The Gaur Wine Cellar

The Gaur Wine Cellar

The Gaur Wine Cellar

October 2018

The Gaur Wine Cellar There’s nothing quite like opening a bottle that’s been cellared for many years.

Not only do wines evolve as they age, but they also serve as a time capsule into the past.

There is a big difference between buying wine and collecting wine. Buying wine is a somewhat random effort based on likes and preferences in the moment.

Collecting wine, on the other hand, is a long-term commitment that requires vision and direction. With a collection, you still buy what you like, but it is supported by rigorous research, strategy and choices.

A collector needs to know critic ratings, point scores, vintage reports, vineyard location and pedigree, tasting notes, and retail price. It is also important to note the winemaker’s profile, the winery’s and the wine region’s history.

Unlike fine art, which can last for centuries, wine has a lifecycle because it is a living organism. Thus, studying what makes wines age-worthy and how long it is anticipated to improve with age is also very important. The collector needs to know the prime drinking window of the wines so that they are consumed before they go downhill.

The Gaur Wine Cellar was started more than 25 years ago. In the beginning wines from famous French chateaus produced in great vintage years were included in the cellar. This practice of collecting the best pedigree wines matched with classic vintage years still forms the basis of the large collection of Bordeaux wines. Since then and after moving to its present roomier location in 2011, the cellar collection has now grown to more than 800 bottles.

An important criterion used for selecting a bottle of wine is its tasting notes and ratings by Wine Spectator Magazine. Each year Wine Spectator releases its Top 100 list, where their editors select the most exciting wines from the thousands of wines blind tasted and reviewed during the course of the year. In 2017, more than twenty thousand wines were tasted by the editors to come up with their list of Top 100 wines.

While the Bordeaux’s still form the core of the cellar, more than fifty wines from Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines selections from 2014-2017 are now represented in the Gaur Wine Cellar. The allows Gaur Wine Cellar to include some of the best wines of most popular grapes from all major wine producing regions of the world.

SPARKLING WINE Equal parts festive and food-friendly, sparkling wine is beloved for its lively bubbles and appealing aesthetics. Sparkling wine is made throughout the world but can only be called “Champagne” if it comes from the Champagne region of France. Other regions have their own specialties, like Prosecco in Italy and Cava in Spain. Sweet or dry, white or rosé (or even red!), lightly fizzy or fully sparkling, there is a style of bubbly wine to suit every palate.

The bubbles in sparkling wine are formed when the base wine undergoes a secondary fermentation, trapping carbon dioxide inside the bottle or fermentation vessel. Champagne, Cava and many other sparkling wines (particularly in the New World) are made using the “traditional method,” in which the second fermentation takes place inside the bottle. With this method, dead yeast cells remain in contact with the wine during bottle aging, giving it a creamy mouthful and toasty flavors. For Prosecco, the carbonation process occurs in a stainless-steel tank to preserve the fresh fruity and floral aromas preferred for this style of wine.

DOM PERIGNON

Vintage Sparkling Wine from Champagne 2009 $180

Dom Perignon only creates vintage wines; it is an absolute commitment. Only the best grapes of the most exceptional years are used, making each vintage distinct. The icon of the house, it showcases perfect equilibrium, revealing the harmony that is so characteristic of Dom Perignon. The wine is complete, rhythmic and tactile.

Dom Perignon Vintage 2009 is exotic: its tactile thickness, its roundness, and its utterly unique depth of flavor.

WS96 Wine Spectator There’s a subtle power to this graceful Champagne, which boasts a firm, crystalline frame of acidity married to the fine, satin like mousse and notes of white raspberry, brioche and Earl Grey tea. Seamless through to the long finish of smoke and spice accents, this opens beautifully in the glass. Drink now through 2029.

JS97 James Suckling This is a DP that shows the ripeness of the 2009 vintage, yet remains full of energy. Gorgeous aromas of cream, apple, mango, honeysuckle, and chalk follow through to a full body and super fine, tight texture. Dense and agile.

Vinous. It’s like a top grand cru white Burgundy.

D96 Decanter Superb maturity of fruit in flawless health has produced a wine with wafting scents of both fresh and confit of spiced lemon and wild cherry. Despite the heat, the wine has freshness, vitality and length. Still a youngster, this will grow greatly by 2019. A more stylish son of the '03, and cousin of the slender and charming '06.

CHARTOGNE-TAILLET CHAMPAGNE CUVEE ST. ANNE Sparkling Wine from Champagne NV $50

#87 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

It's entirely different from its old apples-and-butter form, more oystery and chalky and ginger and talc, with the apple-butter thing skulking in the mid-palate. It's racy, on the tensile side.

WS92 Wine Spectator A bright, finely meshed version that shows beautiful harmony throughout, offering flavors of Gala apple, spring forest, almond pastry and lemon curd riding the creamy mousse. Lasting, spiced finish. Drink now through 2022.

W&S91 Wine & Spirits Scents of ginger and chalk hold this wine to a long, narrow frame. The flavors are precise and floral, yielding scents of cherry blossoms and supple apple notes. It feels tight and austere, classical in its profile, a mouthwatering Champagne for salmon tartare. Best Buy

MUMM NAPA

Brut Napa Valley Prestige NV $22 #54 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

This non-vintage bubbly is Mumm Napa's workhorse and one of the most reliable values in California sparkling wine. Lead winemaker Ludovic Dervin harvests grapes from nearly 50 vineyards in Napa Valley's Oak Knoll, Yountville and Carneros regions. This multiyear blend comprises mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with doses of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. The wine is fermented in stainless-steel tanks, with select lots aged for various lengths of time in oak barrels, before being blended and bottled for the second fermentation.

Brut Prestige opens with gorgeous layered white blossom aromas, followed by creamy vanilla, citrus, stone fruit and melon. With elegant acidity and crisp structure, this medium-bodied sparkling wine displays an excellent mousse and a rich, lingering finish. Refreshing acidity and fruit character makes Brut Prestige an excellent food wine.

WS91 Wine Spectator Packs in a lot of complexity for the price, offering aromas of apple, fresh ginger and rubber. The flavors are crisp and layered, with notes of raspberry and spice.

WE92 Wine Enthusiast Floral in lemon blossom, these tastes of lemon peel, grapefruit and spicy gingerbread, its acidity persistent and uplifting. A bite of texture gives it heft without too much ripeness, finishing lean and crisp.

KORBEL Brut California Organic Grapes NV $16

#73 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Korbel Brut – Made with Organically Grown Grapes is created in the classic Korbel style, crisp, delicate and bright. The organically grown grapes in this cuvee deliver well-integrated aromas and flavors of apple, pear and white peaches. The finish is medium dry, with a slight savory note at the end.

This Sonoma County-based winery created this bottling to showcase its organic growing program, in place since 2007. It is harvested from certified vineyards in Mendocino and Madera counties and made in a winery certified as an organic processor by California Certified Organic Farmers. The blend is unusual for sparkling wine: French Colombard, Sangiovese and Chardonnay. Mostly from the 2014 vintage, the wine was fermented in stainless steel. It's hard to argue with the quality, or the value.

WS90 Wine Spectator Crisp and luscious, this is a winning bubbly for a big party. Aromas of cinnamon, ginger and citrus lead to creamy flavors of pear and blanched almond. Drink now.

ROEDERER ESTATE BRUT

Non-Vintage Sparkling Wine from Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California $25 #25 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Roederer Estate Brut, the first California sparkling wine produced by Champagne Louis Roederer, builds upon a 200year tradition of fine winemaking that has made Roederer champagne among the most sought-after in the world.

WS 93 Wine Spectator Seamless and silky, showing an almost effortless sense of complexity, with notes of lemon and pear paired with toasty brioche, fresh ginger and hazelnut details.

WE92 Wine Enthusiast The fruit flavors are apparent, fresh and lively in this medium-bodied, beautifully balanced brut. Light pear and pineapple aromas are followed by richer pear and citrus flavors, and subtle hints of baking spices, almonds and a nice earthy touch emerge.

W&S92 Wine & Spirits This is a distinctly rich and complex release of Roederer Brut, its savory notes of yeast autolysis building the creamy texture even as the wine remains elegant and fresh. The wine’s inherent fruit sweetness will engage with crab.

WHITE WINES - CHARDONNAY One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it’s grown and how it’s made. In Burgundy, Chardonnay produces some of the finest white wines in the world, typically tending towards minimal intervention in the winery and at its best resulting in remarkable longevity. The cool climate of this region produces wines with more acidity and flavors less fruity than Chardonnay wines grown in warmer climates. Some great Chardonnays come from Chablis region which is the northernmost wine district of Burgundy.

This grape is popular throughout the world, but perhaps its second most important home is in California, where both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines enjoy great popularity. Oregon, Australia, South America, South Africa, and New Zealand are also significant producers of Chardonnay.

Since the 1990s, big, oaky, buttery Chardonnays from California have enjoyed explosive popularity. More recently, the pendulum has begun to swing in the opposite direction, towards a clean, crisp style that rarely utilizes new oak. These wines have been dubbed the “New California Chardonnays”.

For Burgundy Chardonnays, 2014 was an excellent vintage, showing great potential. The wines are rich and ripe, with density and concentration…the best vintage since 1978.

OLIVIER LEFLAIVE

Chardonnay Puligny-Montrachet, Cote de Beaune, Cote d'Or, Burgundy 2014 $80

A source of some of the finest, juicy, silky and elegantly floral Chardonnay is the CĂ´te de Beaune, PulignyMontrachet which lies just to the north of Chassagne-Montrachet. Some of the finest white Burgundy wines come from the prized Premier Cru vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet.

WS90 Wine Spectator A bracing white, whose acidity marshals lemon, green apple and baking spice flavors. Shows a hint of honey and ends with savory, salty notes on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2025.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast The wine comes from the Leflaive home village and the blend demonstrates the intimate knowledge the family has with its terroir. It has a fine balance between the ripe yellow and white stone fruits and acidity. These are given structure by the wood aging and strong mineral texture. This is still developing and still filling out, so drink from 2018. Cellar Selection.

JOSEPH DROUHIN St.-Véran 2014 $20

#61 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

The Drouhin family has been at the helm of its wine empire since the late-17th century, producing cuvées from throughout Burgundy. St.-Véran, in the Mâcon subregion, is rich with limestone and chalk soils. The 2014 vintage, though small in overall production, turned out exceptional whites with ripe fruit, concentration and density.

A wine that smiles and makes you smile! It is stylistically close to Pouilly-Fuissé, with its golden hue, its greenish reflection and it’s refreshing taste. The aromas are reminiscent of the ripe Chardonnay grape, with subtle notes of musk. A pleasant roundness coats the palate.

WS90 Wine Spectator Though rich, this is offset by vivid acidity, creating a nice tension to the lemon, apple and melon flavors. Long and tangy on the finish. Drink now.

JEAN-MARC BROCARD Chablis Ste.-Claire 2014 $24

#47 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

From humble origins in 1973, Jean-Marc Brocard now controls nearly 750 acres of vines spread around the appellation and produces two dozen Chablis. Since 1996, portions of the vineyards have been farmed biodynamically.

This Chablis is a brilliant color with green highlights. The nose is precise, pure, chiseled, with slightly iodized notes of citrus fruit. The mouth has a classic structure, crunchy and delicious, with notes of citrus fruit and minerality. The finish is very appetizing, with stony, salty minerality.

WS 91 Wine Spectator A textbook flinty aroma gives way to green apple, lemon and mineral flavors in this white, which shows fine depth and richness, offset by vibrant acidity. Excellent length. Drink now through 2020.

WILLIAM FĂˆVRE

Chablis Domaine 2014 $32 #94 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

When the Henriot family purchased William Fèvre in 1998, they acquired one of the best collections of premiers and grands crus in Chablis. Director Didier Seguier is a master at capturing the essence of each site while retaining the finesse and mineral character typical of the region's wines as a group. This cuvee is made entirely with estate grapes, fermented in stainless steel and aged eight to 10 months mostly in tank, with 10 percent matured in neutral oak.

Very elegant bouquet, developing citrus, white-fleshed fruit and floral notes. Fresh and supple, the wine is marked by mineral notes that are typical of the appellation.

Pair with oysters, seafood, grilled fish, light-to-medium-flavored courses.

WS90 Wine Spectator This is delicate, featuring lemon, herb and stone flavors lifted by the fine acidity. Touches of seashore and oyster shell add depth as this coasts to a clean finish. Drink now.

KUMEU RIVER

Chardonnay Kumeu Estate New Zealand 2012 $27 #54 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Dating from 1944, the Brajkovich family's Kumeu River winery has a reputation for making consistently expressive, world-class Chardonnays. There are five Chardonnays in its lineup, with this bottling blending grapes from six vineyards in the Kumeu region.

The Estate Chardonnay is ripe, rich, and beautifully concentrated. The beautiful peach and hazelnut aromas along with the rich silky texture are distinct characteristics that we expect to see from this wine.

WS93 Wine Spectator Sleek and generous, with peach, pear, spice and honey notes, supported by refreshing, vibrant acidity. The spice and toasted nut notes gain momentum on the long, lingering finish. Drink now through 2022.

SIXTO

Chardonnay Washington Uncovered 2014 $40 #13 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Charles Smith launched Sixto in 2012 with the goal of elevating Washington Chardonnay, and succeeded: The wines typically rank among the best whites in the state. Sixto produces three single-vineyard wines, but this blend was its highest-rated wine from the 2014 vintage, and its best value. Brennon Leighton heads the winemaking team, blending grapes from three high-elevation vineyards in the Columbia Valley: Roza Hills, Frenchman Hills and Moxee. In 2014, he added grapes from the cool Evergreen Vineyard, a top source for Chardonnay.

WS94 Wine Spectator CHARDONNAY! In fact, it screams it. One whiff and you know it's going to be GOOD! Lemon meringue, baking spice.

A wine that is rooted to the earth. Rich. Focused. Refined. Dynamic, yet sleek and refined, driven by a core of minerally acidity that meshes with the delicately complex apple, Meyer lemon and spicy yeast accents that linger long on the finish. Dynamic, yet sleek and refined, driven by a core of minerally acidity that meshes with the delicately complex apple, Meyer lemon and spicy yeast accents that linger long on the finish. Drink now through 2021.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A blend of all three of the single vineyards, the 2014 Chardonnay Uncovered is every bit as good as the single vineyards. Apple, white flowers, brioche and toasted nut characteristics flow to a rich, textured, sexy Chardonnay that’s just a straight up joy to drink. The 2012s from this estate are still fresh and vibrant, so I suspect these will all have a solid 4- to 5-year drink window, if not longer. There’s roughly 1,200 cases of this killer Chardonnay, and readers owe it to themselves to give one of these a try.

WE93 Wine Enthusiast This wine is a blend of fruit from Frenchman Hills (33%), Moxee (28%), Roza Hills (27%) and Evergreen vineyards.

The aromas show a lot of subtlety, with notes of candied ginger, lemon curd, spice, peach, cream, toast, wet stone and pineapple, revealing more on each swirl. The palate is rich but refined, showing precision and detail along with a real sense of freshness. The finish impresses. Beautiful stuff.

PAHLMEYER

Chardonnay Napa Valley 2015 $105 #9 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

This wine opens with aromas of lemon and neroli oil, floral hints of lily and acacia, and the suggestion of fresh brioche. The smooth, unctuous palate is clean, complex and harmonious with fresh apricot characters. Warm notes of clove and nutmeg, carry over the rich, lengthy finish.

WS94 Wine Spectator This offers a gorgeous mouthful of rich, buttery Chardonnay, loaded with exotic tropical fruit, pear, melon and pineapple flavors. Impressive for its opulence and silkiness, a nice combination. Drink now through 2022.

RP96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2015 Chardonnay, which comes from both Old Wente and Dijon clones, is off the estate property on Atlas Peak.

It has that noteworthy greenish hue to its light-gold color, which I consider a high-sign of quality. Orange blossom, tangerine oil, mango, subtle smoky wood, a full-bodied texture, terrific purity and acidity, great fruit and a long, long finish are the stuff of great California Chardonnay. This cuvĂŠe also has a phenomenal track record for aging for at least 7-10 years, and in certain vintages even longer.

WE95 Wine Enthusiast Gorgeous aromatics of heady voluptuousness conjure elements of caramel, honey and baked apple behind a golden hue of color in this memorable, no-holds-barred white. The flavors follow through along a lengthy layered pathway lined in sparks of anise and key lime, finishing in juicy crisp acidity.

VIĂ‘A COBOS Chardonnay Mendoza Felino 2015 $21

#81 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

A partnership comprising California winemaker Paul Hobbs and Argentinians Andrea Marchiori and her husband, Luis Barraud, ViĂąa Cobos has delivered quality wine since its debut vintage, 1999. Felino is their value range, focusing on hallmark varietals.

A white gold chardonnay with delicate green hues. Tropical aromas unfold: white flowers, nectarine, passion fruit, and a touch of grilled pineapple. The palate reveals citrus tones of grapefruit, lemon grass and delicate lemon peel confit on the finish, complementing the vibrant aromatic profile. Texturally silky, with a well-integrated, lively acidity.

WS90 Wine Spectator A richly spiced white, with focused, well-structured flavors of dried apple, ripe citrus and guava. Brioche notes show on the firm finish. Drink now through 2019.

JS92 James Suckling A bright and fresh white with sliced apple, pineapple, and salt. Full body, tangy finish. Minerally and stony undertone. Drink now.

WE90 Wine Enthusiast Crafted in a New World way, this displays toasty, creamy oak and baked apple aromas. The palate is healthy and bold, while flavors of popcorn, white bread, butter, honeydew and banana maintain freshness and clarity across the finish.

KENDALL-JACKSON

Chardonnay California Vintner's Reserve 2015 $17 #28 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

The Vintner's Reserve has been a perennial best-seller in California Chardonnay for 30 years. It's hard to argue with the wallet-friendly price, wide availability and drinkable style. Grapes from Monterey anchor the blend, with additional fruit sourced from Santa Barbara, Mendocino and Sonoma counties. The wine ages five months in predominantly used French and American oak barrels, which keeps the flavors zesty and the oak notes subtle.

Beautifully integrated tropical flavors such as pineapple, mango, and papaya with citrus notes that explode in your mouth. These flavors delicately intertwine with aromas of vanilla and honey to create depth and balance throughout. A hint of toasted oak and butter rounds out the long, lingering finish.

WS91 Wine Spectator Plush, with loads of richness to the well-honed flavors of beeswax, baked pear and lemon tart. Minerally midpalate, with a fresh and zesty finish that finishes with pastry notes. Drink now through 2020.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast A staple of California winemaking, this vintage is as good as ever—perfectly polished, with light aromas of toasted oak and crisp green apple, lemon-lime and tempting butter flavors, and a medium-bodied frame. The texture is silky smooth, and everything tastes harmonious and balanced (Editors’ Choice)

THE CALLING

Chardonnay Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch 2015 $32 #67 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Grapes for this wine come from Dutton Ranch, a veritable candy store for winemakers; 1,100 acres of vines, predominantly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, that are grown in various plots throughout Russian River Valley and Green Valley, offering 17 different Chardonnay clones to choose from. This wine taps several blocks from warmer sites that offer rich, ripe fruit, as well as blocks from cooler locales that give the wine backbone and dimension.

Intensely aromatic with notes of lemon curd, honeysuckle and white rose petals. Crisp acidity is balanced with subtle French oak on the palate. Flavors of ripe melon, lemon and baked brioche combine for a long, elegant finish.

WS 91 Wine Spectator Ultrarich and extracted, offering a firm core of pear, apple, melon and spice flavors. A truly impressive effort, with depth and dimension. Drink now through 2022.

WHITE WINES - SAUVIGNON BLANC A crisp, refreshing grape that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character, Sauvignon Blanc is responsible for a vast array of wine styles. The variety is of French provenance and is important in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. It also shines in New Zealand and California, while Chile and South Africa are excellent sources of high-quality, value-priced Sauvignon Blanc.

From its homeland in the Loire Valley, where citrus, flinty, and smoky flavors shine through in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, to Marlborough, New Zealand, where it is pungent, racy, and “green� (think grass, leaves, gooseberries, and bell peppers) and tastes of grapefruit and passionfruit, Sauvignon Blanc has something to offer every wine drinker.

Loire Valley experienced the one of the best vintages of Sauvignon Blanc in 2016 in recent years.

MICHEL REDDE POUILLY FUME LA MONYERIE Sauvignon Blanc Loire 2015 $30

This wine is 100% estate grown and bottled from fruit sourced exclusively from Michel Redde’s La Moynerie vineyard. The vines are between 20 and 25 years old and grow in diverse subsoils of limestone, Kimmeridgian marl, and clay with flint—a diversity that allows superb blends in every vintage. The winemaker uses temperature-controlled fermentation and ages the wine on the lees until bottling.

This classic Sauvignon Blanc expresses the aromatic mineral purity of its diverse soils. Crisp and fresh on the palate, the wine features notes of smoke and gunflint with intense grassy aromas on the nose.

Pair with grilled fish or white meat.

WS91 Wine Spectator Alluring, with a light whiff of warm brioche giving way to peach, wet straw and honeysuckle flavors. Has rounded edges, but racy acidity runs through the middle. The finish lets a lemon curd note linger. Drink now through 2019.

WE93 Wine Enthusiast This is a rich rounded wine that comes from the home estate of Michel Redde. The wood aging shows through in the toasty character while there is also a smooth vanilla character. Ripe yellow fruits give this wine its intensity. The wine is ready to drink.

SAUVION SANCERRE

Sauvignon Blanc Loire 2016 $30

Sauvion has long been established in the Loire Valley. Jean-Ernest (often referred to as the "Wizard of the Loire") and Yves Sauvion have carefully put together a range of delicious and diversified wines that have set the tone for much of the Loire Valley. Château du Cléray-Sauvion, located in the heart of the Nantes region, is one of the oldest estates of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine region and serves as the home to the Sauvion family.

Aromatic with white flowers and citrus fruits with flinty notes. A lively wine with a good harmony combining richness, liveliness and an aromatic persistence. Ideal with most white meats, poultry, fish, seafood, and matured cheeses.

WS92 Wine Spectator A real zinger, with racy lemon and pink grapefruit zest, gooseberry gelée and honeysuckle notes that are brightly defined. The long, focused, steely finish is very pure. Drink now through 2021.

BUITENVERWACHTING Sauvignon Blanc Constantia Bayten 2013 $15

#63 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

Buitenverwachting means "beyond expectation," and this winery, once part of the historical Constantia Estate, makes Sauvignon Blancs that live up to the name, especially at the price. The wines are known for their richness and ability to age, and owner Lars Maack and winemakers Hermann Kirschbaum and Brad Paton achieve this by overnight skin contact before fermenting in stainless steel. The wine spends up to eight months on its lees to gain texture and complexity.

This crisp, zesty Sauvignon Blanc displays classic aromas and flavors of green fig, gooseberry and lime.

Pepper and herbal notes are supported by elegant hints of mineral and chalk.

WS90 Wine Spectator Very solid, with a crunchy feel along the edges and pure white peach, flint and honeysuckle notes racing along.

Drink now.

KONO

Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2015 $13 #41 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

A benchmark example of the successful and distinctive New Zealand style, this juicy, aromatic and smooth Sauvignon Blanc bursts with passion fruit, mango and green apple flavors. The house style relies on blending grapes from different regions of Marlborough, including the Awatere, Waihopai and Lower Wairau valleys for added complexity. The grapes are picked and fermented at cool temperatures to maintain freshness, fruit character and that hallmark succulent acidity.

A brilliant pale green in the glass, this pure and bright Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has a vibrant fruit driven nose bursting with passionfruit, grapefruit, melon and gooseberry. On the palate luscious fruit flavors of citrus, ripe tropical fruits, and lifted herbaceous notes are finely balanced with zesty acidity, an underlying minerality, and just a hint of residual sweetness. Juicy, crisp and fresh this wine leads to a long and dry, persistent finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator This refreshing white offers a clear, focused mix of passion fruit, lime, mango and green apple flavors on a light, smooth body. Finishes with a succulent juiciness, showing echoes of lemon verbena.

MATUA

Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2016 $12 #40 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Matua was one of the pioneers of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which has become one of the fastestgrowing wine categories in the United States as wine lovers here can't seem to get enough of those zingy, crisp whites. Grapes for this wine come from more than 100 different vineyard sources all over the Marlborough region.

This is also one of the most innovative wine labels, incorporating thermographic technology: When the optimal serving temperature of 45° F is reached, Matua's label art, a TÄ moko traditional Maori face tattoo, darkens.

WS90 Wine Spectator Top Succulent, fleshy peach and nectarine flavors are accented by Key lime, mango and ruby grapefruit notes.

Shows nice intensity on the long, expressive finish. Drink now.

MASON

Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley Yount Mill Vineyard 2016 $19 #57 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

When it came to California Sauvignon Blanc, Randy Mason was ahead of the curve, starting his Sauvignon Blanc-based brand in 1993 when the grape was hardly a front-runner among Golden State vintners. He also embraced a lighter, brighter style before that profile was popular. Ninety percent of the grapes for this wine come from a single vineyard site, the Yount Mill Vineyard in Yountville, with the balance from vineyards in Napa's Oak Knoll District and Sonoma County.

Grapes are picked in the early morning to retain freshness and fermented at a cool temperature in stainless steel. A cooling ocean breeze and morning fog during the warm growing season make Napa Valley an ideal climate for Mason's Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc has lovely orange blossom and boxwood floral aromas. Medium bodied and well-balanced with a round and juicy texture, the palate presents pear and fresh tart apple flavors, complimented by a lingering, bright finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator Clean, smooth and crisp, offering a lip-smacking mix of pear, melon and Key lime flavors, with plenty of intensity on the finish. Drink now.

WHITE WINES - RIESLING A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown. This versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling, and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Riesling is best known in Germany and Alsace. The variety has also been particularly successful in Australia, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington, cooler regions of California, and the Finger Lakes in New York.

Riesling is low in alcohol, with high acidity, steely minerality, and stone fruit, spice, citrus, and floral notes. At its ripest it leans towards juicy peach and nectarine, and pineapple, while in cooler climates it is more redolent of lemon, lime, and green apple. With age, Riesling can become truly revelatory, developing unique, complex aromatics, often with a hint of gasoline.

Riesling is very versatile, enjoying the company of sweet-fleshed fish like sole, most Asian food, especially Thai and Vietnamese (bottlings with some residual sugar and low alcohol are the perfect companions for dishes with substantial spice), and freshly shucked oysters. Sweeter styles work well with fruit-based desserts.

DR. LOOSEN DR. L

Riesling from Mosel 2012, Germany $14 #40 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

This entry-level Dr. Loosen Riesling embodies the elegant and racy characteristics of steep, slate-soil Mosel vineyards at a very reasonable price. It is a bright, vibrant, fruit-driven wine made with grapes from contracted growers throughout the Mosel River valley who work very closely with brothers Ernst and Thomas Loosen to achieve excellent quality and superb concentration in every vintage.

With its bright fruit, cleansing acidity, low alcohol and affordable price, the Dr. L Riesling is the ideal welcome wine for every gathering, and great for just about every course in a meal. A perfect pour for brunch, its flavors complement everything from rich eggs and hollandaise to sweet waffles and salty ham. It's also excellent with Asian noodle dishes and salad rolls, especially if there is a touch of heat involved.

WS19 Wine Spectator A succulent white, filled with plush red peach, cherry and white currant flavors that are supported by zesty acidity.

Long and creamy on the finish, offering plenty of spicy overtones. Impressive for the category.

CHARLES SMITH KUNG FU GIRL

Riesling Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley 2015 $13 #45 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Charles Smith has built a small wine empire on the back of his namesake brand. It's a perennial value made with Riesling purchased from Milbrandt Vineyards' Evergreen Vineyard. Winemaker Brennon Leighton aged the wine on its lees for two months in stainless-steel barrels, adding complexity to this lively, fruit-centered Riesling.

Yet another terrific vintage. Pure, focused and mouthwatering. Citrus blossom, lime leaf, white peach intermingles with mineral that fills the palate. Carries on to a long refreshing finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator Tangy and zingy, with lively acidity that balances against gobs of ripe pear and apricot flavors, carrying through the long, lime-accented finish. Drink now through 2020.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Juicy and lively, with lots citrus blossom, lychee and a touch of lime, the 2015 Riesling Kung Fu Girl is mediumbodied, vibrant and crisp on the palate, with terrific purity, integrated acidity and a great finish. It's a steal at the price.

WE90 Wine Enthusiast This is an Ăźber-aromatic wine, with appealing notes of white peach, jasmine, honeysuckle and lime. It's lean in style, drinking off dry but balanced by racy acidity that stretches out the finish. Best Buy

WHITE WINES - BLENDS With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended wines. Blending can be utilized to create complex wines with many different layers of flavors and aromas, or to create more balanced wines. For example, a variety that is soft and full-bodied may be combined with one that is lighter with naturally high acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation.

The aim of blending is to make a whole wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. Some grape varieties share a great synergy like classic, time honored combinations including blends of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Sometimes grapes are blended with other fruit from other regions to produce a wine of greater balance and complexity.

CVNE

Rioja White Monopole 2013 $15 #64 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

Fifth-generation proprietor Victor Urrutia presides over one of Rioja's most historically important wineries, which continues to navigate gracefully the line between tradition and innovation. Its flagship red, Imperial, was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 2013. Monopole, CVNE's signature white wine, which debuted in 1915, proves Rioja can also produce world-class whites. Monopole is a crisp and lively wine, marked by both rich texture and fresh mineral components.

All grapes come from the 'Rioja Alta' subzone, where higher altitudes and Atlantic influences make for a moderate climate which is ideal for producing wines of elegance and finesse. Soils are composed of ironrich clay and limestone. This wine is aged in tank and bottled to preserve freshness and fruit.

WS90 Wine Spectator This focused white shows bright, juicy flavors of white peach and Meyer lemon, with herbal and mineral accents.

The texture is quite rich, but crisp, citrusy acidity keeps this lively. Drink now.

ROBERTO ANSELMI

Veneto White San Vincenzo 2015 $18 #60 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Owner and winemaker Roberto Anselmi is a leader in northern Italy's quality revolution of the past 20 years. This cuvĂŠe is creamy and fresh, an expressive version blending the local Garganega grape (80 percent) with equal parts Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Light straw color, fruit-forward, medium body, crisp finish. Citrus, apricot, and yellow apple fruitiness.

WS90 Wine Spectator An expressive white, creamy and lightly juicy throughout, offering flavors of blood orange granita, fresh tarragon, yellow peach and mineral, set in a light-bodied frame. The finish is juicy. Drink now through 2019.

CHÂTEAU D'YQUEM

Bordeaux France Y 2016, $149

Chateau Yquem is without doubt one of the grandest and best known wine estates. When classified in 1855, Yquem was granted the exclusive and unique title of Premier Cru Supérieur. The list of past owners reads like a who’s who: King Louis VII and King Henry II were just two of the illustrious previous owners.

In more recent times (1785), the estate became the property of the Lur-Saluces family. After 219 years family sold the winery to luxury goods brand LVMH. Y (pronounced "ee-grek" in French) is a rare wine. Y was formerly made at the end of the harvest, with the last bunches left on the vines. These grapes, affected to varying degrees by Botrytis cinerea, but never with more than 15% potential alcohol, resulted in a very unusual wine. This explains why it has always been produced in small quantities and on an irregular basis since 1959. Y changed starting in 1996, but without compromising its unique character, to be more in tune with the times by displaying the qualities of freshness and crispness – essential for a modern great white wine.

WS96 Wine Spectator Rather rich, with coconut, green fig, creamed pear, yellow apple and jasmine notes all melded together, picking up light acacia and elderflower accents on the finish. Very, very showy, with the underlying cut to pull it off. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2019 through 2026.

GINI SOAVE CLASSICO

Garganega from Veneto 2016 $21 #69 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Gini Soave Classico, made from Garganega, has a straw yellow color with gold-green reflections. Intense and fragrant on the nose, fresh white flowers (hawthorn, elder, cherry blossoms), tropical fruit and white peach. Almond notes, with mineral flavors.

WS90 Wine Spectator A lithe, light-bodied white, with racy acidity and a subtle streak of mineral, layered with nectarine, melon and pink grapefruit pith flavors. This is well-knit, with a lingering, lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2020 .

RED WINES - CALIFORNIA

More than 100 wine grape varieties are grown in California wine regions today.

In general, California winegrowing conditions are governed by proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Almost all of the fine wine regions of California are located in areas influenced at least somewhat by the Pacific fog bank.

ROBERT MONDAVI

Oakville District Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007 $45

The 2007 vintage was excellent for Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley. Opulence defines this rich bouquet of black cherries, blackberries and spice. Lush aromatics of wild thyme and French lavender meet traces of mocha and roasted coffee, balanced with silky tannins that augment a long finish. This wine demonstrates why Cabernet Sauvignon from the legendary Oakville AVA is some of the most sought-after in the world. Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc WS91 Wine Spectator

Deep, rich and concentrated, yet well-balanced, elegant and detailed, with mineral, loamy earth, dried berry, black licorice and sage flavors that firm up and end with drying tannins. Drink now through 2020.

WE92 Wine Enthusiast A big, dense, brooding wine, concentrated and powerful in blackberries, cherries and cassis. The tannins are sandpapery, giving the mouth a scoury feeling added to by the acids. An interesting, complex young wine that's well made and needs time to come around.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville has deep black currant fruit as well as notes of lead pencil shavings, camphor, and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, elegant, and rich from beginning to end, with outstanding purity, depth, and texture. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.

ROBERT MONDAVI

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008 $36

True to the varietal and the region, this powerful, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas of juicy black cherries and Italian plums, seamlessly transitioning to flavors of ripe dark fruit. Its rich, fleshy texture, lengthy finish, and impeccable balance impart a regal maturity to this wine that belies its true age. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon; 7% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 2% Syrah; 1% Petit Verdot WS89 Wine Spectator Notably herbal, showing bay leaf and mint notes, along with plenty of currant, earth, mineral and dried berry flavors to fill in the gaps. Full-bodied and firmly tannic, ending with complex black licorice and wet stone flavors. Best from 2012 through 2020.

RP89 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa has a healthy deep ruby/purple color, with a pleasant nose of black fruits intermixed with hints of charcoal and spice, delicious, sweet fruit, medium body, and nice suppleness and flesh. Drink it over the next decade.

BERINGER

Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley Sonoma County 2009 $27

Aromas of cherry, anise and cocoa are followed by abundant flavors of dark cherry and a hint of spice.

The soft, mouth-coating tannins are highlighted by the blend's juicy fruit core.

WS91 Wine Spectator A lot of Cabernet at this price. Combines ripe, plump, plum, black cherry and black berry flavors in a rich, smooth, polished style, full bodied and firming nicely on the finish, where the tannins have a minerally edge. Drink now through 2021.

TWENTYFOUR

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2010 $112 #58 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

The 2010 harvest was an exciting one in Nana that brought out concentrated flavors with a lot of complexity. #58 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014 Offering distinctive black licorice and wild berry aromas, this is rich, dense and plush on the palate. Wellbuilt and deftly balanced, this gains depth, holding a tight focus on the long, vibrant finish. The tannins are ripe and firm, giving the flavors traction. Drink now through 2023.

CHATEAU ST. JEAN

Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma County 2012 $30 #78 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Chateau St. Jean built its reputation on high quality wines with great value, like this juicy, structured and well-priced red. Blending is a foundation of winemaker Margo Van Staaveren's success, with consistency maintained through reliable vineyard sources such as Belle Terre Vineyard, which anchors the blend for this wine.

This balanced and elegant wine captures the hallmark characteristics of Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - rich, fleshy and voluptuous. It opens with inviting aromas of boysenberry, black cherry and spicy, leading to a fleshy and rich mouthfeel filled with fresh berry and baking spice flavors.

WS91 Wine Spectator Exhibits ripe and juicy yet firm flavors of currant and blackberry amid a gravelly earthiness before finding focus on the finish, where the tannins are chewy, revealing a licorice touch. Drink now through 2025.

MEIOMI

Pinot Noir Monterey-Sonoma-Santa Barbara Counties 2013 $22 #20 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Meiomi has become a rare phenomenon: Pinot Noir that combined quality and quantity. Founder Joe Wagner began his career focusing on single-vineyard wines, but quickly found himself awash in topquality fruit. At a time when vineyard-designated, terroir-driven wines were fashionable, Wagner opted to blend all his vineyards. Plush and intensely fruity, Meiomi has proven a crowd-pleaser that's helping define a more approachable style of California Pinot Noir.

Meiomi (May-oh-mee) is a Pinot Noir that gets its fruit from the most noteworthy coastal areas in California. The wine is crafted, lush, balanced and luxurious. Three of the California's most sought after coastal growing regions brilliantly meld together in this deeply flavored, stylish and truly balanced Pinot Noir; at its most fundamental core, it is an approachable, food friendly wine with a style and place all its own.

WS92 Wine Spectator Rich yet medium-weight, offering an exciting interplay of berry, oak, earth and spice notes, with subtle edges to the blueberry, raspberry, mocha and fresh-turned earth flavors. Ends with an aftertaste of melted black licorice. Drink now through 2020.

DUMOL

Syrah Russian River Valley Sonoma County 2014 $65 #24 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Winemaker Andy Smith ages this Syrah 14 months in 300-liter hogshead barrels, approximately one-third new, so the oak flavors are less pronounced. He believes that blending grapes from well-matched vineyard sources can often lead to the most complete wine. Here, Smith relies on Russian River Valley's high elevation, rocky, iron-rich Greywacke Vineyard for structure and mineral vibrancy and the Green Valley Gregori Vineyard for plush, rich fruit, then adds a dash of Viognier to heighten the wine's aromatics.

Opaque, dark purple color with young, primary, wild and expressive aromas. Briary blue and black fruits with complex roasted meat and savory rhubarb notes, then a deep underlying autumnal loamy character. Red currant and blackberry jam on the fruit-filled lively entry then wet gravel, iron and tapenade complexity. Building midpalate, chewy density and fruit sweetness. Mouthwatering finish with a dusting of bittersweet cocoa powder and broad round tannins. Decant for an hour in its youth and drink between 2016 and 2024.

WS94 Wine Spectator Plush, rich and impeccably structured, with floral blueberry and raspberry aromas accented by smoky pepper and complex, expressive flavors that combine mineral-tinged tannins with plump fruit. Best from 2018 through 2030.

HAHN

Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey County 2014 $30 #67 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Nicolaus Hahn and his family had the foresight to plant grapes in Monterey's Santa Lucia Highlands more than 35 years ago. Today, the Hahns own 650 acres of vineyards-more than 10 percent of the total acreage planted in the appellation. Now managed by son Philip, with Paul Clifton as winemaker, Hahn's four estate vineyards each have a different microclimate, clonal selection and elevation ideal for producing a complex and satisfying Pinot Noir at an affordable price.

You are greeted by deep aromas of dark cherry and strawberry that give way to subtle notes of cedar spice, mocha, and leather. Rich and lush red fruit flavors coat the palate, accentuating the medium body and tannins. Concentrated, yet balanced, this wine leaves you with a satisfying, lengthy finish.

WS92 Wine Spectator The texture is plush, with lots of complex flavors, ranging from plum to anise to dusty, cedary oak. Satisfying from start to finish, ending with dusty, nutmeg-scented tannins. Drink now.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A smokin' effort, as well as a terrific value, the 2014 Pinot Noir Hahn SLH offers classic notes of forest floor, toasted spice, licorice and tons of Pinot Noir fruit in its medium-bodied, textured and layered profile. At 30 bucks, I'm hard pressed to come up with a better value in Pinot Noir. Drink this pleasure bent beauty over the coming 4-5 years.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast This is a lot of heady wine for a relatively affordable price. Aromas of black-cherry syrup, baked black plum, nutmeg, clove and gingerbread make for an attention-grabbing nose. The hearty palate shows similar elements, along with black peppercorn, Christmas spice, dense blackberry paste, chaparral scrub and pine-forest notes.

Editors' Choice

OBERON

Merlot Napa Valley 2015 $23 #77 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Using both estate and purchased grapes, Michael Mondavi's Oberon label produces Napa Valley wines that offer appealing quality at down-to-earth prices. The reds have been steadily improving, and former Robert Mondavi winemaker Tony Coltrin produced Oberon's best Merlot to date in 2015, a warm year with a small but concentrated crop. He achieved supple texture in the wine, employing maceration for 21 days. The Merlot comes from a single vineyard in Oakville, with dashes of Syrah and Zinfandel for added complexity. The wine sees 14 months in 45 percent new French oak.

Dense black fruit aromas are followed by blueberry and chocolate flavors, and supple tannins that linger on the palate.

Enjoy this lovely Napa Valley Merlot with steak, pan seared salmon and pork chops, as well as sautĂŠed vegetables.

WS90 Wine Spectator A robust style, with inky notes to the dark currant, dried sage and fig flavors that glide across the palate. The sanguine finish is richly spiced. Drink now through 2020.

RED WINES - OREGON Oregon wines are a modern-day success story. Winemakers there began experimenting with fine-wine grape varietals just 50 years ago, and today, Oregon wine is recognized for its exceptional quality by wine lovers and experts around the world. The state has become a magnet for small-scale, family-run wineries that focus on quality and sustainability.

Often compared to France’s Burgundy region, Oregon wine country has proved well suited to growing Burgundy’s mainstay grapes – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – as well as the cool-climate grapes grown in France’s Alsace region, particularly Pinot Gris.

Oregon’s largest, and most important, AVA is the Willamette Valley. (A handy pronunciation mnemonic: “It’s Wil-LAM-it, dammit!”)

COLENE CLEMENS

Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains Dopp Creek Willamette Valley 2014 $26 #42 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

When Joe Stark started Colene Clemens in 2005, his only experience with wine was drinking it, but that hasn't stopped his project from producing outstanding Pinot Noirs. The estate has 50 acres planted, mostly to Pinot Noir, and the soils are shallow and rocky, with a south-facing slope that arcs steeply from 350 to 650 feet of elevation.

Conveying the house style and reflective of the area where it’s grown, Dopp Creek is rich with dark berry fruit, more on the broad-shouldered side, aided by complimentary spice and oak accents.

WS91 Wine Spectator Firm and focused, with cinnamon notes floating around red berry and floral flavors, finishing with gentle persistence against lively acidity and fine tannins. Best from 2018 through 2022.

RÉSONANCE

Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2015 $45 #75 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Résonance is Maison Louis Jadot's first foray outside of Burgundy and Beaujolais, and after just three vintages the results are impressive, balancing Old World sensibilities with Oregon's distinctive Pinot Noir character. Jacques Lardière, Jadot's winemaker for 40 years, oversees the project. This 2015 was harvested from the winery's estate vineyards: Découverte in Dundee Hills and Résonance in YamhillCarlton; the latter was planted in 1981, making it one of the oldest vineyards in Willamette Valley. The wine was aged 13 months in French oak, 20 percent of which was new.

Deep and brilliant dark ruby color. On the nose, aromas of red fruits pair elegantly with a touch of spice and wood. Flavors such as cherries and currants standout in the mouth and finish with soft tannins and a pleasant minerality.

WS93 Wine Spectator Supple and elegantly structured, with expressive raspberry and orange zest aromas and polished flavors that pick up depth and momentum toward a spicy finish framed by refined tannins. Drink now through 2023.

WE92 Wine Enthusiast Maison Louis Jadot's Willamette Valley project continues to bear fruit and has increased the production of this entry-level cuvée. A lovely, chunky mix of purple and black fruit, it's beautifully proportioned, with plenty of power, lacking only the depth of the older estate vines. It finishes on a lacy note of minerality.

RED WINES - WASHINGTON Washington has become the United States’ second-largest wine producer, behind California. A significant proportion of the vineyards are controlled by large wine companies, including Chateau St. Michelle, one of the area’s pioneering wineries in 1967.

Washington is hospitable to a wide range of grape varieties. Its most-planted white grapes are Chardonnay and Riesling; reds are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

MATTHEWS

Claret Columbia Valley 2013 $40 #27 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Founder Matthew Loso focused on Bordeaux-style red blends at a fair price when he launched Matthews in 1992. After a period of decline for the winery, the Otis family stepped in to revitalize the project in 2008, hiring winemaker Aryn Morell. The Claret, the winery's flagship red, has steadily improved under his watch, with the 2013 its highest-scoring version to date. Morell implemented a host of new techniques, such as cold soaking, to manage tannin extraction and achieve a more approachable style.

As the flagship red blend for Matthews, the 2013 Columbia Valley Claret is an elegant blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cab Franc, 11% Merlot, 3% Malbec, and 3% Petit Verdot. Focused on elegance and drinkability with ripe fruit and less oak, the Claret has always been a tremendous value for our customers and leads a segment of every day wines.

WS93 Wine Spectator Firm and focused, with crinkly tannins around a sleek core of blackberry, currant and plum flavors that keep singing on the expressive finish. This has room to grow. Drink now through 2022.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Readers looking for a longer-term prospect should check out the 2013 Claret which is firm, concentrated and structured; it has plenty of oak in its tobacco leaf, incense, and crème de cassis aromas and flavors. Give this fullbodied 2013 about 5-6 years of cellaring and drink over the following decade. Rating: 92+ WE91 Wine Enthusiast It opens with intriguing aromas of graphite, cherry, barrel spice, garden herbs, coffee grounds and dark fruit. The flavors are pitch black and generous, showing density and layering.

SPRING VALLEY

Frederick Walla Walla Valley 2014 $50 #39 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

This is the highest-scoring Frederick to date and the winery's top wine in 2014, a hot vintage that produced ripe and generous but balanced wines. Winemaker Serge Laville blended Cabernet Sauvignon with the four other classic Bordeaux varieties from Spring Valley's 111 acres of estate vineyards, north of Walla Walla. The final blend is aged 20 months in French oak barriques, 50 percent new.

This blend has a muscular structure. Notes of blackberry, almond paste, licorice and vanilla and rich in fruit and tannins. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec WS94 Wine Spectator Top Refined and impeccably structured, with floral black cherry and dusty dried spice aromas, and complex plum, olive and mocha flavors that glide toward polished tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now through 2023.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate One of my favorites in the lineup, the 2014 Frederick has classic notes of cedary spice, lead pencil shaving and currants as well as medium to full-bodied, richness, solid overall balance and building tannin. I suspect it will benefit from short term cellaring and keep for a decade.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast Aromas of cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, wood spice, graphite and herb lead to sweet full-bodied plum and coffee flavors. It has a lot of textural appeal, with lightly chalky tannins providing support.

RED WINES: FRANCE – BORDEAUX

France’s Bordeaux wine region, considered the birthplace of wine culture, has been the world’s leading source of best red wines for more than 200 years. With some 13,000 producers working approximately 300,000 acres of vines, no other wine region has so many wineries making so much excellent wine.

The variety of vines and soils throughout Bordeaux produce many wine styles.

Three major red grape varieties prevail: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Petit Verdot and Malbec are also used in small amounts.

It is almost unanimously agreed that the following nine Chateaus produce the finest red wines in Bordeaux. This includes the “First Growth” wines, a status which was based upon a classification system that was created by Napoleon III in 1855. First Growth is the term is used to denote ‘first in class’. These wines are chased by wine drinkers, collectors, and speculators alike.

Chateau Petrus Dubbed "the world's most expensive wine" by wine critics, Pomerol's Château Pétrus produces only about 30,000 bottles per year. The wine is made with meticulous care.

Château Pétrus commands top prices even in less-than-perfect years.

Chateau Margaux This Médoc wine estate traces its origins to the 13th century. The Mentzelopoulos family bought Château Margaux in 1977 Chateau Latour Château Latour is one of the three First Growth wine estates in Pauillac, a Médoc appellation known for its superb wines.

Château Lafite Rothschild Another famed Pauillac wine estate, Château Lafite Rothschild dates back to the 17th century.

President Thomas Jefferson fell in love with Château Lafite wines when he visited France – in fact, a bottle of 1787 Château Lafite once owned by the American President fetched $160,000 when it was auctioned in 1985.

Château Cheval Blanc Château Cheval Blanc is one of the two St.-Emilion wine estates to hold the classification of Premier Grand Cru Classé "A".

Château Mouton Rothschild One of the great Pauillac wine estates in the Médoc, Château Mouton Rothschild came under Rothschild family ownership in 1853.

Chateau Haut Brion Château Haut-Brion got its start in the 16th century. President Thomas Jefferson visited the wine estate while serving as U. S. Ambassador to France. American financier Clarence Dillon acquired the estate in 1935. His great-grandson, Prince Robert de Luxembourg, now runs Château Haut-Brion.

Chateau Le Pin Bordeaux' garagistes, or micro-cuvée winemakers, look to Château Le Pin for inspiration. To them, Château Le Pin was the first "garage wine" made in Bordeaux. The entire vineyard property covers just five acres in Pomerol, and production is typically limited to about 600 bottles per year. Owned and managed by the Thienpont family, Château Le Pin wines achieve top scores year after year, adding to the estate's mystique.

Chateau Ausone Along with Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone has the distinction of being one of two St.Emilion wine estates to hold the classification of Premier Grand Cru Classé "A".

Wines from these chateaus have a potential to age and improve over a period of several decades after they are bottled. Wines produced in the best vintage years have a potential to be enjoyed a hundred years after they are bottled.

The Bordeaux wines in the Gaur Cellar are classified according to the geographical sub-region in which the Chateau is located. There are significant differences in their terroir (climate, soil type, geomorphology, other plants growing in and around the vine plots) to evaluate and study these wines in this manner.

Best Recent Vintages: Left Bank (Médoc, Pessac-Léognan, Pauillac) - 2010 (99), 2009 (97) and 2005 (98) Right Bank (Pomerol, St. Émilion) – 2015 (97), 2010 (98), 2009 (96) and 2005 (97) Recently released 2015 is turning out to be a fabulous vintage for Bordeaux.

The wines are absolutely thrilling and will age nicely for the next 20-40 years.

MARGAUX (pronunciation: Marr-GO) On Bordeaux’s Left Bank, near the southern end of the Haut-MÊdoc, lies Margaux, one of the most celebrated villages in the world of wine. The acclaimed wine of Margaux benefits from the diverse soil types in the appellation. In general, Margaux has a very thin layer of topsoil, and the very best vineyards, above the Gironde River, have gravelly soils that encourage deep root growth and allow for good drainage. Because of the variations in soil, Margaux wines can range from delicately flavored to highly concentrated, from medium- to full-bodied. Yet all Margaux wines share a fragrant bouquet, silky texture and remarkable balance.

Cabernet Sauvignon dominates in the wines of Margaux, as it does throughout the Left Bank, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc used in small percentages for blending.

Because of their excellent aging potential, the best Margaux wines are prized by collectors.

CHĂ‚TEAU-MARGAUX Margaux 2010 $1121

The MĂŠdoc Classification of 1855 - First Growths (Premiers Crus)

WS98 Wine Spectator Liquid velvet, with stunning length and a caressing mouthfeel, as layers of creamed plum, blackberry coulis and steeped black currant fruit glides along, seamlessly intertwined with black tea, mulled blood orange, incense and lilac. Hints of mesquite and alder hang subtly in the background, and the structure, evident and massive, has melded wonderfully.

JS100 James Suckling This was phenomenal from barrel and remains so. The aromas are spellbinding. It smells like a bouquet of pink roses and then goes to currants, berries and citrus. Full body, with wonderfully refined tannins. It starts discretely and then grows to different levels and dimensions like a slow but big high tide. The texture is so beautiful. Try it in 2020 or beyond.

RP99 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2010 is a brilliant Chateau Margaux, as one might expect in this vintage. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend hit 90%, the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and only 38% of the crop made it into the Chateau Margaux. Its beautifully sweet texture, ripe tannin, abundant depth and profound finish all make for another near-perfect wine that should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.

WE98 Wine Enthusiast A great wine that is just starting out. The high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend gives the structured, black currant character. Dark chocolate and layers of wood are forward, revealing how young the wine is. And then the fruit, so rich and powerful, brings deliciousness to the firm, dense structure.

CHATEAU RAUZAN-GASSIES Margaux 2000 $90

The MÊdoc Classification of 1855 - Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc Grapes are hand-picked. Fermentations last about 3 weeks in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, with frequent pumping-overs and addition of yeasts. Wines are afterward transferred to oak barrels, of which 25% are new, for 14-18 months aging. They are fined and filtered prior to bottling. No press wine is added into the grand vin.

WS92 Wine Spectator Best ever from this estate. Fabulous aromas of blackberries and ripe currants. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a long, long finish. An excellent wine.

CHATEAU DURFORT-VIVENS Margaux 2010 $80

The MÊdoc Classification of 1855 - Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

In 1824, Chateau Durfort took the second part of their name from the owner at the time, the Viscount of Vivens and became Chateau Durfort Vivens. In those days, the wines of Chateau Durfort Vivens were popular. In fact, the 1844 vintage was priced higher than every other Bordeaux wine in the appellation, except for Chateau Margaux of course. Thomas Jefferson was a Bordeaux wine connoisseur and ranked it directly after Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour and Chateau Margaux in his fascinating travel diaries.

WE93 Wine Enthusiast An ugly duckling at en primeur time, this has since blossomed into a wine that is structured, tending toward severity. Yet it also has richness in the form of layered black fruit, with smooth wood influence and tight acidity on the finish. It's a wine for long-term aging.

MÉDOC AND HAUT-MÉDOC (pronunciation: May-dahk; OH may-dahk) The Médoc, Bordeaux’s largest and best-known wine region, is located on the triangular piece of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde River estuary in western France. This Left Bank parcel stretches some 50 miles north to south, with varying soils planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines. The area comprises two regions: Médoc to the north and Haut-Médoc (the “upper Médoc”) further south.

Wines bearing the simple Médoc designation are produced from vineyards located just north of the village of Saint-Estèphe, flanked by the Gironde River and the Atlantic Ocean. The red wines produced in the Médoc AOC are terrific Bordeaux values, produced for everyday consumption with no long cellaring necessary. These red Bordeaux of Médoc are typically light in style, with fine fruit flavors.

The Haut-Médoc encompasses the famed communes of Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux, but also includes vineyards surrounding these appellations. The wines from these surrounding vineyards are labeled HautMédoc AOC. They share many of the traditions and qualities of their prestigious neighbors but are generally produced in a lighter style with fragrant aromas.

CHATEAU LA TOUR CARNET Haut Medoc 2004 $59

The Médoc Classification of 1855 - Fourth Growths (Quatrièmes Crus)

Profoundly beautiful in color. The nose is very expressive, developing aromas of black fruits, pepper, white tobacco and aromatic herbs (thyme, rosemary). The mouth is ample and smooth, evolving into a dense and balanced structure. The finish is long and persistent with remarkable tannins, a sign of remarkable quality and mature fruit. A pleasure to drink now or to cellar for 8-10 years.

The uniqueness of the terroir of Saint-Laurent-du-Medoc lies in its diversity. It is a mosaic of sandygravelly and gravelly slopes on which are located the best vineyards, including La Tour Carnet. Soil structure presents a great similarity with that of neighboring appellations of Pauillac and Saint-Julien.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast The ancient vineyard of Tour Carnet, first planted in the 15th century, is into a renaissance. This wine, which showed too many tannins when in barrel, is now coming to life. The balance, the acidity and the seductive perfumes promise plenty. So does the structure, just hinting at bitterness, a function of its youthfulness. Keep for 5–8 years.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Like most recent vintages have been, the 2004 La Tour Carnet is a big time sleeper of the vintage. Owned by Bordeaux visionary Bernard Magrez, this chateau is fashioning beautifully structured wines with superb concentration and intensity. The deep ruby/purple-hued 2004 offers up beautiful aromas of flowers, creme de cassis, smoke, and pain grille. Medium to full-bodied with excellent purity, low acidity, and moderately high tannin, this stunning effort should be at its peak between 2011-2024+.

PAUILLAC (pronunciation: POY-ack) Pauillac is Bordeaux’s most acclaimed appellation, the only one with three Premier Cru properties: Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Mouton-Rothschild and Château Latour. These and other Pauillac chateaux produce robust, fullflavored and long-lived red wines made from Cabernet-based blends.

Though winemaking techniques and microclimates vary throughout Pauillac, producing some variations in style, classic Pauillac wines have juicy flavors of blackcurrant and cedar, often with coffee, chocolate and graphite notes.

Pauillac, part of the Médoc region on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, has gravelly and well-drained soils that force vines to grow long and strong roots. Struggling a bit for water, the vines produce grapes with high tannins and concentrated juices.

Nearby rivers and the Atlantic Ocean modulate temperatures, preventing the grapes from ripening too quickly. Such grapes make powerful wines that may age and improve for decades.

CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD Pauillac 2005 $789

The MĂŠdoc Classification of 1855 - First Growths (Premiers Crus)

A superb Mouton, the 2005 is composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and a dollop of Cabernet Franc.

WS98 Wine Spectator Gorgeous, with singed alder and juniper notes starting to strut their stuff, while the immense core of steeped red currant, blackberry and plum fruit continues to wait in reserve. A light sanguine thread weaves in on the back end, which is driven by a serious bolt of iron. Shows terrific grip, length and cut. A brick-house Pauillac built for the long haul.

RP98 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2005 Château Mouton-Rothschild is a deeply impressive First Growth. It has been blessed with a sensational nose that comes racing out of the blocks with audacious scents of black fruit, cedar, smoke and pencil box. There is a sense of bravura here, of aristocracy. The palate is medium-bodied with sumptuous black fruit, perhaps beginning to soften in texture, one or two years off its plateau. There are layers and layers of black fruit intermingling with graphite and black pepper, and it wisely reins everything in on the finish that is more classic in style and in keeping with the vintage. If you are fortunate enough to have this wine in your cellar, even though those tannins are starting to be abraded by time, afford it another five or six years.

JS98 James Suckling This accelerates on the palate with incredibly ripe tannins and finesse. Full body, roasted fruit, leather and grilled meat. Dried flowers, too. It shows superb tannin backbone and polish. Tight and youthful. Just starting to open.

Better in 2018.

WE95 Wine Enthusiast

If 2005 was a rich year, Mouton reaches the heights of richness. Almost too rich, too New World, but you have to be impressed by the aromatic intensity of the black fruits, the dense, firm tannins, and the super ripe black juice and licorice flavors. The wood is still too overpowering and needs time to settle in.

CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD Pauillac 2009 $1015

The wine has a very deep, almost black color. The stylish and complex nose displays aromas of bilberry, blackcurrant and blond tobacco that mingle with subtle cedarwood and spice notes. The same refinement and density are to be found on the palate with patrician, well-rounded tannins, revealing remarkable structure and balance right through to the long and opulent finish. A great success for a Mouton Rothschild that will undoubtedly get the utmost out of the exceptional qualities for which the 2009 vintage has already been hailed.

WS98 Wine Spectator This will always be a great contrast to the dark power of the 2010, sporting lush layers of fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture, carried by velvety tannins, flowing through a long, anise-, tobacco- and cocoa-fueled finish.

Not shy on grip, but much rounder and plusher in feel. Hard to resist now, but there's absolutely no rush.—Nonblind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017).

JS98 James Suckling The pureness of fruit in this on the nose is phenomenal, with crushed currants and cassis. It's deep, so deep. Also some foie gras. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and an insanely decadent finish, with meat, game and dark fruits.

Goes on for minutes. Decadent and turns to dark fruits cassis and licorice. Warm and voluptuous wine. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot. Try in 2020.

RP97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Tasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2009 Mouton-Rothschild is a stunning wine. But you know that already. Here I remarked upon its deep co lour vis-a-vis recent vintages. The aromatics have "firmed up" since I last tasted it, takes a little encouragement from the glass, and then its sheer purity washes across the senses.

Blackberry and cold stone notes, bilberry and just a touch of graphite that was less noticeable than before. The palate remains weighty in the mouth, extraordinarily dense and yet still utterly composed and beautifully focused, segueing towards an intense spicy finish. I noticed Philippe Dhalluim almost laughing at the quality of this 2009, such is its pedigree and yet will it eclipse the 2010 Mouton-Rothschild? Time will tell. Magnificent. .

CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD Pauillac 2010 $1039

The wine is a dark and intense red with a blueish tint. With Cabernet Sauvignon predominant, it displays a complex range of aromas. From lightly toasted vanilla notes, the nose opens with airing to reveal fruit

aromas, especially blackcurrant and black cherry. Powerful and well-integrated tannins reveal exceptional depth and roundness on the palate, ending on a fresh and mineral finish. Length, elegance, harmony: Mouton Rothschild 2010 promises to be a remarkable vintage – and a worthy successor to the 2009! Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot WS99 Wine Spectator This remains the stunner, a battleship of a wine, brimming with cassis, blackberry and fig fruit that has melded together now, with the backdrop of alder, bay leaf and menthol starting to emerge a bit more. The long finish is loaded with grip, pulling the fruit and other components together. And then there's that flash of iron at the very end. Awesome wine.—Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical JS100 James Suckling This is pure Cabernet Sauvignon magic with incredible aromas of currants, blackberries and light spices. Tiny hints of hazelnut. Wet earth. Full body, with super velvety tannins. The purity of fruit is breathtaking. It goes on for minutes. This is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot. Try after 2020.

RP99 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Tasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2010 Mouton-Rothschild is a modern-day benchmark for the First Growth and here, side-by-side with the 2009, it certainly has its nose in front. It is in possession of quite breathtaking delineation and precision, a crystalline bouquet with black fruit laced with minerals, potent pencil shaving notes, a touch of cold slate. It is totally entrancing. The palate has beguiling symmetry, but for me what really distinguishes this Mouton is its effortlessness. Like watching Usain Bolt in his prime sprinting to another world record, this wine is almost self-effacing in terms of its brilliance. Will Philippe Dhalluin ever better this MoutonRothschild? Keep it in the cellar for 15 years, if you know what's good for you.

WE98 Wine Enthusiast A dense, smooth and opulent wine bursting with ripe Cabernet Sauvignon flavors. It's regal and well structured, balancing the natural exuberance of Mouton with a more severe side. This is a wine with power, yet not without its charms from the fruitiness and final acidity. This great wine will age many, many years.

CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD Pauillac 2015 $700

The Médoc Classification of 1855 - First Growths (Premiers Crus)

WE100 Wine Enthusiast This is a great vintage from Lafite. The profile is rich in feel, with a seriously firm tannic structure. Solid, complex and with great authority, this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine, is impressively dense in dark-fruit tones. It will age for many years. Drink from 2027, although that would almost be too soon.

JS99 James Suckling Lead and graphite are complimented by notes of blueberries and blackberries. Blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied and focused with very round and polished tannins. Elegance with power. Very classic nature for Lafite. Try in 2022.

RP96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The deep garnet-purple shaded 2015 Lafite Rothschild is blended of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot and was matured for 20 months in new oak barrels from Tonnellerie des Domaines (their own cooperage). It is still sporting a lot of cedar at this nascent stage with a vibrant core of black raspberries, red currants and crushed plums plus touches of cigar boxes, violets and underbrush with a waft of tilled loam. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled with wonderful freshness and depth, it is compellingly earthy/minerally in the mouth with a frame of seductively silky yet very firm tannins and culminating in a very long, racy and pure finish. Boasting spectacular finesse and packed with nuances, clearly, given some of the challenges here in 2015, this is a masterpiece of diligence in the vineyards, careful selection and very clever crafting—bravo!

JD96 Jeb Dunnuck The grand vin 2015 Lafite-Rothschild checks in as 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot that was brought all in 100% new oak. The 2015 is an aristocratic, classy example from this estate that offers tobacco, smoked herbs, and graphite as well as a beautiful core of currant and cassis fruit. It’s the most refined and subtle of the first growths, has medium to full-bodied richness, building tannin, and undeniable class and charm. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.

CHATEAU CLERIC MILON Pauilac 1989 $90

The MÊdoc Classification of 1855 - Fifth Growths (Cinquièmes Crus)

The 1989 Clerc-Milon is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.

WS93 Wine Spectator Very ripe and intense, delivering a leather and jam undertone and aromas of raisiny grape. Full-bodied, with soft and round tannins that have a cashmere texture. Flavors are of dried fruits, but also forest floor, leaves and autumnal things in general. A little meaty, but sweet fruit comes through.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 1989 Clerc-Milon is a wonderfully hedonistic wine. It is deep ruby, with an intense, roasted, smoky bouquet of plums and currants. This full-bodied wine is packed with fruit, is chewy and opulent as well as very soft and alcoholic. In spite of the precocious impression, the tannin levels are high, similar in fact to the 1986. For the first time in my experience, I actually prefer the Clerc-Milon to Mouton-Rothschild! A great value.

CHATEAU CLERIC MILON Pauilac 2015 $80

WS92 Wine Spectator Offers a rounded, juicy feel, with cherry and black currant fruit moving along, backed by sweet tobacco notes and a flicker of anise. Pure and fresh.

JS95 James Suckling Extremely floral with blackberry and blueberry character plus hints of violets. Full-bodied yet always in check and reserve with fine tannins and bright acidity that goes on for minutes. Limestone undertones. The finish is particularly long this vintage. Super Clerc. Try in 2021.

JD94 Jeb Dunnuck A total gem is the 2015 Clerc Milon which checks in as 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Carmenere. This medium to full-bodied, ripe, polished 2015 shines for its purity and elegance just as much as its depth and richness and boast a beautiful nose of blackberries, black raspberries, and cassis intermixed with lots of spice and cedar pencil nuances. With perfect ripeness, medium to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and terrific mid-palate depth, it’s going to improve with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two to three decades.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Clerc Milon opens with expressive crushed blackberries, red and black plums and cigar boxes notions with suggestions of dried herbs, earth and violets plus a waft of dark chocolate. Mediumbodied, fine, fresh and elegant, it has a lovely core of very pure red and black fruits, supported by finely textured tannins and finishing on a lingering perfumed note. This is a very pretty, superbly poised Pauillac!

CHATEAU PICHON-LONGUEVILLE BARON Pauillac 2010 $250

The Médoc Classification of 1855 - Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

This vintage takes full advantage of the complexity of these superb Cabernet terroirs. Perfect end of the season weather did justice to this outstanding grape variety, revealing red and dark fruit followed by notes of liquorice, cocoa and rare spices. The dark color reflects the abundance of tannins, which are refined and fresh, invigorating and ultra-powerful but still charming and well balanced. Exceptional length rounds off this wine's superb expression.

WS95 Wine Spectator Solidly built, with a roasted edge to the steeped fig, blackberry and black currant flavors, quickly followed by brambly tannins and notes of bay leaf and espresso. Stays dark and tarry through the finish, with superb drive and verve. Best from 2017 through 2030.

JD99 Jeb Dunnuck Borderline perfection in a bottle, the 2010 Pichon-Longueville Baron (79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot) boasts a saturated purple color as well as truly extraordinary aromatics of crème de cassis, licorice, crushed rocklike minerality, graphite, and spring flowers. Possessing full-bodied richness, a huge, unctuous mid-palate, and building tannin, it shows the purity, grandeur, and precision that makes this vintage so remarkable. Hide bottles for another 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following 2-3 decades.

RP97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Administrator Christian Seeley thinks the 2010 is the greatest Pichon Longueville Baron he has ever made, equaling some of the estate’s colossal wines from vintages such as 1989 and 1990. Opaque purple, with loads of charcoal, licorice, incense and some exotic Asian spices along with abundant cassis liqueur, blackberry and hints of roasted coffee and spring flowers, it is full-bodied and opulent. This sensational Pichon Longueville Baron should keep 30+ years.

JS95 James Suckling A dense and layered wine with lots of ripe and sweet fruit. Loads of currants, plums and tar. This is concentrated and almost jammy with velvety tannins. Powerful. Chewy. Try in 2020.

CHATEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE COMTESSE DE LALANDE Pauillac 2010 $250

The MÊdoc Classification of 1855 - Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

WS93 Wine Spectator This features an intense core of plush-textured blackberry, boysenberry and black currant fruit, steeped with mulled spice, singed apple wood and anise notes. A strong, loamy feel courses through the finish, with latent grip. Very solid, but not where this wine should be in this vintage. Best from 2015 through 2030.

WE96 Wine Enthusiast With signs of new wood on the palate, this is a wine that maintains the polished feel of the wines from Pichon Lalande. It has a stronger presence of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend than in the past, making it more structured than its predecessors, with a dominance of black currant flavor. It shows the soft side of the vintage, but is also meant for aging.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Structured, backward and tannic, yet showing a fat mid-palate that is more savory, broader and more expansive than I remember from barrel, this wine is somewhat reminiscent of the 1986, given the Cabernet Sauvignon domination of the blend. Full-bodied, impressively endowed, and less sexy and velvety than normal, this is a somewhat different style of Pichon Lalande than most readers have been used to. Whether you like it more or less will depend on your point of view, but this wine, unlike most Pichon Lalandes, needs a good 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep for 30+ years.

CHATEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE COMTESSE DE LALANDE Pauillac 2015 $180

WS94 Wine Spectator A fresh and focused style, with a terrific beam of black cherry and black currant compote flavors. Strong graphite and black tea notes harness the finish, ending with alder and tobacco echoes. This has serious length without losing any drive along the way. Best from 2022 through 2038.

JS97 James Suckling This shows spices, pepper, blueberries and blackcurrants on the nose. Full body, very polished tannins and a long and beautiful finish. Shows such gorgeous texture. Precise and transparent. Try in 2022.

JD97 Jeb Dunnuck I tasted the 2015 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande on three separate occasions rating it 97 twice and 98 once. Checking in as a final blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this is a nuanced style of wine that grows on you with time in the glass, and the larger Merlot component always gives it a more supple, seductive texture. Crème de cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, leafy herbs and lead pencil notes all flow to a full-bodied, ultra-pure, seamless beauty that builds on the palate, has fine tannin and a great, great finish. As classy as they come, it will continue to impress for two to three decades.

RP96R obert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2015 Pape Clement is blended of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, matured in 80% new and 20% one-year-old French oak barrels for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple, it opens with profound notes of crushed red and black currants, black cherries and cassis with touches of mocha, baking spices, menthol and lavender plus a hint of new leather. Medium-bodied, firm and concentrated with tons of tightly wound black fruit and earth layers, it has a grainy frame and refreshing lift on the long finish.

WE96 Wine Enthusiast This is the new taste for this estate: richly endowed while remaining elegant and suave. Certainly, there is great concentration here as well as rich black fruits. But they are given a sense of style and poise that will remain with this wine as it ages. Drink from 2026.

CHATEAU LYNCH-BAGES Pauillac 2000 $290

The MÊdoc Classification of 1855 - Fifth Growths (Cinquièmes Crus)

The wine of Chateau Lynch-Bages is part of the lineage of the great Pauillac wines. Blended mostly from Cabernet Sauvignon, it combines structure and finesse, elegance and longevity. It is further distinguished by its opulence. Generous right from its youth, it develops more flavours and greater complexity as it matures. Blend: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot WS96 Wine Spectator This is a super structured wine with loads of plum, blackberry and licorice. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long finish. Gorgeous. Tight. Needs time.

RP97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Beginning to open magnificently, the still dense purple-colored 2000 reveals a blossoming bouquet of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully over the last eleven years, this wine is still an adolescent, but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance. One of the all-time great examples of Lynch Bages, the 2000 is just beginning to drink well yet promises to last for another 20-25+ years.

JS95 James Suckling Another wonderful 2000 coming out of its long sleep. Beautiful aromas of berry, tobacco, herb and spice that follow through to a full palate with round, textured tannins and lots of fruit.

WE95 Wine Enthusiast Typical of Lynch-Bages in its sumptuous rich style, this is a resounding success for the team of Jean-Michel Cazes.

With its sweet fruit, opulent but balanced wood and red and black fruit flavors, it is a wine that will develop relatively quickly but will certainly age.

CHATEAU LYNCH-BAGES Pauillac 2015 $160 V96 Vinous One of the finest Pauillacs of 2015, Lynch-Bages is rich, racy and voluptuous. A rush of dark red and purplish stone fruit, mint, new leather, spice and blood orange give the 2015 a very decidedly exotic character that is impossible to miss. Raspberry jam, mocha, new leather and expressive floral notes appear with time in the glass, rounding things out nicely. Even though the 2015 is quite forward and open at this stage, the wine has plenty of stuffing as well as the underlying structure to support many years of exceptional drinking. This is a stellar showing for Lynch-Bages.

WE96 Wine Enthusiast This vintage was ideal for the rich style that this estate has made its own. This wine is full bodied and ripe with black-currant and dark berry fruits. The tannins fall into the cushioned wine with ease and richness. Of course, the wine should be aged, so wait until 2026.

JS95 James Suckling Brambly and attractive ripe blackberries and red-plum aromas with some floral accents, too. The palate has a very plush, polished and regal shape as tannins frame up a core of ripe black fruit. Succulent, impressive finish. Best from 2022.

WS94 Wine Spectator This has an ample core of plum, fig and blackberry compote flavors, underlined liberally with graphite and smoldering tobacco notes. Fleshy and focused, with ample grip through the juniper- and tar-accented finish. Wellbuilt. Best from 2023 through 2038.

JD94 Jeb Dunnuck The inky colored 2015 Château Lynch-Bages is a seriously impressive Pauillac that’s up with the crème de la crème of the appellation in 2015. Notes of ripe blackcurrants, caramelized cherries, tobacco leaf and a kiss of lead pencil all emerge from this textbook Pauillac that has medium to full-bodied richness, notable concentration, and building structure. Made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 75% new barrels, it needs 5-7 years of cellaring and will be one of the longer-lived wines from the Médoc.

D93 Decanter Superb nose of black fruits showing exuberant ripeness. It’s very robust on the palate, a hallmark of Lynch-Bages, but a hint of silkiness and freshness remains. This has a good future ahead.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Lynch Bages offers up crushed black berries, black cherries and dried herbs with an earthy undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate is firm and taut with lively fruit and a chewy finish.

PESSAC-LÉOGNAN (pronunciation: Pay-sac LAY-oh-nyahn) Though wine has been made in Pessac-Léognan since ancient Roman times, it was only in 1987 that the neighboring villages of Pessac and Léognan were singled out from the surrounding Graves region and given their own appellation.

The designation acknowledges that Pessac-Léognan is home to the most acclaimed properties of Bordeaux’s Graves region, such as the Premier Cru Château Haut-Brion.

The vineyards of Pessac-Léognan, just south of the city of Bordeaux, are crowded by suburban sprawl. About 3,000 acres are dedicated mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grown for red wines, with a small portion devoted to Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and other grapes for white wines.

Pessac-Léognan red wines are elegant and concentrated, with medium to full body. They offer distinct aromas and flavors of mineral and earth and can have lush fruit or smoky tobacco character.

CHATEAU DE FIEUZAL Pessac-LĂŠognan 2009 $59

The 1953 Graves Classification Cru Classes

Chateau de Fieuzal is rich and opulent, in the tradition of great wines for aging produced by the property.

WS92 Wine Spectator Dark and winey, with gorgeous flavors of mulled plum, black currant preserves and roasted fig laced with maduro tobacco, graphite and charcoal notes. The long finish features muscle and cut. Best from 2013 through 2021.

JS94 James Suckling Wonderful aromas of flowers and berries. Subtle. Full and rich with silky tannins and a rich finish. This is compacted and gorgeous. Impressed.

WE93 Wine Enthusiast So opulent and open, this is a seductively ripe wine, beautifully layering its sweet red-berry fruits, complex ripe tannins and rounded structure. It is still Bordeaux in its texture, but it is certainly very New World in its rich density.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A terrific, classic Graves with notes of subtle smoke, black raspberries, black currants, graphite and unsmoked cigar tobacco, this full-bodied, deep, concentrated de Fieuzal is far more generous and deep than most vintages of the past. There is also a wonderful freshness and length to this somewhat oversized de Fieuzal while it still maintains its elegance and class. Drink it over the next 20-25 years.

POMEROL (pronunciation: PAH-meh-rawl) Pomerol, on the Right Bank of Bordeaux’s Gironde River, produces some of the world’s most sought-after wines, including those from such storied properties as Chateau Petrus.

Pomerol’s predominantly clay soil is ideally suited for Merlot, the primary grape used in the appellation. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are also included in Pomerol’s blended red wines. The wines of Pomerol are lush and rich, and generally not as tannic as the Cabernet-based wines of Bordeaux’s Left Bank.

Although Pomerol’s very best wines are capable of aging for decades, most are made for immediate consumption. These Merlot-based wines are known for their lush texture, elegance and grace, as well as the softer tannins they offer in comparison to the Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines made elsewhere in Bordeaux.

CHATEAU BOURGNEUF Pomerol 1990 $100

ST.-ÉMILION (pronunciation: San-tay-MEE-lee-yawn) St.-Émilion is the star of Bordeaux’s Right Bank, north of the Dordogne River.

The rich red wines produced in St.-Émilion, based on Merlot and Cabernet Franc, are less tannic and generally more fruit-driven in flavor than the Cabernet-based wines of Left Bank. Merlot thrives on the plateaus high above the Dordogne, where the soil is filled with sand and clay, a perfect medium for creating opulent, fruit-forward wines. With a typically savory character, St.-Émilion wines are sometimes called the “Burgundies of Bordeaux.” These refined reds, with loads of finesse, are elegant companions to beef, chicken, pork and duck.

The St.-Émilion appellation is home to hundreds of individual producers, enhancing the variety of wines made there. Many of the properties remain small, family-run enterprises, unlike the large châteaux of the Left Bank.

CHATEAU CHEVAL BLANC St. Émilion 2015 $800

The Saint-Émilion classification - Premiers Grands Crus Classés A

2015 is a dry vintage, hot early in the year, then fresh on maturation. The harvest was of historical homogeneity, leading the estate not to produce Petit Cheval. The wines of 2015 are remarkably harmonious and balanced.

RP100 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is still incredibly primary at this very youthful stage.

With coaxing, it unfurls to reveal beguiling notions of ripe black cherries, mulberries, licorice, baking spices and smoked meats with touches of incense and potpourri plus wafts of cast iron pan and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, very rich, very firm/taut and with very ripe, fine-grained tannins, it allows a glimpse at its incredible depth of flavors with a very long multi-layered finish. Wow. WE100 Wine Enthusiast Made with 45% Cabernet Franc, this great wine offers a beautiful, rich and perfumed character. This is an exceptional vintage for this estate which incorporated into the blend fruit from parcels of the vineyard that would normally go into the second wine. It is packed with black-fruit flavors and broad tannins, with a background of juicy acidity and a firm structure. Drink from 2027.

V99 Vinous Totally seamless in the glass, with no beginning and no end, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is simply extraordinary. It's hard to describe the 2015, because all of its elements are so perfectly in place. Beautifully delineated aromatics make a strong opening statement. Vibrant and wonderfully nuanced on the palate, the wine exudes energy and vitality through to the persistent, silky finish. Many other 2015s speak with more assertiveness and volume, but Cheval

Blanc is more understsated. In 2015, Cheval Blanc created quite a stir in announcing that a whopping 91% of their crop would be bottled as Grand Vin. There will be no Petit Cheval, while the rest of the wine was sold internally.

JS99 James Suckling Phenomenal aromas of cherries, flowers, blackberries and sandalwood. Pure fruit. Full-bodied, dense and polished with incredible tannin quality like the finest, densest silk ball. In perfect proportions. Compact. Seamless and endless. Gorgeous to taste now but give it six or seven years to understand it better.

D98 Decanter My Right Bank wine of the vintage and close to perfection. 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, representing 90.5% of this year’s production (no Petit Cheval this year). Exudes elegance, class and precision. Dense, fresh, perfumed nose and the most velvety of textures. Remarkable quality of tannin allows a gentle attack then prodigious length and persistence. Nothing out of place.

WS98 Wine Spectator A lovely sanguine hint leads off, followed by racy, elegant juniper, tobacco, red currant and damson plum notes that move in unison. Broadens and deepens, adding notes of currant preserves, warm ganache and smoldering tobacco, with a swath of loamy structure. Yet even as the bass line increases in volume through the finish, this maintains purity and poise. Should deliver some stunning aromatics at peak, which will take a while to achieve. Best from 2025 through 2045.

JD98 Jeb Dunnuck One of the wines of this stellar vintage is undeniably the 2015 Cheval Blanc from Pierre Lurton, and it’s going to be interesting to compare this beauty up against the 2005, 2009 and 2010 over the coming three to four decades.

Made from a mix of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels, it’s a wine compared to the 1998 by Lurton, which is a perfect wine today. The 2015s deep purple color is followed by a sensational perfume of violets, spring flowers, Asian spices, and graphite and the wine has an incredible core of raspberry and currant fruit.

With full-bodied richness, thrilling purity of fruit, ultra-fine tannin, and a beautiful finish, hide bottle for 5-6 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following three decades or more. It’s also worth noting that this is the first vintage since 1988 where this estate has opted to not produce their second wine, the Petit Cheval.

CHATEAU FONROQUE St. Émilion 2005 $45

The Saint-Émilion classification - Grand Crus

A very dark red hue with garnet tinges. The color is deep with beautiful vividness. It is relatively expressive on the nose with aromas of blackberry, liquorice and sweet spices. The wine is rich and smooth with pleasantly plump tannin and velvety-smooth texture. Despite tremendous concentration, the wine remains elegant and expresses the minerality of its terroir whilst preserving lovely freshness.

The finish is extremely stylish and promises good balance for ageing. Ageing potential: between 3 and 40 years!

WS90 Wine Spectator Blackberry, mineral and licorice aromas follow through to a medium-to-full body, with a silky-textured palate and a fresh, racy finish. Balanced and pretty. Hard not to drink now. Best after 2011.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Alain Moueix, who farms this vineyard biodynamically, has lowered yields considerably and tamed the rustic tannins and muscular style that had been trademarks for many decades. The medium to full-bodied 2005, a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, offers beautiful notes of kirsch liqueur, loamy soil, spice box, licorice, and roasted herbs, substantial but sweet tannin, good acidity, and a long finish. It should evolve for two decades.

CHATEAU DASSAULT St. Émilion 2005 $67

The Saint-Émilion classification - Grand Crus

Superb presentation. Black robe with a very slight amber-colored meniscus. This wine breathes opulence, richness and density with notes of black fruit, mocha and liquorice. Grandiose on the palate with monumental strength and elegance, and generous, remarkably mellowed tannins. A wonderful wine to lay down and enjoy in several years’ time!

WS92 Wine Spectator Dark in color, with gorgeous aromas of dark chocolate and ripe blackberry, raspberry and spices. Full-bodied, with Indian spices, cappuccino and blueberry. The quality of the tannins is lovely. Best after 2012.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A sexy, open-knit style from the sandy soils of Dassault, the 2005 has a dark plum/garnet color, sweet black cherry and blackcurrant fruit along with some licorice and spice, and low acidity. It is ripe, round, generous and quite seductive. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

CHATEAU QUINAULT L'ENCLOS St. Émilion 2005 $67

The Saint-Émilion classification - Grand Crus

Blend: 70% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Malbec WS92 Wine Spectator Beautiful chocolate and blackberry aromas and flavors follow through to a full body, with soft, round tannins and a very long finish.

RP94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The well-known winemaking consultant, Dr. Alain Raynaud, is the proprietor of this estate. The 2005 Quinault l’Enclos is a pure, elegant, stylish wine from a blend of 70% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and an unusual 6% Malbec. This highly-focused wine exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue in addition to a beautiful bouquet of black raspberries, blueberries, camphor, spring flowers, and spice box. With superb concentration, a hint of minerals, and a lovely textured mouthfeel, it should be approachable in 5-6 years, and age easily for two decades or more.

CHATEAU PAVIE MACQUIN St. Emilion, 2005 $220

The Saint-Émilion classification - Premiers Grands Crus Classés B

Blend: 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon WS96 Wine Spectator Terrifically dense, with layers of plum sauce, melted red licorice, raspberry coulis and blackberry pâte de fruit coursing along, but never top-heavy, as alluring floral and incense notes hang in the background. The long, mineraldriven finish keeps everything firmly grounded. Approachable now, but has a ways to go.—Non-blind Pavie Macquin vertical (December 2014). Best from 2019 through 2029.

RP96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Inky bluish/purple in color, Pavie Macquin produced a prodigious effort from St.-Emilion in 2005. Its crushed, chalky rock minerality, massive body, and high tannin make for a wine to forget for another decade. Super-loaded, concentrated and powerful, this wine should turn out great, but patience will be required. The blackberry and cassis fruit are there in abundance, but so is a massive structure. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035. Rating: 96+ JD96 Jeb Dunnuck The 2005 Chateau Pavie Macquin, from a cooler, limestone terroir on the upper plateau, is a brilliant effort that’s still youthful, if not unevolved. Crème de cassis, massive minerality and crushed rocks notes, and graphite notes all give way to a powerful, concentrated 2005 that has a stacked mid-palate and uncommon power. With ripe tannin, good acidity, and a huge finish, give bottles another 3-4 years, and it’s going to keep for another two decades.

WE94 Wine Enthusiast This chateau deserved its promotion to Premier Grand Cru in 2006. Nicolas Thienpont has made a wonderfully firm, dense wine that piles rich fruit upon tannin upon rich fruit, while still preserving considerable elegance. The after effect is of a solid wine, powerful, long-lasting.

CHATEAU PAVIE MACQUIN St. Emilion, 2009 $129 WS95 Wine Spectator Hyperlush, with very creamy fig, blackberry and boysenberry flavors that stay well-defined, as charred apple wood, black tea and singed vanilla bean notes stride in behind. The long, authoritative finish drips with fruit and toasted spice, offering grip for balance. Very impressive. Best from 2014 through 2030.

WE94 Wine Enthusiast Very fruity aromas hint that this is a bright wine, its tannins shaded by the red and black berry flavors. The structure is integrated, showing ripe as well as fresh fruit with final flavors of chocolate.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2009 is enormous in size, yet broodingly backward, I was somewhat surprised by the astringency of the tannins in this blend of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a big wine (14.5% alcohol), black purple in color, with huge concentration of fruit and beautiful purity, but a good decade of cellaring is required.

From a top terroir, this wine is built for the long haul, and I am sure it will be even better than its relatively conservative rating at this point. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2035.

CHATEAU PAVIE MACQUIN St. Emilion, 2010 $169 WS96 Wine Spectator Packed, offering dense but clearly defined layers of blackberry coulis, plum paste and black currant pâte de fruit, intertwined with mouthwatering graphite and Lapsang souchong tea notes. The bramble- and spice-filled finish just won't quit. Despite displaying power and breadth, this features good cut and leaves a mouthwatering impression of purity. Best from 2018 through 2035.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate This is always an extremely masculine, dense, burly wine, and the 2010, which tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol (just slightly under that of the 2009), has a final blend of 80% Merlot and the rest virtually all Cabernet Franc, with just 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Loads of crushed rock and chalkiness, along with licorice, black truffle, smoked game and black fruits dominate the aromatics and flavor. Backward, formidably endowed, full-bodied and almost atypically massive and huge, with gargantuan extraction, this is a wine for patient connoisseurs to forget about for close to a decade. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2040+.

JS9 James Suckling Gorgeous nose with great complexity. Blackberry, licorice and a steely mineral note. Lots of chalk, nutmeg and violets too. Dense and full-bodied on the palate with a beautiful fruit and a sumptuous fruity finish that just goes on and on. Velvety tannins and layered texture with lots of raw licorice.

CHATEAU PAVIE MACQUIN St. Emilion, 2015 $95 WS96 Wine Spectator Ripe, pure and expressive, with a beautiful panoply of loganberry, plum and red currant preserve flavors that meld seamlessly with anise and singed apple wood details and a subtle chalky spine. A bright floral accent on the finish lifts this up a register and lets it sail on, holding that note. Best from 2020 through 2040.

JS98 James Suckling So much violet and lilac aromas to this with blackberry and blueberry character, too. Full-bodied and delivering limestone, chalk and lavender on the palate. Great structure, too. Needs four or five years to soften. Better in 2022.

WE97 Wine Enthusiast This is a beautifully crafted, structured wine. From its ripe black-currant fruits through the acidity and tense tannins, to the full, generous aftertaste, the wine impresses. It has great fruit, balanced acidity and a good potential. Drink from 2025.

RP94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pavie Macquin bursts forth from the glass with profound notions of plum preserves, fruit cake, Indian spices and chargrilled meat with touches of black soil, mocha, cedar chest and unsmoked cigars. Full-bodied, voluptuously fruited and decadently styled in the mouth, the packed layers of black fruit preserves and exotic spices are well-matched by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness that sits comfortably in the background, finishing with great length and depth.

JD94 Jeb Dunnuck Notes of cassis, toasted spice, toasty oak, and crushed flowers emerge from the 2015 Château Pavie Macquin, and it’s a rockin’ effort that marries elegance with full-bodied power and structure. With fine, fine tannin, high, yet integrated acidity, and a great mid-palate, it’s more approachable than either of the other Pavie releases, yet is still backward and unevolved. Give bottles 4-5 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following two to three decades.

CHATEAU BEAU-SEJOUR BECOT St. Émilion 2009 $89

The Saint-Émilion classification - Premiers Grands Crus Classés B

WE96 Wine Enthusiast Minty new wood aromas on a wine that shows both great tannins and sweet wood. The fruit is still to show, but promises fresh plum flavors that will be delicious and juicy. This is a ripe, concentrated wine.

RP94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate My favorite Beau-Sejour-Becot to date, this sumptuous, dense blue/purple-hued 2009 reveals a blockbuster nose of blueberry pie, black fruits, licorice, forest floor, spring flowers and a hint of mocha. A blend of 70% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon made from tiny yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare, this big, inky, powerful, tannic wine is sensationally concentrated. With an unctuous texture, full-bodied power and tremendous levels of tannin (largely concealed behind a cascade of rich fruit), this is a fabulous effort from a beautifully situated St.-Emilion premier grand cru classe. It will need 5-8 years of cellaring, and should keep for three decades.

WS92 Wine Spectator Dark but racy, with chocolate-covered raspberry and blackberry fruit carried by graphite and toasty cinnamon, black tea and anise flavors. Firms up on the finish, with a lovely note of singed apple wood that should meld nicely after cellaring. Best from 2014 through 2024.

CHATEAU BEAU-SEJOUR BECOT St. Émilion 2010 $115

The grapes were succulent, unusually concentrated and very ripe, with plenty of freshness in the pulp, thanks to low temperatures at night. The pips didn't taste at all bitter and smelt like roasted coffee. All the ingredients were there of us to make an exceptional vintage!

Blend: 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon WE95 Wine Enthusiast In the opulent style of super ripe Merlot, this is a rich wine that delivers generous black currant fruits with tannins that are dense but not overwhelming. It is finely structured, proud of its elegance, stylish fruit and tannin balance.

The wine is set for long-term aging, but will certainly be drinkable in 5–10 years.

JS95 James Suckling Wonderful nose with loads of dark chocolate, plums and some coffee. Opens up with orange peel, leather and vanilla. Full and round on palate with beautiful fruit and sweet polished tannins. Long and gorgeous with a really smooth texture.

V95 Vinous This has an outstanding bouquet that is superior to anything that preceded it: a mixture of red and black fruit, undergrowth, minerals, iris and crushed violet. The oak here is seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine line of acidity, quite sensual in the mouth, especially for a 2010, that makes this more approachable that many of its peers. There is immense depth and certainly it constitutes the most powerful Bécot to date. Yet the precision and detail on the finish takes it to a higher level than the 2009 and you come away with the feeling that this is a benchmark for the Bécot family WS93 Wine Spectator Delivers a deliciously vibrant core of linzer torte, blackberry confiture and melted licorice snap notes, along with toasted spice and a mouthwatering apple wood accent on the finish The grip is briary and energetic, showing a fine, buried minerality. Should stretch out wonderfully in the cellar. Best from 2016 through 2028.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine from a moderately sized vineyard was cropped at only 27.5 hectoliters per hectare and came in at 14.5% natural alcohol. The wine displays plenty of toasty oak and vanillin as well as some lead pencil shavings intermixed with cedar, black currants, cherry jam, chocolate and espresso. It is a relatively big, dense, full-bodied St.-Emilion that needs 5-6 years of cellaring and that should keep well for up to two decades.

CHATEAU FOMBRAUGE St. Émilion 2010 $55

The Saint-Émilion classification - Grand Crus

WS92 Wine Spectator Has a really nice graphite frame that drives the core of fig, plum and boysenberry fruit authoritatively, with dense ganache, espresso and tar on the finish. The grip is keeping things tight now, but this should meld in the cellar, as the underlying feel is energetic. Best from 2015 through 2025.

JS92 James Suckling Soft red fruit and fresh coffee. Some chocolate and spice. Beautifully textured fruit on the palate with a bright acidity and velvety tannins. Very long and smooth finish. So enjoyable already. Best ever from here? Better in 2015.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate This is one of the better, more supple Fombrauge wines to date, with a better integration of toasty oak than I have usually seen at this stage of this wine’s development. This has given the wine wonderful ripeness and plenty of chocolaty espresso notes intermixed with incense, black cherries and black currants. The oak is subtle, and the wine full-bodied, attractive, deep, round and generous

CHATEAU LA DOMINIQUE St. Émilion 2010 $68

The Saint-Émilion classification - Grand Crus

With its deep and shiny color, Chateau La Dominique brings together the generosity of a Saint Émilion and the typicity of a Pomerol. The nose is intense, characterized by seducing aromas of ripe fruits and subtle spicy notes. In most vintages, you will find truffle and licorice notes, complemented by peppery and woody aromas. With a sharp attack, it is fleshy and round, with silky and precise tannins. The finish is long and full and leaves you with a pleasant feeling of bliss. Aimed to be aged in most vintages but can also be appreciated during its early years.

WS94 Wine Spectator Delivers a gorgeous note of crème de cassis, followed by dark plum, anise, blackberry coulis and blueberry reduction notes. A glorious display of fruit, with well-embedded charcoal and graphite accents that help the finish drive on with authority. Should age wonderfully. A very strong showing for this estate. Best from 2016 through 2030.

JS94 James Suckling Polished and rich nose with dark deep fruit and dense minerality. Wonderful pure ripe fruit on the palate with a long-layered texture and super velvety tannins.

WE94 Wine Enthusiast Ripe, juicy aromas, it offers sweet fruit. It's a ripe wine with blackberry flavors and balanced tannins.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The wine displays plenty of licorice, Christmas fruitcake, black currants, licorice, truffles and some espresso notes.

Full-bodied, viscous and somewhat reminiscent of many 2009s, given its blast of fruit, glycerin and heady alcohol, this is a beautifully rich St.-Émilion for pleasure seekers. Don’t discount its age ability, as I am sure it has two decades ahead of it.

CHATEAU MONBOUSQUET St. Émilion 2010 $74

The Saint-Émilion classification - Grand Crus

Blend: 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon WS95 Wine Spectator A lush, modern, style, with hyperdrive on the blueberry, loganberry and boysenberry fruit flavors. Nothing gets too heady though, as there's charcoal-studded grip, smoldering coffee grinds and roasted bay leaf notes all in the background for definition and further development with cellaring. Modern, yes, but firmly grounded in its terroir.

Best from 2016 through 2035.

JS95 James Suckling Great nose of spices, dried herbs, chocolate and coffee. Very intense nose. Full-bodied, with fabulous tannins and finesse. This is layered and rich yet very harmonious. Best Monbusquet ever. Try after 2018.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Bottle unfined and unfiltered, it exhibits notes of Christmas fruitcake, black raspberry, cedar wood and spice box and has a full-bodied, fleshy, succulent mouthfeel, sweet tannin and decent acidity along with the tell-tale purity that always seems to emerge from the Perse estates. This wine should drink beautifully for at least 12-15 or more years.

CHATEAU TROPLONG MONDOT St. Émilion 2010 $200

The Saint-Émilion classification - Premiers Grands Crus Classés B

RP99 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Inky, bluish/black/purple, with notes of spring flowers, licorice, camphor, graphite, and a boatload of blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit, this is a powerful, full-bodied Troplong Mondot. All the building components of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are judiciously and impressively integrated. It is a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by Christine Valette and her husband Xavier Pariente with the consultancy help of Michel Rolland. I-m not sure what the heady alcohol level is in Troplong Mondot in 2010 (it certainly must be in the 15%+ range), but it is well-concealed behind the extravagant, richness, full-bodied power, and pure nobility of this majestic wine. Forget this for 5-7 years and drink it over the following three decades.

WE95 Wine Enthusiast Definite new wood aromas here, the wine impressively dense, structured. Then there is velvet, caramel wood layer that sneaks in to give a wine that has freshness, but great elegance.

JS94 James Suckling Very intense blackberry and blueberry character on the nose. Full body with super refined tannins and beautiful fruit. So delicious and pretty. Very rich and a little high-octane. Yet luscious and flamboyant. Try in 2018.

WS94 Wine Spectator Ripe and dense, but very vibrant and energetic, as a torrent of cassis, blackberry coulis and fig paste rushes through, framed by enticing black licorice and evenly roasted alder and juniper notes. The long finish has lots of grip and acidity, but they work together and are deeply embedded. Captures the fruit and structure of the vintage superbly. Best from 2015 through 2030.

CHATEAU TROPLONG MONDOT St. Émilion 2015 $145 D99 Jeb Dunnuck The 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It's one of the great wines of the vintage.

WE97 Wine Enthusiast In keeping with the new style from this estate, this is a powerful, opulent wine. Its density, concentration and layers of dark fruits are all of a piece, held together by powerful tannins. Touches of black coffee and spice emphasize the richness of the fruit and the opulent aftertaste. Drink from 2025.

JS97 James Suckling Expressive, ripe dark plums swathed in aromas of mocha, toasted baking spices, graphite, blackberries and mulberries. The flavor-soaked palate arrives on suave, velvety tannins, delivering flavors of vibrant, concentrated dark plums, mulberries, dark chocolate and cocoa in a youthful, fresh style. Terrific wine with ultra-long finish. An essay in power and elegance. Essence-like. Best from 2020.

RP96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Blended of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak, 85% new, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Troplong Mondot is redolent of warm plums, blackberry tart and blueberry pie with suggestions of underbrush, bay leaves, cedar chest and lavender plus a waft of baking spices. Full-bodied and fullthrottle in the mouth, the palate is decadently packed with a solid core of black and blue fruit layers, supported with firm, grainy tannins and finishing with loads of spicy layers. This pedal-to-the-metal beauty is the ultimate indulgence for the hedonists!

WS95 Wine Spectator Offers a gorgeous, caressing, velvety feel, with waves of warmed plum, fig compote and blackberry reduction gliding through, inlaid with notes of graphite, sweet tobacco and black licorice. A light loamy echo adds a pleasant tug of earth at the very end. Best from 2022 through 2040.

CHATEAU LARCIS-DUCASSE St. Émilion 2015 $110

The Saint-Émilion classification - Premiers Grands Crus Classés B

JS99 James Suckling The aromas to this are phenomenal with oyster shell, blackberries, iodine and black truffles. Full-bodied, layered and so refined and intense. Love the texture and intensity. Chalky. Amazing. Goes on for minutes. Try in 2023.

V97 Vinous The 2015 Larcis Ducasse is just as compelling from bottle as it was from barrel. Rose petal, lavender, spice and mint give it an attractive upper register that melds seamlessly into a core of inky red and purplish fruit. Dense, powerful and overt, the 2015 also has quite a bit of freshness to liven up the flavors. Silky tannins and soft contours add to the wine's racy, sensual personality. The 2015 is going to be virtually impossible to resist in its youth.

JD96 Jeb Dunnuck A more elegant, finesse-driven style of cuvee than normal, the 2015 Château Larcis-Ducasse is comprised of close to 90% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc. It reveals a terrific bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, cedary spice and forest floor, with more graphite and lead pencil nuances developing as it sat in the glass. With full-bodied richness, a tight, backward, yet promising style on the palate, beautiful tannin quality, and a great finish, it’s an undeniably classy, balanced 2015 that will reward 2-4 years of bottle age.

WS95 Wine Spectator This nearly gushes with succulent plum, blackberry and black currant preserve flavors, but they stay on the racy and refined side overall, flecked with anise, Lapsang souchong tea and violet notes. A lovely chalky spine controls the finish with a deft hand. Best from 2020 through 2035.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Larcis Ducasse opens with opulent scents of blueberry pie, baked plums and spice cake with nuances of unsmoked cigars, dusty soil, licorice and a touch of salami. Big, rich, fullbodied and incredibly impactful on the palate, it proudly struts its bold black and blue fruits with a plush, velvettextured cape, finishing long and spicy.

SAINT-ESTÈPHE (pronunciation: Sant Ess-teff) St.-Estèphe, the northernmost of four important villages in the Haut-Médoc district of Bordeaux, produces red wines known for their deep color and powerful, robust character. Made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Merlot and lesser amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, St.-Estèphe wines have full flavors and firm structure, develop great aromatic complexity and age extremely well. These powerful and intense wines pair wonderfully with grilled steaks, lamb and game dishes.

CHATEAU MONTROSE St. Estèphe 2015 $190

The Médoc Classification of 1855 - Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

Structured and tannic but with all the elegance and refinement of a Grand Cru Classé, with time it develops a delicate and complex bouquet. Matured for 18 months in 60% new oak barrels, the premium wine accounts on average for 55% of the estate’s total production .

JS98 James Suckling Intensity and clarity of fruit is so insane. Blackberries, spices such as cloves, blueberries, sandalwood and dried lavender. Full body and such a beautiful, dense center palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time. Drink in 2024.

WE96 Wine Enthusiast This sumptuous, powerful wine has a great sense of structure and tannins. It is also overwhelmingly dense with black fruits and swathes of rich black currants. In this vintage, even more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual in the blend has given a ripe wine set for a far-distant future. Drink from 2026.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Montrose opens with broody black fruits, menthol and anise notes with a core of cassis, blueberries and mulberries plus a touch of cedar chest. The medium-bodied mouth is firm and chewy with a good core of muscular fruit and a long, earthy finish.

WS92Wine Spectator Fleshy for the vintage, with good plum and dark currant fruit lined with ample tobacco, warm paving stone, bay leaf and alder notes on the slightly dusty finish. Not a charmer, but this is integrated and shows range and depth for the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2035.

SAINT-JULIEN (pronunciation: San Zhoo-lee-en) Small but mighty, the appellation of St.-Julien, on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, has long enjoyed a reputation for exceptional quality and consistency. Compared to its neighbors in Bordeaux, St.-Julien produces the highest proportion of classifiedgrowth wines, with more than three-quarters of the vineyards devoted to topranked producers. They include several “Super Second” chateaux and many other outstanding classified growths and Cru Bourgeois.

Saint-Julien wines are beautifully balanced, with a great richness, depth of color, and elegance. Cabernet Sauvignon prevails, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc used for blending in the classic Bordeaux style.

CHATEAU LEOVILLE-BARTON St-Julien 1989 $195

Steven Spurrier, long-standing consultant editor at Decanter, included this 1989 Bordeaux wine amongst the 10 bottles of wines that have stayed in his memory more than any others over his long career.

The Médoc Classification of 1855 - Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

WS92 Wine Spectator A delicious, well-structured Bordeaux, with plenty of ripe fruit, beautiful berry, green tobacco and cherry character.

Full-bodied, adding velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (June 2014) It has been a little while since I tasted the Château Léoville-Barton 1989. Now at 25 years of age, it has an open bouquet with vestiges of brambly red fruit, scorched earth and chestnut, touches of fireside hearth developing with time. There is something almost comforting about Anthony Barton's wine, its familiarity putting you at ease. The palate is medium-bodied with tannins that have softened in recent years and it gently builds to a saline, rather austere finish. Gentle, but classy Saint Julien, you can enjoy this for another 15 years without worry.

CHATEAU LEOVILLE-BARTON St-Julien 2009 $150

#6 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2012 WE98 Wine Enthusiast

A major success vintage. The wine exhibits extreme richness of the fruit, with all its sweet blackberry flavors. It also has underlying firm structure, density and solid tannins. Bring in the acidity at the end, and this is both impressive and ready for long-term aging.

JS96 James Suckling Very floral, with fresh mushrooms and currants on the nose. Full body, with powerful tannins, yet polished and refined. Lovely length. Vibrant acidity. Well structured. Try after 2018.

WS95 Wine Spectator This is powerful Cabernet, with gutsy weight, but polished feel to the fresh plum, warm blackberry sauce, bittersweet ganache and roasted apple wood notes. Long and tarry through the finish, but still invigorating despite its heft. Will need some time to round fully into form. Best from 2017 through 2035.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The wine reveals tremendous denseness and richness, a broad, savory mouthfeel and elevated tannins in the finish. Still a monolithic baby, this 2009 should be forgotten for at least a decade, and consumed over the next 30-50 years.

CHATEAU LEOVILLE-BARTON St-Julien 2015 $110

Intense color, the nose is full of aromas of black fruit, spice and cedar. The palate is fresh and balanced, the juice is intense and delicate. Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot WE97 Wine Enthusiast Rich, generous and elegant, this is a very dense wine but with great black fruits to balance this structure. The elements are already coming together to create another great wine from this property. Drink from 2026.

JD97 Jeb Dunnuck I absolutely loved the 2015 Leoville-Barton and this has everything you could want from a Left Bank Bordeaux.

Cassis, smoked earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and thrilling amounts of minerality all emerge from this inky colored, full-bodied, power-packed, brut of a Saint-Julien that holds everything together and stays pure, balanced and elegant on the palate. It has a lot of tannins, yet more than enough fruit. The 2015 is a blend of 86% Cabernet

Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak, and it needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will shine for 2-3 decades. Bravo!

JS96 James Suckling This is a very focused Barton with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and chalky. It drives through the center palate with currant and berry character. Full-bodied, polished and straightforward with driving tannin. Love the texture. Class. Yes. Drink in 2021.

WS95 Wine Spectator This delivers some serious wow, dripping with warm fig, blackberry and boysenberry reduction notes, along with melted black licorice and fruitcake flavors. Shows ample grip but remains beautifully polished, letting the fruit sail on. Don't worry though, as long echoes of roasted apple wood and tar signal that this is built for the long haul. Best from 2025 through 2042.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Leoville Barton offers up notions of warm red currants, black raspberries and dark chocolate with wafts of cigar box, violets and bay leaves. Elegant, medium-bodied and sporting great freshness, the taut, tightly wound palate of intense red fruits and floral accents is well-framed with firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

CHATEAU GLORIA St. Julien 2005 $65

The color is purple and the wine has a sustained, very intensive nose of red fruits. In the mouth it has a firm, noble structure with voluptuous fruit which combines an exceptional roundness and finesse. For today, the tasting is lovely, indicating a perfect balance.

WS92 Wine Spectator Licorice, blackberry and fresh cèpe on the nose. Full and velvety-textured, with lots of fruit and a long, caressing finish. Pretty and rich. The best Gloria in years.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A big-time sleeper of the vintage, this St.-Julien reveals notes of tapenade, spice box, cedar, sweet black cherries, and black currants. An opulent texture, terrific fruit, medium to full body, and abundant concentration suggest this stunning Gloria will provide plenty of pleasure over the next 15 years.

CHATEAU GLORIA St. Julien 2010 $65

WS90 Wine Spectator Juicy and direct, with a relatively friendly feel to the plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit, all coated with a ganache note that hangs through the finish. Surprisingly accessible, and not quite as grippy as when tasted from barrel.

Drink now through 2023.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2010 Gloria is an ass-kicking, fabulous value once again from this estate, which would probably be classified if the 1855 hierarchy of the wines of the Medoc were ever done again. Abundant notes of cedar wood, fruitcake, flowers, creme de cassis and kirsch are all present in this full-bodied, opulent, dense, dark ruby/purple wine. It is slightly more restrained than the flamboyant 2009, but equal in quality. This is a juicy, well-proportioned, sensationally concentrated, super-ripe Gloria to drink over the next decades. Of course, it is a sleeper of the vintage, given the reasonable price it normally sells for.

WE90 Wine Enthusiast The wine shows considerable new-wood influence at this stage. However, this wood emphasis brings out polished fruit that is deliciously smooth and blackberrylike in profile.

CHATEAU GLORIA St. Julien 2015 $50

A deep red - violet color. A jammy nose of red fruits. Notes of licorice and vanilla. On entering the mouth it is silky with an exceptional melting quality. Highly precise tannins with exceptional elegance and length.

WS93 Wine Spectator Well-steeped plum, fig and boysenberry fruit is richly layered, supported by embedded brambly grip and backed by waves of ganache and sweet tobacco on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2038.

WE93 Wine Enthusiast New wood flavors give a dry toast character to this wine. Its fruitiness takes a while to show through the dry exterior. It does have the weight to sustain the wood as it develops.

JD92 Jeb Dunnuck A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 40% new oak, the 2015 Château Gloria is a beautiful Saint-Julien that’s well worth seeking out and drinking.

Blackcurrants, damp earth, spicy oak and hints of leafy herbs all flow to an upfront, elegant, yet fruit forward 2015 that has sweet tannin and good freshness. It’s no doubt a charmer, yet will see its 20th birthday in fine form.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2015 Gloria, a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc, matured for 14 months in 40% new and 60% one-year-old barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has an earthy/meaty nose with a core of black plums and blackberries plus touches of eucalypt and anise. The medium-bodied palate is just a little lean and chewy with an earthy finish.

CLOS DU MARQUIS St. Julien 2005 $90

Hand harvested. Traditional vinification.

WS93 Wine Spectator Fabulous aromas of crushed raspberry, blackberry, mineral and licorice follow through to a full-bodied palate. This is chewy yet silky, with a long, long finish. Balanced and powerful. Best after 2012.

JS92 James Suckling Musty and mushroomy, with red fruit chasers on the nose and palate. Round and fruity, but still needs three years.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The superb second wine, the 2005 Clos du Marquis, reflects the utter brilliance of the 2005 grand vin. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color along with a sweet perfume of lead pencil, ripe cherries and black currants, and hints of earth and vanillin. Dense, chewy, fleshy, and full-bodied, this beauty will be drinkable in 3-4 years, and should keep for 15-20.

CHATEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE St. Julien 2005 $220

The Médoc Classification of 1855 - Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

Dark, almost black in color. The nose is rich and complex with fresh fruit aromas that mingle with cedar and spicy notes. The attack is frank and fleshy, with a surprising aromatic intensity. The mid-palate is dense, marked by the power and elegance of the tannins, with a finish that is in perfect continuity with the complexity, intensity, and purity of the vintage. Blend: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc JD99 Jeb Dunnuck Its inky purple color is followed by a massive, full-bodied, incredibly concentrated 2010 that has awesome notes of pure crème de cassis, licorice, graphite, and spring flowers. As with the 2009, it has incredible depth of fruit, yet a slightly more focused, classic style, which is very much in the style of the 2010 vintage. With its new oak completely absorbed by its wealth of fruit, perfect balance, and sweet tannin, it’s a sensational, monumental effort to drink over the coming 3-4 decades.

RP98 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The wine out distances both Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Barton, but all three of them are compelling efforts. Fullbodied, dense purple in color, with floral notes intermixed with blackberries, cassis, graphite and spring flowers, this full-bodied, legendary effort is long and opulent, with wonderfully abundant yet sweet tannin, a skyscraper-like mid-palate and a thrilling, nearly one-minute finish. This spectacular effort from Poyferre that should drink well for 30+ years.

WE98 Wine Enthusiast A wine of architectural strength and classical proportions, this has straight lines that mark the packed, concentrated fruits, which are sustained by its tannins. This is certainly the best wine that Leoville-Poyferre has produced, sumptuous while so finely structured.

WS93 Wine Spectator Features a coating of warm cocoa, with notes of solid currant paste, steeped fig and blackberry fruit. The pastisand graphite-filled finish pumps along, revealing a well-embedded structure that should soften in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2030.

FRONSAC AND CANON-FRONSAC The Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac appellations are centered around the town of Fronsac on the Dordogne River, northwest of Saint-Émilion on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. They produce only red wines, typically from a base of Cabernet Franc with small amounts of Merlot.

Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac wines are known to be big and full-flavored, with firm tannin structure that may benefit from aging. Canon-Fronsac, situated within Fronsac, generally produces fuller-bodied and more complex wines, as suggested by its required minimum alcohol content, a half point higher than Fronsac’s. The improved quality of recent vintages and a new, softer style produced by the latest generation of winemakers have created renewed interest in wines from the Fronsac area. This thriving appellation is producing some of the best values in Bordeaux.

CHATEAU LA VIEILLE CURE Fronsac 2009 $40

The wines produced at Chateau la Vieille Cure are, as has been the tradition for centuries, fine wines meant for careful consumption. While they can be enjoyed young, they are best appreciated at 4 years of age and more. With a perfect balance of fruit, aromas and tannins, they are made to be appreciated with meals but can be enjoyed at any time.

WS90 Wine Spectator Solid, with a nice, pure beam of cassis and blackberry fruit subtly laced with licorice snap and tobacco notes. The polished finish has an iron accent in reserve. Should be a solid midterm ager. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate This property has made so many fine efforts lately that it is difficult to say the 2009 is better than their 2005.

However, the 2009 is a charming, sexy, dense ruby/purple-colored offering displaying lots of ripe Merlot fruit intermixed with hints of charcoal, black raspberries, black currants, lead pencil shavings and truffles. This fullbodied, pure, nicely textured and layered Fronsac is a sleeper of the vintage that considerably over-performs for its modest price. Drink it over the next 15+ years. This is an obvious great value!

WE93 Wine Enthusiast Good dusty tannins, lively fruit, a wine that seems very complete. There is a touch of final wood and dark tannins.

Barrel Sample: 91-93 Points

RED WINES: FRANCE – RHÔNE VALLEY The Rhône River runs some 500 miles from its source in the Swiss Alps to the Mediterranean. Near Vienne, where the river turns from its westward progression and drops south, the Rhône’s storied winemaking areas begin. The region stretches for 150 miles, with vineyards clinging to the slopes above the river, toward the ancient town of Avignon in the south of France.

Most wines from the region are blended from any of three red grapes: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.

Best Recent vintages: 2009 (94-96), 2010 (98), 2015 (97-99)

CHATEAU DE BEAUCASTEL Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 $130

Château de Beaucastel has long been regarded as one of the greatest wines in France. It is notorious for its elegance, balance and ageing potential. Beaucastel has an exceptional terroir at the Northern limit of Châteauneuf du Pape, exposed to the Mistral wind.

Nearly black in color. The nose is very delicate and powerful at the same time, with red fruit, blackcurrants, blackberries, spices, thyme and lavender. The bouquet is very elegant, rich and round, with figs, cherries, blackcurrants and stewed fruit, all with great acidity. The tannins are present but very delicate. #8 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2008 Really dense and locked up now, this is packed with dark fig, currant and blackberry fruit shrouded by layers of tar, hot stone, bittersweet licorice and espresso. The long, dense finish has a great tug of iron buried within it. Best from 2011 through 2030.

RP94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2005 Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a wine that probably needs 7-10 years of bottle age. Possibly the most backward and closed Beaucastel made since the 1995, the wine has very high tannins, seems totally closed aromatically, but in the mouth is a weighty wine exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color and tight aromatics consisting of new saddle leather, porcini, meat juices, licorice, tar, and black fruits. The wine is full-bodied, powerful, very tannic, and structured in a dramatically masculine, ageworthy style. This is one for the younger generation or those with considerable patience. I can't see it being close to drinkable before 2014 and lasting up to 30 or more years.

CHATEAU DE BEAUCASTEL

Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2009 $109 WS96 Wine Spectator One of the more endowed 2009s, this is packed with dark smoldering cocoa, mesquite, tobacco and roasted fig notes, all inlaid with pure cassis and plum preserves fruit flavors. Long and authoritative on the finish, with singed vanilla bean and tar notes adding length and dimension. Best from 2015 through 2026.

JS94 James Suckling A very warm year, this has extremely expressive grenache fruits, raspberry, some honey and a lithe juicy core.

There's a late creeping wave of smooth tannins. Darker plum fruits exude power through the finish. Stunning wine from a very ripe vintage.

CHATEAU DE BEAUCASTEL Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2015 $100

With a beautiful intense carmine-red color, this 2015 Beaucastel has a lively attack and very quickly reveals aromas of beautiful red fruit. The finish has delicate notes of licorice with powerful but not aggressive tannins. A great vintage of Beaucastel red.

WS97 Wine Spectator A stunner from the get-go, with waves of thoroughly seductive boysenberry, plum, blueberry and raspberry reduction forming the core, while roasted apple wood, rooibos tea, bergamot, and anise notes flash throughout.

Has plenty of bass, with a Turkish coffee accent and a hint of alder driving underneath. Everything moves in lockstep through the seriously long finish. Best from 2020 through 2045.

RP96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Bottled in late July, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is an amazing effort, especially when one considers the production volume. Loaded with black cherry fruit and cola-like spice, this full-bodied, richly textured wine never seems heavy or warm, while exotic Indian spice notes linger on the finish. It should drink well for at least 20 years.

JD96 Jeb Dunnuck This is a beauty that offers more depth and richness than just about every other wine in the vintage. Blackberry, black raspberries, garrigue, spice and hints of saddle leather all flow to a full-bodied, rich, layered 2015 that has a stacked, concentrated mid-palate, ripe, sweet tannin and an undeniable opulence that’s missing from too many 2015s. Marc Perrin compared this cuvée to 2001, and I can’t disagree with him. Drink this blockbuster beauty anytime over the coming two decades. 96+

DOMAINE DES SENECHAUX Chateauneuf du Pape 2015 $39

The Domaine des Sénéchaux produces robust reds and fleshy whites that reflect a rich terroir and uncompromising expertise, in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

WS 93 Wine Spectator Solid, with a youthfully tight core of crushed cherry and kirsch fruit underlined by tar, cedar, tobacco and sanguine notes. Shows good depth and length in reserve here, so cellar to let this fill in and stretch out fully. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2020 through 2030.

WA93 Wine Advocate Since 2006, this property has been owned by the Cazes family (of Château Lynch Bages in Pauillac), and the wines seem to get better with each passing year. The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is a full-bodied, supple but richly tannic blend of 61% Grenache, 22% Syrah and 17% Mourvèdre that spent time in foudres, old barriques and concrete, maturing into a strong, concentrated effort loaded with cherry fruit and spice.

RED WINES: FRANCE – SOUTH FRANCE France’s gorgeous Southern coastline, hugging the Mediterranean between Spain and Italy, produces delicious wines. The region is notable among French wine regions for its consistently fine growing conditions. The northern latitude – even though it’s the South of France, the region is still far north of almost all of Spain and Italy’s vineyards – ensures long days during the growing season, so grapes ripen fully. The Gulf Stream and Mediterranean Sea keep it balmy. Steady winds banish humidity that can cause disease in vines and grapes.

The Languedoc, toward the western end of the coast, is the largest single winemaking region in the world. Producers there have taken big strides to upgrade the quality and limit the quantity of Languedoc wines. The best make wines from vines grown on the hillsides. The grape varietals that thrive in this region are Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Beautiful Provence stretches across the southeast coast of France, from the Rhône toward Nice and the Italian border. The picturesque rolling hills covered with lavender and herbs are also very hospitable to vines, which thrive in the sunny, breezy Mediterranean climate.

In Bandol, a tiny region perched above the coast between Marseille and Toulon, Grenache and Mourvèdre are grown on terraced hillsides to make ripe and ageworthy red wines.

GÉRARD BERTRAND

Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre Corbières 2014 $19 #55 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Gérard Bertrand's wine empire spans France's Languedoc and Roussillon, with nine estates producing wines that reflect the region's diversity. Corbières, where Bertrand was born, received its AOC classification in 1985; it stretches from the Pyrenees to the Massif Central. The grapes for this classic southern France blend were grown on gravelly clay and limestone soils. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in 225-liter Bordeaux barrels, 50 percent new, for eight months prior to bottling.

A deep, concentrated color. The complex aromas of black fruit come from the carefully controlled extraction during vinification and from the exceptional ripeness of the grapes. A wine of distinctive character with all the flavors of ripe fruit, with subtle hints of spices and licorice. Its full, fat body lends it a remarkable elegance.

Best to accompany grilled red meat, tagines, stews and matures cheese.

WS90 Wine Spectator Full-bodied and powerful, with decadent layers of raspberry compote, kirsch and red plum notes that are met with savory details of herb and cured meat. Offers a tangy, hot stone–accented finish. Drink now through 2025.

CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN

St.-Chinian-Roquebrun La Grange des Combes 2015 $20 #57 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Founded in 1968, Cave de Roque-brun produces benchmark southern France wines from the St.-Chinian and Languedoc AOCs. The small village of Roquebrun, located on the southern foothills of the Massif Central, 20 miles north of Béziers, received its subappellation status in 2005. Its south-facing slopes and shale-rich soils contribute to the distinctive terroir. This wine, a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, is made from hand-harvested grapes and aged in stainless-steel tanks.

Very beautiful deep red gown. The nose is rich, powerful and has notes of cherries confi. The palate is smooth with delicate finish, slightly mineral.

Very nice wine throughout a meal, it will be perfect with a guinea fowl with morels as well as soft cheeses.

WS91 Wine Spectator A muscular but polished red, with brooding blackberry pie, dark cherry and roasted plum notes complemented by iron, peppercorn and licorice details. Full but not overpowering tannins linger on the savory, herb-tinged finish.

Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2022.

HECHT & BANNIER

CĂ´tes du Roussillon-Villages 2011 $25 #88 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Since 2002, founders Gregory Hecht and François Bannier have been on a mission to produce benchmark wines across several regions in southern France. Sourcing grapes and finished wines from cooperatives, young growers and well-known domaines, Hecht and Bannier create blends they feel best express the terroir.

The Cotes du Roussillon is a traditional blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan and Syrah vinified and aged in a combination of epoxy lined concrete tank, large neutral oak casks and about 20% in new oak barrels producing a wine of powerful, ripe, juicy fruit with an elegant, refined finish.

WS91 Wine Spectator A rich and extracted style, with luscious dark fruit, blackberry and tar flavors that are well-structured. Features hints of licorice snap mid palate, leading to a long finish of dark chocolate and cream. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan. Drink now through 2020.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2011 Cotes du Roussillon Villages gives up classic red and black fruits, dusty pebble-like minerality, licorice and earth aromas and flavors as well as a medium to full-bodied, lively, yet nicely textured profile on the palate. Midweight through the middle, with savory tannin, it will evolve nicely through 2019.

DOMAINE DU GROS NORE Bandol Rouge 2012 $40

#94 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

It is not packed with jam, but it is jam-packed with goodies. Suffice to say: classic Bandol flavors, unfiltered. Those who like such flavors - you know if you fit the bill - will be in heaven.

Blend: 80% Mourvedre, 15% Grenache, 5% Cinsault WS93 Wine Spectator This has a dark leathery frame but remains sleek and pure overall, with a dense core of currant preserves, steeped plum and lightly mulled blackberry fruit. Best from 2017 through 2025.

RED WINES: SPAIN

Spain has more land devoted to grape-growing than any other country. Spanish wine regions produce a wide range of styles, typically of very high quality available at great value. The best Spanish wines are the powerful reds from Rioja region, made from the country’s traditional, native grapes – including Spain’s iconic Tempranillo and Garnacha.

Spanish wines are distinguished by the amount of aging each wine receives before release, in some combination of barrel and bottle: Joven is a young wine with little or no barrel aging; Crianza is aged for a minimum of two years; Reserva, three years; Grand Reserva, five years. Because the aging is done before the wines go to market, it’s rarely necessary to cellar these excellent Spanish wines – they’re ready to be consumed upon purchase.

LA RIOJA ALTA

Rioja 904 Gran Reserva 2007 $55 #65 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Medium-depth, cherry-red; clean and bright. Very intense to the nose, with a pleasant balsamic bouquet. Almonds, mint chocolate, vanilla and roasted coffee lead to notes of jammy fruit. Good, balanced structure in the mouth, with a pleasant acidity and very sweet, round tannins which provide a long, complex finish.

WS93 Wine Spectator This supple red delivers bright, focused flavors of dried cherry, orange peel, vanilla, sandalwood, tobacco and spice, with light tannins and fresh acidity. An elegant rendering of the traditional style. Drink now through 2022.

JS97 James Suckling Wonderful purity of fruit with a strawberry, currant and plum character. Full and velvety body with ultra-fine tannins and a delicious fresh and fruity finish. Classic Rioja style.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Reserva 904 is polished, silky and elegant, with aging potential. It is a blend of Tempranillo with 10% Mazuelo aged for four years in well-seasoned American oak barrels. I found that the freshness of the vintage and its relatively young age gave the wine a youngish character that I loved, combining developed notes of meat, spices, leather and balsam with almost cherry-like aromas. The palate feels balanced and elegant, with fine-grained and fully resolved tannins and great acidity.

CUNE Rioja Imperial Reserva 2010 $44

#56 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Deep cherry color with shades of shiny red. To the nose, aromas of berries and licorice balanced by hints of clove, rosemary, thyme and tobacco leaves coming from the oak cask ageing. To the palate, it shows its elegance thanks to a gentle tannin providing roundness and freshness. The wine tastes for long in the palate, with an interestingly complex aftertaste. Pair with game and red meats.

WS93 Wine Spectator Smoky and tarry notes give this rich red an austere character, but plum, licorice, soy and mineral notes promise an expressive future. The tannins and acidity are balanced and unobtrusive. Best from 2016 through 2030.

WE93 Wine Enthusiast Imperial is CVNE's most accessible and affordable top-end Rioja, and what a winner it is in 2010. Cool, toasty aromas show sweet maple and vanilla notes along with berry and cassis scents. Fresh but weighty and elegant, this deals ripe berry and loamy earth flavors in front of a mellow finish that's clean and not too demanding.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A worthy follow up of the 2008, the 2010 Imperial Reserva is the usual blend of Tempranillo with 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo fermented with yeasts selected from their own vineyards and matured in American and French oak barrels for two years before being fined with egg whites and bottled unfiltered. This was a textbook Rioja Alta vintage that produced very balanced, fresh wines with plenty of stuffing. This is no exception, showing some fresh orange-peel notes intermixed with hints of leather, blackberries, cherries and pepper with the oak perfectly folded into the fruit. A textbook Reserva with the ability to develop in bottle.

CUNE Rioja Gran Reserva 2010 $33

#22 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa founded Cune in 1879. Today the fifth-generation winery produces a broad range of high quality, traditionally styled wines-including Wine Spectator's 2013 Wine of the Year, the Imperial Gran Reserva 2004. The regular Gran Reserva is made mostly from Tempranillo, with small amounts of Graciano and Mazuelo, all grown in the Rioja Alta subregion. A balanced growing season contributed to the outstanding quality of the 2010 vintage, which delivered this generous red wine. Intense dark cherry color, with a top layer of color. Attractive aromas of berries, like blackberries, black currant, raspberry, all is joined together with the spices aromas from its ageing in the barrel. It’s a complex wine very attractive on the palate, elegant with fine tannin.

WS94 Wine Spectator This generous red shows a traditional character, with leafy, dried herb, tea and spice notes framing dried cherry, licorice and leather flavors. Firm tannins and balsamic acidity impart structure, and this shows plenty of depth, with a juicy, spicy finish. Drink now through 2025.

WE92 Wine Enthusiast This is a young but excellent gran reserva, so it's gritty-smelling in its youth, with aromas of blackberry and cassis.

Racy acidity pushes the focus on the palate towards the upper tier, while flavors of lactic oak, lemon peel, tobacco and mocha share the stage with plum and berry fruit. Finishing flavors of vanilla and raw oak are supported by good acidity and just enough pulp. Drink through 2030. Cellar Selection.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2010 Cune Gran Reserva is a blend of 85% Tempranillo 10%, Graciano and 5% and Mazuelo, which matured in barrel for two years and in bottle for three. There is more American oak here with sweet spices, some roasted and tar aromas, with hints of leather and less finesse than in other Gran Reserva from the house; Viña Real, Imperial and Contino play in a different league.

MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES Rioja Reserva 2012 $31

#19 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Established in 1970, Marqués de Cáceres is a relatively young house by Rioja standards, but founder Enrique Forner brought Bordeaux know-how in both production and marketing from his ownership of two Médoc chateaus and ultimately established this brand as a worldwide powerhouse. The middle-tier reserva bottling maintains consistently outstanding quality. A blend of 85 percent Tempranillo and the balance Garnacha and Graciano, sourced primarily from Rioja Alta vineyards, this red was aged 20 months in new and used French oak and an additional two years in bottle. In a 2012 vintage plagued by drought, this wine has emerged as one of Rioja's strongest reservas.

Dark red in color, this wine offers aromas of forest fruits (wild berries), with a touch of vanilla and floral notes. It is well-balanced on the palate with good structure and tasty tannins.

WS93 Wine Spectator Black cherry, currant and floral notes are expressive and alluring, balanced by loamy earth, tobacco and mineral elements that add a savory quality. Firm, well-integrated tannins give support to the polished texture, while orange peel acidity fuels the fresh finish. Drink now through 2027.

JD90 Jeb Dunnuck A blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and the rest Graciano, the 2012 Reserva sports a deep ruby/purple color as well as lots of blackberry, licorice, asphalt, and spicy vanilla oak aomatics. This deep, rich, medium to fullbodied, pleasure-bent beauty has tons of charm, no hard edges, and a great finish. It's about as easy drinking and quaffable as it gets. This cuvée spent 20 months in a mix of new and used French oak.

ABADIA RETUERTA

Viño de la Tierra de Castilla y León Selección Especial Sardon de Duero 2012 $28 #12 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

This blend of 75 percent Tempranillo with Cabernet Sauvignon (15 percent) and Syrah (10 percent) is the introductory label of the winery's six-wine range, accompanied by four single-variety reds and a white.

The 1,200-acre estate, located just outside Ribera del Duero in north-central Spain, divides 500 acres of vines into 54 parcels; a selection is sourced for this cuvee. The winery's style marries power and polish to deliver distinctive character. Intense, mature nose with mineral aromas that give way to black fruit, such as blackberry and blackcurrant. Hints of licorice, redcurrant and cherries in liqueur on a backdrop of dark chocolate and subtle hints of a well-structured wood. Elegant in the mouth, well-balanced, voluptuous and silky, polished tannins with a well-balanced acidity, long and lasting.

WS93 Wine Spectator

A polished texture carries harmonious flavors of black cherry, cola, licorice and mineral in this focused red. Wellintegrated tannins and balsamic acidity lend this a balanced structure. Reserved but deep. Drink now through 2022.

RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The entry-level red and largest volume of Abadía Retuerta, the 2012 Selección Especial, is nothing like the initial oaky versions of it you might remember. This is produced as a blend of Tempranillo with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10%. The texture is very fine with dusty tannins, good acidity and freshness. It is long, balanced and supple, with power and elegance. The wine is approachable now and with stuffing to age. It is a great value and highly recommended.

BODEGAS PALACIOS REMONDO Rioja La Montesa Crianza 2013 $20

#52 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

La Montesa is 70 percent Garnacha, 25 percent Tempranillo and 5 percent Mazuelo, sourced from a large, organically farmed vineyard 1,800 feet above sea level. It's a bright, silky wine. 10,800 cases imported.

Full of Mediterranean orchard fruit aromas including nectarines, pomegranates, and oranges, the palate contains vibrant and rich flavors of ripe red fruit, discrete spice, citrus peel and exotic wood. Meant to enjoy now or age up to 10 years, this consumer-friendly wine is Alvaro's tribute to Garnacha's return to its historic homeland. Perfect when enjoyed by the glass on its own, La Montesa's multi-faceted flavor profile will also pair well with any kind of cuisine. Meant to enjoy now or age up to 10 years, this wine is very versatile and pairs well with flavorful cuisine.

WS91 Wine Spectator A thick texture carries plum tart, orange peel, toasted vanilla and anise flavors in this ripe version, balanced by juicy acidity. The spicy, berry-scented finish is long and pure. Drink now through 2023.

DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS Bierzo PĂŠtalos 2013 $23

53 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Petalos del Bierzo is assembled from old hillside and hilltop vines across from Bierzo's western edge. The wine is vinified for immediate appeal, but it retains the estate's signature finesse and restraint.

WS91 Wine Spectator Expressive flavors of black cherry, currant, licorice, mineral and smoke mingle in this focused red. The texture is gentle but firm, with well-integrated tannins and racy acidity providing structure. A compact wine that shows good intensity. Drink now through 2023.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Always among the best values of Spain, the 2013 PĂŠtalos del Bierzo has an extra degree of freshness in a cool vintage, and some time in bottle always does this wine wonders. It's aromatic, open and expressive, with floral aromas and bright fruit, wild strawberries and violets. This is always a subtle, medium-bodied wine, with fine tannins, sleek acidity and a fine minerality. Ready now.

BODEGAS BORSAO

Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos 2014 $18 #39 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

A champion of both the Garnacha grape and the small Campo de Borja D.O. in northeastern Spain, this producer emerged in 2001 when three historic cooperatives combined the vineyards and resources of more than 600 members. A perennial leader in quality and price, Tres Picos offers depth of flavor from vines grown at 2,000 to 2,300 feet of elevation and ranging from 35 to 60 years in age, and plush texture from five months of aging in new French oak.

Very intense cherry red color with tones of purple. Presents on the nose a great concentration of aromas of ripe red fruit with floral nuances. In the mouth it is a well-structured rich wine that evokes tastes of blackberry, plum and tones of leather and vanilla, with a soft and silky tannin. 100% Grenache WS91 Wine Spectator A plush texture masks the firm structure, as blackberry and boysenberry flavors mingle with toast, menthol and mineral notes, backed by well-integrated tannins. Drink now through 2020.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The outstanding 2014 Tres Picos (Garnacha) is 100% Grenache and comes from some of their oldest Grenache vineyards on the slopes of the Moncayo Mountains. Yields are less than two tons of fruit per acre and this wine was aged in neutral French oak and stainless-steel tanks for ten months prior to bottling. It's a beautiful wine, with plenty of Southern RhĂ´ne-like black cherry liqueur, garrigue, pepper, licorice and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, lusty and heady. This is a beauty to drink over the next 2-3 years.

ALTO MONCAYO VERATON Grenache 2014 $30

#27 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Alto Moncayo Veraton offers attractive collection of balsamic notes, as well as notes of chocolate and black fruits. It is very warm in the mouth and has an extremely pleasant finish.

WS92 Wine Spectator Expressive flavors of cherry, raspberry and dark chocolate mingle in this polished red, balanced by notes of licorice and wild herbs. The tannins are well-integrated, and balsamic acidity keeps this balanced. Dense and harmonious, in the modern style. Drink now through 2022.

JS93 James Suckling Much brighter and fresher than the other garnachas from this producer with herbal, orange peel and delicate berry notes. The tannins are fresh and almost crisp, easily balancing the full body. Long dry finish of some complexity.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Most of the Moncayo wines tend to sell for higher prices, but the 2014 Alto Moncayo Veraton is their least expensive cuvĂŠe, overseen by famous Barossa Australian winemaker Chris Ringland. Made from 100% Grenache, it was aged in 60% new French oak and 40% American oak barrels for 16 months prior to bottling without filtration. .

With an opaque ruby/purple color, beautiful blackberry, charcoal and oaky notes are followed by a modern-style wine with huge fruit, big body, sweet tannin and a long finish.

BODEGAS VOLVER TARIMA HILL OLD VINES Mourvedre 2015 $18

#17 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Tarima Hill is a complex, elegant, varietal expression of the most authentic clones of Monastrell in the world. The wine exhibits deep garnet color with flashes of violet and a bouquet of dark red cherries and leather. On the palate the wine achieves its full potential, offering notes of black berries, plums and licorice with an elegant but persistent finish.

WS91 Wine Spectator WS92 Wine Spectator This red shows grace and depth. Black cherry, plum, mineral and smoke flavors mingle harmoniously over wellintegrated tannins, while lively acidity keeps this focused. Not showy, but all the pieces fit together. Balanced, in the modern style. Drink now through 2025.

JD93 Jeb Dunnuck From old vines and aged 14-16 months in French oak, the 2015 Tarima Hill sports an inky color as well as a smoking bouquet of black raspberries, blueberries, pepper, and dried flowers. It's broad, expansive, and sweetly fruited, with a great mid-palate and sweet tannin. It's a sexy fruit bomb done with class!

BODEGAS EMILIO MORO

Tempranillo Ribera del Duero 2015 $24 #59 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

The winery consistently delivers powerful yet focused red wines with mineral undertones, and the 2015 Tempranillo Ribera del Duero is no exception. The wine macerated on the skins 15 days and was aged for a year in French and American oak before bottling.

The wine has a very intense cherry red color. On the nose, it is opulent and very expressive, with a base of great quality ripe black fruit and balsamic notes in the background. On the palate, it has good acidity and is broad and tasty with a long aftertaste.

WS90 Wine Spectator Black cherry, red plum and currant flavors are fresh and lively in this firm red, backed by dark chocolate, licorice and toasty notes. Light, firm tannins and citrusy acidity keep this focused. Drink now through 2023.

JS91 James Suckling Always a go-to red with cherry and blueberry character and just a hint of lemon. Medium body, fresh acidity and a bright finish.

RED WINES: PORTUGAL The history of Portuguese wine goes back some 4,000 years to the ancient Phoenicians, seafarers who established colonies across the Mediterranean and planted vines along the way. Yet the world is only now discovering the wines of Portugal, which have been through revolutionary change in just the past three decades. The best Portuguese wines are emerging in world markets as carefully crafted and delicious wines, typically at tremendous value for the quality.

Portugal was long ago a leader in exports, sending its wine throughout Europe as early as Renaissance times. Wine merchants created Portuguese Port wine in the Douro Valley in the 1600s by adding brandy to table wine to keep it from spoiling on hot, bumpy trips around Europe. While the business of Port (and Portugal’s other fortified wine, Madeira) was thriving, Portuguese table wine was reserved almost entirely for the locals. It wasn’t until the 1960s that Portuguese exports such as Mateus and Lancers rosés became fashionable.

Portuguese red wine from the Douro region – also the center of Port production – is considered the most elegant of Portugal, similar in style to Bordeaux.

PRATS & SYMINGTON

Post Scriptum de Chryseia Douro 2011 $25

Deep garnet center with vivid velvet-red rim. Aromas of plums and attractive resinous notes. Lush and mouth-filling with satisfying pure and compact black fruits, displaying undertones of mineral and spice, underscored by fine acidity.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast The second wine of the Prats and Symington partnership is rich and powerful in its own right. It is packed with blackberry, ripe tannins and a solid, dense structure. Acidity cuts through this dark wine that still needs to age.

Drink now.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2011 Post Scriptum de Chryseia, the second wine here, is a blend of 56% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, and 7% each of Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz, all aged for 13 months in French oak. This is a beautifully constructed Post Scriptum, elegant and graceful, yet focused, precise and flavorful. Aromatic and laced with floral nuances, it has a sappy taste in its youth, with some tannin pop and astringency on the finish that will integrate in time. This should develop well and drink decently early on but give it a year or two in the cellar to settle down for best results.

Bargain hunters will find that Post Scriptum is a particularly good value this year.

REAL COMPANHIA VELHA

Douro Porca de Murรงa Red 2013 $10 #39 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Real Companhia Velha has been in operation for close to 260 years. Initially known for Port, the winery now offers several table wines. Its Porca de Murรงa line has been in existence since the 1920s. This wine is a blend of indigenous grapes, including Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca, harvested from vineyards throughout the Douro Valley. Vinified and aged in stainless-steel tanks, this is a fresh red, priced for everyday enjoyment. 250,000 cases made.

Clean, deep and bright ruby color. Red fruit notes, red berries and cherries. On the palate, ripe fruits flavors. Excellent structure, velvety, round and well-balanced wine.

WS90 Wine Spectator A taut, sinewy style, with notes of slate and white pepper to the roasted plum and dried red berry flavors. Mediumgrained tannins emerge on the snappy finish, showing ferrous accents. Drink now through 2020.

DUORUM

Douro 2013 $20 #84 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Duorum was founded in 2007 by two renowned Portuguese enologists: JoĂŁo Portugal Ramos and JosĂŠ Soares Franco. Together they purchased vineyards in Portugal's Douro Valley with the intention of creating a red table wine based on indigenous grape varieties that emphasize the region's unique terroir.

This Douro 2013 is a blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinto Roriz, hand-harvested from vines grown on schist. The wine matured for 12 months in second- and third-year French oak barrels.

A richly aromatic wine of black cherries, tar, mocha, and a hint of violets. On the palate, this wine's rich texture is balanced perfectly against a zesty acidity, and rounded out by well-integrated, fine-grained tannins. This wine begs for another sip as its mellifluous flavors develop well into the finish.

The wine pairs perfectly with choice cuts of steak, pot roasts, and hearty casseroles like cassoulet.

WS91 Wine Spectator This has a delicate core of violet, plum and red berry flavors that are broad yet well-defined. Medium-grained tannins gain power midpalate, with mineral and shiso leaf notes on the taut finish. Drink now through 2020.

RED WINES: ITALY Italian wine regions crowd the map from the Alpine peaks of the Alto Adige to Puglia, in the heel of the boot, plus the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Italy’s indigenous grapes, the source for red, white, rosé and sparkling wines, dominate wine production. Italian wines are labeled by appellation, not grape.

Sangiovese, for instance, is Italy’s most-grown red grape, the chief ingredient in Tuscany’s familiar Chianti wine as well as other reds wines Though many of Italy’s wines remain simple, food-friendly wines ideal for everyday drinking, the quality of exported Italian wines has improved tremendously in recent decades. Powerful Italian red wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco, from the Piedmont region, and Taurasi, from Campagnia, are now coveted by collectors.

Tuscan wine is inseparable from Italy’s history, with recorded references to the area’s wine merchants going back 1,000 years. Wine is a traditional part of the Italian lifestyle, with wine integral to the region’s lauded cuisine. Sangiovese, Tuscany’s native red grape, predominates in the vineyards there. Sangiovese is the chief or sole grape in almost all Tuscan red wines—and more than threequarters of the wines produced in Tuscany are red.

Chianti is made in a zone from just south of Florence to the city of Siena. It may be labeled by the specific area or simply as Chianti or Chianti Classico, its highest-quality designation.

Basilicata, tucked in the arch of the Italian boot, is a place of arid hills and desolate mountains, little-known as a wine or tourist destination. Yet this region has produced noteworthy wines since Greeks grew the first grapes here in the 6th century B.C. One of them is believed to have been Aglianico, which makes a robust and deeply colored red wine, often ageworthy, typically boasting notes of dark fruits, earth and spice. In Basilicata, Aglianico is used to make one of Italy’s greatest wines, Aglianico del Vulture (Ahl-yee-AH-nee-koh del Vool-TOOR-ay) Sicily is part of Italy’s ancient winemaking traditions, yet this island in the Mediterranean Sea is also producing some of the country’s most modern and exciting wines. Some of Sicily’s best wines, like the rich, red Nero d’Avola and the crisp white Grillo and Inzolia, are made with native grapes. The island’s winemakers are also making fine Sicilian wines with international varieties, including like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sardinia lies off the western coast of Italy. Until 1708, Sardinia was a colony of Spain, so hints of classic Spanish style are apparent in some of the island’s wines. Cannonau, Sardinia’s best-known red grape, is descended from Garnacha brought from Spain centuries ago.

TOMMASI MAREMMA

Cabernet Sauvignon Tuscany 2008 $23

Color is intense ruby red. The fragrance shows an intense bouquet of dark fruit, spices, and licorice. The taste is well-balanced with good structure, nice length, and fruity flavors.

WS91 Wine Spectator This opulent red is packed with coffee, black cherry, plum and sweet spice flavors. Though well-structured, this remains vibrant and full of sweet fruit on the finish, with a very long aftertaste. Best from 2013 through 2023.

FIRRIATO SANTAGOSTINO Baglio Soria – Sicily 2011 $23

#87 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

Deep intense ruby red with lively shades of purple. It affords concentrated, well-defined nuances of marasca cherries, wild berries, rhubarb, cloves, aromatic herbs and prunes that alternate and blend with charming scents of licorice, ink and tobacco leaves. Suave, soft and caressing, it reveals its great and intensely Mediterranean character admirably blending a powerful and hearty texture, an extraordinary vivacity, silky and fine tannins.

WS91 Wine Spectator Aromas and flavors of bacon fat and mesquite smoke mix with ripe black cherry, licorice snap, mocha and mint in this expressive red, with fine-grained tannins and juicy acidity. Elegant through to the aromatic, coffee-tinged finish. Nero d'Avola and Syrah. Drink now through 2024.

ARCANUM

Toscana Il Fauno 2012 $36 #19 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Tuscany experienced a very warm, dry growing season in 2012-too dry for some, but ideal in many parts of Chianti Classico, especially for super Tuscans such as Il Fauno. Cabernet Franc-based Arcanum Toscana is the flagship; Il Fauno is a second wine. The 2012 blends 48 percent Merlot with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Petit Verdot.

One of the more complex and elegant in many vintages, the 2012 il fauno presents floral aromas of fresh cut roses, and beautifully ripe strawberries. On the palate soft, velvety, structured tannins make way for rich plum and candied cherries with nutmeg and black licorice undertones. A vibrant acidity prolongs the finish with lingering notes of sweet cedar and tobacco. Blend: 48% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot.

WS93 Wine Spectator A polished, flavorful red, boasting floral, black currant, raspberry and spice flavors. Firm yet harmonious, with the fine aftertaste lingering with fruit, iron, tobacco and tea elements. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2024.

JS92 James Suckling Aromas of blueberries with blanched almonds follow through to a medium body, firm tannins and a fresh finish.

Better in 2018 but already delicious.

VIGNETI DEL VULTURE

Aglianico del Vulture Piano del Cerro - Basilicata 2012 $36 #86 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Southern Italy's Aglianico grape thrived on the slopes of the Basilicata region's Mount Vulture in 2012, where hot, dry days ripened the grape's thick skin, and cool nights at elevations of up to 2,640 feet preserved acidity. The 70- to 80-year-old vines accessed stored water from the winter's snowfall as well as mineral content in the volcanic soils. The result is this rich and expressive red, with a dense core of tannins that winemaker Massimo di Bari softens with 24 months in new French oak barriques.

Intense deep ruby with hints of chocolate with a persistent creamy and fruity finish. The result is a wine with a marked personality with silky, highly persistent tannins.

WS93 Wine Spectator A dense and tarry red that glides on the silky palate, with mouthwatering acidity framing flavors of blueberry puree, chocolate-covered cherry, vanilla, dried thyme and oak spice. An expressive version in a modern style, yet refined and harmonious overall, with the grippy finish echoing the ripe fruit and tarry mineral character. Drink now through 2027.

CASTELLO DI MONSANTO Chianti Classico Riserva 2013 $25

#58 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Ruby red tending towards garnet. Rich, intense and complex nose with notes of black cherry and spice.

Full bodied with rich red berry fruit flavors complimenting a backbone of tannin. An exceptional compliment to red meats, roasts and game.

WS91 Wine Spectator Pure cherry takes center stage, framed by tar, earth, tobacco and mineral elements. Vivid and elegant, showing fine intensity and equilibrium, with a lingering aftertaste. Drink now through 2020.

JS93 James Suckling Layered and pretty red with cherry and light orange undertones. Some dusty texture. Medium body, good acidity and a clean finish. A beautiful riserva with finesse and tension. Drink now.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate With balanced and nicely-ripened fruit, the 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva comes as a beautiful surprise. This is a frank and upfront Tuscan red made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino and Canaiolo, aged in tonneaux and neutral barrique. The wine offers crisp lines and a linear style that gives prominence to aromas of crisp cherry, baking spice and toasted almond. This is a medium-bodied wine with polished tannins and a deep garnet-ruby color.

TENUTA DI TRINORO Toscana Le Cupole 2014 $33

#29 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Le Cupole, a blend of Merlot (48 percent), Cabernet Franc (42 percent) and Cabernet Sauvignon, is velvety and approachable. This wine hits the palate with exuberance, full of fleshy, bright fruit, extracted tannins, and rich color.

WS93 Wine Spectator Alluring scents of ripe cherry, mulberry and fresh herbs complement concentrated flavors of cherry and sweet spice in this red. Offers a backbone of mouthcoating tannins and remains integrated as the finish lingers. Best from 2018 through 2027.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate This Bordeaux-inspired Tuscan blend opens to dark concentration and a full bouquet that is redolent of dark fruit, spice and tobacco. The aromas are delivered in seamless fashion and with noteworthy intensity. Those are the qualities that ultimately distinguish this wine among the many choices you have from Tuscany today. One thing Tenuta di Trinoro always delivers is distinct personality.

AGRICOLA PUNICA

Isola dei Nuraghi Montessu – Sardinia 2014 $30 #91 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Deep ruby in color, the wine offers intense aromas and flavors of black fruit. It is full-bodied with a velvety texture and balanced tannins. Pair with lamb or rich pork dishes.

WS90 Wine Spectator An elegant version, with Asian five-spice powder and cherry blossom notes wafting through flavors of black raspberry preserves, bresaola and cured tobacco. Long and supple, presenting a mineral-tinged finish. 60% Carignano and equal parts of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Drink now through 2021.

JS91 James Suckling Aromas of blueberries, flowers and stones. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful and refined finish. Always outstanding.

GAROFOLI VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI PODIUM Verdicchio 2014 $28

#92 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

The Podium is an intense, elegant wine with loads of complexity, structure, and potential to age. The estate ensures these qualities by maintaining low yields of very select grapes and maturation in steel tanks of at least one year before bottling. Intense aromas of ripe yellow fruit accompanied by elegant scents of citrus fruit combined with a note of honey, an ensemble of great complexity and persistence.

Seductive and soft but with great character and strength, warm and elegant long finish; the fruity notes of the bouquet are reprised in the constantly evolving flavor.

WS90 Wine Spectator An elegant, creamy white, backed by sleek, citrusy acidity, this shows a subtle mix of poached pear, grated ginger and stony mineral flavors, accented by hints of crushed almond. Drink now through 2020.

IL POGGIONE

Rosso di Montalcino - Tuscany 2015 $27 #46 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Ruby red color. Fruity bouquet with red berry notes. Very well structured, mellow, long-lasting flavor with smooth, velvety tannins. Try pairing with red meats, game, and mature cheeses.

WS91 Wine Spectator Bright, delicate and vibrant, with berry and floral flavors. Accents of earth, tobacco and spice add interest as they linger on the finish. Well-rounded and long. Drink now through 2023.

JS91 James Suckling A go-to Rosso di Montalcino with dried cherry and orange-peel character. Medium body, light tannins and a tangy finish. Shows focus and precision. Drink now and enjoy.

ARGENTINA Argentina is the largest wine producer in South America, best known for its versions of classic red wines including Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Argentine wines are considered New World wines, but actually have a rich history dating back more than 400 years. Winemaking practices were spread throughout Argentina – much as they would be later, in California – by Spanish missionaries planting vines to ensure a supply of sacramental wines.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Argentine wine industry was renewed by an influx of Italian and Spanish immigrants who brought new vines and a wealth of winemaking experience to South America. European grape varieties flourished there, and one in particular – Malbec, native to southwest France – would become Argentina’s signature red grape.

Argentine Malbec’s intense color, aromas of berry fruit, plums and honey plus its ability to ripen to perfection create wines of a velvety texture and long, lingering flavors. When oak-aged in barrels, the extra dimensions of vanilla and soft tannin give the wines great structure. Malbec is a perfect partner for beef, or even chocolate and red berry fruit desserts.

LUCA

Malbec Mendoza 2012 $34 #19 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

This is a great example of Mendoza Malbec. Incredible color—could use it in an inkwell! Loads of spice and black cherry cola aromas with notes of cocoa. The berry flavors really pop on the palate as the wine has both good depth and very lively acidity that leads to an incredibly long finish. A bottom note of freshly brewed espresso keeps the mouthwatering too. Pairs well with foods such as venison or wild game, steak, pork, quail, all types of lamb, and medium-strong cheeses. A very flexible wine due to its concentration and balance.

WS93 Wine Spectator Very suave and polished, with ripe, pure flavors of blackberry, hoisin sauce and black pepper. Finely textured, this is packed with tar and roasted plum notes, showing plenty of licorice snap and dark chocolate accents on the powerful finish.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2012 Malbec comes from old vineyards in La Consulta and a dash from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. It has a mineral-like, austere feeling, with notes of peach, sour cherries, and sweet spices, a medium-bodied palate with gripping tannins, and is refined and fresh, with some creamy and smoky notes from the barrel, which should disappear with a little time in bottle. This is great Malbec. Drink 2013-2020.

FAMILIA ZUCCARDI

Cabernet Sauvignon Uco Valley Q 2013 $20 #53 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

The Italian-Argentinian Zuccardi family first put down vines in Mendoza in 1963, and they have expanded their production considerably since. The value Q label Cabernet Sauvignon has been on an upward quality trajectory, with 2013 the best vintage yet. This 100 percent Cabernet was sourced from the La Consulta and Gualtallary subregions of the Uco Valley and aged for 12 months in new and used French oak barrels, plus another year in bottle.

There is a great intensity with ripe red and black fruit notes, such as blueberry and cassis, with some black pepper notes. Full bodied with firm, mature and integrated tannins. Very long and persistent finish.

A great wine to go along with Rogan Josh and tandoori lamb chops.

WS91 Wine Spectator A refined and savory red, featuring notes of white pepper to the cherry and crushed red plum flavors. Lengthens out on the palate, with medium-grained tannins. Silky finish. Drink now through 2020.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A mental picture of Indian food popped in my head when I put my nose in the glass of the 2013 Q Cabernet Sauvignon because it smells of curry, nutmeg, flowers and nuts. This is a blend of grapes from Gualtallary and la Consulta, both in the Uco Valley. In reality is not all Cabernet, but the Cabernet is partly co-fermented with Malbec (perhaps the reason why it doesn't really feel like Cabernet). The palate is juicy and spicy with a mixture of earthy and sweet tannins and very good freshness. There is a notable absence of green notes because the region is warm and the grapes ripen fully. Sebastian Zuccardi considers this 2013 the best vintage for this label.

BODEGA NORTON

Malbec Mendoza Reserva 2014 $19 #74 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Bodega Norton stands as one of Argentina's reference-point wineries for both value and quality. This Malbec is crafted using grapes picked from 30- to 50-year-old vines at an elevation of 3,600 feet at the base of the Andes. The grapes are fermented using indigenous yeasts, and the wine undergoes 12 months' aging in French oak barrels. This is a rich and intense red, with a pleasant, velvety mouthfeel.

A deep red color with hints of purple, this Malbec is expressive on the nose with notes of ripe black fruits, violets, and tobacco. Long and complex on the finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator This has a silky mouthfeel, with rich, plush flavors of boysenberry, dark currant and black olive that carry plenty of creamy accents. Features dark chocolate and Asian spice details on the finely textured finish. Drink now through 2020.

JS91 James Suckling A Malbec with purity and structure with a linear backbone giving the wine form and tension. Full body, blue fruits and a lively finish. Fine tannins. Drink now or better in 2018. Made from 83-year-old vines. Barrel fermented. Real Argentine Malbec.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 50/50 blend of grapes from Valle de Uco and Lujรกn de Cuyo 2014 Reserva Malbec was very impressive for the price tag it wears. For winemaker David Bonomi, 2014 was cooler than 2013, and they have lowered the effect of the oak and used well-seasoned oak barrels. It has good concentration and ripeness without excess, and a soft, juicy and chewy palate, with good consistency. It's lively and fresher than what it was in the past, thanks to the fruit from the Valle de Uco.

BODEGA COLOMÉ Malbec Salta 2015 $25

#18 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Swiss businessman and Napa vintner Donald Hess bought Bodega ColomĂŠ in 2001 and immediately set about modernizing the vineyards and winery in the remote Salta region of the Andes, in the north of Argentina. The estate Malbec, a 100 percent varietal bottling, blends fruit from four vineyards ranging from 5,700 to dizzying 10,200 feet in altitude; the sun exposure at such elevations promotes thicker skins on berries and thus a more concentrated wine. After 15 months of aging in French oak barriques, this wine spent six months in bottle. It's an expression of a daunting terroir at an approachable price.

Bright and intense red with aromas of black and red fruits, it has a nose scented with floral notes and spices. Fresh, it has a complex structure, elegant and great personality WS92 Wine Spectator Refined and rich-tasting, with effusive minerality to the red berry and cherry flavors, lathered with plenty of creamy accents. Pepper and cigar box notes show on the long and complex finish. Drink now through 2022.

KAIKEN

Malbec Mendoza Ultra Las Rocas 2015 $20 #45 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Aurelio Montes, one of Chile's leading vintners, launched Kaiken in 2003 to explore the terroir of neighboring Argentina. The Malbec Ultra is consistently the winery's best value, and the 2015 bottling was a standout, achieving impressive density and richness in a cool and rainy vintage. The wine is a blend from three high-altitude vineyards in the Uco Valley, one of the most important regions of Mendoza. It's named Las Rocas for the rounded stones that pepper the alluvial soil of Kai-ken's highest estate vineyard, Vistaflores, which soars to nearly 4,600 feet.

This Malbec shows a beautiful deep ruby color with violet hues. On the nose, flowery and mineral notes are evident, with spicy touches that make the wine more complex and are finely blended with the elegance of the French oak. On the mouth, it's a wine of great structure and power – sweet plum, mocha and black cherry flavors blend with well-integrated oak and tannins that are both soft and present. It has an outstanding balance and a very long and polished finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator

Dense and rich-tasting, with a muscular mix of dark currant and black olive flavors that are supported by firm tannins. Cocoa powder and slate notes fill the finish, along with peppery hints. Drink now through 2022.

JS93 James Suckling Beautiful aromas of roses, plums and blueberries. Subtle. Medium to full body, very fine tannins and a clean finish. Wonderful finesse and polish. Shows the elegance of the vintage in a very positive way.

CHILE Chilean wine production dates back more than 400 years. Spanish colonists, quick to recognize the terrain as ideal for viticulture, were the first to plant vines in the valleys that would come to define Chilean wine regions. They started with País, which would be the primary grape for Chilean wine for the next 300 years, until Chileans, flush from the country’s agricultural and mining riches, brought home French vines to grow their favorite Bordeaux varieties.

The best Chilean red wines now include Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. From north to south, the principal Chilean wine-growing areas are the Aconcagua Valley; the Casablanca Valley; the famous Maipo Valley, which has vineyards within sight of downtown Santiago; the Rancagua and Colchagua districts; Curicó Valley; and the Maule Valley.

VIÑA CARMEN

Cabernet Sauvignon Alto Gran Reserva Maipo Valley 2012 $15 #32 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Carmen's history dates to 1850, making it one of the oldest producers in Chile. The grapes for the 2012 Gran Reserva came from some of Carmen's oldest vineyards in Maipo Valley, planted in the high-altitude alluvial terraces of the nearby Andes, a geography that helps cool the vines during the warm growing season. Winemaker Sebastián Labbé blended 94 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with Carmenère and Petit Verdot, and the wine was aged 12 months in French oak barrels.

This is a Classic Alto Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has an intense deep ruby red color. The nose is fresh and clean, intense cassis, red berries, cedar notes blend nicely with graphite and minty aromas.

The wine has structure and fine-grained tannins proper of this terroir. A long firm wine that will evolve well in the bottle maintaining its red fruit character and the distinctive elegance Alto Maipo reflection on its wines.

This is the perfect wine to enjoy with full-flavored red meats such as lamb, ribs and beef with spicy sauces. It also goes well with wild fowl, venison, kidneys, goose and ripe cheeses.

A great wine to accompany curried dark meats WS91 Wine Spectator A rich, well-spiced red, with luscious flavors of tar, licorice and dark plum, supported by ample acidity and firm tannins. Offers a lip-smacking finish of dark chocolate and pepper. Drink now through 2019.

VIÑA MONTES

Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Classic Series 2014 $13 #42 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

Viña Montes, founded in 1988 by Aurelio Montes and the late Douglas Murray, has become a leading force in Chilean wine, and the Classic Series wines epitomize quality everyday drinking made with care.

This red is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Merlot (15%) that hail from granite and red clay soils in the Colchagua Valley, a hilly area whose climate favors the Bordeaux varieties that have contributed to Chile's reputation as a fine wine-producing country.

A lively red color is the first clue that the wine is very fresh. Its aromatic potency is very well harmonized with its complexity. There's a predominance of red berries, jam, blackcurrant liqueur, and a juicy sensation of crushed strawberries. Eight months in contact with French oak lend it a certain degree of seriousness, along with a bit of vanilla, smoke, cigar box, and sweet spices. Good balance on the palate with properly rounded tannins enable this Cabernet Sauvignon to linger long on the palate.

Highly recommended with braised beef and French fries, steak and eggs, paella, cannelloni, and lasagna.

WS90 Wine Spectator There’s minerally freshness to the ripe dark plum, blackberry and cherry flavors, with peppery hints. Well-structured and crisp midpalate, featuring Asian spice and black fig notes on the finish. Drink now through 2020.

SANTA EMA RESERVA

Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley 2015 $15 #29 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Elegant, sophisticated, and complex with fruity notes of black cherries and plums mingled with tobacco, coffee, and toast. Well-structured and round with ripe tannins and abundant texture and a long finish.

Pair with grilled meats, well-seasoned dishes, stews, and ripe cheeses WS91 Wine Spectator Dark plum and dried red berry flavors dominate this muscular red, with plenty of minty and savory accents.

Medium-grained tannins support chocolate and cream details on the finish. Drink now through 2021.

AUSTRALIA The success of Australian wines means Australia is consistently one of the world’s largest exporters of wine. Consumers increasingly turn to Australian wines for both easy-drinking everyday wines and age worthy, world-class wines.

English seafarers delivered the first vines to Australia in 1788, and within a few decades were exporting thousands of gallons of wine back home.

Shiraz is the best-known and most widely planted varietal for Australian red wine. Rich, full-bodied and potent when grown in warm climes, Australian Shiraz may be showcased on its own or blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

DOMAINE TERLATO & CHAPOUTIER Shiraz-Viognier Victoria 2012 $19

#98 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2014

Reflecting Victoria's cool climate, this Shiraz shows a livelier character than typical Australian versions.

From a joint venture between Northern Rhône producer Michel Chapoutier and prominent U.S. importer Terlato Family, it's made in the traditional Côte-Rôtie style—5 percent Viognier is cofermented with the Syrah to enhance the aromas and texture. It was aged entirely in stainless steel, for 12 months, to retain its expressive fruit qualities.

The 2012 Shiraz-Viognier has deep, intense ruby color and opens up to aromas of vibrant red plum and fruit wood smoke. On the palate, mouth filling bright plum and red berry fruits, full bodied but smooth.

A spicy Shiraz from the vineyards of Central Victoria is brightened by a boost of Viognier for aroma and balance, as is often practiced in France's most highly regarded appellation of the Northern Rhône Valley, Côte Rôtie. This wine is a collaborative effort between two renowned wine families: Chapoutier from the Rhône Valley in France, and the Terlato family of Napa Valley in California.

WS90 Wine Spectator Vibrant, expressive and distinctive, with citrus and mineral overtones around a core of blueberry and spice, lingering on the taut finish. Best from 2016 through 2020.

DOMAINE TERLATO & CHAPOUTIER Shiraz-Viognier Victoria 2014 NR | $19 | Australia Intense ruby red color. Aromas of vibrant red plum and fruit wood smoke. On the palate you'll find mouth filling bright plum and red berry fruits. A full-bodied but smooth red.

PENLEY ESTATE PHOENIX

Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra, Limestone Coast, Australia 2015 $22 #48 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Vibrant aromas of dark berries and black fruits, blackberry, mulberry, plum and a touch of licorice. Subtle floral notes intertwine with the dark core of fruit. Subtle hints of smokey oak add complexity and savory notes. The palate is medium bodied with fine grained tannins. Succulent acidity adds lift and freshness to the dense brooding fruit. This is a complete and harmonious wine with great persistence of flavor. Bright and delicious, speaking of contemporary Coonawarra Cabernet.

WS90 Wine Spectator Dense tannins and flavors are packed into this wine, with briny Kalamata olive and black licorice nuances to the core of plum, cassis, sage, tobacco and cedar flavors, which fan out on the finish. Drink now through 2030.

RP91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Deep garnet-purple in color, 2015 Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon is redolent of crème de cassis, licorice and dark chocolate with hints of dried mint, earth and tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with generous black fruit and menthol flavors. Structured with a firm backbone, it finishes with great length.

W&S91 Wine & Spirits Defining Coonawarra in the cool, herbal tone of its ripeness, this offers finely textured tannins and gossamer layers of spice. There’s a fresh tobacco richness that lasts, placing the wine next to lamb chops.

ROSÉ WINE Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. It is produced throughout the world from a vast array of grape varieties, but the most successful sources are California, southern France (particularly Provence), and parts of Spain and Italy.

Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color will depend on the grape variety and the winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta. These wines are typically fresh and fruity, fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel to preserve the primary aromas and flavors. Most rosé, with a few notable exceptions, should be drunk rather young, within a few years of the vintage.

CHATEAU D'ESCLANS WHISPERING ANGEL Cotes de Provence Rose 2016 $24

An irresistible pink! Charming, refreshing, refined, and with plenty of juicy, enticing, strawberry and berry fruit. This is a rosé that should be in everyone’s cellars, without exception. Drinkable is an understatement and you’ll keep on coming back for seconds.

WS90 Wine Spectator Alluring, with a creamy feel to the mix of white peach, mango and white cherry fruit flavors that stay nicely defined on the finish, thanks to a subtle mineral edge.

D91 Decanter This wine has come to be an icon of this style in recent years and, unlike the other rosés in the d'Esclans stable is vinified solely in stainless steel. Very pretty on the nose with soft red fruits and violet notes. There is a juicy quality to the palate with good concentration of ripe berry fruit held together by a bright but not overbearing acidity.

Shows its class with a mineral streak and a long, persistent finish.

DOMAINE LAFAGE MIRAFLORS Languedoc-Roussillon Rosé 2016 $15

Named after an old estate located in the heart of Domaine Lafage, Mas Miraflors, the Miraflors Rosé is sourced from old vines of Grenache Gris, nearing 80 years old, planted near the Mediterranean. Added to this is some Mourvedre that Jean-Marc planted here about 15 years ago. This a direct press rosé with the color coming from the skins of the pink Grenache Gris berries, and naturally, from the much darker Mourvedre.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast Light in color, yet not in flavor, the 2016 Côtes du Roussillon Miraflors Rose (70% Mourvèdre and 30% Grenache Gris) offers terrific notes of white cherries, strawberries and rose petals in a medium-bodied, layered, impeccably balanced style that's just hard to resist. It doesn’t have the chiseled feel of the Grande Cuvee, but it offers just as much pleasure.

MATHILDE CHAPOUTIER

Cotes de Provence Rose 2017 $20

Passionate about travel and wine, Mathilde Chapoutier explored various wine regions, in France and around the world, for inspiration in creating her own exciting rosé from her prestigious estate in Côtes de Provence. The land is parceled throughout Provence, and planted with exquisite grape vines for the production of high quality rosé wines. An uninhibited approach to wine and an uncomplicated conception of taste, The Mathilde Chapoutier Rose is an accessible wine that pairs perfectly with home cooking or “bistronomic” cuisine. The compass rose symbolizes Mathilde’s quest and her travels throughout the world’s greatest wine regions.

Clear pale pink with purple highlights. Aromas of peach, citrus, and tropical fruit. The palate is round and delicious with peach and apricot notes and a silky mouthfeel. Bright acidity balances the round texture.

JD90 Jeb Dunnuck Mathilde Chapoutier continues to make a beautiful rosé and her 2017 Grand Ferrage Rosé is classic Provence with its strawberry, white cherry, and salty mineral aromas and flavors. This beauty is clean, classy, and balanced, with vibrant acidity keeping you coming back to the glass. It’s perfect for a case purchase for drinking over the coming 68 months.

MUMM NAPA BRUT ROSE

RosĂŠ Sparkling Wine from Napa Valley, California $24

The Mumm Napa Brut Rose offers a bouquet of ripe Pinot Noir fruit, rich with black cherry and strawberry notes. Part of the wine is initially fermented in the press, producing the soft fruity character that gives Brut RosĂŠ its directness, while a small percentage of Chardonnay gives the wine power and structure. This more robust quality makes Brut Rose a wonderful wine with many kinds of cuisine, ranging from Thai to Italian.

WS90 Wine Spectator Luscious and festive, this rose has a light pink color, with floral strawberry and cream aromas followed by succulent raspberry, graham cracker and mineral flavors that have a crisp finish.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast A hearty 80% Pinot Noir dominates in this sparkler, rounded out with 20% Chardonnay. With a pink-salmon hue, it offers peach and wild strawberry aromas followed by similar, medium-bodied flavors, with the addition of succulent plum.

LUCIEN ALBRECHT CREMANT BRUT ROSE RosĂŠ Sparkling Wine Alsace $24

The grapes are hand picked. The whole cluster Pinot Noir grapes are directly pressed in a pneumatic press with a long and soft pressing, hence the coral/light pink salmon color. Cremant RosĂŠ is made by the Champagne Methode. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle. Afterwards it stays on its lees for 9 months follow by the remuage and disgorging.

WS90 Wine Spectator Tart red currant, rhubarb and strawberry come together in a very refreshing, rounded and appetizing fashion. The frothy, foaming mousse is exuberant and highlights these strawberry shortcake flavors brilliantly, while a totally dry palate makes sure that this stays classy. This is very satisfying, fun and fruit-driven, with a serious core and a bright, lemony finish.

VEUVE CLICQUOT

Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine from Champagne NV $70

This non-vintage Rose is the end result of a desire to create a Rose champagne with a delightfully luscious, fruit-based charm. Jacques Peters, the cellarmaster, and his team wanted a champagne that would be accessible and naturally engaging while conserving Veuve Clicquot's essential values in terms of style.

The wine has a luminous color with attractive pink glints. The nose is generous and elegant, with initial aromas of fresh red fruit (raspberry, wild strawberry, cherry, blackberry), leading to biscuity notes of dried fruits and Viennese pastries (almonds, apricots and brioche). The fresh attack is followed by a fruity harmonious sensation on the palate. The wine is perfectly balanced in the best Veuve Clicquot style of pink champagnes, combining elegance and flair. The wine works its magic—this delectably full champagne can be enjoyed as a true delicacy.

A deliciously fruity wine in early bloom. Made using 50 to 60 different crus, the cuvee is based on Brut Yellow Label's traditional blend: 50 to 55% Pinot Noir, 15 to 20% Pinot Meunier, and 28 to 33% Chardonnay.

WS91 Wine Spectator This creamy Champagne shows fine balance, along with vibrant acidity that provides a juicy frame for the ripe strawberry, ground ginger and white peach flavors. Zesty finish.

JS92 James Suckling The non-vintage edition of Veuve's ros‚ Champagne has a bright-strawberry and raspberry-fruit thread on the nose with a gently spicy edge too. The palate's big on flavor and really exuberant thanks to expressive strawberry and hints of pink grapefruit.

W&S90 Wine & Spirits Based on the same blend as Yellow Label with 12 percent pinot noir added, this is round, creamy and rich, a satisfying rosé that integrates juicy fruit sweetness, toasty lees and a gentle lift of acidity.

DESSERT, SHERRY & PORT Many wines in this category—including Port, Sherry, and Madeira—are fortified with neutral spirits to increase the level of alcohol, and, depending on the final style of wine desired, often to arrest fermentation while some (or a lot of) residual sugar remains.

Others, like Sauternes and Tokaji, are produced by leaving the grapes on the vine long after the rest of the harvest has been processed in order to accumulate very high sugar levels. Often, a form of “noble” rot called botrytis plays a role, desiccating the grape until only the very flavorful solids and sugars remain.

These late-picked wines are, accordingly, often referred to as late-harvest wines.

In colder climates, the grapes may be allowed to freeze on the vine for the production of ice wine.

SCHLOSS VOLLRADS

Riesling Spätlese Rheingau 2013 $34 #91 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015

Schloss Vollrads is a historic estate dating to the Middle Ages; its first commercial wine sale was documented as early as 1211. The vineyards spread around five villages in the Rheingau, totaling almost 200 acres planted exclusively to Riesling. The vines are south-facing, capturing the sunlight, and are protected from northern winds by the Taunus mountains. The product of a six-week-long fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, this spätlese is luscious, balanced by the vibrant minerality and acidity characteristic of the Rheingau. 1,500 cases made.

WS90 Wine Spectator A honeyed style, filled to the brim with rich minerality and luscious creaminess. Very lush, with flavors of baked pineapple and pear sauce. Fresh and juicy on the finish. Drink now through 2035. 1,500 cases made.

CHÂTEAU COUTET Barsac 2013 $49

#16 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016

This Barsac estate makes its first appearance in the Top 100 with a vintage that delivered humid conditions, ideal for the production of dessert wine in Bordeaux. The Baly family took over in 1977, enlisting Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A. for technical and commercial support since 2004 and hiring a new maître de chai, Laurier Girardot, in 2009. The blend relies heavily on Sémillon, with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, and the harvest was achieved in four tries to ensure bunches with optimal noble rot.

Straw color (still in barrel), the nose has lovely aromatic notes of tropical fruit, such as lychee, mango, and pineapple, followed by aromas of quince, toasted almonds and acacia flowers. The palate is round and smooth with a good balance between freshness and fullness. This wine distinguishes itself by a good density and remarkable finesse. The finish is long, with its vivacity and its power. Overall, this vintage is marked by its elegance.

WS96 Wine Spectator Unctuous and ripe, showing mouthfilling flavors of almond cream, ginger, heather honey and apricot, this will need time to unwind fully, but when it does, expect more pineapple, maple and singed orange notes, as this has some depth and power in reserve, as well as more than enough cut for balance. A beauty in the making. Best from 2018 through 2038.

JS96 James Suckling Wow. This is superb with great botrytis character from white pepper to dried mushrooms. Dried fruits such as apple and lemons. Full body, very sweet yet tight and racy. Needs three or four years to open.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2013 Coutet has one of the most complex aromatics you will find this year - a smorgasbord of citrus fruit, lime zest, orange blossom and white peach that is beautifully interwoven with compelling mineralite. The palate is extremely well-balanced, very intense and linear right from the start, with wonderful tension toward the finish that exhibits just a hint of spice. In other words, this is everything you expect from a great Coutet.

CHATEAU LA TOUR BLANCHE Sauternes 2013 $52

Using the three traditional Sauternes grape varieties SĂŠmillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle this wine is the result of a severe selection. So as to optimize the beneficial effects of Noble Rot ("La Pourriture Noble"), harvesting is carried out in a series of selective pickings which often necessitates the grape-pickers going through the rows up to 4 or 6 times.

WS93 Wine Spectator A powerful, overt style, with bold apricot, nectarine and creamed peach flavors laced with bitter orange and a twinge of mirabelle plum, before more authoritative almond and maple notes emerge through the finish.

Terrifically unctuous feel throughout. Best from 2018 through 2033. 1,250 cases made.

WE94 Wine Enthusiast 93-95. Barrel Sample. This wine has intense acidity, with a tangy orange character that expresses citrus fruitiness alongside a ripe peach-apricot flavor. The aging potential is certainly there.

WA94 Wine Advocate The La Tour Blanche has an introspective bouquet at first, one that is atypical of the estate. Give it some aeration and there are attractive chalky scents emerging, accompanied by citrus peel and linden. The palate is very wellbalanced with a touch of pepper on the entry. This feels cohesive in the mouth, demonstrating well-judged acidity and a linear, zesty finish that leaves you with a twist of sour lemon. This is a very well-crafted La Tour Blanche, refined and intellectual.

CHATEAU DE RAYNE-VIGNEAU Sauternes 2013 $46

Rayne Vigneau has all the excellent qualities of a legendary fine wine. Classified 1st growth in the famous 1855 classification, the domain is also renowned for its precious soil that abounds in precious stones.

This Sauternes has a particularly intense style, fresh with a long finish on the palate. Rayne Vigneau is a wine that contains amazing freshness, to drink young or to keep in the cellar. Château de Rayne Vigneau is one of the benchmarks of this appellation.

WS94 Wine Spectator This is gorgeous from start to finish, with toasted macadamia nut and coconut notes, followed by a range of orchard and tropical fruit flavors, from yellow apple and white peach to mango and papaya. Totally seamless and delightfully unctuous. Best from 2018 through 2033.

WE94 Wine Enthusiast Barrel Sample. At this point in time, the wine is unfocussed. It has weight, a complex structure and attractive acidity, but the fruit is in hiding-it is there but not yet expressive. A wine for cellaring.

WA94 Wine Advocate The palate is well-balanced with a lively honeyed entry. This is already very cohesive, with fine delineation, and the finish is very composed, with a saltiness lingering on the aftertaste. It is a classic Rayne-Vigneau that should give a lot of pleasure after bottling.

FONSECA GUIMARAENS Port 2015 $60

#88 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Opaque purple-black at the center with a very thin, purple edge. Dense blackberry and blackcurrant aromas form the backdrop for a display of fresh, minty, balsamic scents and resiny notes of wild herbs.

Discreet hints of exotic wood, liquorice and black pepper provide an additional dimension of complexity.

The thick, tightly woven tannins provide both firmness and volume to the palate which is built around a core of dense, dark berry fruit. Plummy, raspberry flavors emerge on the long, luscious finish, giving it an attractive crispness and lift. An exceptional Guimaraens Vintage Port, expressive and approachable but with the stamina to improve over many years in the cellar. Enjoy with blue cheese, aged cheeses, desserts made with dark chocolate or berries, nuts or dried fruits.

WS93 Wine Spectator This is warm and lush in feel, and really well-built, with layers of blueberry, açaí berry and plum reduction flavors rolling through, laced with hints of ganache and fruitcake. Lots of graphite-edged grip lines the finish.

RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Underneath that first rush of everything is intensely flavorful and fresh 2015 fruit. That's what this vintage tends to deliver. As relatively fat as this is in its youth, it also seems relatively dry this year. This has a long life ahead and the potential for significant development. It may be approachable on the younger side, but I'd personally like to put it away for at least 15 years Winemaker David Guimaraens told me that he "guaranteed" at least 50 years from vintage date. I think he's right, but let's check back in with him around 2065 and jeer if he is wrong.

JS93 James Suckling A firm and gutsy Fonseca with medium to full body, chewy and powerful tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Lots of blueberry, blackberry and mineral undertones. Even some slate. Long and powerful. Medium sweetness.

WE93Wine Enthusiast This is a ripe and delicious wine, packed with tannins as well as perfumed fruit. It has density as well as rich blackberries and acidity to balance. The wine will be ready to drink from 2025.

GRAHAM'S 20 YEAR OLD TAWNY PORT Port Douro $53

Amber, golden tawny color. An excellent bouquet, with a characteristic "nutty" character, such as almonds, and delicious mature fruit with hints of orange peel. Rich, sweet and smooth onthe palate, it is perfectly balanced, with a long and lingering finish.

Graham's 20 Year Old Tawny Port pairs extremely well with vanilla ice cream or crème brulee. Serve slightly chilled to appreciate the full complexity and sensuous pleasure of this wine.

WS93 Wine Spectator Lovely, with date and persimmon notes that are melded seamlessly, picking up light bitter orange, ginger and green tea accents along the way. Echoes of sweet golden raisin and hazelnut linger on the finish, which is polished and long. A beauty. Drink now.

D95 Decanter Very inviting nose with depth, harmony and complexity. Nutty, caramel and dried fruit aromas. Great creamy texture with a long, profound finish.

JS94 James Suckling A gorgeous tawny with dried figs, caramel, dried raisins and coffee beans. Full-bodied, sweet and delicious. This shows such length and beauty. I love the crème caramel and cooked apple tart on the finish. Some pecan pie. Crazy.

Drink now.

WE90 Wine Enthusiast This is a hugely dry, burnt style, very concentrated. The licorice and bitter coffee flavors are dense, layered and well balanced with the acidity. A serious wine that demands attention.

FINE WINES WILD OATS CHARDONNAY 2012 Chardonnay from Australia Wild Oats Chardonnay continues the Oatley family history of fine craftsmanship. Blending a number of parcels of grapes from our vineyards in the Central Ranges of NSW, with various components undergoing a combination of tank and oak ferment our winemakers have created a terrific example of modern Australian chardonnay, where fruit and texture are the vital components, with oak playing a supporting role. Lovely pineapple and fresh fig flavors, creamy, spicy oak with a touch of vanilla and a long, textured finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator - This sleek and silky wine exhibits pretty pear, green apple and floral aromas and flavors that glide smoothly through the long finish, where they echo enticingly.

CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CHARDONNAY 2012 Chardonnay from Columbia Valley, Washington The Columbia Valley Chardonnay is a pleasurable, food-friendly Chardonnay. This is a fresh, soft style of Chardonnay with bright apple and sweet citrus fruit character with subtle spice and oak nuances. We blend Chardonnay grapes from vineyards all over Washington's Columbia Valley to make this a complex, interesting wine.

WS89 Wine Spectator - Bright and lively, with juicy pear and grapefruit flavors on a sleek frame, finishing with refreshing acidity and a polished texture.

CHARLES & CHARLES CHARDONNAY 2013 Chardonnay from Columbia Valley, Washington Aromas are dominated by quince, Pippin apples and notes of spice, molasses and warm caramel. These flavors carry on to the palate where they also pick up slight tropical notes of guava and wet stones. The palate is quite rich and broad, but still vibrant and lingers on the finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator - Polished, creamy and refreshingly balanced, with tobacco-accented pineapple and coconut flavors that come together smoothly and linger well.

STONECAP CHARDONNAY 2012 Chardonnay from Columbia Valley, Washington Tropical notes in the nose express honeydew melon, honeysuckle, star fruit and citrus notes such as lemon zest. On the palate the wine has great balance; subtle passion fruit and minerality up front, then moving toward a dryer finish where the citrus fruit shines through once again.

This wine pairs nicely with fish and baked chicken; the acidity can also hold up to a nice zesty dish, such as spicy Thai soup.

WS88 Wine Spectator - Tight and focused, with juicy pear and grapefruit flavors playing against hints of spice, lingering on the finish.

SMOKING LOON STEELBIRD UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2013 Chardonnay from California The 2013 Smoking Loon "Steelbird" is Chardonnay with a difference. The winemaker kicked the oak to the curb aging this wine for five months in 100% stainless steel. The wine opens with layers of juicy and ripe honeydew melon, followed by steely notes of citrus. Vibrant, yet creamy on the palate from 100% malolactic fermentation, with its refreshing flavors of lemon curd and pineapple; it's sure to become an instant summer favorite.

This wine will pair nicely with a wide variety of dishes, from homemade tropical salsa and chips to a garden salad with lemon grilled chicken or even a simple white pizza.

WS88 Wine Spectator - A zesty grapefruit edge accents the core of this juicy mix of citrus and green fruits. Refreshing and clean, this ends with a dash of pithy citrus peel.

NOBILO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand Pale yellow with delicate hints of green. Lifted aromas of citrus fruit, jalapeĂąo, and tropical fruit. Crisp, clean, and complex. Pure fruit flavors combined with juicy acidity.

Pair with pan-seared monkfish with fresh asparagus.

WS89 Wine Spectator - Flavors of pear, green apple and lemon zest are intense, focused and smooth, with a hint of lime. Culminates in a crisp finish.

CONCHA Y TORO CASILLERO DEL DIABLO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 Sauvignon Blanc from Chile Casillero del Diablo Reserva Sauvignon Blanc is the color of straw with green hues. The aromas are fresh and attractive with hints of citrus, peaches and gooseberry. On the palate, the wine is elegant, round, and mouth-filling. The wine is also balanced with attractive, crisp acidity.

It is the perfect accompaniment to seafood, fresh fish, clams and oysters on the half-shell.

WS88 Wine Spectator - A crunchy white, exhibiting aromas and flavors of dried basil, citrus zest and fennel. Minerally and smoky notes show on the spicy finish. Top Value Pick

WATERBROOK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 Sauvignon Blanc from Columbia Valley, Washington This classic Washington Sauvignon Blanc offers fresh-cut grass and cottonwood tree aromas, followed by lemon and gooseberry flavors. Bright but not acidic, this wine refreshes the palate and finishes with wet stone-like minerality and ripe pineapple notes.

Enjoy with seafood such as lemongrass-infused halibut, lobster bisque and seared scallops.

WS88 Wine Spectator - Light and refreshing, with grapefruit and floral flavors singing brightly and lingering well.

MOHUA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand Fresh and juicy with ripe citrus, grapefruit, melon and passionfruit.

WS89 Wine Spectator - The succulent lime, peach and melon flavors show a lovely thread of acidity and lemon grass. Light-footed, but with plenty of intensity and focus, especially on the finish.

JERMANN PINOT GRIGIO 2011 Pinot Grigio from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy It has an intense straw-yellow color with a light nuance of antique rose. Its aroma is intense, full and fruity, with excellent persistence. Its taste is dry, velvety, and particularly well-orchestrated for its full body.

Wonderful with fish soups, chargrilled seafood and various dishes based on field mushrooms and porcini mushrooms. This wine is wonderful with squid ink lasagnette pasta and crayfish sauce.

WS88 Wine Spectator - Offering a firm backbone of tangy acidity, this well-cut white meshes rich notes of beeswax and crystallized honey with flavors of quince, kumquat and pickled ginger. Features a lasting finish, with floral and smoke accents.

SANTA MARGHERITA PINOT GRIGIO 2016 Pinot Gris/Grigio from Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy This dry white wine has a straw yellow color. Its clean, intense aroma and bone-dry taste (with an appealing flavor of Golden Delicious apples) make Santa Margherita’s Pinot Grigio a wine of great personality and versatility.

Excellent as an aperitif, and ideal with seafood salads or pasta and rice dishes based on fish and shellfish.

Also perfect with white meats, boiled or grilled fish and souffles.

TIEFENBRUNNER PINOT GRIGIO 2017 Pinot Gris/Grigio from Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy Straw yellow in color with lemon highlights, this Pinot Grigio is youthful and lively. On the nose, this wine has aromas of citrus, white flowers, pears, apples, and meadow grass. Upfront citrus flavors give way to stony minerality and a crisp finish.

Wonderful as an aperitif or with butter-poached fish, scampi's and pasta primavera.

WS90 Wine Spectator - This balanced, light-bodied white offers a lively mix of peach, passion fruit, floral and pink grapefruit zest notes, with tangy acidity and a floral finish.

CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE INDIAN WELLS RIESLING 2005 Riesling from Columbia Valley, Washington This is the debut of our Indian Wells Riesling. At Chateau Ste. Michelle we are passionate about Riesling and are pleased to add this tropical style of Riesling to our diverse Riesling line up. The 2005 Indian Wells Riesling exhibits fruit-driven aromas of ripe, juicy pineapple, peach and mango and is rich and unctuous, while maintaining a crisp, well-balanced style that is typical of Washington state Riesling.

WE90 Wine Enthusiast Ripe and juicy, it's a more tropical style than the others from Ste. Michelle, but still maintains the acid backbone to qualify as racy.

CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE DRY RIESLING 2012 Riesling from Columbia Valley, Washington The Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling is a dry, crisp, refreshing style of Riesling with beautiful fruit flavors, crisp acidity and an elegant finish. It offers inviting floral and mandarin aromas with a clean finish.

This is an incredibly versatile food wine and favorite with oysters.

WS88 Wine Spectator - Light, tight and crisp, this dry style offers refreshing apple, pear and floral flavors, lingering quietly.

CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE RIESLING 2012 Riesling from Columbia Valley, Washington WS88 Wine Spectator - The wine delivers sweet lime and peach with subtle mineral notes. Precise fermentation temperatures preserve our Columbia Valley Riesling’s fresh and fruity character, with an assortment of yeasts for added complexity. This is “any day” Riesling—a pleasure to drink and easy to match with a variety of foods.

CHATEAU REYNON BLANC 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, France WS89 Wine Spectator - Fresh lime, green melon and pippin apple notes mix with a light tarragon hint that weaves through the finish. Presents a straw backdrop, open and friendly.

CHATEAU MARJOSSE BLANC 2012 Bordeaux White Blends from Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux, France Chateau Marjosse produces a dry white wine from the Entre-Deux-Mers, from Sauvignon, Semillon and Muscadelle grapes.

WS90 Wine Spectator - Features bright honeysuckle and chamomile notes, with a fresh, pure, stonetinged core of white peach. Offers a flash of tarragon on the finish. Barrel Sample: 87-90 Points

FLYING SOLO GRENACHE BLANC - VIOGNIER 2014 White Blends from Languedoc-Roussillon in Southern France The Languedoc-Roussillon region is three times the combined area of the vineyards in Bordeaux and the region has been an important winemaking center for several centuries. The Flying Solo range flies in the

face of convention, shunning international varieties in favor of the typical Mediterranean Grenache grape which forms its backbone, blended with Syrah.

LES DOUVES DE LA TOUR CARNET 2000 Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux The dense purple-color boasts a sweet nose of graphite intermixed with cassis, licorice, and toasty espresso notes. A bright and balanced wine that, when left to sit in the glass, presents elegant floral notes. Ripe and medium- to full-bodied, it is the finest Les Douves de La Tour Carnet produced in many decades.

CHATEAU MAUCAILLOU 2003 Moulis en Medoc, Bordeaux The vineyard is one of the oldest terroirs in the Médoc. Château Maucaillou is a food lover's wine and goes beautifully with lamb, game and ripe cheeses. It has aromas of dark fruit (Morello cherry, blackberry and blackcurrant) and mocha, with burnt notes. It is full and creamy in the mouth with ripe and supple tannins and considerable length.

CHATEAU BRILLETTE 2005 Moulis en Medoc, Bordeaux 2005 WS90 Wine Spectator - Dark ruby in color. Aromas of black licorice, coffee and currant follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Best after 2011.

CHATEAU DE CARLES 2009 Fronsac, Bordeaux WS90 - Wine Spectator This has a nice mix of dark pepper, tobacco and singed iron notes embedded in a core of crushed, more flattering plum and blackberry fruit. Chalky grip hangs on the finish. Best from 2013 through 2021.

CHATEAU HAUT BERGEY 2010 Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux 2010 Chateau Haut Bergey is one of the crown jewels in the collection of exquisite Grand Crus. The exceptional soil consists of clay and gravel washed up from the Pyrenees caused by the meanderings of the Garrone over time which give Chateau Haut Bergey its distinctive character.

WS92 Wine Spectator - Offers lush fruit, with dark raspberry and boysenberry notes, good, graphitelaced structure and bright acidity weaving throughout. The long, smoldering finish features an appealing licorice snap and violet profile. Best from 2015 through 2025.

CHATEAU LAFLEUR-GAZIN 2010 Pomerol Bordeaux 2010 WS92 Wine Spectator - Offers a fleshy, corpulent feel, with mouth filling plum, melted licorice, fruitcake and linzer torte flavors layered and pumping through the broad, well-toasted finish. A not-shy style, showing a bit of punch on the finish alongside plenty of length and depth. Best from 2014 through 2024

CHATEAU BOUTISSE 2010 St. Émilion Bordeaux 2010 WS91 Wine Spectator A plush, alluring style, with velvety tannins letting the raspberry ganache, blackberry pâte de fruit and plum sauce notes glide along, backed by accents of charcoal and singed apple wood on the finish. Drink now through 2020.

CHATEAU HAUT-BEAUSEJOUR 2010 St. Estèphe Bordeaux WS90 Wine Spectator - Bright, with a high-pitched damson plum and red currant core, followed by bitter orange, savory and iron notes on the finish. A pleasant combination of austerity and sleekness. Drink now through 2025.

CHATEAU MAROJALLIA CLOS MARGALAINE 2010 Margaux, Bordeaux WS91 Wine Spectator - This sports freshly brewed espresso, crushed currant, steeped blackberry and succulent black cherry fruit. The long, tar-coated finish is well-polished. A bit amped up in style but stays balanced enough. Accessible now. Best through 2024.

CHATEAU HYOT 2010 Bordeaux Red Blends from Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France Chateau Hyot is a deep ruby color, with a clear shine, revealing a structured nose of ripe fruit with hints of pepper. Remarkable balance and soft silky tannins sustain a long and memorable finish.

WS90 Wine Spectator - Very ripe, with saturated cassis, blackberry and boysenberry pâte de fruit flavors that are racy and distinctive, thanks to fresh acidity and sleek tannins. The long finish has nice density.

Drink now.

CHATEAU MARJOSSE 2010 Bordeaux Red Blends from Bordeaux, France

Château Marjosse has been under the stewardship of Pierre Lurton, general manager of Château Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yquem since 1997. Though a younger wine estate, the well-regarded wines have quickly been popular for their approachability and the quality of wine-making backing up the well-grown fruit. Ripe, bright, juicy and vibrant, the style is made for early consumption and immediate enjoyment.

CHATEAU REYNON 2010 Bordeaux Red Blends from Bordeaux, France 90 | $20 | Bordeaux Chateau Reynon has a deep color and subdued aromas with licorice black-currant and smoky nuances; the flavors are velvety, elegant and powerful. They have an exceptional style that privileges the freshness of the fruit concentrated by the "noble rot", strength, balance and subtlety of the flavors.

WS90 Wine Spectator - This takes a broad approach, offering a wide range of dark plum, steeped currant and warm black cherry compote notes inlaid with espresso, ganache and dark tobacco, with a buried briary edge on the finish. Needs short-term cellaring to unwind fully. Rock-solid.

CHATEAU HAUT-BEAUSEJOUR 2015 St. Estèphe Bordeaux 2015 WE91 Wine Enthusiast - This wine is spicy, ripe and gently textured. With hints of stalkiness, the black currant fruits are light and crisp with a squeeze of blackberry juice coming through. It is more about fruit than structure.

PAIRING WINE AND CHEESE One marriage no one can object to is the mouthwatering combination of wine and cheese. Each is delicious on its own, but when you pair the two, magic can happen. Be it tannic, light, sweet, or dry, you can bet there’s a wine out there for every cheese

Port’s sweetness and thick body are the perfect foil for pungent, crumbly bleu cheese.

The bubbles in Prosecco cut through the saltiness of this hard cheese. Plus, they’re both Italian!

The richness of fondue is a match made in heaven for decadent dessert wine Sauternes.

In order to stand up to the nutty flavors in aged gouda, you need a tannic, full bodied wine. Cabernet Sauvignon gets the job done.

Whether you choose to snack on gruyere whole or melty, the fruit and nut flavors in Chardonnay are an ideal mate.

This sweet, classic cheese calls for the quintessential Spanish wine: Rioja!

Sweet, creamy ricotta loves tangy Riesling. Try ricotta with both the sweet and the dry variations of this German classic wine.

Chocolatey Malbec helps balance out the aggressive sharpness in aged cheddar. Who’s up for a bowl of adult macaroni and cheese?

Brie needs a wine that will go well with its distinct flavors while remaining light enough not to overwhelm them. Here are some awesome brie cheese recipes to pair with a good glass of Pinot Noir, brie’s best friend

This classic American cheese craves a wine that’s on the lighter, fruitier side – just like Merlot.

The acidity of Pinot Grigio tangos well with this soft, slightly sweet classic pizzacheese.

Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect distinct white wine to pair with this tangy cheese.

RULES FOR GREAT WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS Great with great, humble with humble This might seem like the most elemental of ideas, but the first important principle is simply: Pair great with great, humble with humble. A hot turkey sandwich doesn’t need a pricey Merlot to accompany it. On the other hand, an expensive crown rib roast may just present the perfect moment for opening that powerful, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon.

Delicate to delicate, bold to bold A delicate wine like a red Burgundy will end up tasting like water if you serve it with a dramatically bold dish like curry. Dishes with bold, piquant, spicy, and hot flavors are perfectly cut out for bold, spicy, big-flavored wine like a Shiraz.

To mirror or to contrast?

Decide if you want to mirror a given flavor or set up a contrast. Chardonnay with lobster in cream sauce would be an example of mirroring. Both the lobster and the Chardonnay are opulent, rich, and creamy. But delicious matches also happen when you go in exactly the opposite direction and create contrast and juxtaposition. That lobster in cream sauce would also be fascinating with Champagne, which is sleek, crisp, and sharply tingling because of the bubbles.

Choose a flexible wine Think about a wine’s flexibility. Although Chardonnay is wildly popular in many parts of the world, it’s one of the least flexible white wines with food. Chardonnays often have so much toasty oak and high alcohol that they taste hard and dull when accompanied by food.

For maximum flexibility, go with a Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Riesling, both of which have cleansing acidity. Wines with high acidity leave you wanting to take a bite of food, and after taking a bite of food, you’ll want a sip of wine. The perfect seesaw.

The most flexible red wines either have good acidity, such as Chianti, red Burgundy, and California and Oregon Pinot Noir, or they have loads of fruit and not a lot of tannin. For the latter reason, zinfandel, lots of simple Italian reds, and southern Rhône wines, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, are naturals with a wide range of dishes, from such simple comfort foods as grilled chicken to more complex dishes like pasta Bolognese.

Salt versus acidity Saltiness in food is a great contrast to acidity in wine. Think about smoked salmon and Champagne, or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Chianti. Asian dishes that have soy sauce in them often pair well with high-acid wines like Riesling.

Salt versus sweet Saltiness is also a stunningly delicious contrast to sweetness. Try that Asian dish seasoned with soy sauce with an American Riesling that’s slightly sweet, and watch both the food and the wine pull together in a new way. This is the principle behind that great old European custom of serving Stilton cheese (something salty) with Port (something sweet).

High-fat food and high-powered wines A high-fat food, something with a lot of animal fat, butter, or cream, usually calls out for an equally rich, intense, structured, and concentrated wine. Here’s where a wellbalanced red wine with tannin, such as a good-quality Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, works wonders. The immense structure of the wine stands up to the formidableness of the meat. And at the same time, the meat’s richness and fat serves to soften the impact of the wine’s tannin.

A powerful California Cabernet Sauvignon with a grilled steak is pretty hard to beat. This same principle is at work when a Bordeaux wine is served with roasted lamb. And pairing richness with richness is also the principle behind what is perhaps the most decadent French wine and food marriage of all: Sauternes and foie gras.

Dessert Wines The best dessert and dessert wine marriages are usually based on pairing a not-toosweet dessert, such as a fruit or nut tart, with a sweeter wine

Pinot Noir: Is great for dishes with earthy flavors Recipes made with ingredients like mushrooms and truffl es taste great with reds like Pinot Noir and Dolcetto, which are light-bodied but full of savory depth.

Chardonnay: For fatty fish or fish in a rich sauce Silky whites—for instance, Chardonnays from California, Chile or Australia—are delicious with fish like salmon or any kind of seafood in a lush sauce.

Champagne: Is perfect with anything salty Most dry sparkling wines, such as brut Champagne and Spanish cava, actually have a faint touch of sweetness. That makes them extra-refreshing when served with salty foods, like crispy udon noodles with nori salt.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Is fabulous with juicy red meat California Cabernet, Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blends are terrific with steaks or chops—like lamb chops with frizzled herbs. The firm tannins in these wines refresh the palate after each bite of meat.

Sauvignon Blanc: Goes with tart dressings and sauces Tangy foods—like scallops with grapefruit-onion salad—won't overwhelm zippy wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Vinho Verde from Portugal and Verdejo from Spain.

Dry Rosé: For rich, cheesy dishes Some cheeses go better with white wine, some with red; yet almost all pair well with dry rosé, which has the acidity of white wine and the fruit character of red. For an indulgent cheese dish, try these Triple-Decker Baked Italian Cheese Sandwiches.

Pinot Grigio: Pairs with light fish dishes Light seafood dishes, like seafood tostada bites, seem to take on more flavor when matched with equally delicate white wines, such as Pinot Grigio or Arneis from Italy or Chablis from France.

Malbec: Won't be overshadowed by sweet-spicy barbecue sauces Malbec, Shiraz and Côtes-du-Rhône are big and bold enough to drink with foods brushed with heavily spiced barbecue sauces, like these chicken drumsticks with Asian barbecue sauce.

Syrah: Matches with highly spiced dishes When a meat is heavily seasoned—like cumin-spiced burgers with harissa mayo—look for a red wine with lots of spicy notes. Syrah from Washington, Cabernet Franc from France and Xinomavro from Greece are all good choices.

Off-Dry Riesling: Pairs with sweet & spicy dishes

The slight sweetness of many Rieslings, Gewürztraminers and Vouvrays helps tame the heat of spicy Asian and Indian dishes, like this Thai green salad with duck cracklings.

Rosé Champagne: Great with dinner, not just hors d'oeuvres Rosé sparkling wines, such as rosé Champagne, cava and sparkling wine from California, have the depth of flavor and richness to go with a wide range of main courses, like beet risotto.

Old World Wines: Are intrinsically good with Old World dishes The flavors of foods and wines that have grown up together over the centuries —Tuscan recipes and Tuscan wines, for instance — are almost always a natural fit. For example, pappardelle with veal ragù pairs well with a medium-bodied Chianti.