Innehållsförteckning för May 31, 2023 från Wine Spectator

Visit WineSpectator.com/053123 to find links to all of the following resources. FREE RESOURCES FOR ALL WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS MOTHER’S DAY TIPS Planning a big day for Mom? Celebrate her with new recipes from some of the country’s best chefs, or peruse our 8 & $20 feature, showcasing easy-to-prepare recipes matched to delicious wines priced at $20 or less. Plus, sign up to receive more recipe suggestions in our free, weekly Sips & Tips email newsletter. NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS For both consumers and the trade, WineSpectator.com is the place to go to find out which big-name wineries have been sold, how tariffs might impact your wine choices, the latest in wine crime, and much more. Keep up with our News section and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. STRAIGHT TALK PODCAST Host James Molesworth explores…

Hundreds of fires raged across several southern provinces in Chile in February, burning more than 1 million acres, destroying more than 2,100 buildings and killing at least 25 people. The fires began in and around Concepción province, which lies roughly 300 miles south of Santiago. The majority of the fires occurred in the Ñuble and Bío-Bío regions within the Itata Valley, home to some of the country’s oldest vineyards. “The consequences of the fires have been terrible,” said Eduardo Jordán Villalobos, technical director for Miguel Torres. “Many acres of forests burned, and this time, unlike the 2017 fires, I have seen a greater number of vineyards, houses and even wine cellars [burn].” Vineyards often act as buffers against fires, but these intense blazes have left many vines with significant damage.…

We’ve got to get over our aversion to eating land snails. They’re healthful, high in protein, calcium and other nutrients and low in fat. They have a low carbon footprint and eat just about anything, including dirt to strengthen their shells. They take to a great number of treatments and cuisines. And they can be delicious. First, let’s dispel the stereotype of snails as a French food; while escargots en persillade—in a garlic-parsley butter—may be the first snail dish many of us have consumed, these animals have long been savored across the world in myriad preparations. The oldest archeological example of snails raised for food dates to as many as 30,000 years ago. Snails are in vogue at the moment, both as a general source of protein and as a…

Sustainability is a term that is sometimes thrown around casually, particularly when pertaining to agriculture. But there’s more to sustainable agriculture than just herbicide-free farming. In short, sustainable agriculture is a system that satisfies the present generation’s needs without compromising those of future generations. At Chile’s Viña Carmen, a project called “WiSe” (a portmanteau of the words “wine” and “seed”) started in 2014 as a comprehensive study of farming. It couples vineyard and business sustainability, focusing on growing grapes to support long-term viability and satisfy consumer demand, which is critical for Chile, the world’s fourth-largest wine-exporting country. “Supporting the long-term viability of our vineyards and having them more adapted to the conditions of our soils reduces chemicals and the use of water, and avoids diseases,” says Viña Carmen winemaker Emily…

“I love ricotta with pasta, especially in the spring, and I love it with peas. This is a version of a carbonara, and whipping in ricotta is a good trick because you're less likely to curdle your carbonara and it provides a little extra creaminess, which I like. Chitarra is basically spaghetti but it’s hand-cut and square, so the texture is a little different.”—M.S. 2 cups pancetta, diced1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper4 tablespoons butter2 cups English peas, shucked1 ½ pounds fresh chitarra pasta (if using dried, approximately 1 pound)5 ounces premium-quality, full-fat ricotta cheese5 ounces Pecorino Romano, finely grated5 egg yolks Salt, to tasteReserved pasta water, as necessary 1. In a large sauté pan, render the pancetta in the butter and black pepper over medium heat until lightly…

Many Chilean vintners are tired of hearing about quality-to-price ratios when it comes to the country’s wines. “We are still swimming in that ocean, but there’s an effort to push the upper levels,” says Aurelio Montes of Viña Montes, referring to the perception of Chile as a source for good value. Yet Montes admits that the challenge remains, noting that approximately 80% of Chile’s exports are large-scale, affordably priced wines, while only 20% are premium-tier bottlings. “Part of that is cash flow,” he says. “Every winery has some proportion of production reserved for niches, but those don’t pay the bills at the end of the day.” If you’ve been following Chilean wine in recent years, you may know that many producers have been searching this narrow but fertile country for…

GREAT VALUE POUR: Green Spot (91 | $50, 40% ABV) Spot whiskeys are named after the identifying daub of color painted on the casks in which they’re held—in this case, green. Produced for Mitchell & Son, a Dublin wine merchant that became whiskey bonders in 1887, Green Spot’s nose features baked apple, spiced sultana and ripe green fruit, with a palate marked by an oily mouthfeel and notes of light vanilla, butterscotch, green apple and generous spices. INNOVATIVE POUR: Method & Madness Finished in French Chestnut (95 | $90, 46% ABV) Chestnut casks, with a lower density and greater porosity than American oak barrels, yield different flavors in this expression, bringing confectionary sweetness, dark prune, cinnamon and clove. PREMIUM POUR: Redbreast 27-year-old (93 | $500, 54.6% ABV) Partially matured in ruby Port…

AUSTRIA White 91 Groiss Grüner Veltliner Niederösterreich Ried Pankraz Reserve 2020 $49 Zesty and floral, this inviting wine has an expressive mix of peach, fresh apple and dried apricot flavors infused with ginger and warm spices. Packs a creamy palate invigorated by white pepper and mineral elements, while pink grapefruit acidity drives the long finish. Drink now through 2028. 330 cases made, 30 cases imported.—K.B. 90 Groiss Grüner Veltliner Niederösterreich Ried Sauberg Tradition 2020 $49 A balanced style, with fragrant white blossoms, orchard fruit and melon surrounding a firm core of crushed stone minerality. Savory and focused, with dried green herbs on the chalky finish. Drink now. 330 cases made, 30 cases imported.—K.B. 90 Groiss Riesling Niederösterreich Ried auf der Henne 2020 $49 Round and creamy, with a succulent mix of white…

The Languedoc region, stretching 150 miles along the coast in the south of France, is frequently mentioned in our pages as a source of great value wines. But it lacks the recognition and prestige of well-known French regions such as Burgundy and Bordeaux. Gérard Bertrand, the man on our cover, has made it his mission to change this. A native son (and former professional rugby player), Bertrand now owns 17 estates across this region of diverse grapes and wines. While he certainly delivers on the long-standing reputation for affordable wines with brands such as his popular Cote des Roses, he’s also prone to pushing the envelope. Many of his red offerings top $100 a bottle and an ambitious rosé from Clos du Temple commands nearly $200. Beyond making wine, Bertrand…

The world of prestige rosé is consolidating. Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of LVMH, has purchased a majority stake in the fast-growing Provence estate Château Minuty. Fourth-generation owners Jean-Etienne and François Matton will remain at the helm of the winery, which their family founded in Saint-Tropez in 1936. Minuty is credited with helping establish the classic pale pink, aromatic style of Provençal rosé that has become the gold standard and with fueling the popularity of dry pink wine. Today, Minuty is the best-selling premium rosé in France. In the Moët Hennessy portfolio of luxury wine labels, Minuty joins Whispering Angel producer Château d’Esclans. “Since we entered into the partnership with Château d’Esclans, the business has literally doubled,” Philippe Schaus, CEO of Moët Hennessy, told Wine Spectator. “We have…

Seldom are top-quality cheeses widely available in supermarkets and box stores throughout the entire United States. Fromager d’Affinois, an outstanding French import, is an exception. Highly approachable and inviting, Fromager d’Affinois’ anchor cheese, Le Fromager, has established itself as a popular and commercial rival to the best of its soft-ripened compatriots: brie, Camembert and various triple creams. An easy cheese to like, Fromager stands out for its silky smooth, dense texture and remarkably buttery, creamy consistency and flavor. Its delicate—and thoroughly edible—bloomy rind makes it all the more accessible. In a Fromager, I’ve never encountered any of the bitter alkaline tastes or ammonia aromas sometimes found in the rinds of bries and triple creams. Most notably, although Fromager is a double cream (60% fat), it convincingly masquerades as a triple…

Cape Crusaders This group from South Africa includes both varietals and blends, revealing the range of styles the Cape is famous for. The Thorne & Daughters white features Roussanne, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and others. DE WETSHOF Chardonnay Robertson Limestone Hill 2022 (91, $20) Creamy; melon, grapefruit granita, ginger, blanched almond, salty, floral THORNE & DAUGHTERS Rocking Horse Cape White Blend Western Cape 2021 (91, $25) Melon, honeysuckle, beeswax, macadamia nut; elegant NEIL ELLIS Sauvignon Blanc Groenekloof 2022 (90, $24) Sleek, racy; grapefruit granita, white pepper, white peach, salty SOUTHERN RIGHT Sauvignon Blanc Hemel-en-Aarde Valley 2022 (90, $18) Pink grapefruit, lime zest, pickled ginger, graphite, spices, salty; fresh DAVID FINLAYSON Chardonnay Stellenbosch 2021 (89, $18) Juicy, stylish; nectarine, pineapple, stone, blanched almond, lime blossoms, oak spices LIEVLAND Pinotage Paarl Bushvine 2020 (89, $19) Blackberry,…

With each large corporate entity buying a prominent Napa winery comes the grumbles and complaints of those who think the valley is losing its sense of soul and place. Yet at the same time, hundreds of small wineries continue to drive the valley’s quality and diversity. It depends how you see the wine-glass, as an optimist or a pessimist. The recent news that Andy Erickson and Annie Favia secured a new spot to build an estate for their Favia project is case in point. A first generation family-owned operation doubling down to help build its legacy, Favia offers a resounding “glass half-full” view. Following close behind is the news that Memento Mori’s founders, along with winemaker Sam Kaplan, have decided to create their own permanent home. With the purchase of…

The magnificent Château de Celeyran was once the residence of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and where the celebrated artist painted many of his famous canvases in the 1880s (his mother’s maiden name was Celeyran). Yet the château’s history dates back much further; Julius Caesar even resided here for a few years during a military campaign. The estate’s next chapter is now being written by Bertrand, in what he calls his “final masterpiece.” “I want to create the largest and most exciting biodynamic vegetable farm, hotel, spa and education center; a place for learning and meditation and farm-to-table cuisine,” Bertrand says. Located just outside Narbonne, Celeyran is a 400-acre expanse, with a regal entrance lined by 120-year-old plantain trees. Covered in graffiti and overgrown with weeds, Celeyran is an enormous undertaking to…

“For the traditional version, I sear the lamb on a rack at 450° F for 30 minutes, then take the roasting rack with the lamb on top and put it over Potatoes Boulangère (recipe next column), so that the rack is resting on the sides of the pan and not directly on the potatoes. Then I put it all in the oven. The lamb drippings enrich the potatoes and give them meaty lusciousness.”—M.S. 1 boneless whole saddle of lamb, about 5 pounds (tenderloins included)1 cup Dijon mustard¼ cup lavender honey2 cups minced herbs (½ cup savory, ½ cup parsley, ¼ cup thyme, ¼ cup chives, ¼ cup tarragon, ¼ cup chervil)4 ounces garlic cloves, triple-blanchedSalt, to tasteCoarsely ground black pepper, to tasteVegetable oil 1. Place the lamb on a cutting…

GREAT VALUE POUR: Teeling Cabernet Cask Finish (91 | $45, 46% ABV) Draped in the wine flavors of California Cabernet Sauvignon, this single grain expression features fruit notes of rhubarb, apple and blackberry, with roasted spices, licorice and star anise. INNOVATIVE POUR: Hyde No. 5 The Áras Cask Burgundy Cask Finish (91 | $48, 46% ABV) Aged for over six years, with a six-month finish in Burgundy casks, this whiskey delivers a nose of black grape, blackberry, cocoa and dry-roasted spices, plus sweet vanilla, fudge and gentle spices on the palate. Reveals chocolate and spiced dark fruit on the finish. PREMIUM POUR: W.D. O’Connell Bourbon & Rye 10-year-old (91 | $80, 48% ABV) Delivers cumin, coriander, peppercorn, vanilla and roasted nut aromas, with sweet fudge, zested citrus, ginger and toasted oak. This…

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 Jim Barry Shiraz Clare Valley The Armagh 2016 $300 AUSTRALIA This offers a stunning mix of intense flavors, with notes of salted black licorice, black walnut liqueur, wild blackberry, bittersweet chocolate, cigar box and black cherry preserves that are plump and generous, yet balanced with firm, dense tannins, fresh loamy earth and malty Assam black tea on the finish. Harmonious, with a long, expressive finish, where a note of fresh mint lingers. Drink now through 2038. 40 cases imported.—M.W. 96 Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Corton-Bressandes 2020 $145 FRANCE A sleek, intense red, with a lively undercurrent to the black cherry and blackberry flavors, featuring violet, mineral…

CALIFORNIA 94 Bedrock Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Contra Costa County 2021 $50 See Highly Recommended, page 81. 94 Bedrock Zinfandel California Old Vine 2021 $35 Spry and briary, this Zinfandel is fun to drink, with lively black cherry, licorice and dried sage flavors, which take on richness and cracked pepper accents toward zesty tannins. Drink now through 2031. 4,000 cases made.—T.F. 94 Peter Michael Chardonnay Knights Valley Cuvée Indigène 2019 $180 Stunning and elegant, offering a complex mix of lemon curd, honeysuckle, crème anglaise and butter pastry flavors. Gains focus from mineral details, hints of dried herbs and spices and a fresh burst of acidity. Drink now. 559 cases made.—M.W. 94 Peter Michael Chardonnay Knights Valley Cuvée Indigène 2018 $180 Complex, this strikes terrific balance between the rich notes of lemon meringue and…

They say there’s no rest for the wicked, but apparently there’s plenty of wine for them. Thieves recently targeted wine-focused restaurants in Norway and Spain as well as the retail shop of Kracher winery in Austria. The spate of robberies, which aren’t believed to be linked, began in Norway last November when thieves broke into Park 29 restaurant in Oslo. They took 264 bottles representing Barolo, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Côte-Rôtie, while bypassing a selection of top Champagnes, suggesting they knew what they’d come for. The perpetrators apparently left no trace, and Park 29’s owner says that the wines (collectively valued at up to $200,000) are nigh impossible to replace. Along the Norwegian coast, Fredensborg Hospitality’s hotel-restaurant Tollboden was robbed twice in November. “We had two break-ins at our cellar in…

Chef Charlie Palmer is closing his Aureole restaurant in Las Vegas, known for its Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning wine list and its four-story wine tower, where “wine angels” sail on wires to retrieve bottles. A centerpiece of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino since it opened in 1999, Aureole has been a training ground for many young chefs and sommeliers. After 24 years, Palmer is ready to focus on other projects. “It really doesn’t make sense for me to continue with it,” he said, adding that new ownership of Mandalay Bay and the addition of a convention center “really changed the DNA of the hotel.” Palmer’s attention has turned to Appellation, a collection of upscale resorts. Four resorts are now in the works, three in California and one in Idaho. Aureole’s…

LE FROMAGER With hints of button mushroom, some citrusy lactic tang and accents of salted caramel, Fromager d’Affinois’ anchor cheese leaves an overall sweet, mild impression that’s reminiscent of cultured butter. This double cream specialty has all the luxuriousness of a triple cream, while offering more complexity and depth, with a fine balance of salty and savory-sweet flavors. BREBICET Equally accentuating the sheepy lanolin qualities and sweet, nutty notes of its raw material, this double cream is simultaneously softer and denser than similar ewe’s milk types. Its extra richness and heft seem to turn up the flavor volume, but only just loud enough to remain delectably palatable. BLEU Cambozola, the well-known German cheese marketed as a blue brie in the triple cream style, has got nothing on Fromager d’Affinois’ blue. The Bleu…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 94 BEDROCK Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Contra Costa County 2021 $50 CALIFORNIA This dynamic and generous red offers tiers of cassis and bright cherry flavors accented by anise, rose petal and green peppercorn. Sails on the supple finish toward briary tannins. Zinfandel, Mataro and Carignan. COLLECTIBLES 95 HENRI GOUGES Nuits-St.-Georges Les St.-Georges 2020 $511 FRANCE A bright, succulent style, this version boasts aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, spice and mineral. Vibrant and elegant in profile, with terrific harmony and a long, fruit-filled aftertaste. SMART BUYS 92 MIGUEL TORRES Carignan Maule Valley Vigno Vignadores de Carignan 2018 $21 CHILE Elegant and complex, this red bursts with notes of plumeria, picking up hints of bay leaf, red currant, raspberry and blood orange. Fresh acidity activates additional layers of chalky minerality and toasty…

“Champignon de Paris is basically a white or button mushroom. Before I went to Paris, I hadn’t had the ones that are so fresh they have a kind of bloom, almost like cheese. I make a bed with them and radishes, put bright, sweet fava beans on top and a vinaigrette over. Sometimes I’ll add a little pecorino but, really, less is more.”—MARK SULLIVAN, EXECUTIVE CHEF ¼ brioche loaf with crusts removed, cut into ¼-inch cubes1 ½ tablespoons butter2 sprigs thyme1 garlic clove, smashed2 tablespoons shallot, finely minced⅓ cup Meyer lemon juice2 tablespoons calamansi vinegar⅔ cup premium-quality, extra-virgin olive oil2 watermelon radishes (aka strawberry radishes), approximately 2 inches in diameter3 pounds fresh young fava beans, in their pods16 large Champignons de Paris (aka button mushrooms)16 small mint leaves, snipped into…

“One of the things that’s been critical for my career is travel. One cannot fully understand a cuisine until one goes to the origin place. When I was just infatuated with Moroccan food, I went to Morocco for three weeks. When you go to Europe and try a savarin cake in Paris, it’s an aha moment. If it’s done properly, it’s like a brioche. It’s soaked nicely and it just works well with fruit and cream. It’s just very simple and elegant.”—M.S. SAVARIN CAKE ¾ cup water, lukewarm1 packet dry active yeast2 eggs, room temperature1 ¾ cups bread flour, high gluten⅛ teaspoon salt2 ½ teaspoons sugar4 tablespoons butter, room temperature 1. Combine the yeast and the water in the bowl of a countertop mixer. Whisk to dissolve the yeast, then…

GREAT VALUE POUR: Limavady Single Barrel (91 rating | $50, 46% ABV) Offering a lusciously sweet combination of barley sugar, butterscotch, candied orange peel and pepper, this is triple-distilled from Irish barley, matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels and finished in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks. Note: Single-barrel expressions will have natural variations across each release. INNOVATIVE POUR: Waterford Heritage Hunter (91 | $130, 50% ABV) Distilled from a bygone barley variety first introduced more than 60 years ago, this single malt whiskey was matured in first-fill Bourbon, new American oak, French oak and Vin Doux Naturel casks. PREMIUM POUR: Bushmills The Rare Cask 30-Year-Old Madeira Cask (93 | $1,000, 49% ABV) The third and oldest release in Bushmills’ The Rare Cask series, this was distilled in 1991 and underwent secondary maturation in…

SINGLE MALT & POT STILL BLENDS GREAT VALUE POUR: The Irishman The Harvest (90 | $35, 40% ABV) This signature blend from Walsh Whiskey has a nose of butter, salted caramel and white pepper. The palate shows juicy orange, toffee, cappuccino and clove. INNOVATIVE POUR: Writers’ Tears Japanese Cask Finish (93 | $125, 55% ABV) Rich and oily, with aromas of apple peel, walnut oil and exotic wood. Boasts a satisfying mouthfeel of toffee, nut, malt and baked sugar notes, which have nicely developed from a nine-month finishing period in Japanese mizunara oak casks. PREMIUM POUR: The Irishman Cask Strength 2022 Release (94 | $150, 54.9% ABV) Notes of toffee, green apple, ripening plum, aromatic spices, chocolate, vanilla pods, nutmeg and peppercorn make this a complex and full-bodied whiskey. SINGLE…

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 James Molesworth California Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Port MaryAnn Worobiec California Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Australia, New Zealand Alison Napjus Spain, Italy, Champagne, South Africa Tim Fish California Zinfandel and Merlot, Oregon, Washington, U.S. sparkling wines Aaron Romano Argentina, Chile Kristen Bieler Rhône Valley and other France, Germany, Austria How We Do the…