Innehållsförteckning för March 31, 2024 från Wine Spectator

Italy’s Bounty These reds and whites showcase some of the grape varieties traditional to Italy’s diverse wine regions. If you’ve never tried Cannonau, Greco Nero or Gaglioppo (the basis for Vincenzo Ippolito’s I Mori), here’s your chance. FRATELLI REVELLO Barbera d’Alba 2022 (92, $27) Succulent; blackberry, black currant, violet SALVATORE MOLETTIERI Aglianico Irpinia Cinque Querce 2019 (92, $30) Cassis, blackberry coulis, licorice, vanilla, sandalwood; harmonious SALVATORE MOLETTIERI Fiano di Avellino Apianum 2022 (91, $25) Balanced, saline; melon, apricot, beeswax, floral, pink grapefruit pith SALVATORE MOLETTIERI Greco di Tufo 2022 (91, $25) Baked melon, dried white cherry, green almond, pink grapefruit, honey; plump, graceful TERREDORA DI PAOLO Fiano di Avellino CampoRe Riserva 2018 (91, $24) Fragrant; melon, hazelnut, honey, herb, toast, mineral ARGIOLAS Vermentino di Sardegna Is Argiolas 2022 (90, $22)…

At the end of last year I spent some time visiting wineries in Italy’s most northerly wine region, Alto Adige, where I had a chance to catch up on the region’s most recent major initiative: the introduction of Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA), or additional geographic units, to wine labels. UGAs, first approved under Italian wine law in 2016, are a way for DOC- and DOCG–designated appellations to further define the larger region via delimited growing areas. The process takes into account naturally occurring regional and geographic boundaries, historical and cultural factors. For example, Chianti Classico divided the 30-mile-long appellation and 17,000 acres of vines into 11 UGAs for its gran selezione wines. The genesis of UGAs lies with Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA), or additional geographical mentions. MGA was introduced prior…

Bushmills 21 year old (96, $275, 40% ABV) Sultana, brown sugar, walnut oil, forest honey, browned butter, date Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve 2007 (95, $750, 46% ABV) Honeydew melon, banana bread, toffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, Port notes Bushmills 25 year old (94, $900, 46% ABV) Raspberry, black currant fruit pastilles, peppercorn, plum, cranberry sauce, milk chocolate Midleton Very Rare Vintage 2023 (94, $250, 40% ABV) Toffee, vanilla, green apple, chocolate, espresso, burnt sugar The Irishman Cask Strength 2023 Vintage (93, $155, 55.3% ABV) Paprika, red chile flakes, toffee, pecan cookies, caramelized apple, heather honey Redbreast 27 year old (93, $500, 54.6% ABV) Orange peel, walnut, raspberry, plum, active spices, menthol Bushmills 30 year old (91, $2,200, 46% ABV) Dried strawberry, raisins, prunes, morello cherry, citrus peel, buttered fruitcake Fercullen 21 year…

The haze over Walla Walla Valley hangs thick in the air on an August afternoon as the dashboard thermometer approaches 107° F. As he drives along country roads, passing vineyards and fallow wheat fields, Kyle MacLachlan has one thing on his mind: coffee. The irony of this is not lost on MacLachlan. Coffee was the favorite beverage of his iconic Twin Peaks character, Agent Dale Cooper, and after tasting wine for most of the day, MacLachlan is in need of a cup. For the record, he likes it black, just like Cooper. His other drink of choice, of course, is wine. For the actor—whose best-known work, covering both TV and film, also includes Desperate Housewives, Portlandia, Sex and the City, Blue Velvet and the original Dune—wine started as a hobby…

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…

For our cover story in this issue, Kristen Bieler, senior editor and lead taster on the wines of France’s Rhône Valley, visited Philippe Guigal and his family at their winery and labyrinth of underground cellars in Ampuis. Philippe is the son of Marcel and grandson of Etienne Guigal, the namesake of family-owned wine business E. Guigal. While the Guigals own estates throughout the Rhône Valley, including in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Tavel, and also source grapes for their popular Côtes du Rhône, the family is deeply rooted in the Northern Rhône appellation of Côte-Rôtie. It is in Côte-Rôtie that Etienne first set his sights on La Mouline, a steep, terraced vineyard of old Syrah vines. Coupled with the family’s subsequent single-vineyard cuvées of La Landonne and La Turque, the three Guigal bottles…

Château Mouton Rothschild has unveiled the artwork for its 2021 label, featuring a painting by award-winning artist Chiharu Shiota. The art depicts the silhouette of a single human figure holding strings attached to an exuberant floating cluster of what could be balloons or grapes, evoking the fragile balance between nature and humans. “The four lines connecting the human to the environment represent the four seasons—winter, spring, summer, autumn—and all the emotions linked to them—solitude, hope, achievement,” said Shiota. “It is like preserving the memory of the year in the wine. I find this very fascinating because I also believe that the objects that surround us accumulate our memories and existence.” Shiota was born in Japan and currently lives in Berlin. Her work has been displayed in leading art institutions around…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 95 HYDE Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Larry Hyde Hyde Vineyard 2020 $85 CALIFORNIA This stunning version delivers salted toffee, grilled peach, buttery apricot pastry, lemon verbena and plump ripe melon flavors, while a vibrant, mouthwatering thread of acidity keeps the flavors fresh and focused. COLLECTIBLE 96 QUILCEDA CREEK Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2020 $250 WASHINGTON This compelling red is rich and polished yet impeccably structured, delivering expressive flavors of blackberry, espresso and clove that build tension and texture toward refined tannins. SMART BUY 91 BODEGAS IZADI Rioja Reserva 2019 $22 SPAIN Well-balanced and silky on the palate, this classy red features a beam of ripe mulberry fruit, with creamy tannins and aromatic hints of dried flowers, crushed pine and sandalwood. BEST VALUE 88 BODEGAS SALENTEIN Malbec Uco Valley…

Midleton Very Rare 48 year old Silent Distillery Chapter 4 (97, $50,000, 53.9% ABV) Polished antique furniture, cacao, leather, beeswax candles, citrus oil, dark chocolate Midleton Very Rare 46 year old Silent Distillery Chapter 2 (97, $45,000, 53.6% ABV) Aged oak, pot still spice, chocolate orange, gingersnap, barley sugar, treacle Bushmills Rare Cask Series 01 28 year old Cognac Cask (95, $1,100, 46.7% ABV) Peach, lemon zest, marmalade, sweet orange, grapefruit, lime Midleton Very Rare 47 year old Silent Distillery Chapter 3 (95, $46,000, 55.7% ABV) Honey, crisp spices, clove, fruity dark chocolate, ginger loaf, black currant Teeling 30 year old Rarest Vintage Reserve Collection (95, $2,200, 46% ABV) Intensely honeyed, caramel, vanilla essence, tropical fruits, sweet candies, oak spices Midleton Very Rare Silent Forêt de Tronçais (94, $5,000, 48%…

ARGENTINA Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends 93 Finca Sophenia Cabernet Sauvignon Gualtallary Synthesis 2021 $70 A savory, focused version, with olive, bay leaf and tobacco notes up front, while macerated berry and plum flavors fill out the core. A push of fresh acidity enlivens the finish, which is marked by minerality, apple wood and structured tannins. Drink now through 2035. 400 cases made, 100 cases imported.—A.R. 92 Finca Decero Cabernet Sauvignon Agrelo Remolinos Vineyard 2020 $25 See Smart Buys, page 89. 92 Dominio del Plata Susana Balbo Brioso Single Vineyard Agrelo 2020 $45 Offers a deep base of violet and spice flavors that meld with a generous, juicy core of blackberry, plum and cassis elements, which lengthen nicely around fine herb–laced tannins and hints of cocoa powder on the finish. Cabernet…

While researching for a new acoustic guitar, I came across a lot of information about the various types of woods used in guitar-building. It occurred to me that tone woods are to an acoustic guitar what grape varieties are to wine. Grapes have certain flavors, structures and profiles, based on variety and where they are grown, that impact the wines made from them. Woods used in the construction of guitars impact the sound, frequencies, balance, sustain, appearance and finish of the instrument. And like a person’s preference in grape varieties, the desired sound of a guitar is subjective, a matter of personal taste and experience. Also as with grapes, even if made from the same woods, each guitar has its own voice. Generally speaking, hardwoods like rosewood, mahogany, walnut, maple…

These single-vineyard cuvées put Côte Rôtie on the map for wine collectors decades ago. Comparing and contrasting each wine’s profile and personality has become a sport for many wine lovers. Stay tuned, fans: In 2026, the inaugural release of a fourth La La will join the lineup. La Mouline THE BACKSTORY: A tribute to the first generation, it’s the original “La La” and the single-vineyard wine that changed the course for Côte-Rôtie with the debut 1966 vintage. THE VINEYARD: The oldest vineyard site in Côte-Rôtie, a 1-hectare parcel on the Côte Blonde with vines dating to 1893. THE WINE: Considered the most finessed and elegant of the three La La cuvées, thanks to Blonde’s lighter soils and the addition of 11% Viognier. Spends 42 months in new oak. Philippe describes…

One of the happy consequences of the modern restoration of the Irish whiskey industry has been the emergence of luxury Irish whiskeys. Ireland is now dotted with scores of new distilleries, where distillers are diligently laying down spirit in parts of the island where whiskey hasn’t been made for over 100 years. Well, not legally anyway. While the choice of young Irish whiskeys keeps expanding, long-established distilleries such as Bushmills and Midleton are in the lucky position of having casks of Irish whiskey that have been maturing in the warehouse for two or three decades. As Irish whiskey’s popularity keeps growing, distillers are dipping into this pot of gold to produce some incredible tasting superpremium pours. With bottles changing hands at auction for thousands of dollars, collecting rare Irish bottles…

CALIFORNIA Chardonnay 95 Hyde Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Larry Hyde Hyde Vineyard 2020 $85 See Highly Recommended, page 87. 93 Kerr Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2021 $50 This lovely version opens with mouthwatering acidity and fresh, fleshy notes of apple, Meyer lemon, tangerine and mango, plus hints of vanilla, spices, toast and buttery pastry that expand on the generous finish. Drink now. 677 cases made.—M.W. 93 Massican Chardonnay Napa Valley Hyde 2022 $60 This stunning version offers a vibrant and expressive mix of lemon curd, mango, mandarin orange and pineapple, showing details of candied ginger, tarragon, sea spray and litsea oil. Gains complexity and momentum on the finish. Drink now. 175 cases made.—M.W. 92 Alpha Omega Chardonnay Napa Valley Reserve 2020 $185 Powerful and robust, with notes of salted and buttery…