Innehållsförteckning för November 30, 2017 från Wine Spectator

We publish a wine magazine, but in our expe-rience, our readers appreciate all aspects of the good life. So we also offer articles about dining, cooking and travel, and regularly feature columns on distinctive products in categories such as cheese, chocolate, coffee and spirits. Many wine lovers, for example, enjoy a fine single malt Scotch. A rich Bourbon. And, more and more people, including many wine drinkers, are discovering the spirit of Mexico: tequila. Tequila has enjoyed rapid growth in the United States. Sales have nearly doubled since 2005, to almost 18 million cases in 2016, according to Impact Databank, a sister publication to Wine Spectator. The fastest growth has come from the finest segment: tequila made from 100 percent blue agave. For many years, mixto tequilas (which can contain…

“If you ever have the choice be-tween two op-tions in your career, choose the most difficult one; at least you won’t have any regrets,” French chef Bernard Leprince once counseled Am-andine Chaignot. She’s carried the spirit of that advice with her through roles in several of Paris’ top kitchens, including Alain Du-casse’s Plaza Athénée, Eric Frechon’s Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning Epicure, and Yannick Alléno’s Le Meurice. Chaignot was raised outside the French capi-tal by a research biochemist mother and soft-ware engineer father, and she was supposed to settle into a dependable science career of her own. But partway through pharmacy school, boredom pushed her to make the move to the burn-marked, knife-nicked life of a chef. En route to becoming executive chef of the elegant, seasonally driven spot Mirror Room…

ON THE RHÔNE AGAIN This group of wines from France’s Rhône Val-ley offers reds and whites from appellations throughout the region, with the Côtes du Rhônes in particular delivering great value. Credit two excellent back-to-back vintages, 2015 and 2016, for raising the bar. DOMAINE DES BOSQUETS Gigondas 2015 (93, $35) Lush, silky; raspberry, boysenberry, anise, black tea, violet, chalk CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON Côtes du Rhône White Baron de Montfaucon 2016 (92, $19) Yellow apple, white peach, plum, verbena, honeysuckle, almond; creamy DAVID REYNAUD Crozes-Hermitage Beaumont 2015 (92, $24) Fleshy; warm fig, blackberry confiture, licorice, anise, toast LES VINS DE VIENNE Côtes du Rhône White Les Laurelles 2016 (92, $23) Anise, plum, creamed melon, quinine, green almond; tense FRANÇOIS VILLARD Viognier Vin de France Les Contours de Deponcins 2015 (91, $24)…

George Clooney. Justin Timber-lake. Ryan Seacrest. George Strait. Sammy Hagar. Sean Combs. These celebrities have jumped on the tequila bandwagon in the past decade, taking advantage of the rising popularity of the Mexico-made spirit in the United States to launch their own brands. In recent years, tequila has seen the kind of growth brand-owners dream about. In 1987, total U.S. imports (includ-ing both 100 percent agave and mixtos) totaled 2 million cases. By 1997, the cate-gory had climbed to 6 million cases, and by 2007, sales had increased to 11 million cases. Between 2007 and 2016, the cate-gory jumped to 15.6 million cases sold. (All statistics in this story courtesy of Impact Databank, a sister publication to Wine Spectator; all figures are based on 9-liter cases.) The celebrity tequilas have…

2017Leading the way overall is the Domaine St.-Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Col-lection Charles Giraud 2015 (99 points, $93), which captures the essence of the vintage perfectly. Showing heady ga-nache and Turkish coffee aromas, followed by dense, fleshy layers of fig cake, steeped plum and warm blackberry confiture, this is a wine built to reward decades of cellaring, with juicy energy through the finish for balance. Made from a blend of 60 percent Grenache and the rest Mourvèdre, it’s the best wine to date from owner and winemaker Isabel Ferrando. Of the 62 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds in this report, 24 of them earn classic ratings, a sterling performance. Just behind the St.-Préfert, the Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015 (98, $109) delivers a drop-dead gorgeous core of cassis and raspberry pâte de fruit flavors…

98 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015 $109 FRANCE This offers a drop-dead gorgeous core of cassis and raspberry pâte de fruit flavors that hold center stage but still allow notes of Lapsang souchong tea, anise, incense and shiso leaf to chime in. Very long, with a sublime feel through the mineral-tinged finish. So seductive already, but this should cruise in the cellar. Drink now through 2040. 6,000 cases made.—J.M. 96 Moët & Chandon Brut Champagne Dom Pérignon 2009 $169 FRANCE There’s a subtle power to this graceful Champagne, which boasts a firm, crystalline frame of acidity married to the fine, satinlike 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…

91 Viña Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Reserva 2015 $15 CHILE Dark plum and dried red berry flavors dominate this muscular red, with plenty of minty and savory accents. Medium-grained tan-nins support chocolate and cream details on the finish. Drink now through 2021. 25,000 cases made.—K.M. 89 Cline Syrah Sonoma County 2015 $11 CALIFORNIA Offers plenty of torque, with smoky cracked pepper, blackberry and licorice flavors that finish with firm tannins. Best after 2018. 3,000 cases made.—T.F. 89 Los Haroldos Chardonnay Mendoza 2015 $12 ARGENTINA This is loaded with white peach and pear flavors that are crisp and fresh-tasting. The lilt-ing finish offers a seductive spiciness and rich minerality. Drink now through 2020. 5,000 cases imported.—K.M. 88 Farnese Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Fantini 2016 $11 ITALY Round and creamy, this medium-bodied…

Grüner Veltliner 94 Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Loibner Ried Schütt 2015 $62 Delicious aromas of roasted pineapple, ginger spice and savory, smoky mineral turn to honey and vanilla on the palate in this impressive version. Very expressive now and almost overwhelming, but should integrate nicely with some bottle age. Best from 2019 through 2027. 700 cases made.—B.S. 93 Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Trocken Wachau Loibner Ried Loibenberg 2015 $62 A powerful white, rich and ripe, yet shows elegance. The white raspberry and citrus notes mesh beautifully with the herbal and vegetal details, all supported by vibrant acidity. Delicious now, but this should show even more in a few years. Drink now through 2027. 1,300 cases made.—B.S. 91 Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Loibner Ried Kreutles 2015 $49 This is…

Abruzzi 92 Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Villa Gemma Riserva 2011 $90 A skein of graphite and spice unwinds through this chewy, medium- to full-bodied red, accenting the pureed blackberry, Earl grey tea and loamy earth notes. Finely balanced and expressive, with a lingering waft of smoky bacon fat on the finish. Drink now through 2025. 209 cases imported.—A.N. 91 Marchesi de’ Cordano Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Santinumi Riserva 2011 $60 A fragrant, medium- to full-bodied red, offering a concentrated mix of crème de cassis, fig cake, spice box and graphite notes, underscored by savory smoke and loamy earth accents. Supple and well-knit, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2025. 500 cases made.—A.N. 91 Agricola Monti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2011 $17 Richly aromatic, featuring smoke, leather and spice accents on the nose that wind…

Cava 92 Recaredo Mata Casano-vas Brut Nature Cava Turó d’En Mota 2005 $184 Bright and creamy, with a soft, silky mousse and spice- and graphite-laced flavors of ripe wild cherry, pastry and lime blossom. This rich Cava is dry and harmonious, framed by sleek acidity that drives the lasting, saline-tinged finish. Disgorged January 2017. Drink now through 2025. 332 cases made.—A.N. 91 Codorníu Brut Cava Ars Collecta 456 Gran Reserva 2007 $200 Rich and expressive flavors of baked currant, pastry cream and lemon curd are layered with sleek acidity in this mouthwatering Cava, while the fine and creamy mousse carries the flavor range on the lasting finish. Disgorged January 2016. Drink now through 2024. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 83 cases made.—A.N. 91 Codorníu Brut Chardonnay Cava Ars Collecta Finca…

Pinot Noir 94 Stephen Goff Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton District Shea Vineyard 2014 $48 See Highly Rec-ommended, page 115. 93 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Aspect 2014 $125 Impressively combines elegance with sleek complexity, offering expressive violet and rasp-berry aromas and precise, structured cherry, crushed stone and black tea flavors that gain traction toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2024. 742 cases made.—T.F. 93 Stephen Goff Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2015 $32 Elegant and polished, with expressive rose petal and raspberry aromas and supple, well-structured cherry and spiced cinnamon flavors that glide along the finish. Drink now through 2023. 152 cases made.—H.S. 93 Harper Voit Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Bieze Vineyard 2015 $65 Plush and plump, with ripe black-berry and raspberry fruit accented by violet, orange zest and spicy cinnamon…

Great idea. I actually do not enjoy being presented with a wine list of 300 wines, most of which I’ve never heard of. And with the weakening of the idea that a given region should only offer us one kind of wine, it is increasingly fea-sible to pair most foods with wines from a single region. Then again, there are many people who want to drink only one kind of wine; the Napa Cab–heads come to mind. A Chilean or Italian Cab? Unthinkable to some. Thomas Bartlett Ocean Grove, N.J. Great premise, Matt. I’m sure there are certainly some res-taurants out there that do ap-proach their wine lists in that fashion, but having been a chef in the Midwest for 35 years, I’ve seen that people more and more do…

The bottle had been lying in its decorative cedar box in my cellar for nearly a decade. Most of that time it lay un-disturbed, although a pale red stain offered evidence of its survival during the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Napa on Aug. 24, 2014, when it was cast onto the floor at the bottom of a bottle pile-up. Hundreds of wines per-ished that day, my second go-around with earthquake devastation to my cellar. The damage from the 5.2-mag-nitude quake of 2000 was even worse. Luckily this 3-liter bottle of 2009 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir had survived, and the day had come to uncork it—Collabria Care’s 11th Annual Gala on Sept. 8. Dining under the stars at Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga seemed like the perfect moment to…

VOLCÁN DE MI TERRA A joint venture between drinks giant Moët Hen-nessy and the Gallardo family of Mexico, Volcán de Mi Terra is situated at the base of a volcano— named Volcán de Tequila, of course. Using blue agave grown on volcanic soils, the distiller pro-duces two distinct bottlings: a vibrant blanco and a creamier cristalino, the latter an aged, clear-filtered añejo and extra-añejo blend. ESPOLÒN Headed by the Plascencia family and master dis-tiller Cirilio Oropeza, the Jalisco-based Espolòn has gained attention not just for its stylish labels inspired by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada, but also for its meticulous production methods, which involve a two-part distillation in both column and pot stills as well as an aging regimen in new American oak barrels. MAESTRO DOBEL The brainchild of Juan…

Like the south, the north was blessed with a strong sec-ond half of the growing sea-son in 2015. Warm and dry conditions were balanced by just the right amount of rain in mid-August, ameliorating the July heat and allowing maturity to continue through the Indian summer weather at harvest. “All summer was very sunny and hot with small rains, just enough to prevent maturity blockage,” says Julien Pilon, whose namesake domaine in Chavanay is producing exciting wines such as the Hermitage White Prisme 2015 (97, $79), a lush and seductive white showing creamed melon, pear and Jona-gold apple flavors. “What was fantastic, was that there was no problem to wait for maturity. It was even possible to harvest grapes from the plateau, higher in altitude, at the same level of…

Seared Tuna With Cabbage Slaw, Tortilla Strips and Ginger-Soy-Jalapeño Dressing Fermí Bohigas Brut Cava Reserva NV ALTERNATES: El Cep Brut Cava Kila 2015 (88, $15), Haciendas Marqués de la Concordia Brut Cava Federico Paternina Banda Azul 2014 (87, $12) Guajillo Chile–Rubbed Prime Rib au Jus With Roasted-Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Christmas Apple Salad L.A. Cetto Nebbiolo Guadalupe Valley Private Reserve 2012 ALTERNATES: Conterno Fantino Nebbiolo Langhe Ginestrino 2015 (89, $35), Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo Langhe 2015 (89, $27) Lemon Olive Oil Cake With Tequila Glaze Vietti Moscato d’Asti Cascinetta Vietti 2016 ALTERNATES: Ceretto Moscato d’Asti I Vignaioli di S. Stefano 2015 (89, $22), Braida di Giacomo Bologna Moscato d’Asti Vigna Senza Nome 2015 (88, $18)…

Few California wineries are as strongly identified with a single varietal as Duckhorn is with Merlot. And that’s good news for fans of the grape: Duckhorn is making some of the best bottlings in California today. Founded in 1976, Duckhorn has made Merlot from the start at its winery just north of St. Helena in Napa Valley. One of the key sources for its success over the years has been the Three Palms Vine-yard in the northern reaches of the valley. Duckhorn’s 2014 Three Palms bottling is the highest-rated California Merlot of this report, scoring a classic 95 points on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale ($98). It is among 100 Cali-fornia Merlots and Merlot-based blends that I have blind-tasted in our Napa of-fice over the past year. (A free alphabetical list…

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 At large Thomas Matthews Spain Kim Marcus Argentina, California, Chile…

95 Viña Cobos Malbec Mendoza Marchiori Vineyard 2014 $225 Ripe, rich and filled with con-centrated flavors of dark plum, blackberry, fig and mocha, supported by silky tannins. The plush finish is loaded with Asian spice and dark chocolate notes that linger effort-lessly. Drink now through 2024. 390 cases made.—K.M. 95 Dominio del Plata Malbec Uco Valley Nosotros Single Vineyard Nomade 2013 $115 Powerful and concentrated, featuring dark fruit and spice flavors that are well-structured. Raspberry and dark plum notes dominate, showing some red currant accents in the mix. Delivers lively acidity, with a finish that lingers with hints of slate and pepper. Drink now through 2022. 417 cases made.—K.M. 94 Viña Cobos Malbec La Consulta Bramare Rebon Vineyard 2014 $105 Exuberant and well-sculpted flavors of raspberry, red plum and currant…

93 Concha y Toro Syrah Buin Gravas del Maipo 2015 $70 Ripe, rich and powerful, with dark plum and dried raspberry flavors that show licorice and mocha notes. Meaty accents and dark chocolate notes fill the creamy finish. Drink now through 2022. 800 cases made.—K.M. 92 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Gravas Rojas 2015 $50 Intense, powerful and rich-tasting, featuring a luscious core of red fruit and dark cherry flavors, matched to vibrant acidity and medium-grained tannins. The silky finish offers a savoriness that lengthens out nicely, with minerally accents. Drink now through 2024. 500 cases made.—K.M. 92 Viña Seña Aconcagua Valley 2015 $150 A suave and focused red, with crisp cherry and currant flavors backed by crunchy acidity. Hints of sandalwood and cardamom linger on the taut…

Douro / Red 92 Lavradores de Feitoria Douro Quinta da Costa das Aguaneiras 2014 $25 An inky, concentrated red, offering raspberry ganache and kirsch flavors packed into a mouthcoating core. Accents of black olive, vanilla and soy sauce give depth through the finish, which is infused with black tea and graphite aromas. Touriga Nacional. Drink now through 2022. 700 cases made.—G.S. 91 Quinta do Portal Tinta Barroca Douro 2015 $45 A full-bodied, structured red, with steeped rasp-berry and ripe strawberry fruit flavors edged by white pep-per, anise and herb accents. Crisp, integrated acidity gives freshness through the mineral-tinged finish. Drink now through 2023. 280 cases made.—G.S. 91 Ramos-Pinto Douro Duas Quintas Reserva 2015 $40 This full-bodied red offers a polished core of blackberry reduction, currant and hot stone flavors nicely…

Merlot & Blends 95 Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard 2014 $98 See Highly Recommended, page 115. 92 Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley 2014 $54 Plush and rich-tasting, with finely interwoven flavors of dark cherry, plum tart and blackberry that are accented by cocoa powder notes. Asian spice accents fill the lush finish. Drink now through 2022. 52,000 cases made.—K.M. 92 Shafer TD-9 Napa Valley 2015 $60 This red is powerful and finely textured, delivering concen-trated dried cherry, dark currant and roasted plum flavors that are filled with lively minerality. Richly spiced, show-ing dried herbal notes on the chiseled finish. Merlot, Cab-ernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Drink now through 2022. 5,600 cases made.—K.M. 91 Carter Hossfeld Coliseum Napa Valley 2014 $85 This well-sculpted red delivers concentrated raspberry and spiced cherry flavors,…

One of the privileges of my professional life was that I got to know James Beard—the man, not the award—reason-ably well. Although I was far from a close pal, we did spend a good number of hours talking about food and wine. Jim knew seemingly everything about the former and was respectably acquainted with the latter. One of the topics we repeatedly touched upon was the ability to be a good taster. Jim felt that it was, in his words, “God-given.” For my part, I thought then, and still believe today, that it’s more a matter of one’s passion and active interest. Beard wrote about this very topic, quite directly so, in what I have always considered to be his best book, his 1964 autobiographical work Delights and Prejudices: “The…

For the first time since 2010, both the northern and southern portions of the Rhône Valley saw superlative growing seasons that yielded classic quality. Marked by large cores of rich, expres-sive fruit flavors, the 2015 reds are must-have wines for any serious Rhône lover. Led by the stunning success of Côte-Rôtie, the north is a step ahead overall, with the wines showing better drive and definition. But the south is close behind, with the top appella-tions churning out a wave of superb wines. “You know it is an outstanding vintage in terms of quality and quantity when growers and winemakers are still smiling three weeks into harvest,” says Claire Darnaud-McKer-row, who alongside Jacques Grange handles the winemaking at Delas, a top négociant. Since my last report (“Hard Knocks,” Nov. 15,…

97 Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf-du- Pape Boisrenard 2015 $85 FRANCE This is loaded with beautifully rendered fig, blackberry and boy-senberry confiture flavors that are seamlessly intertwined, while warm fruitcake, melted black licorice and black tea notes chime throughout. The finish ripples with energy, showing finely beaded acidity and a terrific graphite edge. Best from 2020 through 2040. 500 cases made.—J.M. 95 Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard 2014 $98 CALIFORNIA A powerful red, with concentrated flavors of red plum, cherry and boy-senberry that are layered with plenty of rich spice and mineral accents. Touches of slate and cardamom make for a complex finish. Drink now through 2023. 3,170 cases made.—K.M. 95 Château de St.-Cosme Gigondas 2015 $43 FRANCE A textbook version of the brawny side of Gigondas, this offers…

93 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Reserva 2012 $31 SPAIN Black cherry, currant and floral notes are expressive and alluring, balanced by loamy earth, to-bacco 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. 10,000 cases imported.—T.M. 92 Bodegas Cepa 21 Tempranillo Ribera del Duero 2015 $24 SPAIN Firm and balanced, this red has a sleek texture, with restrained but harmonious flavors of black cherry, licorice, mineral and smoke. Well-integrated tannins impart backbone, while balsamic acid-ity keeps this fresh. Drink now through 2025. 16,666 cases made.—T.M. 92 Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Berardenga 2015 $26 ITALY Dense yet rich, this red offers black cherry, earth and graphite aromas and flavors. Needs…

Shiraz 94 Paradigm Hill Shiraz Mornington Peninsula Col’s Block 2014 $75 Distinctive, with fragrant, bright white pepper and green peppercorn notes that mingle with mahogany and chai tea aromatics and cigar box de-tails. The vibrant, energetic red fruit flavors at the core are the standout here, with cherry and pomegranate ele-ments lingering on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2026. 660 cases made.—M.W. 92 Chateau Tanunda Shiraz Barossa The Château 100 Year Old Vines 2014 $125 Intense plum, spice and licorice flavors are plush and expressive, with a juicy side and velvety tannins. Cedar, tobacco and nutmeg accents linger on the generous finish. Drink now through 2030. 400 cases made.—M.W. 92 Jamsheed Syrah Beechworth 2015 $56 Effusive and juicy, with notes of roasted red pepper and dried lavender complementing…

Alsace / Riesling 93 Hugel Riesling Alsace Grossi Laüe 2011 $104 A graceful white that waltzes on the palate, showing fine integration of the intense acidity, with appealing flavors of ripe white peach, almond blossom and lemon parfait. A streak of salinity drives the lasting finish. Drink now through 2030. 300 cases made.—A.N. 93 Muré Riesling Alsace Côte de Rouffach 2015 $30 A firm, minerally white, with fragrant slate, pine and spice notes leading to poached quince, graphite and almond blossom flavors. Dry and harmonious, offering a long, racy finish. Drink now through 2030. 75 cases imported.—A.N. 92 Kuentz-Bas Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Eichberg Trois Châteaux 2015 $50 Finely knit and creamy, this elegant, light-bodied white offers a backbone of lively acidity and flavors of poached quince and lemon parfait,…

92 De Morgenzon Chardonnay Stellenbosch Reserve 2016 $40 Ripe and fresh, featuring yellow apple and pear flavors lined with kiwifruit, green almond and green plum notes that give this extra range. Shows a hazelnut flash through the finish, with racy acidity. Drink now through 2020. 950 cases made.—J.M. 92 De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch Reserve 2016 $40 An alluring, rich style, offering meringue, shortbread, lemon curd and creamed white peach flavors, laced with a hint of warm brioche through-out. A lovely example of the style. Drink now through 2020. 2,000 cases made.—J.M. 91 Bartinney Chardonnay Stellenbosch 2015 $25 This has a touch of maturity, with a shortbread hint leading the way for pear, apple and melon fruit flavors. Light ginger and hazelnut notes line the finish, with just a kiss…