Tabla de contenidos para October 15, 2023 en Wine Spectator

Visit WineSpectator.com/101523 to find links to all of the following resources. FREE RESOURCES FOR ALL WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS WINE SPECTATOR’S VIDEO CONTEST Share your wine story to compete for great prizes! Submit your short film to Wine Spectator’s 17th annual video contest and you could win tickets to our spectacular Wine Experience weekend or a Grand Tasting. Entry deadline is Monday, Sept. 4, and finalists will be revealed Sept. 18. Then it’s our readers’ job to pick the winner! Voting will be open from Sept. 18 to midnight, Sept. 24, and this year’s winner will be revealed Sept. 27. Check out the rules and previous years’ finalists online. FOLLOW WINE SPECTATOR ON THREADS Join the conversation to discover new wines, get etiquette advice, share wine tips and more. Download the app and follow…

Vintner Michael Benedict, who co-founded and planted the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, in what is now the Sta. Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara, in the 1970s, died July 3 from melanoma. He was 83. Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is one of California’s most renowned sites. It helped highlight the potential of wine in Santa Barbara County, and a recent Wine Spectator cover story recognized it as one of the best vineyards for Chardonnay in California. “He was an incredibly kind, generous, authentic human being,” said John Terlato, whose family’s Terlato Wine Group currently owns and farms Sanford & Benedict. In the late 1960s, Benedict was working as a botanist with the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was enjoying his passion for sailing when he met both his future…

The earliest evidence of humans consuming cacao dates to as long ago as 1750 B.C. in Mesoamerica, which by today’s borders is mostly Mexico. Unfortunately, despite that pedigree, most Mexican chocolate that we get in the U.S. has been those pucks for muddling into hot chocolate with a wooden plunger. The country produces enormous quantities of cacao, but it has not been great quality. But as producers cast farther for the best sources and as locals realize the quality of their raw materials, today you can get very fine Mexican chocolate, both made in Mexico and from beans sourced there and processed elsewhere. In its first forms, chocolate was mostly consumed as a bitter liquid in religious rituals and as a medicine. The Mayans added spices and sometimes cornmeal, but…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 96 CASTELLO DI BOSSI Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019 $42 ITALY There’s purity to the cherry, strawberry, rose, mineral and herb aromas and flavors in this solidly built red, which shows excellent balance and length. The muscular finish begs for more time for the beautiful fruit to assimilate. COLLECTIBLE 96 MAYACAMAS Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder 2019 $185 CALIFORNIA Loaded with character and energy, this reveals zesty notes of sweet bay leaf and sassafras that infuse a core of steeped red currant and mulberry fruit, all carried by bright acidity and iron-laced tannins. The long finish pulls everything together. SMART BUY 92 TAYLOR FLADGATE Late Bottled Port 2018 $25 PORTUGAL Offering a nice core of dark currant and fig fruit that’s been steeped with anise, alder and bittersweet cocoa, this LBV…

Few drinks are as versatile with food as wine, with its wide range of acidity, body, tannin and flavor. But whiskies too can make great matches for select foods: Generally speaking, full-flavored bites such as pungent cheeses, cured meats and fish, and fatty, fried nibbles are satisfying companions to whisky.. High-proof whiskies can sometimes be a challenge with food because they lend themselves to tiny sips. That’s easily remedied by mixing a cocktail, adding ice or topping with soda to make a whisky highball, a favorite for snacking at bars in Japan. BOURBON The use of corn and caramel flavors from charred oak barrels gives America’s spirit a potent and sweet profile. It pairs well with sweet foods, including candy and desserts, as well as fatty treats. RYE Rye grain…

The future of California Rhône-style wines has been the subject of debate since the late 1990s, when many predicted that Syrah, Viognier and others were poised for stardom. Although that level of prominence failed to arrive, the category has come to occupy a satisfying niche in the market similar to Zinfandel. The top players make small lots of meticulously crafted wines whose devoted fans buy off mailing lists, while the rest offer an eclectic range of styles at multiple price points. Despite challenges such as drought and extreme heat, California Rhônes have been on an eight-vintage winning streak, with the 2012 through 2019 vintages receiving outstanding scores of 90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale. The 2020 vintage threw vintners a curveball, as wildfires sent smoke over many…

Highly Recommended The issue’s most impressive wines. Includes top-scorers and wines that represent optimal purchases based on their combination of score, price and availability. 96 Alban Grenache Edna Valley Alban Estate xVineyard 2018 $115 CALIFORNIA A wine with breadth and detail, this red opens with deep, vivacious raspberry, smoked meat and garrigue aromas that lead to multilayered plum, cherry and licorice accents, building richness and complexity on the savory finish. Drink now through 2030. 120 cases made.—T.F. 96 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019 $42 ITALY There’s purity to the cherry, strawberry, rose, mineral and herb aromas and flavors in this solidly built red, which shows excellent balance and length. The muscular finish begs for more time for the beautiful fruit to assimilate. Best from 2025 through 2042. 1,700 cases…

Because of my own experiences enjoying whisky, I had a suspicion that many other wine drinkers also found pleasure in the spirit. But I didn’t know for sure. That’s why I assigned Jonny McCormick, senior taster on Scotch and Irish whiskies for our sister publication Whisky Advocate magazine, to attend last year’s New York Wine Experience; McCormick traveled from his home in Scotland for the event, and in between enjoying some of the world’s greatest wines, he interviewed our attendees—including consumers, winemakers and chefs—to find out to what extent they enjoy whisky. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that many Wine Spectator readers had not only an appreciation but also an in-depth knowledge of whisky. McCormick’s reporting opened my eyes that in most cases all it takes for a wine…

California winemaker and grapegrower Paul Dolan, a global advocate for organic, biodynamicand regenerative viticulture, died June 26, at age 72, after battling cancer. As a 27-year employee of Fetzer Vineyards, starting as winemaker in 1977 and rising to president in 1992, Dolan helped the Fetzer family (and later Brown-Forman Corp.) grow the brand into a multimillion-case juggernaut and transition the company to organic grapegrowing. Along the way, he helped introduce numerous California growers to organic farming, build a market for wines certified as “Made with organic grapes” and demonstrate that an organic approach could be achieved on a large scale. With his personable style and ability to combine passionate idealism with the practical mindset of a farmer, Dolan turned an environmentally friendly approach into a cornerstone of the company’s…

How do you reimagine one of the most iconic American desserts? One that conjures the Norman Rockwell era, with Gram in her apron and you in your cuffed dungarees? Claudia Fleming, perhaps the most accomplished pastry chef of the past quarter century, keeps it classic but slips in a couple of simple tricks to bring out more flavor and texture. “I’m going to start with the not-apple part of the recipe: the crust, which is really foolproof. The crust is superrich, which is just a nice contrast to tart apples,” says Fleming, currently executive culinary director at Daily Provisions, a pick-up and delivery chain from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. She shared the recipe at right from her recent book Delectable: Sweet & Savory Baking. Fleming adds cream cheese…

Bill Harlan’s first winery wasn’t his namesake estate. It was Merryvale, which he began with a small group of partners in 1982. By 1991, additional partner Jack Schlatter, a Swiss businessman, had joined. Bob Levy was winemaker. The operation was in many ways Harlan’s testing ground for his wines to come: Harlan, Bond and Promontory. Harlan left the Merryvale group in 1996, with the Schlatter family taking ownership. Today, Jack’s son René runs the business; winemaker Andrew Wright oversees production. Merryvale, on St. Helena’s main drag, was the first built in Napa Valley following Prohibition. Some of the original large redwood casks have been converted into swanky seating areas for tasting room patrons, but the wood rafters and old-school rusticity keep it rooted in the past. After the elder Schlatter…

Eric Ripert, chef of Le Bernardin, suggests Laphroaig and Yamazaki Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength, 58.6% ABV Yamazaki 12 year old, 43% ABV Adrian Bridge of Fladgate Partnership discovered a taste for Talisker Talisker 10 year old,45.8% ABV. Christian Seely of Quinta do Noval can’t resist Ardbeg Ardbeg 10 year old, 46% ABV Famous Grouse, 40% ABV  Jim Berg, New York Wine Experience attendee, highly rates Balvenie  Johnnie Walker Blue Label, 40% ABV Glenfiddich 21 year old Reserva Rum Cask Finish, 40% ABV Balvenie 25 year old Rare Marriages, 48% ABV Damien Barton of Château Léoville Barton and Château Langoa Barton loves Irish whiskey  Redbreast 12 year old, 40% ABV  Green Spot Château Léoville Barton,  46% ABV Jameson, 40% ABV Barry Roseman, New York Wine Experience attendee, picks whiskies…

All beverage alcohol, including whisky and wine, relies on fermentation, the process by which yeast consumes sugar to create alcohol and flavor compounds. But making whisky involves quite a few additional steps that are not familiar to most wine drinkers. Regulations and agricultural tradition of the whiskyproducing region dictate the types of grains used to make whisky. Grain does not have readily available sugar like that found in fruit. Before fermentation can begin, sugar must be extracted from the grain by using the same techniques that are applied in making beer. After fermentation, the liquid must be distilled to concentrate the alcohol. It is then matured, often for many years, in a wide variety of wood casks. While wine flavors are heavily influenced by raw ingredients, things such as grape…

This Buying Guide contains ratings of new releases from around the world. Complete tasting notes are provided for new releases scoring 85 or more points (on the Wine Spectator 100-point scale, explained below). Hundreds of additional reviews appear each month on our website, www.winespectator.com. Each review carries the initials of the Wine Spectator editor who blind-tasted and scored the wine and wrote the review, based on the regional specializations indicated below. Bruce Sanderson Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany James Molesworth California Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Port MaryAnn Worobiec California Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Australia, New Zealand Alison Napjus Spain, Italy, Champagne, South Africa Tim Fish California Zinfandel and Merlot, Oregon, Washington, U.S. sparkling wines Aaron Romano Argentina, Chile Kristen Bieler Rhône Valley and other France, Germany, Austria How We Do…

Once again the time has come to survey the remarkable landscape of fine Swiss cheeses, to confirm the staying power of a few delectable old favorites and, likewise, welcome some promising new arrivals. Virtually all of the top Swiss cheeses currently obtainable stateside fall into the semi-hard Alpine or mountain category; gruyère leads the way, followed by a parade of outstanding “not gruyères,” including Appenzeller, Challerhocker, L’Etivaz and Der Scharfe Maxx. Several age-old classics—Vacherin Fribourgeois ($12.99 for 7.5 ounces; igourmet.com), Sbrinz and Tête de Moine ($20 and $19, respectively, for 8 ounces; murrayscheese.com)—are also recommended for stoking connoisseurship. Recently, there’s been one conspicuous bit of good news: A handful of previously hard-to-get cheeses from the affineur Gourmino—Bleu de Combremont, Gotthelf Emmentaler, Jùscht, Rockflower and Ur-Eiche—are now available nationwide. Based in…

West Coast This group of wines from California and Washington deliver excellent quality—along with plenty of flavor and character—at terrific price points. The Margerum M5 and Carol Shelton Coquille Rouge are both Rhône-style red blends, the former based on Grenache, the latter on Mourvèdre. MARGERUM M5 Santa Barbara County 2021 (94, $30) Structured, polished; blackberry, raspberry, licorice, smoked pepper, garrigue RESULT OF A CRUSH Syrah Walla Walla Valley The Unnamed Series 2019 (93, $28) Blueberry, black olive, wild game, mineral; sleek, expressive CAROL SHELTON Coquille Rouge Central Coast 2021 (93, $28) Spry, vibrant; cherry, sweet plum, savory pepper, anise CAROL SHELTON Viognier Central Coast Wild Thing 2022 (93, $22) Cantaloupe, honeysuckle, spices; plump, oily  MCPRICE MYERS Syrah Central Coast Right Hand Man 2021 (91, $25) Intense, zesty; cherry, blackberry, bitter chocolate, herbs,…

For the past two summers, I’ve had the pleasure of relocating to the Tennessee woods for a few weeks. When New Orleans is under heat advisories, the mountains are very tempting. I didn’t try to order any wine from stores back home while I was here. Good thing, because while I was hiking on Signal Mountain, Tennessee state attorney general Jonathan Skrmetti filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing six alcohol retailers—five from California and one from Florida—of violating Tennessee law and the U.S. Constitution. The crime? Shipping alcohol from out of state. Like 37 other states, the Volunteer State forbids out-of-state wine retailers from selling to residents. Skrmetti made this clear by executing a sting. According to his complaint, an agent from the Tennessee Alcohol Beverage Commission (TABC) went…

1 Nose Swirl the whisky around the glass and bring it up to your nose. Take a deep sniff. Move the glass away, then bring back and sniff again. Try to pick out the key aromas: Is it floral and fresh? Is there sweetness? Does it evoke honey, vanilla sponge cake, caramel, maybe toffee? Are there berry fruits, citrus notes, tropical fruits, dried vine fruits? Is it smoky or spicy? Do you discern darker flavors such as chocolate, coffee, nuttiness, leather, oak? As wine lovers, we are already used to letting our senses appreciate what’s in the glass; for whisky tasting, we just need to recalibrate those skills a bit. 2 Taste Take a small sip of the neat whisky and hold it in your mouth, letting it roll around…

Main Countries of Origin Italy, Spain, France, USA, Australia Scotland, USA, Canada, Japan, Ireland  What Is It Made From? Grapes Grain, usually barley or corn  Typical Alcohol Content 12%–15% 40%–46% Most Common Oak Cask French American Develops in the Bottle? Yes No Standard Serving Size 5 oz. 1.5 oz. Storage Conditions Requires stable temperature and keeping the bottles horizontal Avoid direct sunlight, heat, and extremes of temperature, and keep the bottles vertical Famous Collectible Brands Domaine de la Romanée-Conti; Screaming Eagle; Château Lafite Rothschild; Château Cheval-Blanc The Macallan; Yamazaki; Bowmore; Karuizawa; Pappy Van Winkle…

Whisky is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways. You can sip it neat, pour it over ice, add a dash of water, dilute it with mixers such as soda or ginger ale, or make it an ingredient in a cocktail such as a Manhattan or Old-Fashioned. It’s a matter of personal preference. The right glassware makes the most of your experience. Whisky tasting glasses help send the aromas above the liquid when you’re concentrating on detecting the whisky’s character, but at other times, a rocks glass feels right for a good slow sipper. There’s no right or wrong way to drink whisky.…

The 2020 vintage in Burgundy was marked by heat and drought, yet the elegant style of the year’s whites defies expectations, showing freshness and precision rather than overripeness and high alcohol. Credit goes to the resilience of the region’s Chardonnay vines, which adapted to the challenging conditions, as well as to the prowess of Burgundian growers, who began harvest early, starting around the third week of August. “The best character of the vintage is the balance of the whites,” says Louis Jadot technical director Frédéric Barnier, who made a range of highly rated 2020 whites. “Spring was really exceptional and at this time the leaves were working hard to make organic acid and especially tartaric acid. 2020 had a strong pH and despite the warm and dry weather, the wines…