Innehållsförteckning för November 30, 2018 från Wine Spectator

Many Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth’s first miracle was turning water into wine. Now a team of archaeologists and religious scholars is trying to figure out where he might have done it. Wine is frequently referenced in the Bible. Though the Marriage of Cana, where Jesus performed the water-into-wine miracle, is one of the most well-known tales in Christian scripture, experts have long debated where exactly this wedding might have taken place. On a dig at a site called Khirbet Qana, cosponsored by the University of Puget Sound and Kentucky’s Centre College, archaeologists discovered a network of tunnels used for early Christian worship, revealing markings of crosses and the phrase “Kyrie Iesou,” Greek for “Lord Jesus.” According to Tom McCollough, a retired religion professor at Centre College and director…

This is the story of a soup that’s not really a soup at all, but rather one of Italy’s most satisfying and easy-to-prepare comfort foods. It hails from the smallest of Italy’s 20 regions, Val d’Aosta, located in the country’s northwestern tip, which is home to some of Italy’s most spectacular mountain scenery and best cheesemaking landscapes. And it revolves around the pride of local cheeses, Fontina. The quintessential Italian Alpine cheese, Fontina is softer, smoother, more inviting and approachable than similar mountain cheeses such as the Gruyères (from France and Switzerland), the French Beauforts and the Swiss Appenzellers. The Fontina Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) has the region’s name appended to it—the cheese’s official name is Fontina Valle d’Aosta—and its regulations specify the cheese can be made only from…

Emma Farms produces some of the most delicious beef I’ve ever tasted. Its back story is just as good, featuring passion, hard work and more than a few parallels to wine. In 2005, Tom Waldeck, then 66, bought a bull and a cow from one of the few 100 percent Wagyu ranches in America. “It was supposed to be a retirement project,” he says. Instead it was an adventure that almost got away. Waldeck wanted to prove that a 140-acre ranch he had purchased a few miles from his home in Aspen, Colo., could turn a profit in the gentrified valley. Childhood summers on his uncle’s dairy farm and his degree in animal husbandry from Cornell University inspired him to consider a water buffalo herd, to supply the thriving mozzarella…

For decades following its opening in 1938, the Pump Room was the place to see and be seen in Chicago. And the best seat in the house was Booth One, which was kept vacant unless the likes of Joan Crawford, Frank Sinatra, or Sammy Davis Jr. showed up. The booth had its own telephone and dedicated number—then the height of exclusivity. Midcentury writer Lucius Beebe described the scene as “half fire, half flood. All the food is either on wheels, served from rolling tables, or aflame to an extent that makes the customers look around for Mrs. O’Leary’s cow.”…

WINE PAIRING To complement the savory, roasty flavors of this chicken dish, try a light- to medium-bodied red with bright acidity, fresh red fruit flavors and a touch of florality. A vibrant cru Beaujolais or a sleek Burgundy would go excellently. CHEF’S PICK Nicole Chanrion Côte de Brouilly Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes 2016 WINE SPECTATOR PICKS Maison L’Envoyé Morgon Côte du Py 2016 (90, $20), Louis Jadot Bourgogne 2015 (90, $19) Chef Andy Little JosephineNashville, Tenn. Award of Excellence “Part of great cooking and great entertaining is the journey,” reflects chef Andy Little. He should know. He got here circuitously, stopping short of a career as a symphony tuba player before veering into actuarial consulting and then pursuing a teacher’s certification. He fell into restaurant work as a…

Vintages matter—each year’s growing season has a powerful impact on wine style and quality. Sure, there’s often marketing hype touting this or that year as the new “vintage of the century,” and producers are naturally enthusiastic about the vintage they’re trying to sell. But an experienced taster knows when an exceptional growing season has allowed wine-makers to catch lightning in a bottle. That’s what happened in France’s Southern Rhône Valley with the 2016 vintage. Senior editor James Molesworth, our lead critic on the wines of the Rhône Valley, first tasted the 2016s when they were still in barrel. He had one thought, he says: He needed to taste them again! The wines—especially the reds—promised something special. Now, having reviewed nearly 300 2016s in bottle in official blind tastings, his verdict…

You probably think Mint Juleps are made with Bourbon. Given the river of whiskey that pours over green leaves, chipped ice and simple syrup at the Kentucky Derby every May, that’s a fair assumption. However, if you go by the book, a Mint Julep should be made with Cognac—historically, at least. Anyway, that’s how Jerry Thomas described the drink in his seminal 1862 text on mixing drinks, The Bartender’s Guide. He gave a whiskey and even a gin version, but brandy was his first reference. The Julep wasn’t alone in its Cognac affinity. In the 19th century, dozens of mixed drinks called for it. Eggnogs and flips, smashes and fixes, sours and slings, all expected it or at least had variations that included it. Cognac—or more broadly, brandy—held a preeminent…

RHÔNE TRIP From the steep vine-clad slopes in the north to the sun-baked hills of the south, the Rhône Valley features a range of appellations. This selection should satisfy any cravings for Syrah and Grenache, not to mention the region’s lush whites based on Marsanne and Roussanne. VIGNOBLES DIFFONTY Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Vatican 2016 (94, $40) Steeped raspberry, blackberry, plum, lavender, tobacco, chestnut, tarry earth; structured ERIC & JOËL DURAND Cornas Prémices 2016 (94, $43) Warm fig, blackberry, black currant, licorice, olive, bay leaf; dark, brooding DOMAINE BRUSSET Gigondas Tradition Le Grand Montmirail 2016 (93, $30) Fresh, bright; raspberry purée, cassis, plum sauce PIERRE GAILLARD St.-Joseph White 2017 (93, $29) Lush; creamed yellow apple, melon, green fig, lemon sorbet, meringue BOUTINOT Côtes du Rhône-Villages Cairanne La Côte Sauvage 2015 (92,…

Louis Barruol is the leader of Gigondas. His Château de St.-Cosme estate is the top producer there, and he heads the local grower syndicate. But being a leader is more than just making the best wines or managing industry bureaucracy. It means being a team player, trying to pull everyone along while seeing the big picture: the future. With his latest project, which kicked off in 2013, Barruol is showing just how to do that. Gigondas is defined by Grenache, its most important grape, which typically makes up about 80 percent of its reds. Barruol looked at the region’s vineyards and grew concerned for their patrimony. He felt that with the advent of clonal selections of Grenache being planted, starting in the 1970s, genetic diversity and heritage was being lost.…

Gigondas is made up of numerous small, family-owned domaines, many of them historic properties dating back generations. Most are based in Gigondas, though some are based in other areas of the Southern Rhône. The following profiles cover some of the region’s top producers whose wines are exported to the U.S. PIERRE AMADIEU At 338 acres of vines, this estate is the largest in Gigondas, representing more than 10 percent of the appellation’s plantings. Started in 1929, it was expanded greatly in the 1950s and ’60s, and is run to-day by fourth-generation vintner Pierre Amadieu. An additional négociant operation pushes the estate’s total production to 50,000 cases annually from across the Southern Rhône, but Gigondas is the anchor. All three of Amadieu’s Gigondas bottlings—Ro-mane Machotte, Domaine Grand Romane and Le Pas…

AVA Advocate As an avid Pinot Noir enthusiast, I was delighted to receive the recent issue of Wine Spectator that includes a wonderful review and analysis of California Pinot Noir (California Pinot Noir Evolution,” cover, Oct. 15). I completely agree that this finicky grape has been well-cared for by numerous vintners throughout the state of California. While I commend you on a rather thorough article, I was surprised to find several wineries of significance (in regard to Pinot Noir) not mentioned, and also the void of mentioning the wonderful producers in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. While I did see Mt. Eden, there were few others from the Santa Cruz region. Some phenomenal producers there, well worth seeking out, include Rhys, Arnot Roberts and Big Basin. Kudos to Wine Spectator…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 95 Poggio al Tesoro Bolgheri Superiore Sondraia 2015 $85 ITALY Black currant, plum, herb, thyme and sweet spice aromas and flavors mesh seamlessly in this expressive, complex red. Cabernet Sauvignon blend. COLLECTIBLE 96 Moët & Chandon Brut Champagne Dom Pérignon Legacy Edition 2008 $180 FRANCE A powerful yet graceful Champagne, with toasted brioche, kumquat, pastry cream, candied ginger and poached plum flavors that dance across the palate. SMART BUY 90 Charles Smith Syrah Washington Boom Boom! 2016 $18 WASHINGTON A perky red, offering lively blackberry, smoky pepper and licorice flavors that linger on the finish. BEST VALUE 89 Viña Santa Ema Merlot Maipo Valley Reserva 2016 $13 CHILE A juicy and supple style, with notes of all-spice to the red plum, boysenberry and dried cherry flavors. IN THIS…

The dining scene in Chicago owes much of its character and depth to Rich Melman, one of the most important American restaurateurs of the past 50 years. By his estimation, he’s opened “about 275 restaurants” (currently more than 120 are operating); his Lettuce Entertain You (LEYE) group posted up-ward of $600 million in revenues in 2017. Many of Melman’s innovations have been groundbreaking and have shaped the way we think about dining today. LEYE has a broad reach: The majority of the venues are accessible and affordable, with a clear and simple message and character. But Melman has always had a number of more ambitious places too, including high-end restaurants such as Everest, L2O and Ambria, and now Booth One, from which this menu comes. Melman, 76, started working in…

The Rhône Valley lies in the southeast corner of France, tucked between the Massif Central and the Alps mountain ranges, reaching southward to the Mediterranean Sea. It’s the second-largest wine region in the country, with more than 170,000 acres of vineyards planted on both sides of the Rhône River. The northern and southern sections of the Rhône are actually more different than they are alike. The north is a narrow valley with steep granite and schist slopes. The region grows only Syrah for its red wines, and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne for its whites. The south employs a wider range of grapes and makes a greater variety of styles. Its expansive terrain of rolling hills and plateaus is home to a more diverse mix of soils, including clay, gravel, limestone…

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 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes 2015 $85 FRANCE Dark yet inviting, with a well of boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors luring you in, while charcoal, bay leaf and cast iron notes add contrast and range to hold your attention. The grippy finish shows cut and energy, with a lingering savory and rosemary edge. Best from 2021 through 2037. 1,350 cases made.—J.M. 95 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault Genevrières 2016 $108 FRANCE Enticing aromas and flavors of butter, peach, honey, seashore and spice are the hallmarks of this beautifully balanced white. Vibrant and built to age a bit, with a complex, lingering aftertaste. Drink now through 2028.…

ARGENTINA 93 Bodega El Esteco Chañar Punco Calchaquí Valley 2015 $75 Powerful, this red shows hints of elegance to the refined dried raspberry and cherry flavors, supported by fresh acidity and firm tannins. Hot stone and spice details show on the savory finish. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2022. 1,200 cases made.—K.M. 93 Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon Luján de Cuyo Los Aromos Single Vine-yard 2013 $55 Dense, rich and full of muscular dark plum, currant and black olive flavors that are supported by robust tannins. Dark chocolate and smoky notes linger on the finish, with accents of hot stone. Complex, and needs a bit of time. Best from 2020 through 2024. 500 cases imported.—K.M. 91 Alpasión Malbec Uco Valley Grand 2015 $28 Big and ripe,…