Innehållsförteckning för April 30, 2022 från Wine Spectator

Over the years, our family has vacationed in Italy and Sardinia multiple times. These trips were always great fun. This issue touches on many of the reasons why Italy is such a great place for Americans to visit. Of course there is the rich and historic wine culture, but equal in my mind is the wonderful food. I probably dine out at Italian restaurants more than I do any other ethnic cuisine. The top Italian restaurants in America are exceptional and usually my first choice while at home. But having had numerous opportunities to visit the great restaurants of Italy, I am convinced they retain their authentic edge. There is something extra special about eating out in Italy that goes beyond even the food itself. It’s in the feeling of…

Philippe Cambie One of the most influential winemakers in the Southern Rhône Valley, Philippe Cambie, died Dec. 18, a month shy of his 60th birthday. Cambie was consulting winemaker for dozens of wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Southern Rhône and in the Languedoc. He was also owner of his own Southern Rhône wine brand, Les Halos de Jupiter, and co-owner of two brands, the Provençal project Calendal and the California Pinot Noir project Beau Marchais. He was larger than life, a 6’2” giant of a man who loved great food, wine and friendship; he was most happy sitting at the table of an excellent restaurant, surrounded by friends, or cooking in his own kitchen for them. Cambie was born in 1962 in the heart of the Languedoc’s Herault wine region. In…

Alexandra Schrecengost has been busy. Since the pandemic, this entrepreneur has founded two companies—Virtual With Us and Culture With Us—and started her own Zinfandel and olive oil label, Altrosero. She’s inspired by (and inspiring for) her mission for inclusivity. I first crossed paths with Schrecengost, 37, pre-pandemic, when she worked in senior communications at Wilson Daniels, a high-end wine importer and marketing company. Her path took a turn in 2020. She saw her husband—who works in IT—grapple to maintain contacts and relationships virtually. She also worried about sommelier and chef friends who were struggling while furloughed. “It really broke my heart,” New Jersey–based Schrecengost told me during one of our virtual catch-ups. “There’s got to be a way to make that connection and help those professionals.” She took a look…

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…

What if that glass of Châteauneuf you’re sipping with dinner is also reducing your chances of contracting COVID-19? A recent study analyzed health data on nearly 480,000 United Kingdom residents and found that subjects who drank one to two glasses of red wine a day had a 10% to 17% lower risk of contracting the coronavirus than nondrinkers. Subjects who drank white wine and consumed five glasses or less per week had a 7% to 8% lower risk, while those who frequently drank beer or hard cider had a 28% higher chance of contracting the virus than nondrinkers. The study, published in January in Frontiers in Nutrition, was conducted by a team of researchers in China at Shenzhen Kangning Hospital. They wanted to look at possible links between alcohol consumption…

In a pageant of edible flowers, the artichoke can scarcely compete with the pretty petals of nasturtium or smiling pansies. But fans of this prickly member of the thistle family know that true beauty lies within. One such admirer is chef Seth Turiansky of Acquerello, a Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning restaurant in San Francisco. “Artichokes signal spring for me. They have a unique flavor profile, bright and fresh, and they take acidity and fat really well, so they are very versatile with other vegetables or even fish,” says Turiansky, who notes that he has prepared them fried, braised, grilled, steamed as well as other ways. Turiansky has the good fortune of cooking Italian cuisine at a confluence of artichoke cultures. The ingredient is beloved in Italy, the world’s largest producer,…

Coast to Coast This selection features a range of bargains from both the East and West Coast. Among these reds and whites are a number of delicious Rieslings, the signature grape variety from New York’s Finger Lakes region. BOOKWALTER Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Readers 2019 (92, $28) Structured, polished; black cherry, toasty mocha, smoked spice ADELAIDA Syrah Adelaida District Anna’s Estate Vineyard 2018 (91, $25) Blackberry, licorice, bittersweet chocolate; focused, refined KEUKA LAKE VINEYARDS Riesling Finger Lakes Dry 2020 (91, $23) Bracing, bone-dry; pippin apple, lime pith, slate, thistle NOVELTY HILL Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2018 (91, $26) Black cherry, mocha java, spice; rich, elegant SIX EIGHTY Riesling Finger Lakes 2020 (91, $19) Steely, sleek, off-dry; lime, yellow apple, fennel seed, white nectarine FOX RUN Riesling Seneca Lake Dry 2019 (90, $18) Cardamom, mirabelle…

At a time of flat sales, why aren’t wineries actively innovating and searching for new customers? Forty years after a brief sojourn in wine, Coca Cola is rejoining the alcohol business. But, tellingly, they are not investing in wine. Hoping to court young adults, the company has partnered its Simply fruit juice brand with Molson Coors to create Simply Spiked Lemonade, a fermented sugar cane canned beverage. This comes less than a year after Coke introduced Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and Fresca Mixed. Coke has been successful for decades by knowing what consumers, especially younger consumers, want. Sadly, wine companies are proving blind. This was drilled home in Silicon Valley Bank’s latest State of the Wine Industry Report. Every year, the firm surveys wineries and crunches sales data to provide…

FRANCE Burgundy/Côte de Beaune/Red 97 Tollot-Beaut Corton 2019 $175 See Collectibles, page 90. 96 Tollot-Beaut Corton-Bressandes 2019 $175 A firm, tightly wound red, with black cherry, black currant, tar and mineral aromas and flavors wrapped in a compact structure. Racy, extending on the aftertaste with fruit, mineral and spice elements. This is intense and pretty much closed for now. Best from 2025 through 2048. 300 cases made.—B.S. 95 Tollot-Beaut Beaune Clos du Roi 2019 $115 Well- toned and intense, featuring black cherry, black currant, mineral and spice flavors. Offers plenty of tension, yet this red is overall balanced and superlong on the finish. Complex and built for the long haul. Best from 2025 through 2042. 290 cases made.—B.S. 94 Tollot-Beaut Beaune Grèves 2019 $115 A vibrant, succulent red, boasting cherry, plum, raspberry,…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 95 DOMAINE DU VIEUX TÉLÉGRAPHE Châteauneuf du-Pape White La Crau 2020 $87 FRANCE There’s a steady intensity to the waves of white peach, star fruit, acacia, honeysuckle and mirabelle plum in this well-built white, which offers both plump and racy elements. COLLECTIBLE 97 MASSOLINO Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva 2015 $194 ITALY Very pure, exuding cherry, strawberry and currant fruit, shaded by iron, sage, white pepper and tobacco. Firm yet enticing, with superb balance. Shows excellent intensity on a slim frame. SMART BUY 92 QUIVIRA Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County 2020 $19 CALIFORNIA Mouthwatering, showing Meyer lemon, pineapple, peach and lime zest flavors on a rich, lush frame, with sleek, vibrant acidity that keeps the flavors fresh and focused. BEST VALUE 89 GLOBAL WINES Dão Cabriz Colheita Selecionada 2018 $9 PORTUGAL Exudes a…

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 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè 2016 $175 ITALY Scents of rose, cherry and hay lead off, with cherry and raspberry fruit flavors taking center stage in this complex and structured red. Flourishes of white pepper, sun-kissed fields and tar add depth as the refined tannins take hold of the finish. Best from 2025 through 2043. 600 cases made.—B.S. 95 Carnasciale Toscana 2019 $75 ITALY A pretty red, this features floral, black currant, blackberry, cedar and iron aromas and flavors. Firm yet balanced, with the fruit core lingering on the resonant aftertaste. Beautifully constructed and expressive. Caberlot. Best from 2025 through 2043. 650 cases made, 100 cases imported.—B.S. 95 Donum Pinot…

Pop star Katy Perry is officially getting into thedrinks business, but not with wine … or alcohol. The “California Gurl” launched a line of sparkling non-alcoholic aperitifs in January. The brand follows in the growing beverage trends of alcohol-free and lower-alcohol “better for you” wines. De Soi is a partnership between Perry and master distiller Morgan McLachlan, founder of Amass, a portfolio of premium botanic beverages and selfcare products. “I think now more than ever, people—and especially women—are trying to do it all,” Perry told Wine Spectator. “They’re balancing work, families and social life, and we wanted to create a drink option that was fun and healthy, whether you’re laughing with friends over dinner or indulging in a solo toast by yourself.” Perry says she felt an instant connection with…