Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2025 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

A few weeks into harvest’s 14-hour workdays, all the grapes start blurring together. But then there’s Petite Pearl. And it’s the type of grape that can make even the sleep-deprived harvest interns poke their heads out and wonder: “What is this?” Its dense clusters of small, blue-black berries are unlike almost anything else on the crush pad. It’s truly “in a lane of its own,” says Tyzok Wharton, winemaker at Carboy, which has four locations throughout Colorado. When they first started working with the grape in 2017, they weren’t quite sure what to do with it. They set out to make a rosé but they ended up doing a sought-after single-varietal red. Petite Pearl was bred in Minnesota by Tom Plocher, owner of Plocher Vines. His goal was to…

You can’t help but become captivated when someone mentions Rosa Chardonnay, an enigmatic grape also sometimes called Chardonnay Rose (like the flower), the naming of which has nothing to do with rosé (though it could make one). An ultra-rare mutation of Chardonnay with pink skins, it is stubbornly resistant to googling (and also likely bunch rot and botrytis). The path to tracking down its provenance and plantings outside France is considerably more book-based. A small tonnage appears every year on the Lodi Winegrape Commission’s grape report because LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards has nine rows planted (and, according to President Marrissa Lange, intends to make sparkling wine from them). Then, the trail goes somewhat cold. There are conflicting reports of where the unique mutation originated. While the grape can…

It’s 2 a.m., and I’ve landed in the more bougie side of Montréal, indulging in the requisite late-night snack at Poutine La Banquise, tucked in the heart of the Plateau. A sip of beer cuts through the grease in the air I just breathed in. Locals swear this rendition of poutine is the best in town, and I won’t argue. On golden paper, fries, cheese curds and gravy sound deceptively simple, but here in Montréal they are like nowhere else. Dammit Montréal, you hold me hostage. Arriving in Montréal earlier that day meant connecting almost immediately with my bestie, Gilbert Lemieux—a name in this city’s bar scene that is treasured royalty. You can find him at Maison Boulud in the Ritz-Carlton Montréal. Sit at the bar, order a martini…

WHITE WINES MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 94 Domaine des Tilleuls 2022 Les Vénérables Vieilles Vignes (Muscadet Sèvre et Maine). This cerebral Muscadet presents an alluring, dried herb-filled cacophony of aromas that is different from anything you’ve likely experienced. The nose bathes in crab apple, yogurt, white peach, singed sagebrush and brioche, while the palate largely abandons the herbal character in favor of sun kissed orchard fruit. The wine is a chameleon in a glass that would pair well with herb-leaning and hearty dishes such as Shepherd’s pie. SAS des Tilleuls. Editor’s Choice. —R.S. abv: 12% Price: $22 94 Domaine des Tilleuls 2019 Vallet (Muscadet Sèvre et Maine). This bottling is for wine lovers who appreciate thoughtfully made, aged Muscadet. Complex, well-integrated-fruit aromas seduce on the nose. Golden apple and…

RED WINES VINSOBRES 93 Château de Rouanne 2021 Les Cotes (Vinsobres). This wine impresses with its range and depth of aromas, offering rich dark fruits alongside beefy and leathery aromas. The palate is concentrated and balanced, with a silky black-fruit midpalate that carries through the finish, supported by vibrant acidity. Silky tannins and its refined nature make it enjoyable now, though it has excellent cellaring potential well into 2035+. Chateau de Rouanne. —A.C.C. abv: 15% Price: $80 92 Château de Rouanne 2021 Rouanne et les Crottes (Vinsobres). This wine offers an alluring mix of cassis, leather and violet aromas with smoky, earthy undertones. Dark fruits and olives fill the palate, leading to a vibrant finish. Its bright acidity and evolving complexity benefit from a proper decant, revealing the wine’s…

If a spicy margarita is your go-to, you do want this smoke. Featuring mezcal—an agave-based spirit that resembles blanco tequila with a bit of vegetal sass—it’s practically a road trip in a glass, paying homage to three key points in Mexico. From north to south, the recipe was devised in San Miguel de Allende, in the Colonial Highlands. But Mexico City plays a role too; award-winning Handshake Speakeasy, located in the central, cosmopolitan capital, has a hand in the drinks at the luxe Casa di Sierra Nevada resort. And winding farther south, mezcal, the agave spirit that’s one of Oaxaca’s most beloved exports, forms the core of this cocktail, accented with fresh mint and habanero—tied together with an unexpected splash of herbaceous absinthe. If possible, opt for an espadin…

IN Hong Kong, a liquor bottle might hold much more than the liquid inside it. Reviving Cantonese spirits has become a passion of Gavin Yeung, who went from covering the bar scene as an editor at Tatler Dining Hong Kong to shaping it as cofounder of restaurant and bar Kinsman. Since Hong Kong’s handover from the UK back to China in 1997—and the subsequent diffusion of Mandarin throughout the city—the desire of younger generations to maintain a connection with Cantonese (which has become a signifier of local identity) has never been stronger. Cantonese became the dominant language in 1842. Subsequently, the swift growth in the finance and shipping industries helped turn present-day Hong Kong into the world’s prominent hub of Cantonese culture as it became a center for liquor…

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 96 Copia Vineyards and Winery 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles Willow Creek District). Baked cherry and dark cocoa aromas are rich and inviting on the nose of this wine, which is glazed in expertly integrated oak elements. The palate is smoothly polished and yet firm, pairing savory nut and coffee-spice flavors with ripe red fruit and a slowly rising acidity that picks up vanilla on the finish. Drink now–2034. Cellar Selection. —M.K. abv: 15.2% Price: $85 95 Jada Vineyard & Winery 2021 WCS Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles Willow Creek District). Dense and concentrated in the glass, this bottling pairs rich blackberry and loamy soil aromas with nutmeg, clove and gingerbread spices. The palate’s fine tannins and subtle spices are suavely integrated into the potent dark-fruit flavors,…

RED WINES MARGAUX 96 Château d’Issan 2022 (Margaux). Impressive is the word for this fine wine with its ancient estate and moated château. Solid tannins and fragrant black fruits are backed by a dense texture and richness. The black-coffee aroma and richness are developing well, but need time. Drink from 2029. Château d’Issan. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 14.5% Price: $74 96 Château Giscours 2022 (Margaux). This great estate, with its mix of park, woods and vines, is reliably producing a very fine wine. Ripe, succulent, with powerful tannins cushioned by solid fruit, the wine’s toast and spice aroma and firm structure are impressive. Drink from 2029. Château Giscours. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 13.5% Price: $69 96 Châteu Brane-Cantenac 2022 (Margaux). This is a very fine wine. It has a…

RED WINES BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 96 Fattoria La Lecciaia 2019 Vigna Manapetra (Brunello di Montalcino). Hot tar, wild thyme and oregano give way to dried figs and rose petals on the nose. Juicy but lively wild strawberries and fresh raspberries take over the palate, then grow more indulgent with chocolate-covered dried cherries. Polished, sleek tannins ensure a mouth-filling, luxurious experience. Fattoria la Lecciaia. —D.C. abv: 14% Price: $50 96 Pietroso 2020 (Brunello di Montalcino). The nose is delicate and inviting, with aromas of flowers, fresh berries and a bit of milk chocolate. Sweet cherries and citrus blossoms bloom on the palate, while a sprinkle of salt provides balance and electric acid buzzes around tannins which are firm, but polished and flexible. Azienda Agricola Pietroso. —D.C. abv: 15% Price: $120…

Fans of global cuisines will want to snag a bottle of brown sugar-based rum. This nascent category reflects a wide range of cultures that use brown sugar in various forms for cooking. Think India’s jaggery, Japan’s Kokuto or panela, piloncillo, chancaca and rapadura—just some of the names used in Mexico and Latin American countries. “It’s many names for the same thing,” explains rum expert Peter Holland—in short, cane juice boiled down to an unrefined sugar (as opposed to refined white sugar), and sometimes packed into shapes like cones (panela/piloncillo), bricks or balls (jaggery). In this solid form, it offers numerous benefits to rum makers, he notes: “You’ve got a source that can be more readily stored, and takes up less space, has a smaller carbon footprint to transport and…

Chinola brand passion fruit liqueur is made from ripe passion fruit, cane sugar and neutral spirit, and—to this food editor anyway—is the best offering of passion fruit in alcohol form. It’s a bar staple for any tropical drink lover. #notanad THERE’S SOMETHING TRANSPORTIVE ABOUT PASSION FRUIT. Maybe it’s because most people from the U.S. (save for Hawaii) didn’t grow up around its intoxicating aroma, reminiscent of flowers and musk—maybe an air of mystery. Its sharp taste sings of the tropics, as if a citrus party were crashed by mango, guava, lychee, vanilla and tamarind. Until recently, it was hard to find passion fruit except in artificial form or combined with too many other fruits and a lot of sugar. Now, you can find 100% passion fruit pulp, frozen pieces…

Often tossed aside as wretched wastelands, dismissed deserts hide plenty of life—and flavors. This covert cornucopia only amplifies with altitude. Distillers across the American Southwest are stepping out of more temperate-climate ingredients by responsibly sourcing native bark, resin, berries and wood from the Mojave. Gaining ground and reputation by leaning into ancient staples, here’s a field guide to the high desert harvest shaping the future of spirits. Mesquite IDENTIFICATION: Mesquite grows as a small, scrubby tree for up to 200 years on hillsides without much water. They thrust up to 50 feet tall with droopy shade branches along water. Mesquite has rough and shaggy bark, narrow leaves, yellow seed pods and infamous thorns. WHERE TO FIND IT: This tenacious desert native hails from the American Southwest and Texas. While…

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 Best Buys These wines represent the highest quality-to-price ratio at $20 or less. 94 Mazzei 2020 Castello di Fonterutoli Poggio Badiola Gran Selezione Red Blend (Chianti Classico) Price: $14 abv: 13% 93 CRU Winery 2023 Albariño (San Luis Obispo Coast) Price: $20 abv: 13.5% 92 Bedouet 2023 Le Domaine Sur Lie 92 Melon de Bourgogne Muscadet (Sèvre et Maine) Price: $18 abv: 12.5% 92 San Felo 2021 Lampo Sangiovese 92 (Morellino di Scansano) Price: $14 abv: 13.5% 92 Château de Chantegrive 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon (Graves) Price: $18 abv: 13% Top 5 Hidden Gems These wines may be atypical but they are worth trying—especially…

If you visit 10R Winery on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, you won’t find a fancy tasting room. Nestled on a hillside about an hour east of Sapporo, its production facilities are ringed by just over two acres of picturesque vineyards. But despite humble appearances, it would be hard to find a person who has contributed more to Hokkaido’s modern wine scene than its founder, Bruce Gutlove. Gutlove’s fascination with wine began when he was an undergrad at Cornell University in New York’s Finger Lakes Wine Country. After attaining a Master of Enology from University of California, Davis, he worked for several years in Napa Valley before moving into consulting. One day in 1989 a call came in from Japan’s COCO Farm & Winery north of Tokyo. COCO, which…

RED WINES FLEURIE 93 Annick Bachelet 2023 (Fleurie). This is a fun Fleurie to enjoy on the beach. Ripe red raspberry, rhubarb and fresh cranberry aromas mingle with dried blackberry flakes and strawberry puree. Pencil shavings and red plum bounce around on the juicy, lively midpalate. W. Direct. —R.S. abv: 13% Price: $30 93 Château des Jacques 2022 (Fleurie). This svelte, polished Fleurie draws you in to it. Dark-fruit aromas undergirded by red raspberry and a whiff of hibiscus open on the nose along with a tinge of strawberry blossom. Well-integrated red and black fruit rides in parallel with silky tannins that caress the inside of your cheek. Pair with filet mignon and choice meat cuts or roasted portobello mushroom. Chateau des Jacques. Editor’s Choice. —R.S. abv: 14.5% Price:…

ROSÉ WINES COTEAUX D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE 93 Château Vignelaure 2023 (Coteaux d’Aixen-Provence). The nose of this wine is like fresh rainfall sweetened by orange blossom and peach. The palate opens with a pleasant bitterness that evolves into a spicy peach finish that lingers in this mouthcoating rosé. Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd. —C.W. abv: 13% Price: $NA 92 Moncigale 2023 Villa Moncigale Cicada la Légende (Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence). Floral in character, the nose is complex with aromas of melon, peach, mint and wet stones. The wine is crisp and silky on the palate, with tart flavors of green apple and grapefruit. Boisset Collection. —C.W. abv: 12.5% Price: $NA 90 Commanderie de la Bargemone 2023 Libre (Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence). Lively aromas of strawberry bubblegum, green apple and mint are present on the nose of this…

CHARDONNAY 94 Golan Heights Winery 2022 Yarden Katzrin Chardonnay (Galilee). This substantial, mature Chardonnay abounds with complexity. Shimmery gold in color, the wine has an alluring and powerful nose of freshly baked apple pie, vanilla-and-cinnamon baking spice, bread dough, charred wood, pear compote, dried mango and orange peel. Flavors of freshly toasted brioche abound on the palate with orchard fruit in the lead of the taste. Yarden Wines, Inc. Editor’s Choice. —R.S. abv: 14.5% Price: $40 93 Golan Heights 2022 Yarden Chardonnay (Galilee). This is a delicately balanced wine. Regally gold in color, the wine opens with a nose of baked golden apple, pear compote, dried pineapple and orange peel with just the faintest suggestion of sweet baking spice. Orchard fruit wrestles with lightly toasted oak on the palate…

It may seem hard to imagine, but just a couple of decades ago, good rye whiskey was hard to find. It was considered a pre-Prohibition relic—if you were drinking American whiskey, it was corn-fed bourbon for you, buddy. But bartenders led the charge to bring it back; after all, rye whiskey was a key component for making classic cocktails like Manhattans and Sazeracs. As the cocktail revolution gathered speed, so did the rye revival. Over time, farmers and agricultural specialists planted heirloom rye varieties, replenishing access to flavorful grains that had been nearly forgotten. In turn, distillers turned those ryes into special whiskeys. Today, rye whiskey is plentiful. A vast and growing number of American distilleries turn out rye (where the grain mixture includes at least 51% rye—but often…

You and your tour guide, a chipper wine educator named Cody, are helplessly lost in some of the longest and largest wine caves in the world, stretching for miles under the ground. You walk for hours while Cody drones on about oak from different forests and a laundry list of various aging times. But then Cody goes silent-rounding a corner of a long tunnel after opening a creaky wrought-iron gate, you happen upon a pile of bones. What should you do? If you decide to play it safe and go right back to the entrance at the mouth of the cave, turn to page 43. But Cody has told you about one of the rarest and most exquisite aged wines in the world that lays ahead. If you choose…