Innehållsförteckning för March 31, 2021 från Wine Spectator

A new president has taken office, but painful tariffs are not going away any time soon for many European winemakers and the American businesses that sell those wines. On New Year’s Eve, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced additional tariffs, part of the ongoing fight with the European Union over subsidies to airplane manufacturers. When in October 2019 Lighthizer imposed 25% tariffs on wines from France, Spain and Germany, he only applied them to wines below 14% alcohol. No longer. As of Jan. 12, French and German wines at 14% and higher face 25% duties. (Airplane parts will continue to face 15% tariffs.) In November 2020, the E.U. imposed $4 billion of its own tariffs on a wide range of American products, including orange juice, ketchup and tractors, after the…

It’s been a long time coming, but E.&J. Gallo closed its acquisition of more than 30 wine brands and five wineries from Constellation Brands on Jan. 4. The final price was approximately $810 million, including approximately $560 million in cash paid at closing. The deal has been in the works for more than a year, held up as the companies worked with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to tweak the agreement in order to win approval. The delay had left some brands in limbo. WHAT CONSTELLATION GOT: $810 million PART OF WHAT GALLO GOT: • Arbor Mist• Black Box• Clos du Bois• Estancia• Franciscan• Hogue• Manischewitz• Mark West• Ravenswood• Taylor• Vendange• Wild Horse + 5 wineries located in California, Washington and New York…

The fictional nanny Mary Poppins may have brought musical fame to the adage “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” but Italian monks deserve much of the credit. In the 13th century, these early distillers and alchemists were creating plant-based remedies by extracting herbs in spirits. In order to make them more palatable, they were generously sweetened, and that balance of natural flavors and sweetener remains a hallmark of cordials and liqueurs today. While no longer prescribed as medicine, they are popular in both classic and modern cocktails for bringing a range of flavors to the mixing glass—not only from herbs, but also fruit, flowers, nuts, cocoa, coffee and more. Certain liqueurs are critical for making classic cocktails. Without the tantalizing complexity of orange liqueur like Cointreau, a…

Bordeaux Bounty Although a few excellent values can still be found from the major appellations of Bordeaux, it’s areas such as Fronsac and Haut-Médoc that are the region’s go-to addresses for bargains. For Merlot-based blends, look especially to Fronsac. CLOS MARSALETTE Pessac-Leognan 2018 (93, $25) Distinctive, fresh; plum, blackberry, savory bay leaf, apple wood, iron CHATEAU COTE DE BALEAU St.-Emilion 2018 (92, $24) Creamed plum, cherry, anise, black tea, incense, mineral; velvety, detailed CHATEAU DALEM Fronsac 2018 (92, $27) Graceful, charming, understated; cassis, bitter plum, floral, bergamot, mineral CHATEAU FONTENIL Fronsac 2018 (92, $24) Black cherry, cassis, mineral, anise; fresh, silky CHATEAU LA VIEILLE CURE Fronsac 2018 (92, $22) Succulent, focused; plum, cherry, raspberry coulis, bergamot, red tea, chalky CLOS FLORIDENE Graves 2018 (91, $23) Cherry, currant, plum, toast, red…

The pandemic-driven shift to pet owners “working from home” hasn’t been as easy on dogs as you might think. My job as canine companion has evolved quickly. It started with simple tasks like snoring loudly while my owner, Wine Spectator associate tasting coordinator Cassia Schifter, worked, and taking her on walks every two to three hours, but then I came up with the idea of starring in a video series called Staying Home with Wine Spectator. In the videos, mom makes some sort of fancy drinks called “cocktails” that I am not allowed to have, but I’m pretty sure people watch the clips just to see me. Working at home has taught me a lot, and I quickly realized it was giving me, and hopefully other dogs like me, an…

How does the fictional Duke of Oxford stay calm when history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds wreak havoc? A glass of 90-year-old Port is said to do the trick. After multiple delays due to the pandemic, director Matthew Vaughn’s The King’s Man, the third film in his spy-action-comedy Kingsman series, is set for release in mid-March. But fans can get an early taste, so to speak, as Vaughn and 20th Century Studios have partnered with Taylor Fladgate to create a rare bottling of Port that came to market in December. The idea for a limited-edition Taylor Fladgate Very Old Tawny Port started in 2018, when Fladgate managing director Adrian Bridge met Vaughn right before production began on the film. The self-proclaimed history buffs discussed the era portrayed in the film,…

You don’t really understand the true meaning of “unconditional love” until you have a pet. For me, that means a dog. Dog owners tend to be passionate and even possessive. Twenty five years ago my love and devotion went to a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier named Cristina. Sadly, she had a rare kidney disease and died at age eight. In my grief, I swore I was a one-dog man and never wanted another. But then along came Lionel, a Miniature Goldendoodle, who, since the day I met him, has been the love of my life. Lionel, now age 6, actually belongs to my daughter Jessica and her husband, Jay. But my wife, Hazel, and I sort of adopted the pooch when Jessica and Jay became parents to our grandson, Asher, almost…

Heitz Cellar owner Gaylon Lawrence Jr. and CEO Carlton McCoy Jr. are not slowing in their quest to acquire and preserve some of Napa’s most treasured wine estates. Three months after purchasing Burgess Cellars, the duo announced on Dec. 23 the acquisition of Stony Hill Vineyard, located in Napa’s Spring Mountain District. The purchase price was not disclosed. The sale includes the Stony Hill brand and inventory, winery and 30 acres of vineyards. Lawrence and McCoy have appointed Jaimee Motley as winemaker. “We’ve become almost hopelessly nostalgic about some of these sites in Napa Valley,” McCoy told Wine Spectator, citing the importance of the history and people behind the recent acquisitions. “Wine estates are not brands. They are expressions of terroir and the people behind it.”—Carlton McCoy Jr., Heitz CEO…

New research suggests that wine and cheese are not only a perfect pairing but could also lower the risk of developing cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s leads to the deterioration of brain functions that affect memory and the ability to perform daily tasks. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 5 million Americans are affected by the disease. Diet has long been considered a marker for our health later in life, and studies have shown a link between diet, Alzheimer’s and other dementias. A recent study conducted at Iowa State University has found that consuming more wine and cheese over time could help bolster cognitive health as we age. Analyzing data from the UK Biobank, a biomedical research database, the study followed more than…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 96 AZELIA Barolo Bricco Fiasco 2016 $120 ITALY Scented aromas of rose, cherry, strawberry and currant are the hallmarks of this elegant red, which is grounded by underlying hints of tar and iron, while the lively structure shows fine integration. COLLECTIBLE 96 CHATEAU D’YQUEM Sauternes 2018 $364 FRANCE A beauty from start to finish, with fresh, racy notes of honeysuckle, quinine and mirabelle plum, followed by richer flavors of quince, creamed pear and white nectarine. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. SMART BUY 93 LINGUA FRANCA Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Avni 2018 $30 OREGON A lithe red, showing laser focus, this has layers of snappy cherry, river stone and savory dark spice flavors that build tension toward fine-grained tannins. BEST VALUE 88 TORMARESCA Cabernet Sauvignon Puglia Neprica 2018 $12 ITALY…

Oregon winemakers are knocking on wood over their good fortune the past few vintages. There have been close calls with heat and rain at crucial times during the growing seasons, but for the most part vintners maneuvered successfully through the rough patches. The current 2018 vintage is a prime example. “Summer was crazy dry and crazy hot,” veteran winemaker Ken Wright told me just after the harvest was finished. And yet, great wines are now in abundance. That’s my conclusion after reviewing more than 425 wines in blind tastings since my last report (“Reaping the Rewards,” March 31, 2020), most of them from Willamette Valley, the heartland of Oregon’s wine industry. Though Pinot Noir dominates the year’s offerings, there are a number of impressive Chardonnays as well. The quality of…

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. 98Chateau Palmer Margaux 2018 $388 FRANCE Remarkably concentrated, this nearly oozes fruit, with waves of cassis, plum reduction and warmed cherry preserves all carried by a dense yet polished and seamlessly embedded structure. A backdrop of violet, lilac and pastis adds to the enveloping feel, and yet with all that depth and concentration, this is a vibrant, pure expression, thanks in part to a riveting iron spine through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2040. 5,830 cases made.—J.M. 98Chateau Pavie St.-Emilion 2018 $365 FRANCE This is packed with raspberry, plum and boysenberry compote flavors that sail through thanks to the…

Half a million people know they can find the beauty and wonder of the world of wine on Instagram by following @Wine_Spectator. Wine Spectator’s Instagram account reached new heights to close out 2020, hitting the milestone of more than 500,000 followers. More than 100,000 people have signed on in just the past year. And we’re looking forward to bringing even more of social media’s most enthusiastic wine lovers along for the ride in 2021. Followers have access to the more than 2,000 photos and videos posted since our Instagram inaugural in 2013, including breathtaking vineyard scenics and cellar shots, exceptional recipes, news reports, videos of star winemakers, and advice from Wine Spectator editors. Most recently, we’ve added Instagram Stories and our IGTV “Straight Talk” series of live chats with winemakers,…

On Dec. 29, 2020, the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) released the 2020–2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. While there were some changes, the guidelines left the federal recommendations on alcohol—that women drink no more than one alcoholic beverage per day and men drink no more than two—unchanged. That ignores the suggestions of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which issued a report last July arguing that men should limit themselves to just one drink a day at most. The Dietary Guidelines are updated every five years. The recommendations on alcohol send an important message on how Americans should view alcohol consumption. In 1995, the guidelines broke new ground when they suggested that alcohol, in moderate amounts, could offer some health benefits. They have also warned of the…

Sometimes you buy a bottle of wine without knowing exactly why. Maybe you trust the importer, or spot a good sale. Maybe the label catches your eye. But more than 20 years ago, I reached for my wallet because of this very magazine. It was 1997, and Wine Spectator had just declared not one but two Wines of the Year to crown its annual Top 100. As a fairly new subscriber, I did a double take upon seeing a pair of 1994 Vintage Ports—Fonseca and Taylor Fladgate—sharing the title, each rated 100 points on the Wine Spectator 100-point scale. How could these wines be so compelling that the editors felt inspired to name both to the top honor? I needed to know. I was 27 years old, and the $400…

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. Kim Marcus California Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir, Argentina, Chile Bruce Sanderson Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany, Germany, Austria 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, South…