Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2015 i Wine Spectator

Big changes are afoot at Silver Oak and Beringer, two historic Napa estates that are each at the dawn of a new era. It’s not often that a venerable 40-year-old winery suddenly makes one of its best wines in decades. But that may be the case with Silver Oak’s 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Silver Oak has a devout following, and one thing its fans appreciate is the distinctive oak presence of dill, vanilla bean and coconut—a signature feature that’s hard to miss. So when I recently tasted a flight of 2010s, I felt pretty confident about which wine was Silver Oak. But something else struck me about the wine, which I rated 92 points ($100). It offered more richness, body and flavor than is typically evident in Silver Oak…

What intrigued Coppola as much as anything about Inglenook was the story. He learned of the immigrant Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum, who made his fortune in the Alaskan fur trade before turning to wine. Niebaum settled in Napa Valley in the 1870s and built the grand stone winery at Inglenook in 1879. Niebaum, like Coppola, was a worldly character. He spoke several languages and had studied winemaking in France, bringing vine cuttings back to plant at Inglenook. He had as many as two dozen different varieties planted on his property. It’s an idyllic setting, running from St. Helena Highway west into a steep, thickly forested terrain that provides the backdrop for the château. Most of Niebaum’s winegrowing practices are still common today: low yields, closely spaced vines, cleanliness in…

WHERE TO STAY Senza 4066 Howard Lane, Napa Telephone (707) 253-0337 Web-site www.senzahotel.com Rooms 23 Suites 18 Rates $225–$700 The Senza is a hip and modern new addition to the city of Napa, offering luxurious accommodations and sweeping views of the surrounding vineyards. Vintners Craig and Kathryn Hall of Hall Wines purchased the property, formerly La Residence, in 2006 and have completely rebuilt and expanded. The grounds are dotted with contemporary artwork, from whimsical butterfly mobiles to abstract sculptures and statues from the Halls’ private collection. Rooms are stylish and comfortable, with gas fireplaces and custom-designed furniture that mirrors the modern aesthetic. The spacious suites include private patios or decks and lavish bathrooms featuring soaking tubs and two-person showers. For the best views select one of the vineyard suites, with glass doors that open directly onto the vineyard. —Augustus Weed…

Highly Recommended The issue’s most impressive wines. Includes top-scorers and wines that represent optimal purchases based on their combination of score, price and availability 96 Reynvaan Syrah Walla Walla Valley In The Hills Foothills In The Sun Vineyard 2012 $60 WASHINGTON Plush and expressive, dripping with blueberry, plum and cream flavors, this features a savory aromatic note of river rock and white pepper on the long, seamless finish. Not a huge wine, but fleshy and seductive. A subtle hit of mineral wakes things up on the coda. Drink now through 2022. 260 cases made.—H.S. 96 Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Russian River Valley Buena Tierra Vineyard 2012 $70 CALIFORNIA A dazzling effort, with striking purity, richness and focus, featuring a plump, silky texture that oozes with fresh fruit aromas and a deep…

Deferential Equation I am a little surprised that so few people, professionals and amateurs alike, see the beauty in bottle variation (“The Curse of Bottle Variation,” columns, Jan. 31 – Feb. 28). Where in the “natural world” do we get two living organ-isms that are identical? Every-thing varies, from snowflakes to flowers. [Given] the multitude of elements that make up a bottle of wine, inevitably there will be variation from one bottle to the next. And over time those differences will magnify. But doesn’t this add to the excitement and anticipation we feel? I have had Châteauneuf-du-Pape at three, five or seven years of age and thought, “blah,” and laid them down a few more years and thought, “wow.” By that stage, while each bottle may have similar characteristics, there…

Drink From the Deep A wine bottle recently salvaged from the 1864 wreck of a Civil War blockade runner near Bermuda and opened at the Charleston Wine & Food Festival illustrated that wine from a sunken ship isn’t always treasure. “I did not dare put the vile liquid in my mouth,” said sommelier Larry Stone. In the glass, he got “citrus, camphor, stale fish tank, gasoline, sea-water at low tide and slightly herbal notes like Chartreuse.” Stone attributed the wine’s dreadful showing to an invasion of seawater, saying the cork had shrunk to about 4 millimeters in diameter, with a salt crust forming between the cork and the glass. —Robert Taylor An Extra J for E. & J. E. & J. Gallo, the world’s largest wine company, has purchased J…

There are so many coffee roasters in Brooklyn today that the New York City borough has become an epicenter of hipster coffee culture. But Nobletree (www.nobletreecoffee.com) is the only one that actually owns two coffee plantations, allowing the company to control every aspect of the complex production chain from plant to cup. Nobletree, which launched in 2013, is located in the Red Hook neighborhood, its storefront appropriately situated in a historic coffee warehouse on a pier. In the bar, you can smell and sip the freshly roasted, ground and brewed beans while gazing across the bay at the Statue of Liberty. Aside from the small tasting room, there’s also a laboratory and training/cupping room. For coffee professionals, the store will soon offer Q Grader courses—the equivalent of sommelier certification—for the…

WEST COAST This group from Washington and California offers a range of styles, from Michelle’s spicy sparkler to Lasseter Family’s Rhône-inspired rosé to VML’s rich Pinot Noir. There are dense reds and vibrant whites to suit every palate— all representing great quality for the price. VML Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Limited Release 2012 (93, $32) Dense, chewy; blackberry, black cherry, mineral, graphite KUNDE ESTATE Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Valley Vineyard Block 4SB20 2013 (91, $22) Pineapple, honeysuckle, lemon-lime; intense CANOE RIDGE Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills Reserve 2012 (90, $20) Cherry, apricot, loam, earth, toast, spice; broad COLUMBIA CREST Syrah Columbia Valley Grand Estates 2012 (90, $12) Generous; dark currant, blackberry, spice COUGAR CREST Viognier Walla Walla Valley 2013 (90, $24) Floral, pear, apricot, spice; silky LASSETER FAMILY Enjoué Sonoma…

Too many of today’s wines, especially the reds, are simply too much of a good thing. A certain grace is lacking. Casual wine drinkers can surely be forgiven for scratching their heads at the ever-growing array of what can only be called “weird wines.” Such wines are either made from grapes you’ve never heard of or come from places you never knew grew grapes. Frequently, you can get both features in the same bottle. I thought of this while working my way through Ian D’Agata’s 640-page masterpiece Native Wine Grapes of Italy (2014), an indispensable book for those interested in Italian wine. Nothing like it has previously appeared in either English or Italian that rivals its comprehensiveness, up-to-date erudition and charming readability. The book is a reminder of numerous grape…

Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Sonoma bills itself as a home to food, wine and adventure, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Its mission is to offer a broad range of wine styles and engage a broad range of consumers, from connoisseurs to novices to the merely curious. Not only is a visit to the Geyserville facility a fun day-trip—with a restaurant, swimming pools and a museum of Coppola film memorabilia—but the wines often offer exceptional value, fulfilling Coppola’s vision of making wine accessible to everyone. It’s also a highly creative endeavor, tapping winemaker-president Corey Beck’s expertise in winemaking and his knowledge of the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma. The chart below lists the recent releases reviewed by Wine Spectator of the various labels made at the Sonoma…

WHERE TO STAY Cottages of Napa Valley 1012 Darms Lane, Napa Telephone (707) 252-7810 Website www.napacottages.com Cottages 9 Rates $305–$900 This charming wine country hideaway features nine private cottages surrounding a tranquil garden with cobbled pathways and verdant lawns. The cottages were built in the 1920s and ’40s but have been renovated with modern amenities such as gas fireplaces and luxurious bathrooms with two-person soaking tubs. The interiors are cozy, striking a balance between rustic and elegant, with king beds, handmade furniture and old-growth fir floors. Bicycles are on hand for exploring. There are also fully equipped kitchenettes with gas stoves and refrigerators. A basket of pastries is delivered to your door at the start of each day, and you can unwind in the evenings with a private outdoor fireplace and complimentary selection of s’mores. —A.W. GROCERIES &…

This Buying Guide contains ratings of new releases from around the world and the results of special tastings reported on in greater depth elsewhere in the issue. Complete tasting notes are provided for all new releases scoring 85 or more points (on the Wine Spectator 100-point scale, explained below); notes for wines scoring 84 points or less are included at the discretion of the taster. Additional reviews appear on our website, www.winespectator.com. Each review carries the initials of the Wine Spectator editor who blind-tasted and scored the wine and wrote the review, based on the regional specializations indicated below. If no reviewer’s initials appear, the wine was tasted by a panel of Wine Spectator editors. James Laube California Harvey Steiman Australia, Oregon, Washington Thomas Matthews Spain Kim Marcus Argentina, Austria,…

AUSTRALIA Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends 93 Hickinbotham Cabernet-Shiraz McLaren Vale The Peake 2012 $150 Broad and generous, this is supple underneath a layer of crisp tannins, layering chocolate and tobacco flavors with ripe currant and plum fruit. Has ample depth and complexity, and finishes with finesse. Drink now through 2022. 135 cases made.—H.S. 92 Henschke Cyril Henschke Eden Valley 2010 $150 Soft and complex, with ripe berry and chocolate flavors, showing hints of apricot and coffee as the finish lingers gracefully. This has fine tannins and presence. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2016 through 2020. 20 cases imported.—H.S. 90 Killibinbin Cabernet Sauvignon Langhorne Creek Seduction 2013 $15 See Smart Buys, page 105. 90 Wirra Wirra Church Block McLaren Vale 2013 $20 Firm and appealing, with generous cherry…

DR. VINNY Dear Dr. Vinny, What’s with the seemingly new idea of drinking sparkling wine in a standard wineglass versus a flute? I’ve been seeing and hearing more and more about this. Are we looking at another screwcapversus-cork debate? —Don, Naperville, Ill. Dear Don, Flutes can keep a sparkling wine fizzy and cold longer, because of their narrow openings. But it’s difficult to stick your nose in a flute to take in the wine’s aromas. White-wineglasses do a better job of expressing the wine’s nose—and some of the best sparkling wines really deserve to have their aromatics enjoyed. I like flutes simply because they feel festive to me. I think that how many and what types of wineglasses you invest in depend a lot on how much and what kinds…

China may be importing less wine from Bordeaux, but Chinese investors are still looking for châteaus there to buy. Three such properties have recently sold to Chinese investors, and more acquisitions are under way. The wineries are seen as safe, sophisticated investments for both industrial conglomerates and tycoons, say experts. “To own a château is as big a trophy asset as it gets,” said Rupert Hoogewerf, founder of the Hurun Report, which tracks the wealth and habits of China’s superrich from offices in Shanghai. “A château is a new way to show you are wealthy without looking like a nouveau riche—they don’t want that image in China,” said Li “Lily” Lijuan, China desk broker for Bordeaux realtor and Christie’s affiliate Maxwell-Storrie-Baynes. Most Chinese acquisitions have been modest estates, but many…

Terrified of screwing up, I use an eyedropper to pour vermouth into a jigger of Port Ellen 35 Year Old. Part of Diageo’s Single Malt Special Releases, this $3,300 bottle of Scotch comes from an Islay distillery shuttered three decades ago. I have one chance to mix this $132 cocktail. Add too much aperitif and the elegant dram—smacking of Christmas spices and ginger, with a touch of tangerine on the finish—will drown. Normally I don’t indulge in high-wire mixology, but I’m fascinated with why Scotch cocktails have historically been underrepresented. One theory suggests that what is otherwise the world’s leading whisky is too precious to waste on mixed drinks. To some, adding anything but water is blasphemy. It’s widely agreed that Scotch—especially single malt—is “the good stuff,” meant for sipping,…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 95 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Serègo Alighieri Vaio Armaron 2008 $85 ITALY An elegant red, with flavors of black cherry, plum sauce, tobacco, dark chocolate and spice. COLLECTIBLE 94 Louis Latour Chambertin Cuvée Héritiers Latour 2012 $310 FRANCE An intense, minerally style, lean and racy, with cherry, raspberry, tobacco and kirsch flavors. Saturated, tannic and balanced. SMART BUY 90 Columbia Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2013 $16 WASHINGTON Dense and focused, playing the coffee and mineralaccented blackberry flavors against a blanket of fine tannins. BEST VALUE 88 Four Vines Chardonnay Santa Barbara County Naked Unoaked 2013 $12 CALIFORNIA Offers a mix of citrusinfused green apple, pineapple and mango notes in a fresh, snappy style. IN THIS ISSUE’S BUYING GUIDE You’ll find 15 classic wines and more than 325…

THE RISE AND FALL AND RISE AND FALL of anything makes for a good story,” says Francis Ford Coppola. He’s talking about Inglenook, the legendary Napa Valley winery that he owns. But he could just as easily be reflecting on his roller-coaster career in film: The five-time Academy Award winner has made and lost tens of millions as a director and producer, and even gone bankrupt in the process. At age 75, Coppola may be leaving his best filmmaking days behind. But he remains consumed by his ongoing quest to return Inglenook to its glory days, when it helped set the standard of quality for Napa Valley’s greatest red, Cabernet Sauvignon, in the years following World War II. It’s been a 40-year saga for Coppola at Inglenook, where he’s spent…