Robert Parker - Wine of the Day
February 6, 2012
02:00
2009 Roco Wine Cellar Pinot Noir
2009 Roco Wine Cellar Pinot Noir
The 2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley offers up notes of cedar, spice box, rose petal, cherry, and raspberry. Velvety-textured, sweetly-fruited, and well-balanced, this crowd-pleaser can be approached now and over the next 5-6 years. Roco is the personal project of veteran vigneron Rollin Soles of Argyle Winery. www.rocowines.com
Rating: 91 Estimated Cost: $25-$30
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
February 5, 2012
02:00
2010 Renato Ratti Dolcetto d'Alba Colombe
2010 Renato Ratti Dolcetto d'Alba Colombe
The 2010 Dolcetto d’Alba Colombe impresses for its fleshy varietal fruit and approachable personality. The freshness and vibrancy of the year offers a nice contrast to the dark aromas and flavors. This is a very strong effort. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. Proprietor Pietro Ratti continues to dial up the quality, especially with his Baroli. In 2007 those wines aren’t as differentiated in quality as they typically are, which is one of the qualities of the vintage in general. Importer: Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770
Rating: 89 Estimated Cost: $13-$17
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
February 4, 2012
02:00
2006 Muga Reserva Unfiltered
2006 Muga Reserva Unfiltered
Muga’s red wines begin with the 2006 Muga Reserva, a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, with the balance Mazuelo and Graciano. It was aged for 6 months in wooden vats before spending 2 years in 60% new French and American oak. Purple-colored with an already complex bouquet of pain grille, mineral, violets, black cherry, and blackberry, on the palate it is smooth-textured, layered, and concentrated. It conceals enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years and will offer optimal drinking from 2012 to 2026. It is an excellent value in serious Rioja. Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates from Spain, Dedham, MA; tel. (781) 461-5767
Rating: 91 Estimated Cost: $21-$70
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
February 3, 2012
02:00
2006 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Riserva Berardo
2006 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Riserva Berardo
The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardo (Sangiovese) is a vibrant, perfumed offering layered with dark cherries, violets and sweet spices. The French oak is a touch intrusive given the wine’s mid-weight structure. Nevertheless, this is a very fine bottle for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. Readers would do well to check out these new wines from Castello di Bossi, which are easily some of the most exciting reds made in Tuscany in 2006. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620
Rating: 90 Estimated Cost: $24-$34
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
February 2, 2012
02:00
2009 Melville Chardonnay Estate
2009 Melville Chardonnay Estate
The 2009 Chardonnay emerges from the glass with apricots, flowers and sweet honey. It shows gorgeous roundness all the way through to the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. Melville is one of the better known properties in Santa Barbara. The estate makes a wide range of wines under the direction of oenologist Greg Brewer, and also sells fruit to a number of other producers. The 2009 Pinot Noirs in particular are standouts. Brewer vinified the Pinots with one-third whole clusters. The 2010 Chardonnays had only recently been bottled and needed quite a bit of air to blow off some of their reductive qualities. Tel. (805) 735-7030; www.melvillewinery.com
Rating: 90 Estimated Cost: $20-$25
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
February 1, 2012
02:00
2007 Meerlust Rubicon
2007 Meerlust Rubicon
A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc aged 80% in new Nevers 300-liter barrels for 22 months, the flagship 2007 Rubicon did not live up to its reputation. It has a well-defined, quite opulent mint tinged bouquet with touches of macerated red cherries, red currant and sloes. The palate is medium-bodied with a toasty entry and good depth. I would like to see more of the Cabernet Sauvignon character coming through and more precision on the finish. Drink now-2017. Meerlust is one of Stellenbosch’s, perhaps South Africa’s most famous names, owned by the Myburgh family since 1757. Their 110-hectares of vine are focused upon classic French grape varieties and their flagship Rubicon, which debuted in 1980, has become one of the country’s international icons. All said, the current range of wines did not quite set the pulse racing. Whilst the Rubicon is certainly a good wine at a reasonable price, I feel that it might have been overtaken by some of its peers in recent years, perhaps including cellar master Chris Williams own “The Foundry” wines. Importer: MMD, Oakland, California. Tel 510-587-2000.
Rating: 89 Estimated Cost: $26-$33
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
January 31, 2012
02:00
2009 St Innocent Winery Pinot Noir Temperance Hill Vineyard
2009 St Innocent Winery Pinot Noir Temperance Hill Vineyard
The 2009 Pinot Noir Temperance Hill Vineyard was aged in 26% new oak. Pleasing herbal notes, a characteristic of this site, are intertwined with spice box, incense, black cherry, and black raspberry aromas to form an enticing aromatic array. Mouth-filling on the palate, this smooth-textured, ripe, lengthy offering has the stuffing to evolve for 1-2 years and will provide enjoyment through 2019. As usual, owner/winemaker Mark Vlossak has turned out a first-class collection of new releases. Tel. (503) 378-1526; www.stinnocentwine.com
Rating: 91 Estimated Cost: $27-$39
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
January 30, 2012
02:00
2009 G D Vajra Nebbiolo Langhe
2009 G D Vajra Nebbiolo Langhe
The 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo is a beautiful wine bursting with expressive dark cherries, plums and crushed flowers. This is a fairly generous, large-scaled vintage for the Nebbiolo. There is no shortage of intensity and sheer juiciness in the glass. Vajra’s Langhe Nebbiolo will deliver considerable pleasure over the next handful of years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. This is another superb set of wines from Aldo and Milena Vajra. What else is new? I am sure one day the Vajras will receive the broader recognition they so richly deserve. In the meantime, savvy readers know the exceptional quality these wines deliver for what remain very modest prices. Importers: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808, Rinascimento Wine Company, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (310) 270-3747
Rating: 90 Estimated Cost: $17-$27
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
January 29, 2012
02:00
2008 Luberri Seis
2008 Luberri Seis
The 2008 Seis de Luberri spent 6 months in French and American oak. It offers up an inviting nose of cedar, leather, violets, spice box, and assorted black fruits. Already revealing a bit of complexity, this elegantly-styled Rioja has the balance and concentration to drink well through 2018. Luberri is located in El Ciego in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. The estate consists of 35 hectares of old vines. All three wines presented (100% Tempranillo) are excellent to outstanding values. Importer: Andre Tamers, De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC; www.demaisonselections.com
Rating: 90 Estimated Cost: $13-$16
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
January 28, 2012
02:00
2008 Merryvale Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Starmont
2008 Merryvale Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Starmont
The red wine portfolio includes an excellent value, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Starmont, which packs a lot of flavor and intensity for its price. This dense ruby/purple-colored Cabernet reveals plenty of cassis, cedar, licorice and spice notes. It is a delicious, medium-bodied wine with supple tannins and a long finish. Drink it over the next decade. Tel. (707) 963-2225
Rating: 89 Estimated Cost: $20-$23
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
January 27, 2012
02:00
2009 Luca Laborde Double Select
2009 Luca Laborde Double Select
The 2009 Laborde Double Select Syrah (named after viticulturalist Luis Laborde and his unique vineyard) was sourced from 47-year-old ungrafted vines and aged for 14 months in 50% new French oak. Purple in color with a delectable nose of smoked meat, Asian spices, incense, blueberry, and blackberry, on the palate this layered effort is ripe, succulent, and incipiently complex. Give it 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2012 to 2024. Luca is the personal project of Renaissance woman Laura Catena, M.D. Importer: Vine Connections, Sausalito, CA; tel. (415) 332-8466; fax (415) 332-8668
Rating: 92 Estimated Cost: $20-$25
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
January 26, 2012
02:00
2006 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino
2006 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino
The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is a pretty, mid-weight offering graced with crushed flowers, dried cherries, spices and sweet herbs. Menthol, licorice and roses add complexity on the high-toned, feminine finish. Already pretty approachable, the estate’s 2006 Brunello looks to be an excellent choice for near and mid-term drinking. The Brunello spent 36 months in large Slavonian and French oak casks. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024. These are two beautiful 2006 Brunelli from Caparzo. Both wines are distinguished for their elegance, textural beauty and overall finesse. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham AL; tel. (205) 980-8802
Rating: 91 Estimated Cost: $30-$48
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
January 25, 2012
02:00
2007 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre
2007 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre
Enticing scents of chocolate, espresso, dark fruit, licorice and new leather emerge from the boisterous 2007 Palazzo della Torre. The fruit is sumptuous as always, but in 2007 Palazzo della Torre is not quite as approachable upon release as it usually is. Another year or two in bottle should help smooth some of the slightly rough edges that are present today. There is enough balance and elegance in the finish to suggest this will drink well for a number of years. Palazzo della Torre is made from 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese, all traditional Veneto grapes. Approximately 30% of the fruit is air-dried, Amarone-style. The fermenting juice from those grapes is added to the rest of the juice to give the wine an extra dimension of richness and body. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620
Rating: 90 Estimated Cost: $15-$23
Categories: Wine Blogs in English
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