Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Though wine has a place at our tables all year long, the holidays are the time when we pull out all the stops, showcasing our best or most interesting bottles and recipes for friends and family. In this issue’s entertaining story by Lifestyle & Entertaining Editors Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen (page 44), we tackle two approaches to the wine-driven holiday party based on space: urban and country. In fact, the two of us represent these most common situations: Susan in her Manhattan apartment, and Adam in his Westchester home north of the city. Though our spaces vary considerably in size, we’re both committed to throwing a party that’s elegant, interactive and festive. Susan has made use of every surface possible for a varied array of stemware, party plates and…

Wine makes for a wonderful holiday gift, especially when you’re on the receiving end. But once the haul has been pulled in, you want to ensure that your newfound collection doesn’t fade before you can enjoy it. Take these steps to preserve your precious presents. BEAT THE HEAT Heat is the ultimate wine assassin. Wine finds its happy place when stored at around 55˚F. Warmer temperatures speed up the aging process, while cooler ones can halt it. Additionally, widely fluctuating temperatures can ruin a potentially great bottle over time. BE CORK CONSCIOUS Even with the popularity of screw tops, the majority of wine bottles still use traditional corks. Maintaining a relative humidity between 50–80-percent helps keep corks intact. Extended periods of low humidity can dry them out, possibly leading to…

When it comes to eggs, fresh is usually best. But this holiday season, you may find aged eggnog in your cup. A growing number of bartenders are experimenting with aging eggnog for months, or even years. At Willa Jean in New Orleans, baker Lisa White offers a rich, creamy Creole Eggnog, which sits in the refrigerator for three months before serving. “It’s similar to baking,” says White, who frequently dabbles with limoncellos and other DIY liqueurs. “You have to make it, and then you wait.” She likens her version to zabaglione, a custard-like Italian dessert. It’s made with cooked eggs and sugar, cold-brew coffee, orange zest and spices, plus plenty of Bourbon, applejack and pecan liqueur. She stores it in a refrigerator and whisks the mixture daily. Eventually, the alcohol…

For wine lovers, the onset of the holidays means that we’ll be buried under a mountain of new wine books, from tomes like Karen MacNeil’s updated edition of The Wine Bible and Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion to Wine to breezier efforts like Oz Clarke’s The History of Wine in 100 Bottles. By and large, these are thoughtful, knowledge-laden, often entertaining works. And, by and large, they will gather dust on your bookshelf, because they cannot teach you how to be a better wine taster. If you’re not already part of an ongoing tasting group, why not make it a New Year’s resolution to start one? I’m not against books, but some things must be learned by doing. If you want to play music, you need to play an instrument, not…

Thanks to a string of outstanding vintages over the last two decades, Italy’s most celebrated wine regions are on a roll. Even though years like 1964, 1971 and 1978 are legendary in Piedmont, and 1955, 1970 and 1975 evoke similar feelings in Tuscany, stellar vintages used to be few and far between. But toward the late 1990s, things began to change. Better vineyard management—better clones, lower yields and gentler/fewer chemical treatments—coupled with drier, warmer growing seasons throughout the peninsula have regularly produced wines that can age gracefully for decades. Producers point out that until the mid-1990s, they used to have two, occasionally three, outstanding vintages every decade. The other years were mediocre, if not downright dismal. Now, it’s the opposite. Each of the last few decades have boasted seven or…

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/Senior Editor Lauren Buzzeo, Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa, Managing Editor Joe Czerwinski, Assistant Tasting Director Alexander Peartree, Contributing Editors Michael Schachner, Anna Lee C. Iijima, 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; and Contributing Editors Paul Gregutt and Sean Sullivan in Washington. If a wine was evaluated by a single reviewer, that taster’s initials appear following the note. When no initials appear following…

RED WINES DOURO 94 Herdade do Esporão 2011 Quinta dos Murças Reserva ( Douro ). For full review see page 110. abv: 14% Price: $42 92 Companhia das Quintas 2012 Quinta da Fronteira Grande Reserva ( Douro ). The combination of acidity, dark fruits and a minerality give this wine both great density and a fine potential. It is firm, showing the terroir of the Douro well in its grainy texture while also bringing acidity into play. It is young, concentrated and needs to age. Drink from 2017. Flavor Seekers . — R.V. abv: 14% Price: $60 92 Quinta das Carvalhas 2012 Reserva ( Douro ). This is an initially smooth wood-aged wine that is intense, concentrated and packed with power and tannins. It is rich and full of brooding…

SWEET WINES 96 Emmerich Knoll 2013 Loibner Grüner Veltliner Auslese ( Wachau). Hints of moss, yeast and freshly zested orange peel edged with pine honey initially suggest a dry wine. It is only on the palate that the richer and sweeter Auslese character comes to bear—again in the guise of dark, aromatic pine honey. The concentrated, deliciously bitter zestiness of the acidity, paired with the aromatically dark and equally bitter edge of the resinous honey provide a wonderful structure. While sweetness peaks up, it never gains the upper hand. This is a tight-rope walker of a wine with immense balance and poise. Glints of vanilla pod, candied peel and white pepper open up, vista after vista. If you are new to Gruner Auslese, this is the one to get you…

CHARDONNAY 96 Gary Farrell 2013 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay ( Sonoma Valley). For full review see page 107. Cellar Selection. abv: 13.8% Price: $55 95 Gary Farrell 2013 Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay ( Russian River Valley ). For full review see page 108. Cellar Selection. abv: 14.1% Price: $55 95 Joseph Phelps 2013 Freestone Vineyards Estate Grown Chardonnay ( Sonoma Coast ). For full review see page 108. Editors’ Choice. abv: 13.5% Price: $55 95 Thomas Fogarty 2012 Langley Hill Vineyard Estate Grown Chardonnay ( Santa Cruz Mountains ). For full review see page 108. Editors’ Choice. abv: 13.3% Price: $60 94 Ch.igai Takaha 2013 Samurai Chardonnay ( Sta. Rita Hills ). This collaboration between American winemakers Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton and Japanese entrepreneur Takahide Sugimoto is stunningly high-toned and buttoned-up…

The first time I visited France’s famed Cognac region, I collected more bottles than could possibly fit in my luggage. It was only with great reluctance that I abandoned several precious bottles in my hotel room. So I empathized when I read the news in August that an airline passenger opted to chug an entire bottle of XO Cognac before boarding her flight in Beijing, rather than leave the bottle behind. I would never advocate such extreme measures, of course, but it’s easy to understand the impulse. For centuries, Cognac has been considered one of the finest expressions of the grape. Today, Cognac continues to dazzle, whether through masterful blends or the small (but growing) ranks of laser-focused single vintage, single vineyard or even single barrel bottlings. This iconic spirit—the…

Just ask Jon Snow: Cold weather calls for hearty wine, and what better choice than something with added alcohol to fortify oneself against winter’s icy chill? With their bold, ripe fruit flavors, late-bottled vintage Ports (LBVs) hearken back to days of summer past, bringing the perfect hint of warmth to those parts of your body furthest from the fire. PORT BASICS Portugal’s Douro Valley, where Port originates, is the world’s oldest demarcated wine region. Traditionally, grapes were grown on quintas, or estates, made into wine and then shipped downriver to Vila Nova de Gaia for aging and blending. TURNING INTO PORT Historically, grapes destined for Port were crushed by foot in broad, shallow vessels called lagares. Once the fermentation reached the desired level of dryness, neutral spirits were added to…

Eva Vollmer embodies the energy that has made Rhein hessen the epicenter of a refreshing approach to German winemaking. For four generations, Vollmer’s family grew grapes (along with other crops) for sale to a cooperative. Unsettled by handing off her family’s grapes each year, she studied oenology at Geisenheim University and interned at William Hill Estate and Atlas Peak in California. Even before graduation, Vollmer assumed responsibility for her father’s 8.5 hectares of vines and launched her namesake winery (with the help of her husband Robert Wagner, pictured above), converting it from a potato cellar. Her production has since gone from 4,000 bottles to 40,000 and she’s now one of the most talked-about winemakers in Rheinhessen. How did you start your own winery? My boyfriend [now husband] and I were…

Created two years ago by Klaus Puck for brother Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 Lounge in Los Angeles, this rosy cocktail is a natural for the holiday season. Named for the traditional festive plant, the drink joins the color of the season with bubbly effervescence, making it just right for toasting clear through to New Year’s Day. PARTY TIME This bubbly sipper scales up well for larger groups. To serve 10, mix 2 cups each of vodka and cranberry juice, ¾ cup each of simple syrup and lemon juice and 1 teaspoon orange bitters in a pitcher. Stir with ice to chill, then strain into 10 Champagne flutes. Top each glass with Prosecco. POINSETTIA 1½ ounces vodka 1½ ounces cranberry juice ½ ounce simple syrup ½ ounce lemon juice 2 dashes orange…

The holidays often conjure images of a huge candlelit table loaded with massive, family-style dishes. While this may be your fortunate reality, many Americans celebrate in venues that are tight on space. Want to throw a memorable party, regardless of the size of your location? We’ll show you how to host a wine-driven holiday celebration with maximum style and minimum stress, including quick tips on how to make the most of your space. CITY CELEBRATION Your apartment may be small, but a big heart, generous spirit and smart planning can make up for that. Push back the furniture, hang some lights and host an adults-only bash that will make everybody glad that you stayed in the city this holiday season. NUMBER OF GUESTS: 4–24 THE VIBE: At this upscale sparkling-wine…

In the mass of grape varieties that make up Portugal’s wine mosaic, Touriga Nacional stands out. It’s the country’s iconic grape, and the one that has the best claim to world-class status. Yet, 40 years ago, in the late 1970s, it almost disappeared. Yields were too low and farmers were pulling it out to plant more fecund grape varieties. So what happened to bring Touriga Nacional back? The Port producers in the Douro Valley saw its huge potential and its importance to the Port blend. And they were behind the research into producing clones that produced higher yields while maintaining quality. Today, with yields up 35 percent, it’s planted not just in its home regions of Dão and Douro, but throughout the country, lending its aristocratic character and ageability to…

Champagne has had a series of golden harvests since the turn of the century: 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and now 2015. Warm, dry summers mean growers in Champagne can harvest ripe grapes. In a region that was more used to green, underripe harvests in cold, wet conditions, this is a big change. Riper grapes create richer base wines, which are then blended into a product that is greater than the sum of its parts. These allow for great vintage Champagnes and better cuvées of the widely available nonvintage wines. Since ripe grapes create broad, fruit-forward wines, the dosage—the amount of sugar added before the cork and cage are affixed—can be reduced. This has spawned an increase in brut nature and brut zéro wines—Champagnes with no dosage at all.…

96 Gary Farrell 2013 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay ( Sonoma Valley). To tame Durell is no easy feat—indeed at first this wine exudes matchstick and robustness on the nose and palate. But tameness comes in the form of lemon and grapefruit pith, brightening the load, with a sinewy structure supporting its core. The finish is succulent in honey and stone. Drink now through 2020. Cellar Selection. — V.B. abv: 13.8% Price: $55 96 Gosset 2002 Celebris Vintage Extra Brut ( Champagne). Aged for 10 years before disgorging and a further time before release, this is Gosset’s top wine from a great vintage year. Extra Brut means it is dry, although the age of this wine has softened the intense acidity and turned it into an elegant, mature wine of great complexity…

RED WINES ALICANTE 92 Enrique Mendoza 2010 Las Quebradas Monastrell ( Alicante ). Licorice aromas are matched by herbal, horsey notes on this earthy, muscular Monastrell. A bold, high-volume palate is home to plum, currant and blackened flavors, while an integrated, lightly herbal finish is fresh and powerful, with a firm structure that will ensure at least several additional years of life. Drink through 2023. Winebow . — M.S. abv: 13.5% Price: $42 91 Enrique Mendoza 2011 Santa Rosa Reserva ( Alicante ). Dark, spicy scents run side by side with licorice root and black cherry notes. This juicy, layered blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% each of Merlot and Syrah is a potent number with black- and red-plum flavors backed by a lasting, bold, angular finish. Drink through…

CABERNETS AND BLENDS 94 De Toren 2012 Fusion V ( Stellenbosch). Bold, dark and concentrated, this blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot still shows some youthful restraint on the nose and palate, suggesting this is a wine best enjoyed after 2018 and through 2024. Seductive notes of toasted oak, cocoa nib, licorice and Thin Mint kiss the blackfruit core of boysenberry, blackberry and cherry. The mouthfeel is dense, with a firm structure and bold tannins that grip the long, spicy finish. Cape Classics . Cellar Selection. — L.B. abv: 14.5% Price: $60 94 Mvemve Raats 2012 MR de Compostella ( Stellenbosch). A blend of 28% Cabernet Franc, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 18% Petit Verdot and 10% Merlot, this is…

CHARDONNAY 95 Brick House 2013 Essence Chardonnay ( Ribbon Ridge ). One large (500 liter) barrel was set aside with wine from a single acre of four interplanted and ungrafted Chardonnay clones. This is truly a natural wine, fermented with no additives, aged on the lees for 18 months, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deeply rich flavors of apple pastry, buttery barrel and sweet spice are ineffably long and seductive. This rare and exceptional wine should be consumed in its youth. Editors’ Choice. — P.G. abv: 13% Price: $45 94 Domaine Drouhin Oregon 2013 Édition Limitée Chardonnay ( Dundee Hills ). This reserve-level wine is down to just three barrels in this vintage. It’s creamy and yet precisely defined, with generous layers of pineapple, lime, golden apple and lemon tea.…

Generally, when people become interested in world-class beer, they turn to a country known for its rich beer heritage and reputation for outstanding quality: Belgium. Given their light appearance, lively effervescence, moderate alcohol and mellow yet spicy aroma and flavor profiles, the most popular intro into Belgian-style beers is witbiers (wheat beers). From there, folks typically move on to other complex selections, from Belgian-style pale ales to saisons, dubbels to tripels and lambics and oud bruins. The options are many and the results are almost always tasty. There’s no denying the influence that these historic beers have had on the brewing world. From superb traditional offerings to domestic interpretations with a unique twist, there’s something for everyone available today. Belgian-style strong dark ales are big and bold, essentially the brutes…

Receiving gifts during the holidays is certainly great, but the best presents can be found in the fridge. ’Tis the season for brewers to present their most prized offerings to savor with loved ones. These brews don’t fit a simple mold. Some are heavily seasoned with cinnamon or nutmeg; others are strapping stouts smacking of chocolate. Perhaps it’s a pungent, resinous IPA that celebrates fall’s hops harvest. Savor these five seasonal sips, as they only come ’round but once a year. 1. TRÖEGS BREWING COMPANY MAD ELF ALE Sweet-and-sour cherries supply the fruity, honey-infused Mad Elf with its signature ruby hue, while the 11% abv will warm even the stingiest of Scrooges. 2. GREAT LAKES BREWING CO. CHRISTMAS ALE The Cleveland brewery’s cultish snow-season release, made with cinnamon, fresh ginger…

At Grace in Fort Worth, Texas, Chef Blaine Staniford serves up ingenious interpretations of American standards, alongside the best wine list in this half of the booming Dallas-Forth Worth culinary scene. This mock-butterscotch pudding is made with Valrhona’s Dulcey blond chocolate, a caramelized white chocolate. The recipe multiplies easily to make impressive individual desserts for a crowd, and ramekins of any size may be used. PAIR IT “I subscribe to the school of thought that your dessert wine should be sweeter than your dessert,” says Jenny Kornblum, Grace’s sommelier. “Yalumba’s Antique Reserve Tawny fromBarossa Valley, Australia, really fits the bill, with its sweet and nutty flavors. It has a richness and complexity to it without being syrupy or cloying to the palate.” “BUTTERSCOTCH” PUDDING 2 (2.46 ounce) bars Valrhona Dulcey…

“Good things come to those who wait”—this sing-song phrase of childhood virtue makes most people cringe. It evokes a time when maternal intuition met the churlish frustration of stomping feet and an exasperated huff. In that moment, patience seemed impossible, yet with age comes the realization that there may be some truth to the mantra. Apply this sentiment to wine and the virtue of patience becomes a wine drinker’s Golden Rule. Letting a bottle mature over time, allowing it to develop into a beautiful work of art, is no easy feat. It takes willpower to leave a bottle untouched for years. Most wine needn’t be locked away from grabby hands and eager palates, but to help guide you in your quest to find cellar-worthy beauties, we present our annual list…

Want to counter all the negative stereotypes and caricatures of Australian red wines as massive, over-the-top fruit bombs? Just taste one of these top Pinot Noirs. While large parts of the country are too hot to grow Pinot Noir, these wines come from some of the continent’s coolest corners. Lapping on one hand against the ice shelves of Antarctica and the other against the shores of Australia, the frigid Great Southern Ocean moderates temperatures all along the southern fringes of the world’s driest inhabited continent. Along this shoreline, temperate climates influenced by altitude and the Great Southern Ocean yield Pinot Noirs that feature surprising subtlety and finesse. While I’ve tasted one or two excellent examples from Western Australia’s Great Southern Region, down around the town of Denmark, the wines most…

BLANC DE BLANCS 93 G. H. Mumm NV Mumm de Cramant Blanc de Blancs Brut ( Champagne). There is an attractive hint of toastiness here, since the bottle was disgorged in February 2014. That brings a roundness and a complexity to this classic Blanc de Blancs. As its name indicates the grapes come from the village of Cramant on the Cote des Blancs, and there are suggestions of the chalk terroir in the tight minerality and crisp apple that come through in the aftertaste. Pernod Ricard . — R.V. abv: 12% Price: $75 93 Lanson NV Extra Age Blanc de Blancs Brut ( Champagne). Aged for at least five years in the Lanson cellars before disgorgement, this is a blend of Grand Cru wines from the Cote des Blancs. It…

VINTAGE BLANC DE BLANCS 95 Bruno Paillard 2004 Blanc de Blancs Brut ( Champagne). This mature wine shows its toasty side. A mineral texture is now integrated with the almond, yeast and bread flavors to give a wine that’s crisp while no longer bringing out its fruit. This wine is elegant with poise and great style. Drink now. Multiple U.S. importers . Editors’ Choice. — R.V. abv: 12% Price: $90 95 Taittinger 2006 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut ( Champagne). Taittinger’s prestige cuvee epitomizes the Chardonnay predilection of this producer. This now-mature bottling is elegant and very stylish. Toast and a soft texture combine with great complexity to reveal a wine that is poised and ready to drink. But with the acidity in the background, it could still…

CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE 92 Vettori NV Brut ( Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore ). Fragrant and refined, this opens with scents of white spring flowers and just picked orchard fruit. The bright, creamy palate doles out green apple, pear, white peach and a hint of chopped herbs. Bright acidity lifts the juicy flavors while a soft mousse lends elegance. It closes on an almond note. Rinascimento Wine . Editors’ Choice. — K.O. abv: 11.5% Price: $19 89 Bellenda NV Sei Uno ( Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore ). Refermenting in the bottle adds nice depth to the Bartlett pear, Granny Smith apple and nectarine zest flavors. A soft mousse adds elegance while crisp acidity gives it a clean, refreshing finish. Vision Wine & Spirits . — K.O. abv: 11.5% Price: $24…

MALBEC 95 Alta Vista 2012 Single Vineyard Temis Malbec ( Valle de Uco ). Inky berry and smoky, minerally aromas of charcoal properly introduce a saturated palate with tons of oak but even more fruit at its base. This supercharged Malbec is almost over the top, with massive blackberry, chocolate and molasses flavors. Burnt toast and chocolate mint-chip flavors on the finish confirm that this is a monster red. Drink through 2023. Kobrand . Editors’ Choice. — M.S. abv: 15% Price: $48 94 Alta Vista 2012 Single Vineyard Alizarine Malbec ( Luján de Cuyo ). Right away this pitch-dark Malbec displays max ripeness through a dynamic mix of prune, blackberry, coconut, violet petal and leathery aromas. A hugely concentrated palate is hardly a shock, while firm acidity cuts a viscous…

RIESLING 93 Cave Spring 2013 CSV Estate Bottled Riesling ( Beamsville Bench ). Elegant and detailed, this is a dry, racy wine with well-balanced flavors of lemon, lime, citrus and mineral. It’s quite fresh and perfectly proportioned, with exceptional length. Delicious already, it can easily age until 2025 and probably well beyond. MGZ Associates . Cellar Selection. — P.G. abv: 11% Price: $25 92 Cave Spring 2012 CSV Estate Bottled Riesling ( Beamsville Bench ). Produced from the estate vineyard’s oldest vines, this CSV bottling is a dry, leesy, textural wine, with dominant flavors of citrus flesh and rind along with green apples. There’s a strong streak of mineral also, and a well-balanced finish of medium length. MGZ Associates . — P.G. abv: 11.5% Price: $25 91 Cave Spring 2013…

The Oloffson Hotel, a Gothic, Wes Anderson-esque structure located high on a hill in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is known for its rum punch. Good luck getting the recipe. I tried, taking an ill-advised taxi ride alone at sunrise through some of the sketchier parts of the city, racing against a 10:30 am pickup for the journey home. I had spent a restless night dreaming about that fruitladen punch, and I couldn’t go home without at least trying to secure the recipe. Of course, the bartender wasn’t there. “Come back later,” the clerk advised with a smile, unfazed by the peculiar earlymorning booze request. It was César’s rum punch that brought [Graham] Greene to the hotel that he would immortalize in his 1966 novel (and later film), The Comedians. The Oloffson has…