Everyone knows about Australia’s inexpensive, fruit-driven, mass-produced wines — think Yellow Tail, the largest-selling wine brand in U.S. food stores by dollar volume, according to ACNielsen.
But there is a wine-producing part of the country that shatters just about every aspect of that image.… Read more
Prosecco, Italy’s unique and stellar contribution to the world of sparkling wine, must have been invented for summertime. Although the Italians drink it year round as an aperitif (consuming over two-thirds of the region’s 3 million case annual production), summer is the perfect discovery time for those unfamiliar with the joys of this light and “friendly” wine. … Read more
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano exemplifies the confusion surrounding Italian wine labels. This wine’s meteoric increase in quality over the past decade has yet to be matched by its price, so it’s definitely worth unraveling the name.
The Italians name their wines by place name, such as Chianti, or grape name — think Pinot Grigio — or both, Dolcetto d’Alba. … Read more
($16, E&J Gallo): It has the piercing citric — really limey — character we have grown to expect from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but a touch of minerality amplifies its appeal. 91 Michael Apstein May 16, 2006… Read more
($16): While many Marlborough Sauvignons grab and then pierce your tongue, Jackson Estate’s 2004 conveys a different style; mostly, I think, because of the extra year of age. Not quite as electrifying, but still plenty lively and fresh, its earthy minerality captivates and adds complexity.… Read more
Everybody loves a deal, and some of the best deals in Bordeaux these days are the “second” wines of the top-rated Bordeaux properties. “Second wines” come from parcels of the vineyard or barrels in the cellar that, for whatever reason, just don’t measure up to the producer’s standard for that particular year.… Read more
The following notes are based on barrel samples tasted (unblinded) at the chateaux, at an unblinded tasting organized by the Cercle Rive Droite de Grands Vins de Bordeaux, an association of Right Bank producers, an unblinded tasting organized by Bill Blatch, a respected négociant, or at blind tastings organized by the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux.… Read more
After a week in Bordeaux, where I tasted more than 400 wines from the 2005 vintage, there is no question that this is a great vintage for red, dry white and sweet white wines. Although nature was equally benevolent across the regions, winemaking techniques (how long to macerate, how much new wood) and decisions (when to pick) resulted in dramatically different styles of wine, especially in Saint-Emilion.… Read more
($15, Wines West): The Treehouse label is used for Solitage wines made from purchased fruit, usually from a single vineyard, within the Pemberton region. A nice balance of peppery and plumy flavors and a lovely finish makes this Shiraz a steal at the price.… Read more
($45, multiple distributors): A single vineyard wine from the Mount Barker region of the Great Southern, this is a very appealing, cocoa-infused, meaty and lush style of Shiraz that is remarkably silky and long. Nicely evolved, it’s lovely to drink now.… Read more
($45, multiple distributors): Less meaty than the 2001, presumably because it is younger and bottled under screw cap, it still has a hint of that lovely gamy quality. It’s fresh, lush and juicy with a remarkable silkiness and elegance for its power.… Read more
($14, Scott Street Portfolio): A blend of 2/3 Shiraz and 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, this Classic Red is a great value. Filled with spice and plums, it is surprisingly complex for the price. Its suppleness is part of the charm. 90 Michael Apstein Apr 11, 2006
($18, Serge Doré Selections, Ltd.): Voyager blended in a little Viognier into this bottling, which likely explains its lovely floral quality. A spicy and enticing black pepper component, along with great length and finesse, reinforces its similarity to wines from the Northern Rhône.… Read more
($18, Scott Street Portfolio): Another great value from Evans and Tate, this Shiraz has meaty overtones along with pepper and plum-like flavors. A savory wine, it holds its 14.5% alcohol effortlessly. 93 Michael Apstein Apr 11, 2006
($13, Ravensvale Group): An atypical Australian Shiraz, the charm of this lovely wine lies in the interplay of understated fruit flavors with gamy, earthy notes. 91 Michael Apstein Apr 11, 2006
($13, Partners Wine Marketing): Sourced from Ferngrove’s estate vineyards, this Shiraz delivers rich, ripe, plumy flavors without overwhelming the attractive gamy notes. A long and lovely wine at a wonderful price. 92 Michael Apstein Apr 11, 2006
($29, Partners Wine Marketing): A blend of two-thirds Shiraz and one-third Cabernet, Ferngrove’s flagship wine has a fabulous mix of notes including chocolate, smoke and tobacco. It’s a big wine, yet balanced, with great finesse. 93 Michael Apstein Apr 11, 2006
($21, Ravensvale Group): Another restrained style of Shiraz with long, layered flavors that linger. Although the blend includes only two percent Viognier, that little dash provides real lift and an added layer of finesse. 93 Michael Apstein Apr 11, 2006
($38, Ravensvale Group): Alkoomi’s top-of-the-line Shiraz takes its name from a local hardwood tree. It has a great combination of succulent fruit and meaty flavors, which are balanced rather than not overdone. 95 Michael Apstein Apr 11, 2006
($15, multiple distributors): Two thirds of the fruit comes from Pemberton, which gives this a lovely black pepper character, while the third that comes from the warmer Geographe subregion supplies ripeness and richness. The overall effect is a lovely balance of plums and pepper.… Read more
Shiraz (aka Syrah) is now firmly in place as Australia’s most popular grape–and wine. But it wasn’t always that way. From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, plantings of Shiraz went down by half (to about 12,500 acres) because the Australian government paid growers to pull out vines as consumption of red table wine fell from fashion.… Read more
($27, Paterno Wines): Pinot Blanc represents the neutral baseline of the world’s white wines in terms of aromas and flavors, but this Pinot Blanc is actually an exciting wine. On the nose it expresses broad, minerally notes as well as gentle floral character.… Read more
($26, Artemis Wines International): The usual–for Margaret River–delightful combination of ripe fruit and herbs buttressed by excellent structure marks this very nice wine. 88 Michael Apstein Mar 14, 2006
($42, Young’s Market): A fascinating blend of 60% Malbec and 40% Petit Verdot, this purple, inky wine looks huge, but actually is more like an intense, juicy Dolcetto with fine tannins and great character. 88 Michael Apstein Mar 14, 2006
($15, Negociants USA): Rich and supple, with some herbal elements, this wine reflects the interplay of sweet ripe fruit and slightly savory elements. 90 Michael Apstein Mar 14, 2006
($20, Commonwealth Wine & Spirits): Lovely cassis fruit, hints of chocolate and fine tannins combine to make this a juicy, fleshy wine. A great $20 value! 90 Michael Apstein Mar 14, 2006
($25, Outback Red Imports): The relatively warm location of this estate probably explains the wine’s abundant cassis character and its more subtle herbal elements. Length and supple, ripe tannins make it an engaging wine even at this young age. 90 Michael Apstein Mar 14, 2006
($35, Outback Red Imports): Owner Peter Fogarty says that this is his best wine. Made entirely from their estate-grown fruit, the Merlot component imparts an attractive herbal character that complements the overall juicy impression. It has an impressive, silky texture. 91 Michael Apstein Mar 14, 2006
($45, Old Bridge Cellars): This succulent wine offers not just fruit flavors but also hints of chocolate. Despite a slightly hot finish, it’s a classy, complex wine. 92 Michael Apstein Mar 14, 2006
($55, Artemis Wines International): This is a resounding success for the first vintage of what is sure to be this producer’s flagship wine. The quality and complexity comes from 35-year old vines, low yields (two to three tons per acre), and the talent of winemaker Nigel Kinsman.… Read more
($27, Negociants USA): Some Margaret River wineries had trouble ripening Cabernet in 2002 because it was an unusually cool growing season. Vasse Felix succeeded admirably because they used more grapes from the warmer–northern–part of the region. They fashioned a silky, ripe cassis-infused wine that still retains attractively herbal, but not unripe, elements.… Read more
($45, Old Bridge Cellars): I tasted this at a seminar on Australian and New Zealand wines that I led for a group of undergraduate students at Harvard after my return from Western Australia. It was the wine of the night and a perfect accompaniment to roasted lamb.… Read more
($70, Young’s Market): A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Cullen’s flagship wine is named in honor of Vanya’s mother. Intense but balanced and layered, it has great complexity and finesse. Floral notes and aromatic hints of herbs and spice get this wine off to a great start, and nicely interwoven ripe fruit flavors finish with supple tannins.… Read more
($45, Old Bridge Cellars): A harmonious combination of subtle chocolate, herbs, and yes, plenty of fruit, makes you want to drink this now. But resist. Drink the 2000 now and cellar this one for a few years because it will improve as the tannins soften and the flavors continue to unfold.… Read more
($20, Commonwealth Wine & Spirits): This wine’s ripe fruit flavors balance the herbal and floral notes, which are more pronounced here than in the Margaret River bottling because the Great Southern region is notably cooler. This is an elegant, layered wine, and another great value!… Read more
The labels say “product of Australia,” but red wines from Western Australia are about as un-Australian as you can get. Those expecting super ripe flavors and 15 percent alcohol so common in Australian wines are in for a major–and pleasant–surprise. These wines, whether made from Cabernet or Shiraz, have elegance, finesse and complexity.… Read more
($15, Pacific Wine Partners): The Aussies, following what the French often do in Côte Rôtie, have blended a little white wine, Viognier, with Shiraz. The delicate floral elements, undoubtedly from the Viognier, tame the Shiraz without stripping it of spice. The cooler Adelaide Hills climate imparts a refreshing lift.… Read more
($10): Reserve 2002 ($10): A big step above their Bin 50 Southeastern Australian Shiraz, the Reserve bottling, drawn exclusively from sources in South Australia, is a great buy. Its gamey, earthy complexity is an unexpected surprise for a wine at this price.… Read more
($19, Vineyard Brands): This is yet another intense Australian wine that carries its 14.5+ percent alcohol effortlessly. A juicy combination of spice from Grenache and rich plumminess from Shiraz makes this wine a joy to drink. 92 Michael Apstein Feb 28, 2006… Read more
($60, Kobrand): Craggy Range Winery, an outstanding producer specializing in wines from single vineyards, has entered the upscale Syrah sweepstakes with their Le Sol offering. Their philosophy is that unique wines arise from unique growing conditions; hence their single vineyard focus.… Read more
($10, Red Bicyclette, USA): I was prepared not to like this wine because of its cutesy name and label, but in fact, it is a pleasant, high value, southern French red wine. Plummy and quite supple, it is easy to drink before a meal and then take it to the table with burgers.… Read more
($10, Click Imports): At least some Spaniards have learned quickly how to market Old World wines to us geographically-challenged New World wines drinkers. They put the seemingly incomprehensible, but of course, essential, geographic material on the back label. The consumer is captured by the far more memorable name, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, followed by the varietal blend, on the front label.… Read more
($10, Red Bicyclette, USA): I was prepared not to like this wine because of its cutesy name and label, but in fact, it is a pleasant, high value, southern French red wine. Plummy and quite supple, it is easy to drink before a meal and then take it to the table with burgers.… Read more
The current fashion in wine, certainly in New World wines, is for ripe, fruity flavors and the massive alcohol that invariably accompanies them. Consumers looking for alternatives need to look outside the mainstream. Wines from New York State, which certainly qualify as “outside the mainstream,” offer an extra touch of ripeness that is the New World’s signature, while retaining vibrancy that a cool climate imparts.… Read more
($15): Tired of heavy, out of balance New World Chardonnay? Try this delicious wine, not lean and green as some East Coast whites can be, but lush without being overdone. Its bright acidity keeps it lively during a meal. A great value.… Read more
($16, Hess Collection Imports): Peter Lehmann makes a range of excellent wines. This boisterous Barossa Valley wine delivers smoky, earthy elements in the nose that follow on the palate. Remarkable suppleness makes it easy to drink. 88 Michael Apstein Jan 17, 2006… Read more
($16, Hess Collection Imports): An intriguing blend of about 40% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, Clancy’s Red Wine is perfect for those who prefer strong structure in their red wines. The blend works because the firmness of Cabernet supports the ripe fruit of the Shiraz and Merlot without dominating either.… Read more
($13, Pernod Ricard): Upfront ripe berry fruit, along with a touch of spice and mint, make this an engaging, easy to like Shiraz. It is full-bodied but remarkably harmonious for a wine touching 15 percent alcohol 88 Michael Apstein Jan 17, 2006… Read more
($70, TGIC Importers): Made entirely from Syrah grown on the upper slopes of Montes’Apalta Valley Vineyard, this is an unabashedly big and extracted wine with flavors that emerge over time in the glass. Oak notes are apparent, but not overwhelming, and the ripe supple tannins provide structure that keeps you coming back for more.… Read more
It is the part of restaurant dining that most people dread. You are with a group of colleagues or friends, or perhaps on a special date. The conversation is flowing, everyone is relaxed and having a good time. Then, the waiter gives you the wine list.… Read more