Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2024 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

I recently finished poring over the data from the Wine Market Council’s most recent study on younger consumers. I’m a member of the Wine Market Council board, which is a nonprofit group dedicated to researching trends in the wine world. While there was much to digest in the way of data, one point stood out to me above all else that I believe will resonate with every generation. The most common term used to describe wine occasions was the word “relaxing.” There’s something about wine that asks us to take a breath. Take a pause. Take a moment to connect. It’s an interesting note as we waltz our way into the holiday season—a time famous for its overstimulation, constant social interactions and scheduling complications. Whether it’s the family gatherings,…

REAL TALK: Eggnog is a holiday tradition, but it can be a bit of a snooze. Shake things up with espresso or cold brew for an eye-opening variation. Use your favorite eggnog recipe—spiked or not—or try the rich version served at Chez Georges in Hilton Head. “You can adjust the recipe to your liking by choosing different amounts of booze, more or less,” says bar manager Monica Collins. While you’re making a batch, she suggests bottling extra to give as holiday gifts. For extra special presentation appeal, Collins suggests serving this drink in vintage coupe glasses: “Find your favorites at estate sales, online, yard sales or flea markets.” PUNCH AU LAIT ESPRESSO (aka Eggnog Espresso Martini) Courtesy Monica Collins, beverage manager, Chez Georges Bistro & Bar, Hilton Head Island,…

The French appellation system is among the strictest in the world, with regulation after regulation detailing which grapes can be grown where and used in wine production. Hybrids rarely qualify. But, here’s a little secret: Many table wines from France’s Loire include a mixed-up mutt called Chambourcin. “This is not reported often in the wine press, or to the French government, but Chambourcin is often blended with Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley,” says J. Stephen Casscles, who owns Cedar Cliff Vineyards and Nursery in Athens, N.Y., and wrote Grapes of the Hudson Valley and Other Cool Climate Regions of the United States and Canada. “What is labeled as an Anjou Rosé is often Chambourcin, but due to French regulations, it is passed off as being a Cabernet Franc…

I’ve made no secret of my disapproval of super over proof whiskeys, the ones that numb your lips with the first sip and require gallons of water to proof down to palatability. But I recently learned a new (unofficial) term: hazmat whiskey. As in, they are bottled at such a high alcohol level (70% abv/140 proof or higher) that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not allow them on aircraft since the whiskey poses danger as an accelerant and possible explosion risk on a flight. Over the past few years, proof levels have crept ever higher. Forty percent abv (80 proof) might have once been the standard; now, it seems, 45% (90 proof) is the new 40. But why stop there when you can do 100 or higher? (See:…

STAFF EDITORS Anna-Christina Cabrales: Burgundy, Rhône Valley Cody Wexler: Provence WRITERS AT LARGE Michael Alberty: Oregon, Washington, Canada Elaine Chukan Brown Napa Valley Danielle Callegari: Tuscany & Southern Italy Tom R. Capo: Sonoma County Cheron Cowan: Virginia Matt Kettmann: Central & South Coast California Kara Newman: Spirits, RTD Christina Pickard: Australia, New Zealand, England, New York Tonya Pitts: Northern California & California AVA Jeff Porter: Piedmont & Northern Italy Emily Saladino: Greece, Georgia, Hungary Reggie Solomon: Beaujolais, Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, Southern Coastal Spain Jesica Vargas: South America & South Africa Roger Voss: Portugal, France: Bordeaux, Champagne, Southwest & Other France Aleks Zecevic: Alsace, Vin de France, Austria, Germany TASTING METHODOLOGY AND GOALS All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights…

FRANCIACORTA 98 Barone Pizzini 2016 Bagnadore Riserva (Franciacorta). A wine lover’s delight, this Franciacorta is a study in contrasts. Baked apples, lemons, buttery croissants, elegant oak spice and fresh cream intertwine on the nose. The palate is voluminous, cranked up to 11, with ginger spice and mixed citrus cream balanced by vibrant acidity. Structured and boasting an incredible texture, this solid wine leaves a lasting impression that is hard to shake. Drink now–2040. Winebow Imports. Cellar Selection. —J.P. abv: 12% Price: $80 98 Ca’ del Bosco 2015 Annamaria Clementi (Franciacorta). The moment the cork is pulled, the entire room will pay attention. Aromas of baked pear tart, topped by savory herbs and delicate flowers, crowned with warm brown butter and candied lemon peel, spill from the glass. This Franciacorta…

RED WINES FLEURIE 94 Château Bellevue 2021 (Fleurie). Made from 60-year-old vines, the wine opens with black plum, cracked pink peppercorns, Darjeeling tea and fresh black cherry. A touch of mouthwatering acidity leads on the attack followed by supple, well-integrated tannins and field herbs that roll around in dried hay and a summer-afternoon raspberry patch. This wine would pair well with clams casino, panko-encrusted chicken and ramen noodles. Cognac One, LLC. Editors’ Choice. —R.S. abv: 13.5% Price: $35 93 Château de la Chaize 2022 La Chapelle des Bois (Fleurie). This is a standout Fleurie. Delicate, floral aromas waft from the glass along with hibiscus, red raspberry, Darjeeling tea, pomegranate and dried cherry. A silky palate frames wellintegrated fruit and entices the senses with subtle moments of savoriness that emerge…

RED WINES CÔTE-RÔTIE 97 Domaine Guy Bernard 2020 Coteau de Bassenon (Côte-Rôtie). High-toned cassis, purple plums, figs, black cherry, and violet make for a vibrant and fresh aromatic profile. The palate, though currently subdued, reveals soft plum, briny olives, and thyme. Silky tannins are integrating nicely, making it easy to drink now. Enjoy with a proper decant or cellar well through 2035+ to unlock its full potential. Kysela Pére et Fils, Ltd. Cellar Selection. —A.C.C. abv: 13.5% Price: $96 96 Domaine Guy Bernard 2020 Côte Rozier (Côte-Rôtie). Aromas of fresh black plum, saffron, and brown mushroom quickly move to aromas of scorched earth. The palate reveals a slight iodine note that transitions into pure ripe black plum, evoking the sensation of actually biting into one. The finish is layered…

Tequila remains on the rise. Mixed into iconic drinks like Margaritas and Palomas and backed by celebrities galore, no wonder Mexico’s beloved agave spirit is firmly on the ascent. According to the Distilled SpiritsCouncil, tequila sales rose 8% in 2023 versus the previous year; tequila threatens to unseat vodka’s hold on the top spot. One reason for tequila’s popularity: There’s more than one kind of tequila. Those who favor white spirits like vodka might gravitate toward blanco, while whiskey fans might enjoy the similar caramel and spice of longer-aged añejos. And between those flavor profiles, you’ll find versatile reposado, which “rests” in oak for at least two months but less than one year. That Goldilocks amount of resting time means mellow honey or roasted tropical-fruit tones, without obscuring the…

GLOBAL FLAVORS WITH VENTISQUERO WINE ESTATES As summer came to an end, Wine Enthusiast partnered with Ventisquero Wine Estates to bring a luxury dining experience to wine industry and hospitality professionals. The afternoon event took place at NARO, located at the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Jesica Vargas, who reviews Latin America for this magazine, curated a selection of Ventisquero’s Chilean wines to harmoniously complement NARO’s Korean contemporary dishes. Vargas was joined by winery owner Maria Jose Vial and chief winemaker Felipe Tosso to share insights and stories behind these South American wines. SIP OF ITALY More than 400 guests crowded into NYC’s City Winery next to Hudson River Park for the inaugural Sip of Italy on September 10. Nearly 50 Italian wineries poured 300-plus wines that scored at least…

WHAT WE KNOW AS THE VANILLA “BEAN” IS ACTUALLY THE DRIED FRUIT OF AN ORCHID. Because the plants are hand-harvested and the curing process is so labor-intensive, it’s the second most expensive spice by weight (saffron being first). There are over 150 species in the vanilla genus, the most common being Madagascar (aka Bourbon) vanilla (rich and creamy), Mexican vanilla (deep and spicy) and Tahitian vanilla (fruity and floral)—buy all three and test your tasting skills. Although its enormous popularity as a flavoring has made the word vanilla synonymous with “basic,” its flavor is anything but. Try adding extra to your next vanilla dessert (using beans or vanilla paste, not extract) and prepare to fall in love with vanilla all over again. Try it in seafood with in an…

Rip out this page and stuff it in your pocket for when you go to the wine shop next or just search wineenthusiast.com/ratings. Top 5 Editors’ Choice They might not be Best Buys (because they are more than $20) but our editors either think they over deliver or they are really special. 96 Famille Joly 2022 Clos de la Bergerie Chenin Blanc (Savennières) Price: $87 abv: 15% 96 Giant Steps 2022 Tarraford Chardonnay (Yarra Valley) Price: $80 abv: 13% 96 Ricci Curbastro 2014 Gualberto Dosagio Zero Sparkling Blend (Franciacorta) Price: $40 abv: 12.5% 95 Holocene 2022 Codex Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) Price: $85 abv: 13.7% 95 Piper-Heidsieck 2014 Rare Millésime Rosé Brut Champagne Blend (Champagne) Price: $450 abv: 12.5% Top 5 Hidden Gems These wines may be atypical but…

By the year 1400, the Italian city of Florence had established itself as the political heart of Tuscany under the rule of the Medici family. But two centuries earlier things were not so clear. The 13th century was rife with factionalism and brutal violence in the region, and no one city or ruling family had the upper hand. Among the contenders undermining Florentine superiority were the Pazzi di Valdarno, a proud noble line from the valley of the Arno river in southeast Tuscany. The attacks the Pazzi waged on Florence were so unrelenting and effective they forced the Florentines into walling the small towns of San Giovanni Valdarno and Castelfranco di Sopra to defend their positions there, and resulted in the family’s expulsion on pain of death from Florentine-controlled…

CHARDONNAY 95 Samsara 2022 Francesca Vineyard Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills). Tightly wound aromas of crisp Asian pear, brisk white melon, sliced citrus and mint chiffonade entice the nose into this two barrel, single-vineyard expression. The palate is bright, fresh and pithy, showing jicama, more Asian pear and underripe melon flavors. —M.K. abv: 13.4% Price: $64 94 Beauregard 2022 Bald Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay (Ben Lomond Mountain). Brisk aromas of scallop shell and lemon verbena meet with nectarine and Eureka lemon on the exciting nose of this bottling. The palate is clean and refreshing with texturally compelling elements from tip to finish, offering citrus peel and flesh flavors alongside lime soaked jicama and Asian pear. —M.K. abv: 13.5% Price: $65 93 Far Mountain 2021 Myrna Chardonnay (Sonoma Valley). Bright and focused…

RED WINES 99 Masseto 2021 (Toscana). Our entire adult lives are spent trying to reclaim the wonder of our childhood—the enchantment of Disney World, the legend of Santa Claus, the belief in miracles that is slowly eroded with age. Masseto is always a wine that brings back that magic, but Gaia allows you to get up out of your seat and watch her sleight of hand from a nose-length. I dare you to figure out how she does it, and I defy you not to gasp with delight at the reveal. Drink now or hold until you next feel your faith faltering. Vintus LLC. Cellar Selection. —D.C. abv: 15.5% Price: $860 98 Le Macchiole 2021 Messorio (Toscana). Implacable is the word that comes to mind at the first sip…

VINTAGE 98 Charles Heidsieck 2014 Blanc des Millénaires Brut (Champagne). This is an iconic wine—a pure expression of Chardonnay. With its intense crisp apple aroma and just the first hint of toasty maturity, the Champagne is perfectly in balance. Drink this fine wine now. Folio Fine Wine Partners. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 12% Price: $340 96 Billecart-Salmon 2012 Louis Salmon Blanc de Blancs (Champagne). Produced from top parcels of Chardonnay in the Côte des Blancs, this fine Champagne is impressive. It is rich and mature, the almond aroma and croissant flavor balanced by still-bright citrus and minerality. It is a great wine, just right, ready to drink. Billecart Salmon USA. —R.V. abv: 12% Price: $221 95 Billecart-Salmon 2012 Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé (Champagne). First produced in 1988 and made…

WHITE WINES CHARDONNAY 96 Giant Steps 2022 Tarraford Chardonnay (Yarra Valley). Of this producer’s trio of single-vineyard Chards, Tarraford is the most immediately lovable and refreshing now thanks to a salt-flecked citrus note throughout. It combines with subtle vanilla, toast, nougat and flint characters. The palate is seamlessly balanced with some weight and power but also lovely lifted acidity and texture. Drink now–2032. Jackson Family Wines. Editors’ Choice. —C.P. abv: 13% Price: $80 95 Giant Steps 2022 Sexton Chardonnay (Yarra Valley). Sexton is the richest of the trio of single-vineyard Yarra Chards. Medium gold in hue, it opens with opulent aromas of caramel, gingersnap, citrus and mushroom. Its generosity on the palate is brightened by lovely, unforced acidity. Long, with a mineral note creeping in amid the more polished…

“Whatever our destination lacked in sun and pétanque, we would make up for in pastis.” In my 20s I fell under the spell of Peter Mayle’s memoirs from the South of France. More specifically, I fell in love with the idea of pastis. Mayle’s descriptions of townspeople sipping the anise liqueur between afternoon games of pétanque became the focus of my wanderlust, and I painted myself and my young husband into each scene, always with slender glasses of Pernod Ricard’s finest in hand. When it came to fulfilling that fantasy, our entry-level salaries couldn’t afford August in Provence; we could, however, swing November in Paris. I had always pictured my first time in France as a midsummer’s Provençal reverie, but on the flight from California, I reasoned that whatever…

“On Orthodox Christmas Eve, when dairy and other animal products are forbidden, my mom makes djul pita—basically baklava’s drier, meaner cousin. You choke it down because tradition says so, but it’s like eating soil. Every year we down drinks (most likely my mom’s mulled wine, but I’d prefer a bottle of the juicy Beaujolais my cousin makes at Domaine du Château du Grand Pré Fleurie Cuvée Spaciale) to survive it.”–Aleks Zecevic, Writer-at-Large, Alsace, Vin de France, Austria & Germany “My father would go to South 9th Street in Philly near where he grew up and deliver to us suburbanites a tower of pignolis, leaf, rainbow and cavallucci cookies, ricotta cannolis, plus a few boxes of Ferrara branded Torrones candies. My mom taught me how to make proper pizzelles with…

Jamie Evans, aka The Herb Somm, is making it a green Christmas. I had a lot of fun with the winter chapter,” says Herb Somm Jamie Evans. “I really tried to dive into not only things like the roots, so the ginger and the turmeric that you’re going to find during wintertime, but also the festive type of ingredients that we use throughout that time of season.” One of the scents of the season you’ll find in candles, car air fresheners, at the tree lot and in the bowl or bong is pinene, the terpene that comes from not only cannabis, but is also found wafting from pine trees. The book contains a terpene guide; you can dial in the amount of Christmas cheer (in more ways than one)…

Small tri-clamps like these, usually 1 to 3 inches in diameter, closed tight against gaskets, might be all that’s keeping hundreds of gallons of wine from rushing out of stainless steel tanks. If it’s not screwed down all the way, a gradual drip of Cabernet or Nebbiolo might turn into a steady stream that could become a very costly fountain. They also attach hoses to pumps, racking arms to shut-off valves and every Erector-set fantasy cellar scenario of pipe to elbow to concentric reducer to sight glass to gauge to tee to whatever you can imagine. Tool courtesy of Anamaly Vineyards…

In Ahr Valley, water washed away wineries, vineyards and lives in 2021—the rebuilding has taught some powerful lessons. As I talk to Dörte Näkel of her family winery, Meyer-Näkel, a lump forms in my throat. Driving through her hometown of Dernau, Germany, she recalls how she and her sister Meike clung to a tree during the July 2021 flood that devastated the Ahr wine region. The sisters watched in horror as their entire lives were swept away by the river. Their colleague, Julia Bertram of Bertram-Baltes winery, avoids talking about it. I don’t blame her. For days, she didn't know if her husband, Benedikt Baltes, was alive until someone spotted him on the other side of the river. Nearly every wine producer in the region was affected. “The Ahr…

WHITE WINES ALTO ADIGE 97 Cantina Tramin 2016 Epokale (Alto Adige). This wine is a golden, luscious and rich, but supremely well balanced. The aromas flow out of the glass like a waterfall, with notes of mango, lychee, white pepper, candied flowers and warmed honey. Heady as the nose is, the palate is just as forward but there is balance to the force. Grilled pineapple and roasted peaches greet the palate, as lemon pepper tickles the mouth. A rush of acidity keeps the wine in balance. A wine for the ages. Drink now–2050. Winebow Imports. Cellar Selection. —J.P. abv: 12.5% Price: $190 93 Cantina Tramin 2022 Stoan (Alto Adige). This heady white wine opens with aromas of candied lemon peel, delicate pink rose petals, and a medley of tropical…

MARSALA 100 Francesco Intorcia Heritage 1980 Riserva Vergine Secco (Marsala). Liquid gold in the glass and warm and salty on the nose—a treasure chest laden with sultanas, orange peel, mango and white chocolate that sinks into a deep sea dive on the palate, with seaweed and crushed shells, followed by a bends-inducing ascent back to the surface propelled by distilled rare citrus flavors, Buddha’s hand, citron, Zagara, late tangerine. Jason and his Argonauts must have felt this when they saw Colchis on the horizon. Multiple U.S. importers. Cellar Selection. —D.C. abv: 18% Price: $NA 98 Francesco Intorcia Heritage 2004 Superiore Ambra Dolce (Marsala). The nose has the scent and comfort of an embrace that could make you cry from letting go of something—heady with milk chocolate, maple syrup, hazelnut…

MUSCADET DE SÈVRE ET MAINE 94 Domaine Delaunay 2019 Goulaine (Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Gorges). This wine is a caress in a glass. Golden in hue, the wine has a smile-inducing nose of warm orchard fruit, including yellow apple and sun-warmed pear followed by dried honeysuckle petals. The palate is rich and creamy with hints of ginger and toasted slivered almonds. The beautiful wine demands reflection. Wine Wine Situation. Editors’ Choice. —R.S. abv: 13% Price: $43 93 Château Guipière 2021 La Tour Vieilles Vignes Sur Lie (Muscadet Sèvre et Maine). A pure delight from start to finish, this comfort wine wants to give you a hug. The soulful Muscadet opens with warm baking spices, fresh-out-of-the oven apple pie, brioche and candied lemon peel. A mix of tart and…

WHITE WINES SEMILLON 93 Boekenhoutskloof 2019 Semillon (Franschhoek). Delightful notes of green apple, apricot and honey burst on the nose of this oldvine Semillon. The textured palate reveals intense flavors of pomelo, lemon, white tea and dried mint. Peppercorn and ginger lengthen the spice and citrus finish. This wine has complexity and great structure. Enjoy now or store in the cellar through 2028. Vineyard Brands. Editors’ Choice. —J.V. abv: 13.5% Price: $54 93 Sadie Family 2021 Kokerboom Semillon (Swartland). This Semillon has a delicate bouquet of almonds and hints of lime. It shows structure and balance. Ginger and other baking spices are followed by lemon, chamomile and hints of nuts, complementing the lively and delightful palate. Broadbent Selections, Inc. —J.V. abv: 14.5% Price: $88 92 Boekenhoutskloof 2020 Semillon (Swartland).…