Innehållsförteckning för July 31, 2016 från Wine Spectator

Maybe bacteria aren’t so bad. Research increasingly suggests that the trillions of microbes that live in our digestive tract, collectively known as the gut microbiome, contribute significantly to our well-being. Now a new study has found that drinking red wine helps keep this community of bacteria healthy and diverse. The gut microbiome aids in everything from digesting and metabolizing food to moderating our mood to regulating our immune system. Its efficacy, however, depends largely on its composition. Intestines with a diverse range of bacteria are better equipped to produce a variety of vitamins, enzymes and other compounds that affect us positively. Our personal microbiome diversity depends on many factors, including genetics and environment, diet, exposure to disease, drug use and smoking habits. “Gut microbiome is linked to many human diseases,”…

What drove Kistler to the rural outpost of Occidental is his fascination with cool-climate Pinot Noir. “We’re optimis-tic,” says Steve Kistler as he steers his truck along a patchy asphalt road near his new digs in Occidental, an emerging wine region in western Sonoma County. “We’re putting in a tasting room.” Kistler founded Kistler Vine-yards in 1978 in Sonoma Valley, but until recently the vintner has main-tained a laser focus on quality wine-making over hospitality. Kistler has always avoided the lime-light. A Bay Area native who attended Stanford University, he toyed with a writing career before opting for wine, working first at Ridge in Santa Cruz Mountains then founding his own KV label in Sonoma Valley in 1978, and subsequently Russian River in the 1980s, while in pursuit of Cabernet…

Tireless and driven, Robert Mondavi would become a dynamic catalyst of Napa Valley’s wine renaissance. Creating an American wine culture would be Mondavi’s main challenge—and where he applied his sales and marketing acumen to the hilt. “To his everlasting credit, [Mondavi] changed the way we perceived wine. It was a new day.” —Warren Winiarski…

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,…

ARGENTINA 92 Bodegas Salentein Malbec Uco Valley Single Vineyard Plot N°21 2013 $50 A big, muscular red, with concentrated flavors of black olive, dark currant and dried date, supported by firm tannins and acidity. The dense finish is loaded with dark chocolate details. Drink now through 2021. 950 cases made.—K.M. 91 Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin Uco Valley 2012 $35 Rich, ripe and concentrated, with notes of green olive to the roasted plum, dark currant and dried berry flavors. Meaty notes linger on the savory finish. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Syrah. Drink now through 2020. 4,000 cases made.—K.M. 91 Bodegas Salentein Gran VU Uco Valley 2012 $120 A suave and refined red, with an exuberant minerality to the blackberry, dark currant and green olive flavors. Hints of…

93 Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu Hunting Hill 2013 $49 Intense and focused, with plenty of toasted herb and cedar notes providing an aromatic lift to the core of marmalade, pear, spice and honeysuckle shadings. Finishes with bright, refreshing acidity. Drink now through 2026. 350 cases made.—M.W. 91 Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu Coddington 2013 $45 Fleshy peach and mango flavors are ripe and clean, with a tight, juicy and crisp citrus edge, highlighted by cedar and mineral grace notes on the long finish. Drink now through 2022. 250 cases made.—M.W. 90 Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu Maté’s Vineyard 2013 $52 Focused, offering intense pineapple accents to the melon and lime flavors, crunchy, mouthwatering acidity and herb highlights. Offers a firm finish, with cedary elements fanning out. Drink now. 350 cases made.—M.W. 90…

Matt Kramer brings up the issues related to scientism in a thoughtful and rational way. There is another point that scientism forgets. There was a time when science did not see things only through the reductionist mindset. In the beginning of the 20th century, scientific holism almost broke through. By its very nature, terroir is a holistic (in the true sense of the word) term. What cre-ates the sense of terroir is the sum total of all aspects of a given location: all soil pa-rameters, subsoil characteris-tics, latitude and longitude, exposure, elevation, solar radiation, seasonal wind speed, wind run, humidity. Beyond that, cultural, tradi-tional and historical markers are equally important con-tributors to terroir. It goes without saying that these lie beyond Matthews’ consideration. Ted Lemon Proprietor, Littorai Wines Sebastopol, Calif.…

A former professor of pulmonary medicine in Canadian wine country is trying to make white wine smell better. Dick Jones believes he has found a way to retain more aromatic compounds in wine during fermentation. So far, local wineries are impressed with the results. Born in the United States, Jones spent 35 years at the University of Alberta. He and his wife moved to Naramata, a small community in the Okanagan Valley, in 2005. Jones began making wine from Pinot Gris and Gamay. He loved the smells of his small lots fermenting, but when he tried the finished wine, much of the aroma was gone. Many winemakers struggle to preserve aromatics. Fermentation pro-duces aromatic esters but also carbon dioxide molecules, which rise and push out the aromas. In 2012, Jones…

SHIRAZ & CO. This selection of Australian Shiraz is joined by a range of other reds and whites from Down Under, including the Hewitson Miss Harry, a Southern Rhône–style blend. FIRST DROP Shiraz Barossa Mother’s Milk 2014 (92, $20) Raspberry, strawberry, sarsaparilla, vanilla, bramble; elegant, polished HENTLEY FARM Shiraz Barossa Valley 2015 (92, $28) Dense; cassis, plum, blackberry, smoke, cigar box, espresso, nutmeg DANDELION Sauvignon Blanc Adelaide Hills Wishing Clock Of The Adelaide Hills 2015 (90, $18) Pineapple, peach, basil, lime zest; intense HEWITSON Miss Harry Barossa Valley 2013 (90, $20) Cherry, pomegranate; bright, juicy MITOLO Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale Jester 2014 (90, $22) Vivid, tense; red berry, currant, herb, cedar, cassis SCHILD Shiraz Barossa Valley 2014 (90, $20) Chai tea, plum jam, candied ginger, toasty cedar; round, juicy WAKEFIELD…

The second most frequently asked question I receive: “What wines are you drinking lately?” When you write about wine, people have plenty of questions. The one I get asked most frequently is, “How can I get a job like yours?” I usually laugh and submit that it requires drinking a lot. (Actually, that’s far from true. Most of the wine writers I’ve met are surprisingly moderate drinkers.) Running a close second is, “What are you drinking lately?” What people want to hear about, of course, is the latest stuff. Like everyone (me too), they’re looking for tips on what they might buy. Right now, I answer that I’m enraptured with rosé. In this category I tend to buy European rosés rather than American. Why? Two reasons: Rosés from France, Italy,…

96 Leeuwin Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2013 $89 AUSTRALIA Elegant and graceful, this opens to supple lemon and tangerine flavors, accented by spice, cedar, mineral and white floral touches. Everything is precise and supple, with a juicy touch on the epic finish. Drink now through 2026. 600 cases imported.—M.W. 94 Canonica a Cerreto Chianti Classico Riserva 2011 $40 ITALY There’s plenty of sweet fruit to this red, but also a sinewy structure, with bright acidity and dense tannins. Shows persistent leather, tobacco, spice and dried berry flavors, with a mineral ele-ment emerging on the long finish. Drink now through 2023. 3,500 cases made.—B.S. 94 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru 2013 $113 FRANCE Silky and vibrant, setting the stage for strawberry, cherry, currant and floral flavors. Just when you think…

92 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2014 $25 CALIFORNIA Supple and elegant, this offers a complex mix of orange marmalade, honeysuckle, lime blossom and toasted almond skin flavors against vibrant citrus notes, finishing with a crisp, minerally edge. Drink now through 2020. 7,100 cases made.—M.W. 90 Bodegas Ramón Bilbao Rioja Limited Edition 2013 $17 SPAIN Black cherry and red plum flavors are fresh and lively in this bright red. Tangerine acidity and light, firm tannins keep this focused. Spice and floral notes add interest on the finish. Drink now through 2023. 7,500 cases imported.—T.M. 90 Dow Late Bottled Port 2011 $25 PORTUGAL A floral aroma leads to sinewy flavors of red plum, raspberry and dark cherry that lengthen out nicely midpalate, with a creamy texture. Milk chocolate details emerge…

FRANCE Beaujolais / Morgon 90 Stéphane Aviron Morgon Côte du Py Vieilles Vignes 2014 $24 Floral and peach aromas line the ripe strawberry and cherry flavors in this concentrated, harmonious red. Backed by plenty of spice and juicy acidity, this eases into a lingering, spice- and mineral-infused finish. Drink now through 2018. 250 cases imported.—G.S. 90 M. Lapierre Morgon 2014 $34 Lively, tangy acidity bursts through the cherry and wild strawberry flavors in this charming, light-bodied red. White pepper, floral and peach flavors mark the finish. Offers smooth, integrated tannins. Drink now. 541 cases imported.—G.S. 89 Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes 2014 $33 Light-bodied and aromatic, this red displays plenty of lavender, plum, currant and spice notes, supported by light tannins and fresh, tangy acidity. Pretty peach, mineral and herbal…

SPAIN Montsant 93 Coca i Fitó Carinyena Montsant 2012 $35 Vivid plum and boysenberry flavors mingle with licorice, espresso and mineral notes in this rich red. Features a plush texture, but remains focused thanks to orange peel acidity and well-integrated tannins. Bold, ripe and energetic. Drink now through 2025. 90 cases made.—T.M. 93 Portal del Montsant Montsant Santbru Vinyes Velles 2012 $45 See Highly Recommended, page 105. 91 Jaspi Montsant Maragda 2012 $28 Firm and focused, this red offers black cherry, licorice, orange peel, garrigue and smoky notes that mingle harmoniously over light, firm tannins. Not heavy, but has good intensity. Drink now through 2020. 2,000 cases made.—T.M. 90 Jaspi Montsant Negre 2012 $18 This red is plump but focused, offering flavors of plum, coffee, garrigue and mineral that are…

OREGON 90 Alexana Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Revana Vineyard 2014 $49 Firm and chewy, with a gleaming core of apricot-accented blackberry and Szechuan peppercorn flavors that play against the tannins without becoming fazed. Has presence and persistence, but needs cellaring to calm the texture. Best from 2019 through 2024. 3,306 cases made.—H.S. 90 Alexana Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Terroir Series 2014 $32 Firm and focused, with a taut frame supporting the ripe blackberry and pepper flavors and hints of smoke as the open-weave finish lingers. Drink now through 2024. 4,895 cases made.—H.S. 90 Alexana Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton District Fennwood Vineyard 2014 $65 Soft and ripe, with generous flavors of spicy black cherry and clove, lingering against nubby tannins. Has presence and persistence. Drink now through 2022. 299 cases made.—H.S. 90…

Eighteen months after the door of one of the world’s most famous restaurants, the French Laundry, was pried open and more than $300,000 worth of rare wines stolen, the case has grown into a federal investigation involving three wine burglaries. Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment on April 28 in San Francisco against two California men, accusing them of money laundering and transportation of stolen goods. Both men were arrested April 27 and have pleaded not guilty. “The defendants knowingly and willfully conspired with others to commit offenses against the United States,” reads the indictment against Alfred Georgis, 53, of Mountain View, and Davis Kiryakoz, 44, of Modesto. “That is to transport, transmit and transfer in interstate and foreign commerce stolen goods, that is more than 130 bottles of wine, knowing…

Few if any sommeliers working today have contributed to the evolution of wine service in New York as much as Renzo Rapacioli. Over his five-decades-long career, Rapacioli, 72, has managed the wine pro-grams at some of the city’s most illustrious restaurants. Rapacioli’s journey began humbly. After emigrating to New York from the Italian town of San Michele in 1960, at the age of 16, Rapacioli dove into the restaurant scene, first as a busboy at former Midtown hot spot Laurent. After a hiatus to serve in the U.S. Army, Rapacioli was promoted to som-melier at Laurent, building the predominantly French wine list to a Wine Spectator Grand Award in 1985 and staying on until the restaurant closed in 1990. Stints at the iconic ‘21’ Club and Barolo restaurant followed. He…

“When I’m not working a hundred hours a week, I like to cook,” says John O. Mori-sano, founding partner and wine director of the Grey in Savannah, Ga. The na-tive New Yorker, who goes by Johno, and his wife, Carol, spend much of their time traveling back and forth to Sa-vannah, where Johno runs his own capital investment firm and manages the Grey alongside chef and partner Mashama Bailey. But the couple’s light-filled, 1,800-square-foot apart-ment in Manhattan’s National Arts Club building, where they’ve lived for the past six years, is still the place where they go to indulge in a time-honored ritual: “I cook, she drinks wine, reads stuff to me, eats cheese, occasionally chops some vegetables,” Johno says. “I don’t cook. I’m moral support and I’m entertainment,” Carol proclaims…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 93 Portal del Montsant Montsant Santbru Vinyes Velles 2012 $45 SPAIN This powerful red delivers flavors of plum, currant, espresso, licorice and mineral, remaining focused and fresh. COLLECTIBLE 93 Bouchard Père & Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 2013 $310 FRANCE The dense structure and core of sweet fruit show this red’s potential, with macerated cherry, raspberry, oak spice and graphite flavors. SMART BUY 90 Three Brooms Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Single Vineyard 2015 $16 NEW ZEALAND Vibrant and intense, with crisp, clean flavors of mango and lemon leading to lemon zest and white pepper on the finish. BEST VALUE 88 Pedra Cancela Dão Winemaker’s Selection 2014 $10 PORTUGAL Plump and fruity, this red shows crushed red berry and plum flavors, with fresh acidity and open-textured minerality. IN THIS ISSUE’S BUYING…

90 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Private Bin 20 15 $13 NEW ZEALAND Light and crisp, with tangy lime, melon and peach flavors that are succulent and smooth, finishing juicy, with plenty of focus and intensity. Drink now. 65,000 cases imported.—M.W. 88 Bogle Chardonnay California 2014 $10 CALIFORNIA Smooth and creamy, this is moderately rich and succulent, offering an elegant mix of pear, honeydew and fig flavors, with touches of citrus and spice. Ends clean and pure. Drink now. 583,000 cases made.—J.L. WINESPECTATOR.COM For nearly 340,000 wine ratings, use WineSpectator.com’s Wine Ratings search, where members can search by winery, wine name, region, variety, vintage, price and score. Find it at www.winespectator.com/wine. 88 Pedra Cancela Dão Winemaker’s Selection 2014 $10 PORTUGAL This plump and fruity red shows crushed red berry and…

GREECE 89 Santo Wines Santorini Vinsanto Trygos 2005 $40/500ml A buttery, dessert-style white, with a creamy texture and robust dried apricot, glazed pear and melon flavors. Dried ginger details show on the spicy finish, accented by honeyed notes. Drink now through 2022. 300 cases made.—K.M. 89 Voyatzi Velvento 2011 $22 Powerfully spicy and smoky, with dried berry, currant and cranberry flavors, supported by vibrant acidity. The rich, long finish offers sandalwood, tea and spice notes. Drink now through 2019. 2,300 cases made.—K.M. 88 Voyatzi Xinomavro Velvento 2012 $27 Silky-textured, with dried cherry, berry and roasted plum flavors that show minerally accents. The tannic finish has white pepper details. Drink now. 500 cases made.—K.M. 87 D. Kourtakis Mavrodaphne Patras Kourtaki NV $13 This has plenty of ginger and cardamom notes to…

CALIFORNIA Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends 93 Peter Franus Napa Valley 2013 $58 This combines power with finesse and grace, with an extracted core of dark berry, loamy earth and crushed rock amid the dried herb and cedar notes. Smooth early on, yet gains tannic traction. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028. 250 cases made.—J.L. 93 Pott Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Le Nouveau Western Star Vineyard 2013 $125 Supple and juicy, with fleshy, fine-grained tannins and a core of blackberry and blackberry pie, accented by touches of herb, cedar, tobacco and plum. Caressing aftertaste. Drink now through 2028. 36 cases made.—J.L. 92 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2013 $72 Rich, smooth and creamy, showing vanilla, mocha, dark berry and licorice notes, with a compelling mix of sweetish flavors…

DR. VINNY Dear Dr. Vinny, Is it true that screwcaps for wine originated in Australia? —Walt, Astoria, N.Y. Dear Walt, In 1964, the then director of Australia’s Yalumba winery approached a French company called Le Bouchage Mechanique about creating a screwcap sealing system for Yalumba wines, but the first Stelvin cap was trialed by a Swiss wine in 1972. In 1973, a group of Australian wineries, including Yalumba, Penfolds and Tahbilk, began commercially releasing wines under twist-offs. Most winemakers liked it, but it was stigmatized as a closure for lower-quality wines and was mostly phased out in the 1980s. Even Yalumba abandoned the closure until 2000. Screwcaps gained momentum again in the 1990s, when “cork taint” started gaining a lot of attention. Screwcaps ensure consistent quality and eliminate the possibility…