Innehållsförteckning för March 31, 2019 från Wine Spectator

FREE RESOURCES FOR ALL WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS WINE & HEALTH In “Top Health Topics of 2018” we share the past year’s biggest news and most provocative questions regarding moderate drinking and its role in brain health, aging, diabetes, cancer and more. Keep on top of the latest research with our regular Health News reports, ask questions in Wine & Health Q&A and sign up for Wine & Healthy Living, our twice-monthly e-letter. VALENTINE’S DAY We’re sure your darling will be impressed when you whip up a recipe from a top chef, present the perfect wine pairing and wrap up with a delicious dessert. We’ve got everything you need to make this romantic day a success. And if dining out is more appealing than dining in, be sure to choose a restaurant…

Looking to get fit in 2019? It’s not always easy, especially if you love good food and great wine. Fitness and diet gurus offer advice, but they don’t always remember that calories shouldn’t keep you from Cabernet. How about sommeliers and chefs, for whom wine is both a passion and a paycheck? Restaurant work is notoriously grueling, and the somms and chefs from Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners we spoke to take a variety of approaches to wellness. But the routines they follow aren’t just for restaurant workers; casual connoisseurs of the good life may find some handy tips too. For Anncherie Saludo, beverage director at Award of Excellence winner L’Artusi in New York, moderation is key. “For alcohol, I make sure to take days off,” she says. “Tasting for…

You’ve probably seen Zac Posen’s gowns, handbags and accessories on red carpet–strutting celebrities, or his appearances as a judge on Project Runway and on his 2017 Netflix documentary House of Z. But long before his career in fashion began, the American designer spent his childhood in the kitchen mimicking his mom’s baking with clay models of pies. “Experimenting with food developed into a great love of the creative,” Posen says. In 2017 Posen, 38, published a cookbook, Cooking with Zac: Recipes From Rustic to Refined (Rodale Books); he frequently posts pictures of his kitchen successes on social media under the hashtag #cookingwithzac. “Food for me is my fashion detox,” he explains. “It’s what I do on the weekends, it’s what I do when I go home. It’s really my fashion…

Wine-loving diners who make the trip to Napa Valley’s French Laundry restaurant can expect a lot. The meals will achieve the height of sophistication, course after course. Its Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning cellar will proffer an exquisite match for each dish. But what guests might not foresee is a postprandial experience boasting some of the globe’s most prized spirits. The renowned owner and chef Thomas Keller says of the program, initiated in 2013, “adding a spirits program was part of the French Laundry’s natural evolution.” That may be a modest assessment. After almost two decades of serving wine and beer, the Yountville, Calif., eatery branched out with a jolt, serving hyper-premium whiskies, brandies, rums, tequilas and digestifs that date to the mid-19th century and command instant respect as well as…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 97 MOCCAGATTA Barbaresco Bric Balin 2015 $62 ITALY This red features an intense display of cherry, kirsch, rose, sandalwood and spice aromas and flavors, all matched to a firm, racy structure. COLLECTIBLE 98 CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE LAS CASES St.-Julien 2016 $291 FRANCE This is really dense, yet remarkably polished and poised, delivering wave after wave of blueberry, açaí berry, raspberry and blackberry puree flavors. Truly unique. SMART BUY 90 SCHLOSS GOBELSBURG Grüner Veltliner Kamptal Schlosskellerei 2017 $16 AUSTRIA A jolt of electricity from the acidity fuels the peach, white raspberry and ground ginger notes in this white, with a pure-tasting finish. BEST VALUE 88 CLINE Zinfandel Lodi Old Vine 2017 $11 CALIFORNIA Plump, with up-front fruit, this Zin offers appealing raspberry and licorice flavors. IN THIS ISSUE’S BUYING GUIDE…

As many cutting-edge restaurants shrink their wine lists, where should wine lovers look for terrific food in a wine-savvy environment? In Los Angeles, the answer just might lie in today’s breed of hotel restaurants. Even though they never thought they would set foot in a hotel restaurant, several of my knowledgeable Angeleno friends agree that the current crop excites them. Deeper-pocketed hotels can offer more extensive wine lists than the smaller freestanding restaurants food critics often champion. The options in this report all have cellars peppered with enough compelling bottles to earn Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence recognition. And, as I discovered on a recent sweep through L.A. restaurants, their kitchens deliver gastronomic pizzazz that could go nose-to-nose with buzzier places. The choices include Southern California outposts of…

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 Harvey Steiman At large 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, Loire Valley, Port, South Africa MaryAnn Worobiec California Sauvignon Blanc…

Shiraz & Blends 98 Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange 2014 $850 See Collectibles, page 102. 95 Penfolds Shiraz South Australia St. Henri 2015 $150 Powerful and concentrated, with dark co-coa and Szechuan peppercorn aromas that mingle with the core of fig paste, plum and black cherry flavors. Shows a freshness to the fruit, but plenty of details gain momentum on the finish. The velvety tannins never get in the way. Drink now through 2039. 564 cases imported.—M.W. 94 Hentley Farm Shiraz Barossa Valley The Beauty 2016 $62 Impressive for the purity of fruit flavors, with polished blueberry and huckleberry notes that are mouthfilling and aromatic. Offers accents of can-died ginger, mocha and toasted cumin, showing harmony and concentration on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2034. 1,000 cases made.—M.W.…

Alsace 93 Trimbach Riesling Alsace Réserve 2016 $33 Sleek and finely knit, with a racy backbone of acidity and a subtle, honeyed overtone to the flavors of crunchy white peach, preserved lemon, lanolin and pine. Long and creamy on the minerally finish. Drink now through 2029. 5,000 cases made.—A.N. 92 Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Saering 2015 $35 A mouthwatering, light- to medium-bodied white, with fine drive to the creamy mix of blood orange sorbet, ripe yellow peach, saffron and exotic spice flavors. Long and minerally on the finish. Drink now through 2025. 2,000 cases made.—A.N. 91 J.-B. Adam Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes 2016 $55 Bright and elegant, this creamy white offers fruit flavors of peach, pomegranate and white cherry, with accents of star anise, grated…

Sauvignon Blanc 92 Duck Hunter Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018 $20 See Smart Buys, page 103.92 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018 $23 A vibrant mix of pineapple, mango and citrus flavors on a smooth, medium body, with plenty of vibrant acidity. Appealing details of orange zest and green apple skin add complexity. Drink now. 5,000 cases imported.—M.W. 90 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018 $31 Key lime, melon and mandarin orange flavors feature savory notes of saline and toasted herb that linger on the finish. Sleek and refreshing. Drink now. 45,000 cases imported.—M.W. 90 Kono Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018 $14 Concentrated, intense and focused Key lime and lemon sherbet flavors are bright, smooth and very refreshing, with a touch of lemon verbena on the finish. Drink now. 125,000 cases made.—M.W. 89…

Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends 96 Abreu Cappella St. Helena 2014 $525 In-tense, with dark currant, warmed fig and steeped blackberry flavors, inlaid with smoldering charcoal and tobacco notes. Baker’s chocolate accents fill in the space on the finish, lending to the muscular feel while adding detail. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2040. 283 cases made.—J.M. 96 Lewis Cuvee L Napa Valley 2015 $250 This has a dense and inky feel, as well as a sense of polish and poise, with layers of creamed raspberry, boysenberry and plum fruit rolling through, infused with singed vanilla, tobacco and warm ganache notes. Everything folds together seamlessly through the finish, though this still cuts a very wide swath. Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2035. 95 cases…

94 Force Majeure Parvata Red Mountain 2016 $70 With a brooding yet polished demeanor, this red builds richness as it goes, offering blackberry, cured meat, loamy mineral and pepper flavors that end with big yet refined tannins. Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache. Best from 2020 through 2026. 450 cases made.—T.F. 93 Alexandria Nicole Syrah Horse Heaven Hills Jet Black Destiny Ridge Vineyard 2016 $28 A sophisticated Syrah, refined and tightly focused, yet expressive, with huckleberry, bay leaf and smoked pepper flavors that gain speed toward big but polished tannins. Drink now through 2026. 1,643 cases made.—T.F. 93 Descendants Liégeois Dupont Marcel Dupont Les Gosses Vineyard Red Mountain 2014 $30 Deep, featuring an appealing earthy, gamy side that pairs with the complex black raspberry, licorice and garrigue flavors, finishing with polished tannins.…

This issue focuses on three key benchmarks in the world of wine. The most prominent is Bordeaux, France’s premier winegrowing region, a global behemoth. In 2016, a great vintage for its Cabernet-based wines, Bordeaux’s top estates have produced classic reds, hallmark bottlings that will blossom in the cellar and appreciate in value for years to come. Senior editor James Molesworth, our lead taster for Bordeaux, reviewed nearly 600 wines from the 2016 vintage, in independent blind tastings conducted in our New York headquarters and on location in Bordeaux. The Left Bank regions of Pauillac, St.-Estephe and St.-Julien are the sweet spots for quality. Pinot Noir is flourishing in Oregon, where an alluring style is developing, particularly in the Willamette Valley. The state’s 800 wineries now work with nearly 20,000 acres…

Most experienced wine drinkers can agree that the character of a wine depends in large part on where the grapes were grown. We call this concept terroir. But exactly how that applies in the New World poses a bit of a quandary. The idea that terroir comprises all the physical elements of a site, including soil, topography and climate, originated in the Old World, particularly France. French wine regulations writ-ten early in the 20th century defined wines by their origin, whether vine-yard or village or larger region. The Old World rules also codified long-held traditions as to which grapes were appropriate for a specific site, and there emerged a general agreement on how to work the vineyard and make wines that fit what everyone expects. The French word for that…

Winemaking in Oregon can be traced back to the 1840s, but the modern era began in the early 1960s, when Richard Sommer started Hillcrest Vineyards in Umpqua Valley in southern Oregon. Against the advice of just about everyone at the time, Sommer planted Pinot Noir. David Lett of Eyrie Vineyard followed in 1965, planting the first Pinot vines in Willamette Val-ley. Soon, future icons Dick Ponzi, Dick Erath and David Adelsheim joined the ranks of the state’s wine pioneers. Robert Drouhin of Burgundy’s Maison Joseph Drouhin purchased land in Dundee in 1987 and set about building his Domaine Drouhin Oregon estate, bringing international cachet to the Willamette Valley. Today, Oregon has 19 different American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). They span the state and lie on both sides of the Cascade Mountains.…

97 Château Léoville Barton St.-Julien 2016 $98 FRANCE This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T. Best from 2025 through 2040. 11,667 cases made.—J.M. 97 Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin 2015 $62 ITALY Offers an intense display of cherry, kirsch, rose, sandalwood and spice aromas and flavors. The kaleidoscope of flavors is matched to a firm, racy structure. It all comes together on the never-ending, mineral-tinged aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2043. 1,100 cases made.—B.S. 95 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes 2016 $85 FRANCE…

93 Ca’ del Baio Barbaresco Autinbej 2015 $28 ITALY A briny mineral note in the aroma signals this high-tension red. There is ample fruit and flesh on the palate, with cherry, strawberry, stone and white pepper flavors. Tightens up again on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2038. 1,830 cases made.—B.S. 93 Gorman The Devil You Know Columbia Valley 2016 $28 WASHINGTON Polished and refined, with expressive black cherry, orange peel and bittersweet chocolate flavors that build richness toward fine tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2026. 1,200 cases made.—T.F. 93 Carol Shelton Coquille Blanc Paso Robles 2017 $24 CALIFORNIA Fresh and spicy pear, lime and green apple flavors show details of matcha, peach blossom and honeysuckle in this white, which offers nice complexity and balance,…

Grüner Veltliner 95 Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Ried Steinertal 2017 $65 Fabulous aromas of oolong tea and vanilla bean turn to pineapple, grapefruit and savory mineral detail on the palate in this exquisite Grüner Veltliner. Viscous, yet vibrant, this shows some spice on the finish. Brilliantly harmonious, yet should show even more with some age. Best from 2021 through 2031. 140 cases imported.—A.Z. 95 Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Ried Achleiten Stockkultur 2017 $80 Gorgeous flavors of yellow apple and lemon cream open this rich white. Well-balanced, with a complex combination of buttery and spice notes. Richly textured and concentrated, yet the acidity brings this to a seamlessly balanced and long conclusion of custard, cream and spice. Best from 2021 through 2032. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 160 cases…

White 97 Robert Weil Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Rheingau Kiedrich Gräfenberg 2017 $700/375ml Not excessively thick, offering a graceful mouthfeel, yet unbelievably concentrated for the weight. A voluptuous dessert wine, with sterling pedigree. Almost like pure nectar, this is reminiscent of apricot, with hints of vanilla, lemon glaze and ripe papaya. The endless finish and ethe-real aftertaste, with loads of creamy and honey notes, make this hard to resist now. However, those who do will be rewarded in a few decades. Best from 2022 through 2047. 12 cases made.—A.Z. 96 Egon Müller Riesling Auslese Mosel Scharzhofberger 2017 $783 A monumental auslese that focuses on freshness and minerality, rather than concentration and sweetness. This glides across the palate seamlessly, showing peach tart, ginger glaze and lemon curd flavors accented by thyme and spice.…

Port 96 Graham Tawny Port Single Harvest The Artisan 1963 $425 Stylish, featuring white raisin, white sesame, white ginger and green tea notes leading off, followed by a flash of dried peach. Shows some Sherry aspects, with hazelnut and Brazil nut hints along the edges imparting texture, but this reverts to sweetness soon enough, letting the finish glide through. Drink now. 50 cases made.—J.M. 95 Dow Tawny Port 40 Year Old NV $210 Hazel nut and walnut husk notes give this a dry edge to start, while more flattering toffee, sesame and cinnamon flavors emerge on the back end. Long echoes of powdered ginger and juniper linger. On the drier side, this leaves a mouthwatering feel. Drink now. 200 cases made.—J.M. 93 Warre Port Otima Colheita 1995 $64/500ml Very tawny…

Albert Frère Albert Frère, co-owner of Bordeaux’s famed Château Cheval-Blanc in St.-Emilion, died Dec. 3 at age 92. The Belgian billionaire partnered with Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, to acquire the legendary estate in 1998. “I am deeply saddened by the death of my friend,” said Arnault in a statement. “Albert was an extraordinary man and a truly exceptional entrepreneur.” Frère was the wealthiest man in Belgium, with a fortune estimated at $5.8 billion. At age 17 he left school to run his family’s nail business. Within three decades, he dominated Belgium’s steel industry. He later sold his steel company and created Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, a major holding company. In addition to Cheval-Blanc, Arnault and Frère bought Château Quinault l’Enclos, also in St.-Emilion, in 2008. “He was both…

Budget Bordeaux Bordeaux’s 2016 reds offer a lot to be excited about. These superb wines feature ripe fruit and vibrant structure, and because quality was widespread, there are many fine values. Here are some of the highlights. CHÂTEAU D’AIGUILHE Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2016 (92, $28) Loganberry, black currant, bay leaf, tobacco, violet; fleshy, juicy CLOS MARSALETTE Pessac-Léognan 2016 (92, $26) Elegant, silky; red currant, plum, cedar, tobacco, herb, sanguine, iron CHÂTEAU LARRIVAUX Haut-Médoc 2016 (91, $18) Plum, red currant, blackberry compote, licorice snap, bramble, tobacco; fresh, focused CHÂTEAU LILIAN LADOUYS St.-Estèphe 2016 (91, $22) Cassis, plum paste, cherry preserves, floral, mineral, toast CHÂTEAU MALESCASSE Haut-Médoc 2016 (91, $18) Dark currant, blackberry compote, tobacco, charcoal, earth; solid CHÂTEAU MARSAU Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 2016 (91, $21) Racy; black currant, blackberry…

The consistent character of St.-Julien fourth-growth Château Talbot was on full display at a recent tasting. St.-Julien, the town that separates Margaux and Pauillac in Bordeaux’s Médoc, can’t boast a single château designated as a first-growth in the Classification of 1855. But its wines are remarkable for their quality and consistency. Château Talbot, a fourth-growth, is a fine example. Talbot has been owned since 1918 by the Cordiers, an important Bordeaux merchant family. Founder Désiré Cordier purchased Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Sauternes, Fanning Lafontaine in Pessac and Gruaud-Larose in St.-Julien in 1917. He added Talbot the following year, after being joined by his son Georges in the family business. Georges focused particularly on Tal-bot, renovating the cellars and house and replanting portions of the vineyard. Unusual for the Médoc, he planted some…

“Spain just never fit me very well,” says Marimar Torres, seated in the dining room of her namesake winery in Sonoma’s Russian River Val-ley. Her Marimar Estate has been making high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir since the early 1990s. It’s an independent venture by a strong-willed woman who left her native Spain to find her calling. The vintner’s Catalan lisp still occasionally hangs at the end of words as she reminiscences. Spirited, with a slight curl to her short brown and silver hair, she is quick-witted and full of stories. Born in Barcelona in 1945, Torres grew up under Francisco Franco’s three-decade dictatorship in an era when a woman’s place was at home and her ambitions were not meant to extend beyond being a good wife and mother. There…

Of all the hats wine pundit Larry Stone has worn, the newest seems to fit best. Lingua Franca, a vineyard and winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, is the end product of decades of Stone’s work as a Master Sommelier and winery manager. It’s his baby, built from the ground up. “I sold everything I had saved,” Stone says of his 2012 purchase of the property that would become the vineyard and winery. “I sold my wine collection that I started when I was 21. Sold my small [Napa] winery operation that I had started in 1997, and got a couple of cousins to put some money in, too. That enabled me to buy the farmland [to found Lingua Franca].” Partner and San Francisco attorney David Honig contributed his retirement fund…

Mark Tarlov wasn’t happy with his 2014 Pinot Noirs. “It was hard,” the film-producer-turned-vintner recalls. “We were not that inspired by the wines we were making.” The co-founder of Oregon’s acclaimed Evening Land winery, Tarlov had a falling out with that partnership and went on to start a new brand, Chapter 24, in 2012. With Burgundy’s Louis-Michel Liger-Belair as consultant, Tarlov hoped to replicate the magic of Evening Land with Chapter 24 and his Oregon wines from global Pinot and Chardonnay specialist Maison L’Envoyé. “But the 2014s seemed a little indifferent,” Tarlov says. “They were just good Oregon wines. We had not found that sort of ignition we were looking for.” Still, Tarlov and Liger-Belair realized that certain small patches in different vineyards consistently produced Pinots with the spark they…

98 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2016 $634 FRANCE Large and in charge, this has a prodigious core of steeped plum, black currant and loganberry fruit flavors that show both compote and coulis aspects. While that steeps, this delivers a sturdy frame of roasted mesquite, smoldering tobacco and incense, surrounding a muscular spine of worn cedar and tar. Still rather backward, this will be showing well when most others from the vintage have had their day. Best from 2025 through 2045. 11,600 cases made.—J.M. 98 Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 2016 $801 FRANCE This offers the best of both sides of Pauillac, with a deep, deep well of dark currant, fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors forming a lush side while a series of I-beams made of graphite and iron provide the…

89 Kiaora Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018 $12 NEW ZEALAND Peach, citrus and mango flavors are ripe and juicy, with a touch of tamarind and good intensity on the lush finish. Drink now. 40,500 cases made.—M.W. 88 Cline Zinfandel Lodi Old Vine 2017 $11 CALIFORNIA Plump, with up-front fruit, offering appealing raspberry and licorice flavors. Drink now through 2023. 60,000 cases made.—T.F. 88 Delas Côtes du Rhône St.-Esprit 2017 $12 FRANCE Bright and juicy, with violet, plum and blackberry notes streaming through, laced with a light graphite edge on the finish. Drink now. 77,778 cases made.—J.M. 87 Bodegas Ateca Garnacha Calatayud Honoro Vera 2017 $9 SPAIN Cocoa and licorice notes frame candied cherry and blackberry flavors in this bold red. Generous and heady, with light, firm tannins and racy acidity. Drink…

95 Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley 2015 $140 Rich and refined, with lively spice and white pepper accents to the mouthwatering flavors of blackberry, currant and dark plum. Dark chocolate and cardamom notes emerge midpalate, showing a creamy texture. Minerally details grace the vibrant finish. Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2025. 6,121 cases made.—K.M. 92 Los Vascos Le Dix Colchagua 2015 $65 A vibrant red, offering intense red cherry and red currant flavors that are well-structured, with notes of dried tarragon. Accents of Christmas pudding on the creamy finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Syrah. Drink now through 2024. 10,000 cases made.—K.M. 91 Viña Quebrada de Macul Alba de Domus Maipo Valley 2013 $45 Ripe and rich, offering a surplus of dark cherry, roasted plum and mulled…

Piedmont / Barbaresco 97 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo 2015 $540 A bright, fruity version, boasting strawberry, cherry, floral, mineral and tobacco flavors, this is dense, solidly structured and vibrant, with a lingering, racy aftertaste. Very complex and well-balanced. Best from 2023 through 2042. 165 cases imported.—B.S. 97 Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin 2015 $62 See Highly Recommended, page 101. 96 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn 2015 $540 Almost seamless now, this red is hitting its stride, exuding cherry, strawberry, floral, mineral and tobacco aromas and flavors. Offers great structure and length, with a firm, minerally aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2040. 165 cases imported.—B.S. 96 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti 2013 $230 Macerated cherry, wild berry and floral notes are offset by wild juniper, rosemary and sage flavors in this vibrant,…

94 Bodegas del Marqués de Vargas Rioja Hacienda Pradolagar 2015 $130 This bold red delivers ripe yet fresh flavors on a full yet nimble frame. Cherry, red currant and kirsch notes mingle with tobacco, mint and mineral flavors, focused and defined. There’s plenty of structure, yet the wine remains graceful, with a long, floral finish. Drink now through 2030. 300 cases made.—T.M. 92 Losada Vinos de Finca Bierzo Altos de Losada Viñedos Viejos 2016 $42 This plush red delivers black cherry and red plum flavors backed by licorice, espresso and smoky notes. Light tannins and juicy acidity provide structure, then give way to pretty floral and mineral accents on the finish. Drink now through 2024. 2,000 cases made.—T.M. 92 Volver Alicante Triga 2015 $45 Dense and velvety, this red is…

95 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Old Vines 2016 $45 Impressive for the impeccable elegance and balance, and buoyed by a complex core, this offers vibrant rose petal and raspberry aromas and flavors of cherry, stony mineral and savory dried herb that unfurl toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2026.—T.F. 93 Saffron Fields Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton District Dijon Clones 2016 $50 Polished and sleekly complex, with expressive raspberry, orange peel and black tea flavors that build tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2025. 300 cases made.—T.F. 92 Alloro Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains 2015 $40 Polished and refined, with vibrant raspberry and rose petal aromas and layered pomegranate, stony mineral and green tea flavors that persist toward supple tannins. Drink now through 2025. 1,600 cases made.—T.F. 91 Élevée Pinot…

A bite of chocolate mousse is a fascinating thing: The texture is both rich and light, thanks to egg whites whipped to the consistency of bath bubbles and folded into velvety chocolate custard. Some recipes call for espresso to deepen the chocolate flavor, and most include cream or butter for added luxury. In Montréal, Ferreira Café for-goes cream or butter in its mousse for Portuguese olive oil and fleur de sel. “What I’m trying to do in Ferreira is put on the table the most possible Portugal,” explains Groupe Ferreira executive chef João Dias. He guesses there are 50 or so Portuguese restaurants in town. Of those, Ferreira is one of only two or three fine-dining spots. A family affair, it opened in 1996 and holds Wine Spectator’s Best of…