Wexler ASSISTANT TASTING COORDINATOR Augi Anagnostos, Russell Peborde, Dan Storm SOCIAL DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Elyse Estrella SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Marco Bruno VIDEO SUPERVISING VIDEO PRODUCER Braxton Parr VIDEO PRODUCER Rob Martin WRITERS AT LARGE WINE Michael Alberty, Danielle Callegari, Mike…

Hot Topics The Wine Enthusiast Podcast, hosted by Jacy Topps, is your serving of drinks’ culture and the people who drive it. The podcast, which airs twice a month, features real conversations about beverage-related topics. Recently, we’ve been discussing regulations in Champagne production, the history of rosé and inclusivity in certification programs. Listen everywhere you get your podcasts or at wineenthusiast.com/podcast. EPISODE 139: Is White Zinfandel a Rosé? And More Rosé Questions Answered “The pale pink wines were for the aristocrats, and the darker wines for the rough peasants.”Katherine Cole Podcast host and author Rosé All Day: The Essential Guide to Your New Favorite Wine “The intentions of these regulations are to protect quality, but creating a great wine is man adapting to nature.”Mathieu Billecart CEO Champagne Billecart-Salmon EPISODE 137: Why Are…

Rising on the eastern edge of Sicily, Mt. Etna is the most active volcano in Europe and, as a wine region, has been heating up, too. A UNESCO heritage site, Etna’s scientific value is globally significant. No wonder this hotspot is a bucket list item for geologists, hikers and wine lovers constantly searching for terroir-driven experiences alike. Part of the thrill of hiking it is climbing something with exceptional levels of unpredictability. Dramatic and poised, Etna occasionally rumbles and spews ash—it erupted this spring—but almost constantly whispers gas plumes (mostly water vapor), resulting in dramatic billowing white formations from its summit craters. Porous and crunchy iron-rich basalt rocks gnash, press and shift with each uphill step. GO WITH THE FLOW With each step on the crunchy pea-sized gravel you can…

Top 5 Best Buys These wines represent the highest value wines we rated for this issue. 95 Podere Giardino 2020 Suoli Cataldi (Lambrusco dell’Emilia) $13; 11.5% abv 94 Alois Lageder 2021 Versalto Pinot Bianco (Mitterberg) $17; 12% abv 94 Dowsett Family 2022 Geogia Rose Becklin Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé (Oregon) $17; 13.4% abv 93 Saracco 2022 Moscato d’Asti $19; 6% abv 93 Marchetti 2021 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico $15; 12.5% abv Top 5 Hidden Gems Looking for something a little different? Our reviewers think you absolutely should try these atypical wines. 97 Corollary 2018 Winter’s Hill Sparkling (Willamette Valley) $60; 12.5% abv 95 Vigneto Saetti 2021 Rosso Viola (Lambrusco Salamino) $24; 11.5% abv 95 Nivarius 2017 Finca La Nevera Maturana Blanca (Rioja) $40; 13.5% abv 94 Maurice Grumier…

There have always been wine bars with great food and restaurants with great wine, but lately, our favorite places seem to be a hybrid of the two. We’re seeing Michelin-star-level fine dining in walk-in counter-seating environments, and casual neighborhood restaurants with glass and bottle lists that rival the world’s best but in playful settings. These 50 establishments—the New American Wine Bar—range wildly in terms of concept and atmosphere, but they’re all places that put wine and food on equal footing. The wines are adventurous, of course, for those with discovery in mind (many will be pouring from more unlisted open bottles than many proper restaurants offer by the glass) and the food often inventive—expect the likes of Nashville hot quail, rabbit larb and sardine bánh mì. Whether you experience them…

Two reviewers cover the wines of Italy for Wine Enthusiast. Danielle Callegari reviews wines from Tuscany and Southern Italy, while Jeff Porter reviews wines from Piedmont and Northern Italy. Jeff Porter: I’ve been saying for years that Italy is the newest, oldest wine-producing country in the world. I see more and more Italian wine producers shaking off the chip that they’ve had on their shoulders with respect to the rest of the wine-making world and truly understanding that what they have in front of them is amazing. Danielle Callegari: And I agree with you. It seems like the best Italian wines were always trying to imitate another kind of wine—always looking to France or to America, and they’re over that now I think. JP: What have you been most excited…

WHITE WINES 94 Pieropan 2020 La Rocca (Soave Classico). This wine is so complex and intriguing you have to just sit with it. Aromas of roasted apples drizzled with honey, dried flowers and candied orange zest are just the tip of the wine. It continues to evolve until you run out and want more. The palate has an amazing texture with weight yet acidity to balance out the richness of the ripe orchard fruits, baking spices and orange blossom flavors. Enjoy it now or be rewarded with more time in the cellar. Drink now–2035. Maze Row Wine Merchant. Editors’ Choice. —J.P. abv: 13% Price: $50 92 Monte del Frà 2018 Bonomo Sexaginta (Custoza). Grown just south of Lake Garda, this dynamic blend of Garganega, Cortese and Trebbiano presents a mélange…

LAMBRUSCO 96 Paltrinieri 2021 Radice (Lambrusco di Sorbara). When you get a wine like this, there is no turning back. A wine that is both pure, delicious and intriguing all at once is a rarity and is to be celebrated. At first, it is reserved. But once it wakes up, the wine shows a fresh mix of strawberry, boysenberry and pomegranate that gives way to intense floral notes, wild herbs and game. It’s energetic and vital with acidity that’s so crisp you will not realize you have just downed the bottle. Paltrinieri. Editors’ Choice. —J.P. abv: 11% Price: $23 96 Terrevive NV Stiolorosso (Emilia). Established in 2008, Terrevive is not just a vine grower but also an integrated farm that creates biodiversity that makes healthier grapes and people. The Stiolorosso…

TAVEL 93 Château d’Aqueria 2022 (Tavel). Enjoy a beautiful dance on the palate between summer fruits and savory flavors with this Tavel. Wild strawberries, fresh watermelon and freshly picked cherries beautifully intertwine with pink peppercorn, wild herbs and pulverized stone. Enjoy now with grilled vegetables or chicken kabobs. Kobrand. Best Buy. —A.C.C. abv: 14% Price: $20 93 Domaine Corne-Loup 2022 (Tavel). This wine bursts in the glass with juicy watermelon, ripe black cherries, melon, fresh mint and white peppercorn. Additional layers of fresh cherry flavors and crushed stone dance back and forth on the palate and wash away with a long saline finish. Aerate for optimal enjoyment. Kysela Père et Fils. —A.C.C. abv: 14% Price: $25 93 Domaine Maby 2022 Prima Donna (Tavel). Beautiful pale cherry in color, this powerful…

RIESLING 96 Dr. Loosen 2017 Erdener Prälat Alte Réserve Reben GG Riesling (Mosel). This is a testament to the theory that dry German Riesling needs more aging before release. Unreal balance and integration of acidity, while still keeping this bright, refreshing and focused, is the real genius of this wine. Kaleidoscopic profile, with multiple layers revealing itself with each sip, this goes from floral and spicy, with elderflower and cardamom, to fruity with Asian pear, lime and kumquat, to mineral with salty, slaty notes. Long, persistent and complex. Drink now through 2035. Loosen Bros. USA. —A.Z. abv: 12.5% Price: $190/375 ml 96 Zilliken 2021 Saarburg Rausch Auslese Riesling (Mosel). So expressive and luscious, yet so graceful and airy, with a laser beam of fruit and mineral. The core shows vivid…

To me, drinking red wine for anemia was more folklore than science, but when in Rome… “Eat red meat. Drink red wine.” Those were the orders I was given to recover from severe anemia after an emergency surgery I had while living in Italy. The anemia left me feeling like I was enrobed in molasses. I could barely talk, much less walk, without becoming winded. My doctor insisted I needed no drugs, infusions or supplements to raise my iron levels, just red meat, leafy green vegetables and red wine. He was adamant that red wine consumption was crucial. He told me red grape skins contained the antioxidant resveratrol, a flavonoid highly regarded as an age-reversing agent, that red wine was preventive of heart disease and is a health balm…

Americans have an ongoing love affair with Italy. You might think, at first, it’s the endless combinations of meat, cheese and tomatoes, or perhaps the infinite sea of wines to explore. I would wager it’s the easy ethos that Italy exudes to simply… enjoy. Enjoy and linger a little longer over your meal, enjoy the art on your walk through the city or, as the famous expression goes, dolce far niente—enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing. What could be more intoxicating yet paradoxical to an American than the idea that you can enjoy doing, well, nothing? It’s that it’s the antithesis of the American identity that makes it seem unattainably exotic: How could I possibly enjoy doing nothing when I’m always supposed to be doing something? All the pizza…

Pizza might not be fancy, but that doesn’t mean a party featuring pies, impromptu or not, need not be an occasion that calls for wine. Whether it’s a night when a few of the kids’ friends stayed into dinnertime and you and the other parents dial your local delivery go-to or something you put a bit more planning into, the pairing pizza-bilities are almost endless. The key here is to focus on the myriad toppings and styles and go from there. Our reference guide covers everything from classic cheese to (just a bit) more gourmet options. ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT THE ENTHUSIAST’S WINE & PIZZA PAIRING GUIDE Whether you’ve called for delivery, made pies yourself or are eating out, follow these guidelines and your pairings will be dialed in.…

In her new book, Katie Parla focuses on the varied cuisines of Italy’s islands, such as Capri, Ischia, Elba, Venice and, of course, Sicily and Sardinia. Swordfish is especially popular in Southern Italy, where they’re caught in abundance in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea from Naples down to Sicily. Parla notes that these fish balls are popular at seaside trattorias, where they’re made from the scraps left from butchering fresh-caught fish. You can also use any fish scraps you have, or substitute tuna to make polpette di tonno. POLPETTE DI PESCE SPADA (SWORDFISH BALLS) From Food of the Italian Islands: Recipes from the Sunbaked Beaches, Coastal Villages, and Rolling Hillsides of Sicily, Sardinia, and Beyond (Parla Publishing, 2023), by Katie Parla 1 ½ pounds boneless swordfish steak, skin removedSea salt1…

A centuries-old quote goes, “It was a brave man who first ate an oyster,” but it was a braver soul still who figured out sea urchins were edible. They lie in wait on the sea bed, spherical shells covered in rigid spikes, like balled-up goth hedgehogs daring you to touch them. If you manage to break them open, five orange gonads (not roe, as they’re often called) cling to the shell walls coated in guts, hardly advertising their succulence. Those who love this divisive delicacy, though, are forever indebted to the gastro-pioneers who first cracked one open and those who fish for them today. Most U.S. diners are introduced to sea urchin via Japanese restaurants (Japan consumes an estimated 80–90% of the global supply), where it’s called uni—a name…

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. STAFF EDITORS Anna-Christina Cabrales Burgundy, Rhône Valley Jim Gordon Napa Valley, Sonoma Craig Chamberlain Virginia Stacy Briscoe California Jacy Topps Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, Vin de France WRITERS AT LARGE Michael Alberty Oregon, Washington, Canada Danielle Callegari Tuscany & Southern Italy Mike DeSimone Spain, Croatia, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, Armenia, Hungary John Holl Beer, Hard Seltzer Matt Kettmann Central & South Coast California Kara Newman Spirits, RTD Christina Pickard Australia, New Zealand, England, New York Jeff Porter Piedmont & Northern Italy Emily Saladino Greece, Georgia Reggie Solomon Beaujolais, Loire Valley Jesica Vargas South America & South Africa Roger Voss Portugal, France: Bordeaux, Champagne, Southwest & Other France Aleks…

FRANCIACORTA 98 Ca’ del Bosco 2013 Annamaria Clementi Dosage Zero Rosé Riserva Extra Brut (Franciacorta). From its first vintage in 2008, Annamaria Clementi has been an icon of a wine. The 2013 continues this tradition with grace, elegance and depth. As the wine develops, aromas of macerated cherries, baked strawberries, Damson plums, vanilla and warm bread show themselves. Rich, yet with some restraint, the palate showcases the 100% Pinot Noir fruit from the estate’s oldest vines, highlighting the darker red fruit notes. The wine then walks a tightrope between richness and finesse, showing the skill and passion that it takes to make this wine. Santa Margherita USA. Editors’ Choice. —J.P. abv: 13% Price: $135 96 Ca’ del Bosco 2017 Vintage Collection Dosage Zéro (Franciacorta). From the certified organic vineyards of…

RED WINES 95 Petrolo 2020 Bòggina C Riserva (Toscana). A nose that dances gracefully in the space between earthy and spicy, from soil and underbrush to black pepper and cloves, turns over to a palate that’s juicy with cherries and rich with dark chocolate, supported by the embrace of sturdy tannins. This is a positively acrobatic Sangiovese. Vintus LLC. —D.C. abv: 14% Price: $NA 94 Michele Satta 2020 Cavaliere (Toscana). Toeing the line between flinty and mossy, the nose intrigues with its earth tones and umami depth before opening onto a palate of just barely ripened Rainier cherries outlined by unrelenting tannins and acidity that will make for even better drinking in 2033. Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd. —D.C. abv: 14% Price: $50 93 Felsina 2019 Fontalloro (Toscana). Freshly turned soil,…

RIBERA DEL DUERO 96 Milsetentayseis 2019 Tinto (Ribera del Duero). This delightful inky-purple-colored wine has aromas of red and black fruits, cedar, and a touch of new car leather. It is soft on entry with elegant mouthfeel and flavors of cassis, red plum and blackberry. The tannins are a pleasantly grippy right now but will mellow out with time. USA Wine West. —M.D. abv: 14.5% Price: $80 95 Bodegas y Viñedos Tábula 2018 Gran Tábula (Ribera del Duero). Brilliant ruby-colored in the glass, this wine has aromas of cassis, black raspberry and black licorice, with a touch of charcuterie. In the mouth, the fruit flavors shine through with subtle floral tastes of violet and lavender. It has rounded tannic structure with some pleasant grippiness in the post palate as it…

If you think amaro might be too fancy for you, here’s a confidence from Sother Teague, proprietor of NYC amaro bar Amor y Amargo: “If Coca-Cola was served flat and alcoholic, it would be the best-selling amaro in the world.” He has a point. Both elixirs contain top-secret mixes of herbs, spices, citrus and other botanicals meant to create a stomach-settling effect, along with sugar. While Coke’s modern-day formula likely varies greatly from the 1880s original, it still bears more than a passing resemblance to an amaro-and-soda highball. If Coca-Cola was served flat and alcoholic, it would be the best-selling amaro in the world. That said, not all amaros are alike. From the bright, grapefruit-like red bitters that give a Negroni its signature rosy hue, or a darker, extra-bitter digestive…

Part of the “Negroni Sessions” menu at Dante, a 104-year-old restaurant in Greenwich Village, this striking blue drink has roots in two different Italian cocktail classics: the classic Negroni and the Angelo Azzurro, or “Blue Angel.” The latter drink, which resembles a blue Cosmo, was created in the 1980s and developed a following in Italy’s late-night bars and nightclubs during the 1990s and early 2000s; some have posited that the drink was a symbol of Rome’s LGBTQ+ community at the time. “That original recipe is quite different from what ours is,” notes Linden Pride, principal at Dante. “Our recipe is a riff on the Negroni, which is more true to Dante’s house style,” but still nods to the “fun, tongue-in-cheek history of the Angelo Azzurro.” DANTE’S NEGRONI AZZURRO Courtesy…

Among the ever-expanding rainbow of vermouth options, pink-hued rosé, or rosado, vermouth is on the ascent—and is yielding some exciting options for cocktails and stand-alone sipping. What’s behind the pink vermouth trend? Some say it’s a way to capitalize on ongoing enthusiasm for rosé, including adding another ingredient for making “frozé”-style frozen drinks. Others point to the enduring popularity of spritzes and other low-alcohol drinks for encouraging a wider range of vermouths. Yet some posit this isn’t a new trend, but a longstanding category that’s finally getting the attention it deserves. “If we’re looking back at the vermouth category, and especially wine aperitifs of the most famous and old producers, rosé has always been part of this amazing family,” says Giancarlo Mancino, founder of Italy’s Mancino Vermouth. “It’s probably…

After a decade living and operating bars in New Orleans, in summer 2020, during the thick of pandemic lockdowns, Nick Detrich loaded up a truck and relocated to Bloomington, Indiana, to be closer to family. In January 2022, he opened Small Favors, a petite bar and restaurant serving wine-based cocktails and small plates. Situated across the street from a strip mall with a grocery store, law office and pottery studio, it’s a long way from the funk and frenzy of NOLA’s French Quarter. But high-end cocktail bars are no longer just for city-dwellers. Growing numbers of upscale bars are opening in the burbs. Although the wave started well before 2020, the pandemic accelerated the flight of young professionals from city centers—and great cocktails at bars and restaurants have followed.…

I admit it: I enjoy it, I am excited by it, I find it interesting. Yes, Amarone della Valpolicella in all its guises is a terroir-specific, earnestly and honestly made fine wine worthy of all our admiration. Why have I been hiding this love? It was not cool to like Amarone among most of my professional wine colleagues for years, and we never did the work, never looked deeper into the wines; it was a tool for us. Amarone was seemingly a wine from a different era: big, bold, rich and alcoholic. It is a wine that came to fame as boomers began to fall in love with wine—and that wine had a specific profile. As a sommelier, for me Amarone played a vital part of the wine list for…

WHITE WINES ALTO ADIGE 96 Abbazia di Novacella 2021 Praepositus Sylvaner (Alto Adige Valle Isarco). It is hard to even nail down this wine; there are waves of flavor with notes of peach, tart apricots, apples, lime, orange blossom and wild mountain herbs. The palate is yummy in all the best ways, being upfront and complex. Notes of cantaloupe, jarred peaches, honey, spice and flint make this one dynamic wine. Drink now–2030. Abbazia di Novacella USA. Editors’ Choice. —J.P. abv: 13.5% Price: $32 95 Abbazia di Novacella 2021 Praepositus Kerner (Alto Adige Valle Isarco). This wine knows no boundaries. It is at once immediately delicious, exciting and interesting but also is still holding back, daring you to see what some age will do. Today, the wine is a cornucopia of…

BAROLO 95 Ellena 2019 Ascheri (Barolo). Reserved at first, this wine begins to wake up with soft and pretty aromas of sour cherries, wild raspberries, dried herbs, roses and dried underbrush. It’s compact on the palate, with firm tannins that will need time in the bottle to come around. Spiced flavors mixed with red fruit are wrapped around a core of compact earth that gives the wine a welcomed depth. Vine Street Imports. —J.P. abv: 14.5% Price: $60 94 Ellena 2019 del Comune di La Morra (Barolo). Cranberry, sour red fruits, dried herbs, roasted earth and dried flowers open this very pretty wine. The palate shows more floral and earth notes at first, then moves into a deep core of fresh cherry. Fine tannins go nicely with well-balanced acidity. Drink…

WHITE WINES 93 Palmento Costanzo 2020 Contrada Cavaliere (Etna). Salt and lime blend with the scent of new sneakers for a refreshing, summery nose, and the palate feels equally sunny and fresh, with lemon, lime, grapefruit and yellow peach and lots of salt and sea air. Artisanal Cellars. —D.C. abv: 12% Price: $61 92 Cottanera 2021 Calderara (Etna). A nose that’s at first grassy and salty opens to reveal pink grapefruit, orange blossom, peach and even jasmine before a palate that’s full and ripe with more stone fruit, citrus and flowers but an almost saltwater finish. Indigenous Selections. —D.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $45 92 Feudo Montoni 2022 Timpa Grillo (Sicilia). White peaches, apricots and jasmine are on the nose with a spritz of lime that announces the coming citrus-soaked palate,…

DOURO 95 Quinta do Vale Meão 2019 Vinha dos Novos (Douro). From a single vineyard of Touriga Nacional, the wine has great structure as well as perfume. It is beautifully balanced, the tannins allowing the shine of the black fruits to come through. Drink the wine from 2025. Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits. —R.V. abv: 14% Price: $39 93 Quinta do Portal 2020 Reserva (Douro). Aged in wood for nine months, this black-fruited wine has a smooth texture, just hinting at the structure. It is a rich, full wine, ready to drink from 2024. M Imports, LLC. —R.V. abv: 14% Price: $35 92 Quinta da Côrte 2018 Grande Reserva (Douro). Approaching maturity, this rich wine still shows density, with a layer of firm tannins. It is a complex, dense wine…

While fruited beers are delicious any time of year, they seem to land better in the warmer months. This might be psychological. When the sights and smells of farmers’ markets appear in a well-poured glass of beer, it scratches a summertime itch. Much of the bounty that winds up in a beer recipe is fresh picked and processed by the brewers shortly before it’s added to a lager or ale. Fresh fruit is nothing new in beer. Styles that have long been established bring depth to a base beer. Modern brewers have traversed the globe to find both familiar and exotic flavors to add to their beers. The kriek, for example, is a Belgian-style ale that heavily relies on cherries for aging, color and flavor. The result is often both…