Innehållsförteckning för March 31, 2022 från Wine Spectator

Now In Our IGTV Archives JAN. 19 Pete Seghesio, founder, Journeyman Wines JAN. 12 Federica Boffa, president, Pio Cesare JAN. 6 Josh Scott, co-owner, Allan Scott Family Winemakers DEC. 29 Zak Miller, winemaker, Domaine Carneros DEC. 22 Maurizio Zanella, founder, Ca’ del Bosco DEC. 15 Michelle DeFeo, president, Champagne Laurent-Perrier DEC. 8 Yannick Benjamin, sommelier, restaurateur and co-owner of Contento Restaurant DEC. 1 Maximilian Riedel, CEO, Riedel Crystal NOV. 17 Matteo Lunelli, CEO, Ferrari-Trento NOV. 10 Jermaine Stone, CEO, Cru Luv Selections, and host of The Original Wine & Hip-Hop Show WATCH ON INSTAGRAM Scan the QR code to start watching on our IGTV channel, or visit instagram.com/wine_spectator/channel…

Annie Favia of Favia Erickson Winegrowers grew up devotedly trailing her mother in the family garden, exploring and smelling her favorite plants. The youngest of six kids, Favia always considered time spent with her mom to be the best commodity. “She’d say, ‘go pick some herbs,’ and we’d sit and have tea time together,” she recalls. Favia inherited both her mother’s green thumb and her penchant for herbal tea. Along with a successful viticulture career and ownership of Favia Wines with husband and winemaker Andy Erickson (see “Down to Earth,” page 28), she’s turned her talents and attention to growing herbs for Erda, the whole-leaf and -flower tea business she founded in 2018. She began to get more serious about tea 15 years ago after surveying the nuances of teas…

Coastal Range This group of reds and whites from the West Coast features four Pinot Noirs, along with whites made from Chardonnay and Viognier. The lone blend is a Rhône Valley–inspired white made from Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne and Clairette Blanche. ALEXANA Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Terroir Series 2019 (93 points, $35) Sleek, vibrant; raspberry, savory forest floor, dusky spice ARTERBERRY MARESH Chardonnay Dundee Hills Maresh 2018 (91, $23) Apple, honeysuckle; crisp, delicate, pretty ELK COVE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2019 (91, $29) Vibrant, snappy; cherry, pomegranate, orange peel, dusky spice KING ESTATE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2019 (91, $29) Cherry, cranberry, green tea; elegant MINER Viognier Paso Robles 2020 (90, $25) Peach, pineapple, mango, apple peel, floral; generous, expressive TABLAS CREEK Patelin de Tablas Blanc Paso Robles 2020…

Washington vintner Charles Smith has a big and distinctive personality. And if you taste through his portfolio as I do every year—labels such as K Vintners, Substance and Sixto—the carryover to the bottle becomes obvious. Smith’s persona by now is well-known even outside Washington state. His speaking voice is boisterous and fervent. His hair, you can’t miss that: a wild and curly mane that plays into his rock-star reputation. But don’t let the rock ’n’ roll T-shirts fool you. Smith is not only a gifted winemaker, but a savvy businessman. After building a successful portfolio of value-oriented Washington wines, Smith in 2016 sold five of the brands to drinks giant Constellation: Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Eve Chardonnay, Boom Boom Syrah, Velvet Devil Merlot and Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon. He made…

Women leaders are so common in the wine world today, one may question the relevance of an article about the subject of women in wine at all. Still, at many multigenerational wine estates where entrenched family practices and old-school traditions long dictated the transfer of power from father to son, women are for the first time taking the helm. Wine Spectator spoke with seven women who preside over their family’s wine businesses to learn about their very different journeys yet many similar challenges, proudest accomplishments and thoughts on future succession planning. Albiera Antinori MARCHESI ANTINORI Leading a 637-year-old Italian wine empire into a new, more complex era Albiera Antinori became officially employed at her family’s 26th generation Tuscany-based wine house when she graduated from high school but, in truth, she…

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). 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. Bruce Sanderson Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany, Germany, Austria James Molesworth California Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Rhône Valley, Port MaryAnn Worobiec California Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Australia, New Zealand Alison Napjus Spain, Italy, Champagne, Alsace, South Africa Tim Fish California Zinfandel and Merlot, Oregon, Washington, U.S. sparkling wines Aaron Romano Argentina, Chile How We Do the Tastings Wine Spectator…

Wine has been largely absent from the raging debate over inflation in recent months. While the wholesale price of beef is up by 20% and gas costs are at their highest level in seven years, a bottle of wine has been one of the few products consumers could count on to stay stable. Not for long. Price pressures have simply not caught up to consumers yet. When they do, the perfect storm of inflation (up 6.2% in the United States in the past year, the highest rate in decades), supply chain bottlenecks, a small global grape harvest and a surge in demand will mean consumers should brace themselves for spikes in wine prices. “I’ve never seen inflationary pressure like this,” said Rocco Lombardo, president of Wilson Daniels, an importer that…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 94 RÉSONANCE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2019 $35 OREGON This is vibrant and impeccably structured, with floral raspberry, crushed stone and savory tea notes that build tension toward refined tannins. COLLECTIBLE 98 CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE LAS CASES St.-Julien 2019 $212 FRANCE Remarkably sleek and pure, considering the burly profile of the vintage, this delivers a pure and unadulterated beam of cassis and plum reduction flavors. An example of how great terroir always shines through. SMART BUY 92 ARGIANO Toscana NC 2019 $23 ITALY A vibrant yet silky red, this boasts flavors of black cherry, blackberry, violet and iron, with the iron fist emerging by way of the firm tannins. This ends with a long aftertaste of fruit and dried herbs. A Cabernet Sauvignon blend. BEST VALUE 90 ANKO Torrontés Salta…

Setting Examples Thank you for highlighting Carlton McCoy and the winemakers he hired to run the Lawrence brands (cover, Dec. 15, 2021). With barely a mention of their diverse backgrounds, their stories were focused on their talents and work ethic, and how they are successfully navigating new tastes and new technologies within old expectations. In an industry dominated by white men, this is one example where having the right right-hand man (or woman) expands the diversity down the chain, and we are all the better for it. The interview with Tahiirah Habibi (Grapevine, Dec. 31, 2021 – Jan. 15, 2022) addresses diversity issues more directly, and it’s clear these conversations are overdue. Shani BrownMarietta, Ga. Canadian Invites I enjoyed the personal touch that Bruce Sanderson brought to his column “A…

After an investigation that began more than a year ago, the Court of Master Sommeliers–Americas (CMS-A) has expelled six Master Sommeliers: Bob Bath, Fred Dame, Fred Dexheimer, Drew Hendricks, Joseph Linder and Matt Stamp. The move follows allegations by multiple female wine professionals who were studying for the organization’s exams that some of the most senior members committed sexual assault. They also allege that the group suffered from structural toxicity in which male leaders exploited the mentorship-based nature of the organization. “From this deep disappointment and betrayal, we will continue channeling the learned lessons into growth and positive change for our organization,” said CMS-A chair Emily Wines in a statement. Wines is part of the new board of directors elected in 2020 as part of the organization’s restructuring efforts. Some…

The first time Aaliyah Nitoto tried her hand at winemaking, she was a little girl. Her mother was entertaining guests, and Aaliyah wanted to get involved with grown-ups enjoying wine. She mixed grape juice with Tabasco sauce and tried to share her concoction. No one was impressed. Nitoto’s instinct for unconventional beverages was no fluke. She is the visionary founder of Free Range Flower Wines, a budding (ha!) brand of wines made from fermented organic flowers. I’m impressed: I think she is an innovative and inspired winemaker and the wines are exciting. Nitoto studied biology at Mills College in Oakland, Calif., intending to intern at local wineries. When she couldn’t get an interview, she turned her focus to nutrition and health, consulting with nonprofits. She also studied herbal remedies, which…

ANDY ERICKSON Past and current winemaking/consulting work (*current): • Arietta*• Dalla Valle*• Mayacamas*• Ellman Family Vineyards*• Cervantes*• To Kalon Vineyard Company*• Seven Apart*• Leviathan*• Alpha Omega*• Gargiulo*• OVID• Hartwell• Jonata• Dancing Hares• Screaming Eagle• Staglin Family Early Experience: • Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (harvest intern)• Newton Vineyard (cellar crew)• Spottswoode (harvest intern)• Harlan Estate (assistant winemaker) ANNIE FAVIA Past wine industry jobs: • David Abreu Vineyard Management (viticulturist)• Pahlmeyer (director of vineyard operations)• Screaming Eagle (consultant, vineyard redevelopment)• Mayacamas (consultant, vineyard redevelopment) Early experience: • Newton Vineyard (office assistant)• Cathy Corison (cellar worker)…

TO DISCOVER: VICTORINO 2019 Tinta de Toro 100%. Indigenous, perfectly adapted to the climate and soil. Traditional method, 100% destemmed 10 days in open French oak deposits with indigenous yeast selected from our own vineyards. Ale. 14.5% www.sierracantabria.com VATAN 2018 Vatan, produced by Jorge Ordóñez, shows a deep and nuanced character of cherry, wild blackberry, cassis, wild herbs and smoky earth. From 120-year-old vines. Alc. 15% www.jorgeordonezselections.com FRONTAURA CRIANZA 2017 A silent witness of the passage of time and the pride of generations who defend the uniqueness of our natural heritage: Tinta de Toro vines. Creamy and rich, with balsamic and mineral elements. Alc.14.5% www.bodegasnexusfrontaura.com ANTONA GARCÍA 2018 Delicate and powerful, a new version of the Tinta de Toro grape. A result of the history and the passion for wine…

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 Château Calon-Sègur St.-Estèphe 2019 $92 FRANCE Really packed, with dark currant, warmed fig compote and steeped blackberry notes tumbling together, harnessed by a bolt of cast iron. Delivers singed cedar, bay leaf and tobacco accents as well as a late tug of warm earth in the background, ending with a throwback feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.—J.M. 96 Château Lèoville Barton St.-Julien 2019 $87 FRANCE A strapping young wine, offering notes of blackberry paste, plum preserves and black currant coulis that show energy throughout, with plentiful bramble, tar and licorice root accents. There’s a mouthwatering echo of…

ARGENTINA 93 Cheval des Andes Mendoza 2017 $80 Elegant and well-structured, with intense coffee bean notes to the dried red currant and dark plum flavors. Minerally in the midpalate, with a long finish that features medium-grained tannins and is rich with savory spice and dried green herbal notes. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2027. 5,400 cases made, 2,250 cases imported.—K.M. 92 Cheval des Andes Mendoza 2018 $90 Big and rich, with expressive beef and earthy notes to the dark plum and roasted dark cherry flavors, which are backed by firm tannins and acidity. Creamy midpalate, with hints of dried green herbs and dark chocolate on the finish. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2026. 7,500 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.—K.M. 92 Vina Cobos Malbec Mendoza Vinculum 2018…