Innehållsförteckning för November 30, 2022 från Wine Spectator

Few would dispute the extraordinary impact that Robert Mondavi had on California wine. Beginning in the mid-1960s, he took his passion and vision for wine to America’s four corners, drawing comparisons between Napa Valley wine and the best wines of the world. He established himself as the ambassador for great winemaking in Napa Valley while also evangelizing on the health, social and cultural benefits of wine, especially when enjoyed around the dinner table. I watched him work his magic firsthand. I vividly remember when he told me of his plan for a joint venture, to make a new wine with a Bordeaux first-growth. He told me he was going into business with the legendary Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton-Rothschild. In his mind, this was a dramatic way of…

Washington’s wine community is grappling with the loss of respected winemaker Ross Andrew Mickel. The 47-year-old, along with his wife and young son, were among 10 people lost on Sept. 4 when a seaplane crashed in Washington’s Puget Sound, just north of Seattle. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for the missing plane on Sept. 5; all of the passengers and crew are missing and presumed dead. Mickel’s wine career began in the restaurant industry, where he was a sommelier at Canlis, a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner in Seattle, beginning in 1996. He landed a harvest internship at the well-known Washington winery DeLille Cellars in the fall of 1997, and went on to spend that winter working a harvest in Australia’s McLaren Vale appellation. Around that time, Mickel…

There’s something about subjecting a good melting cheese to direct, fiery heat that virtually guarantees scrumptious results. And what better way to achieve them than raclette? From the French verb racler, meaning “to scrape,” raclette is based on the age-old practice of scraping the melted side of a half-wheel of cheese onto potatoes. Ranking right up there with fondue as a beloved tradition in the French and Swiss alps, it’s simultaneously a dish, a cheese, a device and an occasion. Modern times have seen the advent of two principal types of raclette devices: One a melter with a cheese-holding stand and infrared lamp, the other a tabletop contraption with a griddle on top, an electric heating element in the middle and trays underneath to melt individual portions. The melter stand…

“When I arrived, there was really nothing here,” says Christian Moueix, describing his first days at the helm of Dominus Estate. “There was one shed and one tractor. That first harvest, I remember driving exactly 20 miles in the tractor with a double hopper in tow to take the grapes to Rombauer to be crushed, because we didn’t have our own facility. And when I got there, there was a line of growers waiting to drop off their grapes. So I had to wait for a few hours with the fruit sitting in the hot sun. Looking back, it’s a fond memory now.” Moueix admits that he can see things fondly now because so much has changed since that time. Dominus was very much a barebones operation in the beginning.…

Chris Carpenter is one of Napa Valley’s mountain men. And not just for the fact that he specializes in producing Cabernets from the region’s mountain AVAs; he’s also got the tall, ruggedly handsome look and gravel-tinged voice. If they were to make a movie about him, I figured Sam Elliott would be the perfect actor to play the role. Carpenter went one better: “Denzel Washington.” Carpenter handles the winemaking for the Mt. Brave, Cardinale, La Jota and Lokoya labels, all owned by Jackson Family. For Lokoya (established in 1995), he produces a single wine from each of the four major mountain AVAs in Napa: Spring Mountain District, Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain and Mount Veeder. As a group, these wines provide well-defined examples of what makes these AVAs distinct from…

Warren Winiarski RMW TITLE: Chief enologist and winemaker RMW DATES: 1966–1968 NOTABLE POSITION AFTER RMW: Founder, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars CURRENT POSITION: Retired Zelma Long RMW TITLES: Lab tech, assistant enologist, chief enologist and winemaker RMW DATES: 1970–1979 CURRENT POSITION: International consultant; winemaker in multiple projects NOTABLE POSITIONS AFTER RMW: Winemaker and CEO of Simi Winery (1979–1999); winemaker, owner Long Vineyards Tim Mondavi RMW TITLE: Winegrower RMW DATES: 1974–2004 CURRENT POSITION: Owner, winemaker at Continuum Winery Charles Thomas RMW POSITIONS: Several enology positions, culminating in head winemaker RMW DATES: 1975–1994 CURRENT POSITION: Owner, Thomas-Hsi Vineyards; partner, Longtable Wines NOTABLE POSITIONS AFTER RMW: Senior vice president, vineyards & winemaking, Quintessa, Huneeus Vintners; vice president, director of vineyards and winemaking, Rudd Winery; senior vice president, winegrowing, Jackson Family Wines Paul Hobbs RMW…

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 Prats & Symington Douro Chryseia 2019 $105 PORTUGAL Racy and linear up front, this fleshes out on the palate, with silky tannins and a lovely range of black plum reduction, blackberry coulis, medicinal herb and iron flavors that show rich hints of licorice drop and espresso, before reining everything in again on the firm, focused and well-spiced finish. Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Best from 2024 through 2034. 3,386 cases made, 300 cases imported.—A.N. 95 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay Men-doza Adrianna Vineyard White Bones 2020 $140 ARGENTINA Wildly expressive and distinctive, showing off a range of sage, savory and chive blossom aromas and flavors that join a…

ARGENTINA Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends 93 Viña Cobos Cabernet Sauvignon Perdriel Marchiori Estate 2019 $100 Shows a nice floral red currant and mineral cast to the fleshy plum and cherry flavors, with an inlay of river mint and spice joining in around plush tannins and hints of vanilla. Drink now through 2030. 750 cases made, 100 cases imported.—A.R. 93 Viña Cobos Volturno Mendoza 2019 $300 Shows concentrated aromas of floral cassis, clay and chaparral before a gush of blackberry takes center stage, with hot stone and cocoa powder notes folding in on the finish around sweet yet firm tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030. 350 cases made, 30 cases imported.—A.R. 90 Valentín Bianchi Gran Famiglia Corte Uco Valley 2019 $30 Sports a savory package of graphite, loam…

Should the label on a bottle of Pinot or Pilsner hold similar information to what’s on a can of soda? Alcoholic beverages are regulated by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), not the Food and Drug Administration; as such, they’re subject to different regulations than most foods and drinks. Now the TTB has proposed that new labels should get a more serious look. Some vintners have resisted labeling requirements, saying they would impose an unreasonable economic and logistical burden on producers and risk alienating consumers with potentially confusing and misleading information. Others think greater transparency would help wine. “I want to know what I’m drinking and I want that to be on the label,” says Pascaline Lepeltier, sommelier and co-owner of the restaurant Chambers, and partner…

California’s Russian River Valley and Joe Rochioli Jr. are ever connected in wine history. Raised on his family’s farm in Healdsburg, Rochioli left only for college and military service. He was a proud farmer who helped earn the Russian River Valley a reputation as a world-class location for Pinot Noir. Rochioli died Aug. 18 at age 88. According to his son Tom, Rochioli suffered a stroke in September 2020 and had been in and out of the hospital since. “He fought hard,” said Tom. “He was a tough guy.” Joe Jr. grew up a local sports star. When he entered high school, he was 6 feet tall and 160 pounds, his linebacker build enforced by daily farm labor. His father was primarily in the hops business, but also farmed beans…

La Dolce Vita This group of Italian values offers a taste of the good life without breaking your budget. Spanning the length of the country, these wines present a range of styles from rich reds to crisp whites to vibrant sparklers. The Valpolicellas rely on Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, while the Tolaini combines Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. TOLAINI Toscana Al Passo 2019 (91, $29) Fruity, expressive; cherry, raspberry, plum, floral, herbs VINOSIA Greco di Tufo L’Ariella 2020 (91, $20) White peach, blood orange sorbet, biscuit, fresh basil, spice; elegant, mouthwatering MICHELE CASTELLANI Valpolicella Classico Superiore San Michele Ripasso 2019 (90, $26) Fig cake, sun-dried black cherry, eucalyptus, black olive, espresso, licorice; polished, creamy ELVIO COGNO Dolcetto d’Alba Mandorlo 2021 (90, $25) Fleshy, supple, harmonious; black cherry, blackberry, black pepper…

Vintner Dan Kosta is back, albeit he never really left. A founder of California Pinot Noir powerhouse Kosta Browne, Dan has launched a new Sonoma Chardonnay and Pinot Noir project called Convene. He almost can’t contain his excitement. “We can’t recreate what we did [with Kosta Browne]. And we’re not trying to,” says Kosta. Kosta says he has evolved, and so has his palate. The Convene wines reflect this. “As I get older, I want wines to be a bit more cerebral, a bit more intellectual. I want nuance. I don’t want these wines to just be a delicious beverage. I want complexity.” The name Convene translates on different levels—it refers to Kosta being back in the wine game and to working with his winemaker of choice, Shane Finely. The…

ARGENTINA AT A GLANCE TOTAL NUMBER OF WINERIES: 795 TOTAL VINEYARD ACRES: 480,652 MAJOR GRAPES BY ACREAGE: • Malbec: 114,574 • Bonarda: 43,768 • Cabernet Sauvignon: 34,104 • Torrontes: 18,283 • Chardonnay: 14,107 The distance between Argentina’s northernmost wine region of Salta, at a latitude of 22 degrees south, and its southernmost region, Patagonia, at 40 degrees south, extends for some 1,243 miles. Between these two poles lies the heartland of Argentine wine, Mendoza. Despite the vast expanse from one region to another, the country’s viticultural areas share many climatic characteristics, including proximity to the Andes Mountains, low-fertility desert soils and limited rainfall. Yet despite these shared conditions, Argentina is a country of extremes, from glaciers in the south to high desert valleys along the base of the Andes, producing…

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 Kristen Bieler France, Israel How We Do the…

Brad Pitt has the story all wrong, according to a new counterclaim by Nouvel, a company founded by Pitt’s ex-wife Angelina Jolie. The counterclaim says Jolie is the victim in the legal wrestling match over Château Miraval, the Provence wine estate the couple purchased together in 2012, and the Miraval wine brand they built. Early in 2022, Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie for selling her share of the business without his knowledge or consent. In June, Pitt added new allegations, claiming that by selling her shares to Yuri Shefler, the international businessman and billionaire who controls Stoli Group, she aims to “intentionally jeopardize the reputation” of the business. According to Pitt, the couple had agreed to never sell their respective interests in the company and estate—where they were married…

Arthur Hon approaches the curation of his guests’ wine experiences as a multidimensional canvas for his creativity. Born in Taipei, Hon moved to the San Francisco Bay Area with his family as a teenager. Rebelling against the competitive academic track his parents sought for him, Hon secured a coveted spot at the Art Institute of Chicago and pursued a degree as a graphic artist. Yet, part-time restaurant jobs ignited Hon’s passion for wine, setting him on a different path. After he graduated, he went on to become the beverage director at Chicago’s Sepia restaurant and then Proxi. Hon moved to New York in 2017 for the opportunity to work at Union Square Hospitality Group’s (USHG) Union Square Café. Next, he spent two years as beverage director at David Chang’s Momofuku…

In 1981, Zurich natives Bruno and Brigitte Widmer acquired the Brancaia estate as a vacation property for their family. Located in Castellina in Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region, the original 49 acres came with 10 acres of vineyards and an abandoned winery. With the help of the Mazzei family at Fon-terutoli and Francesco Ricasoli at Castello di Brolio, the couple started making wine. “We have a beautiful friendship with the Mazzei family,” says daughter Barbara Widmer, who began making the wines in 1998 after studying winemaking and gaining valuable experience at a Swiss winery. “They helped us out with their knowledge, with their cellar facility. We lived in Zurich. We weren’t winemakers and we were not at the spot. So we were able to produce the first quality wines with their…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 96 PRATS & SYMINGTON Douro Chryseia 2019 $105 PORTUGAL Racy and linear up front, this fleshes out on the palate, offering silky tannins and a lovely range of black plum reduction, blackberry coulis, medicinal herb and iron flavors that show rich hints of licorice drop and espresso. COLLECTIBLE 96 MOET & CHANDON Brut Champagne Dom Perignon 2013 $250 FRANCE This harmonious Champagne is expressive, but with a sense of finesse, with vivid acidity and a chalky underpinning making a crystalline frame for finely detailed notes of ripe melon, mandarin orange, toasted brioche and candied ginger. SMART BUY 92 LE ROI DES PIERRES Sancerre Silex 2021 $30 FRANCE Plush yet well-defined, with acacia blossom and succulent nectarine flavors that show a note of honeyed vanilla, supported by a spine…

“Malbec in Argentina is like Pinot Noir in Burgundy,” says Sebastian Zuccardi. “It’s very transparent with styles that change from village to village.” Zuccardi, 42, is a third-generation Argentinian winemaker. His grandfather, Alberto, first planted vines in 1963 in the Maipu region, southeast of the city of Mendoza. In the late 1980s and early ’90s, Zuccardi’s father, Jose, began exporting wines and guiding the winery onto the international stage. Jose made great strides in expanding the family’s vineyards and focusing on higher quality sites. Zuccardi took things a step further, but only after opting to travel the world, working in vineyards in Portugal, Spain, Italy and California. When he returned in 2008, with greater knowledge and a global perspective, he formed a research and development branch of the winery and…