Vintage Name Variety | Publication Reviewer Score More... | |
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White - Sparkling |
2006 Antech Blanquette de Limoux Grande RéserveMauzac Blend, Mauzac more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 90% Mauzac, 10% Chenin Blanc. This cuvée is matured in oak, which lends aromas of brioche, toast, and dried fruits to a generous midpalate of citron, green pear, and roasted nuts. The mousse is creamy and compact. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
Red |
2004 Domaine de Chamans Minervois Hegarty No.1Red Rhone Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 60% Carignan, 40% Syrah. Almost inky, with aromas of violets and blackcurrant giving way to complex minerals, baking spice, and licorice on a midpalate of dark fruit and well-integrated new oak. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
White |
2007 Channing Daughters MeditazioneThe Hamptons White Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, David Furer, CWEAugust 2009 A blend of Sauvignonasse, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel, Chardonnay, Viognier, Malvasia, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc, this wine sees nine days of mixed skin contact, three to four daily punchdowns for a week, and 13 months of aging in new French oak, though one would never know. It’s reminiscent of some western Slovenian whites: long and grippy, smelling of roses, acacia blossoms, and damp, warm earth. Paul Grieco of New York’s Terroir restaurant touts this as “the greatest white wine in America”—which may be overstating the case, but you get the idea. Only 108 cases were made by the perpetual-student partners, the stoic Larry Perrine and the kinetic Christopher Tracy. Hot Picks |
Red |
2002 Bodegas Julián Chivite Navarra Señorío de ArinzanoRed Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Tim Gaiser, MSAugust 2009 52% Tempranillo, 32% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon. Arínzano is one of seven wineries in Spain currently holding the Denominación de Orígen de Pago designation. The estate combines outstanding vineyard sources with local architect Rafael Moneo’s brilliant winery design. This 2002 Gran Vino is easily one of the finest Spanish wines I’ve tasted recently, offering notes of black and red fruits, violets, sandalwood, cocoa powder, and new wood. Hot Picks |
Red |
2006 Clos Centeilles Minervois Capitelle de CenteillesCinsault, Cinsaut more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 100% Cinsault. An exceptional example of low-yield Cinsault achieved by a lengthy maceration of eight weeks. Perfumed floral aromas of dusty rose and strawberry progress to concentrated red fruit on the midpalate, supported by silky tannins and bright acidity that convey a complex mélange of garrigue on the finish. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
White |
2007 Château Coupe Roses Minervois BlancRoussanne more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 100% Roussanne. The château takes its name from the rose-tinted soils of the Minervois area. Racking before fermentation and lees aging give the white flowers and stone fruit of this expressive Roussanne a rich, almost lush midpalate, balanced by bright acidity and concentrated minerality. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
White - Sparkling |
NV Domaine Delmas Blanquette de Limoux Méthode Ancestrale Clair de LuneMauzac Blend, Mauzac more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 100% Mauzac; 7% alcohol, 75-80 grams per liter residual sugar. Aromas and flavors of baked quince and caramel apple give way to citrus and pineapple in this traditionally made dessert wine. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
White - Sparkling |
2000 Dom Pérignon ChampagneChampagne Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Catherine Fallis, MS, ACWPAugust 2009 Classic Dom Pérignon: Light in color and body, fresh, and slightly yeasty, with back notes of apple and Bosc pear and a streak of chalky minerality. Fine, persistent bead. Soft and elegant. Winery Spotlight: Dom Pérignon |
White - Sparkling |
1993 Dom Pérignon Champagne OenothèqueChampagne Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Catherine Fallis, MS, ACWPAugust 2009 Light straw-yellow with lemon, yeast, chalk, and floral notes. The palate is vigorously acidic at first and then softens up, allowing mineral and nutty autolytic notes to shine through. Fine, persistent bead and a long, nutty finish. Winery Spotlight: Dom Pérignon |
Red |
2007 Domaines du Grand Crès Corbières Cuvée MajeureRed Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 90% Syrah, 10% Grenache. Maturing vines reveal an evolution from the ’05 and ’06 releases. A focused Syrah character of white pepper, black plum, licorice, and baking spices is neatly underscored by minerality and fine tannins. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
White - Sparkling |
2002 Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagne Gold Top BrutChampagne Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Beverley Blanning, MWAugust 2009 2002 was a lovely vintage for Champagne, yielding rich, approachable, balanced wines. Heidsieck’s lively Gold Top is now showing a delicious maturity, with soft, yeasty complexity and a mouth-filling roundness. Perfect as an aperitif, it has enough character and weight to pair with food as well. Hot Picks |
Rosé |
2008 L'Astore Masseria Massaro Rosa Salento IGTNegroamaro more |
Sommelier Journal, David Furer, CWEAugust 2009 Among the many fine producers in Italy’s heel, L’Astore is a forward-thinking estate with ancient agricultural roots. Negroamaro makes up the entirety of this dry, balanced pinkie with briary, dried-strawberry aromas. It’s lightly tannic, with medium acidity and length—perfect for serious summer sipping. Hot Picks |
White |
2007 Domaine de l'Ecu Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Cuvée ClassiqueMelon de Bourgogne more |
Sommelier Journal, Beverley Blanning, MWAugust 2009 Guy Bossard’s Muscadet is a great value and an excellent food wine for the times when full-on flavor is not required. A crisp, light, and subtly flavored white, it has a lingering, savory minerality that will complement fresh seafood. Hot Picks |
Red |
2005 Lamé Delisle Boucard Bourgueil Cuvée Vieilles VignesCabernet Franc more |
Sommelier Journal, Beverley Blanning, MWAugust 2009 This wine shows the classic pencil-shavings nose of Loire Cabernet Franc, along with some truffly development. The fruit is deliciously sweet, the tannins smooth, and the finish fresh and appetizing, as befits a good Loire red. It’s a ripe and elegant wine that is very much of its place and well priced. Hot Picks |
White |
2007 Ledgewood Creek Chardonnay Three Clone Estate GrownSuisun Valley more |
Sommelier Journal, Benjamin T. WeinbergAugust 2009 Butterscotch and ginger aromas lead into light pear and peach flavors and a comforting Creamsicle finish. Moderately tannic, this wine exudes class and elegance. Terroir: Suisun Valley |
Red |
2006 Ledgewood Creek GSMSuisun Valley Red Rhone Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Benjamin T. WeinbergAugust 2009 63% Syrah, 22% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache. Cereal and strawberries dominate the nose of this juicy blend, followed by notes of raspberry, cherry and black licorice, lime peel, and white pepper. Terroir: Suisun Valley |
White - Sparkling |
1985 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon OenothèqueChampagne Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Catherine Fallis, MS, ACWPAugust 2009 The wine for this release, or plénitude, was disgorged in 1999. It is a rich golden-yellow, with a yeasty, lemony nose and a crisp, nutty palate. Notes of vanilla bean and violet add complexity. 1985 was a difficult, hot vintage, so the wine is fairly one-dimensional, but an excellent snapshot nonetheless. Winery Spotlight: Dom Pérignon |
Rosé - Sparkling |
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon RoséChampagne Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Catherine Fallis, MS, ACWPAugust 2009 Light pink with amber highlights, this wine has aromas of fraise du bois, cherry, white peach, toasted almonds, smoke, and earth. On the palate, it displays the classic, light-bodied, delicate style of the house. Flavors match the aromas, the bead is fine and beautifully integrated, and the finish is soft and smooth. Winery Spotlight: Dom Pérignon |
Rosé - Sparkling |
1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon RoséChampagne Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Catherine Fallis, MS, ACWPAugust 2009 This is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, with most of the Pinot coming from the south-facing vineyards of Aÿ. Light salmon-gold, with a delicate perfume of red berries, lemon, and rose petal, the wine is medium-bodied on the palate; brioche-like autolytic notes complement the bright berry fruit, soft floral notes, and fresh, lemony acidity. Very fine, persistent bead. Winery Spotlight: Dom Pérignon |
Red |
2006 Château Ollieux Romanis Corbières-Boutenac Atal SiaCarignan Blend, Carignan more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 45% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache Noir, 5% Syrah. After carbonic maceration, this opulent cuvée is aged in vat for 12 months. The wine is deeply colored, redolent of spices and mocha, and full-bodied, showing blackberry and blackcurrant fruit flavors and round, supple tannins. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
White |
2008 Domaine de Pellehaut Family ReserveCôtes de Gascogne Chardonnay Blend, Chardonnay more |
Sommelier Journal, David Furer, CWEAugust 2009 The Beraut family, like many Armagnac producers encountering slow sales of fine brandies, has ventured into winemaking with credible results. This blend of Petit and Gros Manseng and “une touche de Sauvignon” comes from the region’s Ténarèze district. Its medium-bodied, starfruit-and-vanilla character is buoyed by a cool-climate backbone and well-attenuated oak. Tastes posher than its humble origins would indicate. Hot Picks |
Red |
2004 Château Pontet-CanetPauillac Red Bordeaux Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Beverley Blanning, MWAugust 2009 Overdelivering for its rank and vintage, this is a stunning wine that rivals the more highly rated 2005. It will easily keep for a decade or more, but is enormously enjoyable now, with richly concentrated cassis and cedar flavors and a supple, integrated structure. Hot Picks |
Red |
2006 Château Sainte-Eulalie Minervois Plaisir d'EulalieRed Rhone Blend more |
Sommelier Journal, Deborah Parker Wong, AIWSAugust 2009 45% Carignan, 40% Grenache, 15% Syrah. Grown on clay-limestone soils rich in manganese, this blend is bright cherry-red, with generous floral and red-fruit aromas ceding to a midpalate of fig, blackberry, and thyme and fine, mineral-driven tannins. Langeudoc: The Pursuit of Quality |
White |
2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Schloßböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Großes GewächsNahe more |
Sommelier Journal, Tim Gaiser, MSAugust 2009 Although the Erste Lage category is still a relative newcomer to the German wine industry, examples like this will quickly establish its international reputation. The Schäfer-Fröhlich offers the depth, intensity, and minerality of a grand cru Chablis, combined with the seductive fruit and charm of German Riesling. Drink now and over the next three to five years. Hot Picks |
Rosé |
2008 Señorío de Sarría Navarra Viñedo No. 5Garnacha, Grenache more |
Sommelier Journal, Tim Gaiser, MSAugust 2009 Navarra is known for outstanding rosados, and this one is as good as pink wine gets without bubbles. Made from the estate’s 80-plus-year-old Garnacha vines, the 2008 shows remarkable richness and depth, with notes of concentrated red-cherry-berry fruit and hints of flowers, spices, and minerals. Hot Picks |