Indholdsfortegnelse for November 30, 2019 i Wine Spectator

For well-heeled wine lovers, the dinners were tempting: dishes cooked by some of the world’s top chefs, matched with rare wines, in the company of business luminaries. Since 2013, the International Business & Wine Society (IB&WS) has offered members monthly dinners paired with lectures and chats with leading business minds. Now the organization’s founder, Omar Khan, stands accused of taking money from investors and wine retailers intended to fund the dinners and then pocketing it instead. On Sept. 3, 13 disgruntled clients filed a suit against Khan in New York state court, alleging fraud, misrepresentation, unjust enrichment and five other counts. They claim he owes them more than $8.3 million. Other lawsuits are pending against Khan. “I was a prosecutor for 11 years and have been a lawyer for 30…

The arc of Nancy Silverton’s career, which she began as a pastry chef under Wolfgang Puck at Spago in 1982, has been punctuated by several eureka moments, not least of which was a lunch she prepared for Jeremiah Tower in the early 2000s at her home just outside the small medieval town of Panicale, in Umbria. Tower was duly impressed by Silverton’s bite-sized appetizer portions pairing fresh local burrata, mozzarella and ricotta with various ingredients including pesto, tapenade, toasted almonds, confit garlic and anchovies. The California-cuisine pioneer steered his hostess in the direction of Obicà, a recently opened sushi bar–style restaurant in Rome, where the headliner was mozzarella instead of raw fish. The concept inspired Silverton’s Osteria Mozza, which she launched in 2007, in the Hancock Park section of Los…

Italian Idyll This roundup of well-priced wines from Italy spans a range of exciting regions. Nebbiolo makes an appearance not from Piedmont, but in the distinctive reds of Casa Vinicola Triacca, in neighboring Lombardy. The Vermentino and Verdicchio offer two takes on refreshing, minerally whites. CASA VINICOLA TRIACCA Sforzato di Valtellina San Domenico 2015 (93, $34) Roasted fig, plum, mesquite, spice, grilled thyme, anise; dense, fresh CASA VINICOLA TRIACCA Valtellina Superiore Sassella 2016 (91, $18) Elegant, creamy; rasp-berry, sandalwood, lavender, iron, citrus peel VILLALTA Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso 2016 (90, $19) Black currant, cured tobacco, citrus peel, spice; concentrated, well-knit ELLENA GIUSEPPE Barbera d’Alba 2016 (90, $17) Plum, black cherry, fruitcake, iron; linear, harmonious NURAGHE CRABIONI Vermentino di Sardegna 2018 (90, $18) Dry, mouthwatering; mango, lime granita, Thai basil, pink grapefruit…

The flatlands of Santa Rosa, Calif., slowly furl as you move west into Russian River Valley and the old-vine neighborhood called Piner-Olivet. Some of the vineyards there were planted before Prohibition or just after, and the vines are as gnarled and bony as a per-son the same age. Carlisle winemaker Mike Officer knows the vineyards of Piner-Olivet better than anyone. He makes wine from six old-vine sites there: Carlisle, Papera Ranch, Mancini, Saitone, Two Acres and Montafi. Zinfandel is the variety these vineyards largely have in common, but most are interplanted to an eclectic mix of grapes that are harvested together—thus, the blend recipe of wines from these sites is made in the field. “[Their founders] were planting a Burgundy vineyard or a Chablis vine-yard, not a particular variety,” Officer…

This Buying Guide contains ratings of new releases from around the world. Complete tasting notes are provided for new releases scoring 85 or more points (on the Wine Spectator 100-point scale, explained below); notes for wines scoring 84 points or less are included at the discretion of the taster. Hundreds of additional reviews appear each month on our website, www.winespectator.com. Each review carries the initials of the Wine Spectator editor who blind-tasted and scored the wine and wrote the review, based on the regional specializations indicated below. James Laube California Thomas Matthews Spain Kim Marcus California Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir, Argentina, Chile Bruce Sanderson Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany James Molesworth California Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Rhône Valley, Port MaryAnn Worobiec California Sauvignon Blanc and other whites, Australia, New Zealand Alison Napjus Italy, Champagne, Alsace Tim Fish California Zinfandel and…

A widely accepted maxim of pairing is that red sauce calls for red wine. The specific dish might drive debate over which grape, region and style are the best fit, but most of us stick with a red. Why stray from what works? John Kelley, wine director at Baltimore’s Tagliata, can think of a reason: Red wines actually do not work with tomato sauce. In his opinion, owing to their tannins, alcohol levels, viscosity and in-tense flavors, red wines often have “too much stuff” for tomato sauce: “You’d have to have a red wine that is built more like a white wine,” he says. “It has to have minimal skin contact. It has to be very low in alcohol. It needs to be something that’s really bright with acidity.” Borrowing…

Jean-Louis Chave has deep roots in France’s Rhône Valley. His family has been growing grapes in the region’s northern appellations of St.-Joseph and Her-mitage since 1481. Most people blessed or burdened with that much history would see two distinct paths forward: preservation or revolution. Both are gambles—do you threaten your patrimony with big changes, or risk stagnation in order to honor the past? Jean-Louis, however, has managed to thread the needle. And his balancing act has resulted in some of the finest and most sought-after Syrahs in the world. In many ways, Chave is deeply conservative. He has returned to a pre-industrial approach to grapegrowing, abandoning pesticides and other technology-based interventions to embrace biodynamics, which aims for natural responses to agricultural activity. His winemaking techniques, mostly learned from his father,…

Florence is famed for its charming hole-in-the-wall wine bars. But once upon a time, when you ordered a carafe, you got it through a literal hole in a wall. The city’s “wine windows” were foot-tall openings that enterprising Renaissance nobles—many of whom owned vineyards in the countryside—built into the street-facing walls of their palatial residences; hundreds remain, but as curiosities of a bygone time. Now, the Associazione Culturale Buchette del Vino is working to preserve them. The restaurant Babae has even started filling glasses for passersby through their buchette for a few hours each evening.…

The two drinks most associated with holiday conviviality have seen a long decline in popularity. No one knows why. Is it due to the strange (Eggnog) and cartoonish (Tom & Jerry) sounds of their names? People’s hesitancy to drink milk-and egg-based cocktails? A fear of repeating the eggnog riot at West Point nearly 200 years ago? What-ever the reason, don’t let it spell abstinence for your holidays. Many delightful and dairy-free choices will evoke the spirit of the season. ELDERFLOWER AND TEA PUNCH Since A Christmas Carol rescued that holiday from puritanism, the soul of Dickensian holiday drinking has firmly resided in punch bowls. If dairy-based punches are ruled out, fruity concoctions naturally flow to mind. But that’s more the stuff of summertime congregational drinking. However, this doesn’t mean coal…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 95 La Jota Merlot Howell Mountain 2016 $85 CALIFORNIA An elegant style, featuring lilting flavors of red currant and dried raspberry that show hints of cedar and paprika. Fine-edged, with savory richness. COLLECTIBLE 97 Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange 2015 $850 AUSTRALIA Distinctive and powerful, yet still elegant, this red shows restraint despite the dense and generous flavors, featuring a core of wild blackberry and blueberry fruit. SMART BUY 89 Gini Soave Classico 2018 $16 ITALY This lively, well-cut white is light-to medium-bodied, offering a stony overtone, layered with apricot and juicy blood orange fruit and floral and spice notes. BEST VALUE 88 Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut Columbia Valley NV $13 WASHINGTON A snappy and vibrant sparkler, with appealing pear, lemon and spice flavors. IN THIS ISSUE’S BUYING…

ARGENTINA 93 Pascual Toso Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Magdalena Toso 2017 $130 Fleshy, powerful and full of unctuous dried blueberry, blackberry and plum tart flavors that are interwoven with notes of cocoa powder and savory spice. Sanguine elements emerge mid-palate, leading to a long finish that lingers with hints of freshly ground white pepper. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2024. 446 cases made, 100 cases imported.—K.M. 92 Bodega Toneles Malbec Mendoza Abrasado Unique Parcel Gran 2015 $60 Taut and well-framed, with sinewy power to the spicy dried red fruit flavors. Notes of forest floor emerge midpalate, revealing hints of dried mushroom. White pepper and cedar details show on the finish. Drink now through 2023. 2,800 cases made, 800 cases imported.—K.M. 91 Kaiken Malbec Mendoza Ultra Las Rocas 2017 $20…

As food-and beverage-delivery mobile apps like Grubhub, DoorDash, Caviar and Uber Eats continue to grow in popularity, higher-end restaurants are grappling with how to bring food to customers’ homes. Even for spots that emphasize hospitality and in-person dining experiences, the to-go trend has been difficult to ignore. Once upon a time, if restaurants wanted to do carryout or delivery, they took the orders and dispatched drivers themselves. Now apps have taken over. According to a Gallup poll conducted last July, 84% of U.S. adults say they order delivery or takeout at least once a month. And according to mobile market data company App Annie, consumers ordered meals on mobile devices 130% more in 2018 than in 2016. During the same period, global downloads of the top five delivery apps increased…

Making wine—from vineyard to bottle and year to year—is a long game. And no one plays the long game better than the Rhône’s Jean-Louis Chave. Chave, whose estate centers on the Northern Rhône appellations of Hermitage and St.-Joseph, is intensely serious and passionate, without any bombast or exuberance. I first starting visiting regularly with him 15 years ago, at his family domaine in the small hamlet of Mauves, and he’s always been steady in his manner, soft-spoken and measured. So it was a bit of a surprise when I found Chave particularly animated one day in 2009, as he took me to see a new vineyard he had just purchased. In fact, the purchase was so recent that he didn’t even have the keys to the gate yet. So we…

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. 97 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie La Giroflarie 2015 $64 FRANCE Densely fruited, with dark currant, fig and blackberry paste flavors forming the core, while warm cast iron, Turkish coffee and singed juniper notes wrap around. Mouthwatering bay leaf and pepper accents add energy to the dense finish. Best from 2022 through 2042. 80 cases imported.—J.M. 97 Krug Brut Rosé Champagne 22ème Édition NV $250 FRANCE A vibrant, enticing rosé, with rich aromas and flavors of poached apricot, grilled nut, white cherry, saffron and anise, all set in a seamless frame. This is racy and intense, yet rides the palate, showing a plush and creamy elegance. Hints of…

CALIFORNIA Chardonnay 92 Metzker Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2017 $35 Focused flavors of dried apricot, ripe apple and citrus are framed by firm acidity in this broad, powerful style. Light buttery notes show midpalate, with a finish that is spicy and rich-tasting. Drink now through 2024. 260 cases made.—K.M. 91 B Cellars Chardonnay Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch 2017 $55 Well-crafted flavors of apple pastry and ripe apricot are plush and creamy. Smoky accents linger on the spicy finish, showing verve and focus. Drink now through 2023. 200 cases made.—K.M. 90 Shafer Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Red Shoulder Ranch 2017 $52 Sleek, spicy and well-structured, with fresh-cut green apple and lemon-lime flavors supported by crisp acidity. Rich and savory on the fresh finish. Drink now through 2023. 5,600 cases made.—K.M. 89…