($10, The Australian Premium Wine Collection): 
I usually avoid unoaked Chardonnay because with rare exception — Chablis comes to mind — a little oak aging enhances the wines. But John Larchet, who has his own label, The Wishing Tree, in addition to importing Australian wine under The Australian Premium Wine Collection, suggested I try this one. … Read more
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Hill of Content, Clare Valley / McLaren Vale (South Australia) Grenache Shiraz 2003
($14, The Australian Premium Wine Collection): Despite being the minority of the blend — 20 percent — the weight of black fruit from Shiraz barrels through in this riper, more overt wine. There’s smokiness along with a taste of succulent sour cherries. … Read more
Pike’s, Clare Valley (South Australia) SMG “The Assemblage” 2003
($21, The Australian Premium Wine Collection): This blend of 56% Syrah, 27% Mourvedre and 17% Grenache is a dense and very ripe Châteauneuf-du-Pape-like wine. The elevation of the Clare Valley — its lowest point is 1,000 feet — accounts for dramatic day/night temperature fluctuations, which allows the grapes — and the wine — to maintain acidity. … Read more
Black Billy, Fleurieu Peninsula (South Australia) Pinot Gris 2006
($15, The Australian Premium Wine Collection): One of the members of the Hazelgrove family, a famous farming family, has re-established themselves in the wine business after the family sold the name. The lovely texture and viscosity of this wine makes it definitely a Pinot Gris, not a Pinot Grigio. … Read more
Fire Block, Watervale (Clare Valley, South Australia) Grenache “Old Vine” 2003
($19, The Australian Premium Wine Collection): It’s rare for a young wine to deliver mature flavors, but this 100% Grenache, aged in old oak barrels, does. It has an alluring combination of bright raspberries — characteristic of Clare Valley Grenache I’m told — spice and hints of caramel, which I usually associated with older, developed wines.… Read more
King Estate, Oregon (USA) Pinot Gris 2005
($16): The 2005 vintage of this always reliable wine tastes delicious, with bright pear fruit flavors, sufficient acidity for balance, and a long, lingering finish. It seems tailor-made for al fresco springtime dining. 89 Michael Apstein Mar 5, 2007… Read more
Guigal, Côtes du Rhône (Rhône Valley, France) 2004
($12, ExCellars): Marcel Guigal and his son, Philippe, oversee the winemaking at this stellar firm, which was started by Marcel’s father, Etienne, just after World War II. Guigal is probably best known for their small-production–300 case–expensive ($200+ a bottle) single vineyard wines from the Côte Rôtie, La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque. … Read more
Mas Romani, Priorat (Catalonia, Spain) 2004
($70, Eric Solomon): Made from the classic blend of 50% Carignan and 40% Grenache (with the remaining portion split between Merlot and Syrah), this succulent Priorat blends power and elegance. Not over done, as can be the risk with wines from this region, La Basseta is a stylish wine. … Read more
Grosset, Polish Hill (Clare Valley, South Australia) Riesling 2006
($33, Australian Premium Wine Collection): 
Wow. Anyone who doesn’t yet realize that Australia is capable of producing great Rieslings, among the best in the world, needs to taste this wine. Bright, vibrant and steely, this focused wine almost vibrates. 93 Michael Apstein Feb 27, 2007… Read more
Pike & Joyce, Lenswood (Adelaide Hills, South Australia) Sauvignon Blanc 2006
($20, Australian Premium Wine Collection): If there were such a thing as a Meyer lime, this is how it would taste. Floral and limey, but not aggressive or grassy, it develops a lovely minerality with air that is reminiscent of the best wines from Sancerre. … Read more
Ruinart, Champagne (France) Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
($69, Moet Hennessy USA): Ruinart, the oldest Champagne house in the world and dating from 
1729, is making a welcome reappearance on these shores. The Chardonnay grapes for this Blanc de Blancs come exclusively from premier cru villages. A small amount of the Chardonnay comes from the Montagne de Reims, an area traditionally known for Pinot Noir, not Chardonnay. … Read more
Whitehaven, Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2006
($22, Whitehaven Wine Co. USA): This is another example of how the Marlborough region of New Zealand continues to produce riveting Sauvignon Blanc. Whitehaven, always a reliable label, has produced a citric-laced wine with a cutting edginess. 89 Michael Apstein Feb 27, 2007… Read more
Cape Mentelle, Margaret River (Western Australia, Australia) Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2006
($19, Moet Hennessy USA): The cooling effects of the Indian and Southern Oceans (the latter of which laps at the shores of Antarctica) influence the wines from 
Western Australia. The more temperate climate–compared to parts of South Australia–means the grapes rarely get overripe and hence, the wines show restraint and balance. … Read more
Green Point, Yarra Valley (Victoria, Australia) Chardonnay Reserve 2004
($30, Moet Hennessy USA): In the mid-1980s, Moët & Chandon, the world largest Champagne 
producer, established their outpost in Australia 30 miles east of Melbourne in the Yarra Valley in the state of Victoria. In addition to Australian sparkling wines, Moët makes stylish still wines under the Green Point label. … Read more
Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard, Albemarle County (Virginia) Blanc de Blancs Brut 2004
($38): I know what you are thinking because I had the same thoughts before tasting this wine: ‘$38 for a sparkling wine from Virginia? You’re 
kiddin’ me.’ Well, not only am I not kidding you, I am suggesting you buy it.… Read more
Oyster Bay, Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2006
($15, American Wine Distributors): I have a fondness for Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. This one is particularly attractive and supports what 
many New Zealand producers have told me, ‘2006 is a great year in Marlborough.’ It certainly has the zing and freshness you’d expect from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but it also has minerality and length to accompany the herbal notes, which makes it especially appealing.… Read more
Kendall-Jackson, California (United States) Cabernet Sauvignon “Vintner’s Reserve” 2004
($18): Sometimes large production wines with good availability are overlooked. But this one should not be. The grapes come from Kendall-Jackson’s sources throughout the state, hence the California appellation. This is very good, approachable–and stylish–Cabernet Sauvignon. 87 Michael Apstein Feb 13, 2007… Read more
Migration, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County, California) 2004
($30): This is sourced from the Anderson Valley outpost of Duckhorn Vineyards, the famed Napa Valley winery, which looked to the north for a site for their Pinot Noir production. They make two bottlings, Goldeneye, and this less pricey one. Made in a ripe, rich style with noticeable sweet oakiness, this won’t be mistaken for red Burgundy. … Read more
There’s More Than One Way to Make Coq au Vin
Although I’m lucky to be able to interview individual winemakers or managers of wine estates, it’s unusual to sit around a table with a group of them to discuss their individual winemaking philosophies and techniques. You learn very quickly that, just as there are multiple ways to cook a chicken, there’s more than one way to make great wine.… Read more
Pol Roger, Champagne (France) 1998
($70, Wildman): 
Fuller and more forward than the 1996 Pol Roger–which still could use a few more years of bottle age–the 1998 is very appealing now. It’s suave and charming despite its considerable power derived in part, no doubt, from the predominance of Pinot Noir in the blend.… Read more
Veuve Clicquot, Champagne (France) Brut “Rare Vintage” 1988
($100, Moet Hennessy USA): This has to be the Champagne deal of decade. Veuve Clicquot, like many Champagne houses, opted to re-release older vintages into the market so customers can discover the glorious taste of mature Champagne. Aged on the lees–the dead yeast–for almost a decade and then aged for an equal time in the bottle, this wine delivers a complex array of nutty, toasty and yeasty flavors balanced beautifully by an uplifting freshness–acidity imparted by the bubbles. … Read more
Krug, Champagne (France) Brut “Clos de Mesnil” 1995
($825, Moet Hennessy USA): This is described as the ‘granddaddy’ of the Krug line by a representative of its importing company, but that’s an 
understatement. Krug, one of the few Champagne houses that still ferments its still wine in oak barrels, makes an extraordinary line of Champagne. … Read more
Guigal, Crozes-Hermitage (Rhône Valley, France) 2003
($22, ExCellars): Crozes-Hermitage is the flatter, less well situated land around the 
prestigious hill of Hermitage. From conscientious producers, like Guigal, these wines can be great values. This wine shows the ripeness of the vintage without being marred by over-extraction. There is an almost Australian-like quality to the flavors–although not so flamboyant with alcohol–but its European lineage shows in the acid/tannin structure.… Read more
Salentein, Mendoza (Argentina) Syrah 2003
($18, San Francisco Wine Exchange): Super rich, concentrated, and lush, but never out of balance, this is a 
dreamy Syrah that comes from high-altitude vineyards in the Mendoza wine region. The 2002 is as delicious as the 2003, equally expansive on the palate, but with an impression of more dried fruit (especially prunes).… Read more
J. & F. Lurton, Vin de Pays d’Oc (Languedoc, France) Pinot Noir “Les Salices” 2005
($10, ExCellars): The Languedoc region in the south of France is better known for bold ripe wines than for producing a delicate, fragrant Pinot Noir, such as this one. Not as intense–nor as jammy–as many Pinot Noirs from California, Lurton’s has lovely ripe red fruit flavors, but retains an elegance rarely found at this price level.… Read more
Mouton Cadet, Bordeaux (France) 2003
($9): Those who have avoided Mouton Cadet because they feel it is ‘mass produced’ need to taste the 2003 vintage of this standard-bearer from Bordeaux. Ripe, reflecting the vintage, but most importantly balanced, it has unexpected subtly and graceful tannins. Not overdone, it’s a good example of what Bordeaux has to offer. … Read more
Domaine Baumard, Savennières (Loire Valley, France) 2001
($20, ExCellars): Savennières, a small appellation just down the Loire 
River from Vouvray, is another example in of why location matters. The grape, Chenin Blanc, is the same as in Vouvray, but here it is planted on slate or schist whereas in Vouvray the soil is mostly chalky. … Read more
Santa Rita, Rapel Valley (Chile) Cabernet Sauvignon “120” 2005
($8, Palm Bay): Chile continues to churn out well-made, well-priced wines. This, Santa Rita’s least expensive Cabernet, is a remarkable value. Ripe, without being sweet or overdone, it has smoky elements that add complexity and tannins that are firm, but not astringent.… Read more
Santa Rita, Rapel Valley (Chile) Carmenere Reserva 2004
($12, Palm Bay): 
Carménère, a grape originally grown in Bordeaux but abandoned there because the weather was unpredictable — often too cool — to assure consistent ripening, has found a devoted following among winemakers in Chile. They realize that when planted in warm sites, such as the Rapel Valley, Carménère can produce a wine with considerable complexity. … Read more
Bonny Doon, California (United States) Syrah “Le Pousseur” 2004
($16): This Rhone-styled wine from Bonny Doon is a little heavier and more alcoholic than their Cigare Volant, focusing more on black fruit as opposed to red fruit flavors. Not overdone as many California Syrahs can be, it retains elegance and a distinct peppery character, reminiscent of wines from the Northern Rhone.… Read more
Bonny Doon, California (United States) “Le Cigare Volant” 2003
($30): 
Randall Grahm, founder and winemaker at Bonny Doon, is known for his humorous labels as well as his talented winemaking. His Cigare Volant (flying cigar or flying saucer) refers to an ordinance promulgated by Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a town in the southern Rhone Valley just north of Avignon, that prohibited the landing of flying saucers within the town limits. … Read more
Santa Rita, Maipo Valley (Chile) Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2004
($12, Palm Bay): Location, location, location. This wine stands above Santa Rita’s Cabernet ‘120’ (reviewed above) because of the origin of the grapes. Chile’s Maipo Valley, just south of Santiago, has long been known as a prime place for Cabernet. Wines from this area often have an herbal, even minty, quality which can be quite appealing when it’s subtle, but is off-putting when it’s not. … Read more
Escudo Rojo, Maipo Valley (Chile) 2003
($15, North Lake Wine): Bordeaux’s Château Mouton Rothschild started a joint venture with one of Chile’s premier wineries, Concha y Toro, to produce what has turned out to be one of Chile’s greatest wines, Almaviva. In addition, the owners of Château Mouton Rothschild produce other wines in Chile, such as this Escudo Rojo (which is a literal Spanish translation of Red Shield, the meaning of Rothschild). … Read more
Dynamic Duo Changing the Face of Kiwi Wine . . . Again
After helping Cloudy Bay bring New Zealand wines to the world’s attention with its racy Sauvignon Blanc — Cloudy Bay’s 1985 Sauvignon Blanc awakened Americans to New Zealand’s potential for making unique wine — Ivan Sutherland and James Healy are changing the New Zealand wine industry again.… Read more
THE ESSENTIALS: Spain’s Priorat region flexes its muscles
Editor’s note: Beginning today, the Wine section will profile noteworthy wine regions across the United States and around the world, with an eye toward helping you in your wine-buying decisions. Look for the Essentials every few weeks in Wine.
In just 20 years, wines from Priorat have gone from obscurity to being the most expensive in Spain.… Read more
Domaine de la Renjarde, Côte du Rhône Villages (Rhône Valley, France) 2003
($13, Serge Doré Selections): Wines labeled Côte du Rhône Villages should be a cut above those labeled Côte du Rhône because they come from 18 selected villages with the potential to make better wine. Often they are not, but in this instance, Domaine de la Renjarde fulfills expectations. … Read more
Perrin, Côte du Rhône (Rhône Valley, France) Reserve 2004
($10, Vineyard Brands): The Perrin family consistently makes outstanding wine at their estate, Château Beaucastel, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Their wines sold under the Perrin label represent their négociant business in which they buy newly made wines from others, blend, age and bottle them. … Read more
Cousino-Macul, Maipo Valley (Chile) “Finis Terrae” 2004
($20, Billington Wines): Cousino-Macul is on everyone’s short list of Chile’s best wineries. Finis Terrae, their flagship wine, is an exceptional value. A blend of roughly 50-50 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grown in their vineyards, the 2004 has the uncommon ability to harmonize the ripeness emblematic of the New World and the elegance and complexity prized in classical Old World wines. … Read more
Catena, Mendoza (Argentina) Malbec 2004
($20, Billington Wines): Malbec, a grape, which played a larger role in the Bordeaux blend of the past than currently, has become the signature grape of Argentina.
In Bordeaux, winemakers used it in the blend because, despite its potential for coarseness, it contributed intensity and color. … Read more
Castano, Yecla (Spain) Monastrell Tinto 2004
($7, Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars): Yecla, a small area on Spain’s southeastern coast surrounding the town of the same name, is well suited for the Monastrell grape (a.k.a. Mourvèdre in France or Mataro in Australia) because it needs the warmth of the Mediterranean sun to ripen. … Read more
San Alejandro, Calatayud (Spain) Garnacha “Las Rocas Vinas Viejas” 2003
($14, Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars): Although Spanish regulators awarded the Calatayud region, about 150 miles northeast of Madrid, D.O. status (official recognition as a unique wine growing area) about 15 years ago, it remains obscure, which probably explains why such bargains as this one still abound. … Read more
Buena Vista Winery, Carneros (California) Syrah 2004
($24): 
The sweet, ripe, plumy fruit character in this wine announces its California origins, but the gamy and other more exotic notes suggest an Old World origin to this wine. It’s a balance that works well. 91 Michael Apstein Jan 2, 2007… Read more
Clos LaChance, Central Coast (California) Cabernet Franc 2004
($35): Cabernet Franc, which comprises roughly 2/3rds of the blend of Château Cheval Blanc–one of Bordeaux’s greatest wines–is a tricky grape to get right. It produces wines with a distinctly vegetal character if it doesn’t ripen adequately. Fortunately, Clos LaChance got this one right. … Read more
Champalou, Vouvray (Loire Valley, France) Brut NV
($17, Kermit Lynch): Sparkling wines from the Loire Valley, usually made from Chenin Blanc, are less ‘serious’ than Champagne. But sometimes lively, less weighty fizz is just what you want. The major problem with bubbly from the Loire is that many are harsh and acidic. … Read more
The Crossings, Awatere Valley (Marlborough, New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2005
($16, W. J. Deutsch and Sons): 
The Marlborough region of New Zealand, famed for its electrifying style of Sauvignon Blanc, is divided into two valleys, the Wairau, where it all started, and the Awatere. I can’t identify a consistent style yet to distinguish the wines of one valley from those of another so I lump them together as ‘Marlborough,’ which is identifiably unique as a source by contrast to other sources of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. … Read more
Domaine Serene, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Chardonnay Côte Sud Vineyard 2003
($40): Oregon, particularly the Willamette Valley, is well known as the home of stylish Pinot Noir. Chardonnays from this valley south of Portland receive less attention, and acreage devoted to that grape actually fell in recent years, largely because early wines were made with fruit from a clone of Chardonnay from California that turned out to be unsuited to Oregon climate. … Read more
Philipponnat, Champagne (France) “Clos des Goisses” Brut 1996
($120, Ex-Cellars): Although Philipponnat’s Clos des Goisses is from a single vineyard, the vineyard’s exposure is varied, which allows blending of wines from different plots to achieve an extraordinary balance of power, elegance and freshness. The vineyard, almost 14 acres planted roughly two-thirds to Pinot Noir and one-third to Chardonnay, comprises a steep due-south-facing slope where grapes achieve full ripeness, and an east-facing portion where grapes become less ripe but have higher acidity.… Read more
Bridlewood Estate Winery, Central Coast (California) ‘Arabesque Reserve’ 2004
($24): Made from a blend of grapes traditionally found in France’s Rhône Valley, such as Syrah and Grenache, this wine is a California interpretation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with an emphasis on sweet fruit flavors buttressed by a lively spicy component. 86 Michael Apstein Dec 19, 2006… Read more
The Grapes of Roth, Long Island (New York) Merlot 2001
($50): Roman Roth, the winemaker at Wolffer Estate, one of Long Island’s best wineries, is making his own wine from purchased grapes. This 2001 Merlot, his first vintage, is an outstanding wine and shows the potential for that region. Not overblown — and barely over 13% alcohol — its succulent black fruit, earthy nuances, fine tannins and good structure are harmonious. … Read more
Kim Crawford, Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2006
($17, Vincor USA):
As a group, Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand are highly consistent and rewarding. Crawford’s 2006 goes a step beyond, combining minerality, a grapefruit skin-like flavor and length with the region’s signature bracing citric component.… Read more