($19, Vine Connections): This Malbec is a refreshing change from the overly ripe, sweet ones that 
bombard the market. Instead layers of fruit intermingle with smoky and earthy notes. There are even attractive slightly bitter cherry notes in the finish. It’s another good option for robust dishes.… Read more
Category Archives: Reviews
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley (Washington) Merlot 2008
($16): Chateau Ste. Michelle, a consistently top-notch producer, has made another easy-to-recommend wine with this Merlot. A touch (7%) of Syrah adds warmth and just the right amount of heft. Toasty and suave, this forward fruity wine has ripe tannins that add structure without aggressiveness.… Read more
Chateau Ste Michelle, Columbia Valley (Washington) Syrah 2008
($13): Those who think that Syrah, as a varietal wine, has not lived up to its potential in the USA should try this one. As is the custom in the Northern Rhône, Chateau Ste Michelle has included a small amount (5%) of Viognier in the blend, which accounts for its lovely floral aspect. … Read more
Pfaffl Wine Estate, Weinviertel (Niederösterreich, Austria) St. Laurent Altenberg Vineyard 2007
($44, Palm Bay International): St. Laurent, a grape related to Pinot Noir according to DNA profiling, is gaining popularity in Austria. After tasting this splendid example, it’s 
easy to see why. It’s a harmonious marriage of sweet and savory notes, with even a trace of a bitter cherry finish. … Read more
Tapeña, Tierra de Castilla (Castilla y León, Spain) Garnacha 2010
($10, Freixenet USA): Tapeña’s Tempranillo (also reviewed this week) their Garnacha is another easy-to-recommend bargain. Slightly lighter than the Tempranillo with red, as opposed to dark, fruit flavors predominating, it has the same uplifting acidity and charm. It will be a crowd pleaser on the Thanksgiving table.… Read more
Tapeña, Tierra de Castilla (Castilla y León, Spain) Tempranillo 2010
($10, Freixenet USA): Usually wines with cutesy names and labels disappoint. The name of this one, suggestive of tapas, and the fork on the label qualifies for cutesy. But the wine most definitely does not disappoint. It’s a mid-weight cheery wine with attractive bitter dark cherry-tinged notes and fresh acidity that offsets the fruitiness. … Read more
Bodega Elena de Mendoza, Mendoza (Argentina) Malbec 2010
($11, Wine Brokers Unlimited): Malbec is all the rage these days. Most, especially at this price, are just 
overdone big red wines. This one, in contrast, with a stated alcohol of 13.8%, is certainly fruity and bold, but not over the top and actually has complexity with layers of flavors. … Read more
Pfaffl Wine Estate, Weinviertel (Niederösterreich, Austria) Gruner Veltliner Haidviertel Vineyard 2010
($20, Palm Bay Imports): 
One of the leaders in Weinviertel region, Pfaffl is a family owned estate just outside of Vienna that makes an array of lovely wines. This one, from a single vineyard in the town of Stetten overlooking the Danube, reminds us that Grüner Veltliner, as difficult as it may be to pronounce, is a varietal worth remembering. … Read more
Craggy Range, Hawkes Bay (New Zealand) Chardonnay Kidnapper’s Vineyard 2010
($22, Kobrand): 
Craggy Range is one of New Zealand’s top producers. They focus on single-vineyard wines and have the uncanny ability to make distinctive wines from a broad range of grape varieties, both white and red. This is one of them. … Read more
Frisk, Alpine Valleys (Victoria, Australia) Riesling ‘Prickly’ 2011
($11, Old Bridge Cellars): The label rightly informs you it’s prickly, courtesy of a natural spritziness. What the label fails to mention is that it’s a touch sweet. Not in a cloying way—actually a quite attractive sweetness—but a surprising one nonetheless. … Read more
Bodega Elena, Mendoza (Argentina) Chardonnay 2010
($11, Wine Brokers Unlimited): It’s always refreshing to find a Chardonnay at this price that is worth recommending. A touch of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend might account for its lighter, more vivid signature. Whatever the reason, it’s a fine choice when ordering “a glass of Chardonnay” or you need something less expensive for a large crowd.… Read more
Crios, Mendoza (Argentina) Torrontes 2011
($15, Vine Connections): Susana Balbo, owner of the Dominio del Plata winery (aka Crios), must be
one of Argentina’s best winemakers. With the 2011 vintage, she handed the pipette to her son, José Lovaglio, who, judging by this wine, is every bit as talented. … Read more
Craggy Range, Martinborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc Te Muna Road Vineyard 2010
($22, Kobrand): While the Marlborough region gets lots of acclaim—rightly so—for their Sauvignon Blanc, let’s not overlook Martinborough, literally a stone’s throw away on the southern tip of the North Island. Craggy Range’s 2010 from its Te Muna Road Vineyard is simply dazzling. … Read more
Starborough, Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2010
($15, Starborough Vineyards): This zippy wine delivers just the right dollop of clean citrus-tinged notes and herbal pungency. It’s a well-priced introduction to the allure of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and a good choice for simply grilled fish. 87 Michael Apstein Nov 1, 2011… Read more
Vidal-Fleury, Côte-Rôtie (Rhône Valley, France) “Brune et Blonde” 2005
($74, W J Deutsch): 
The popularity–and price–of Côte-Rôtie has skyrocketed recently. In 1971, the appellation consisted of only 140 acres and was shrinking. Currently it covers about 500 acres, divided principally between the steep slopes behind the town of Ampuis, named Côte Blonde and Côte Brune because of the sandy/limestone soil of the former and the iron containing clay soil of the latter. … Read more
Pfaffl Wine Estate, Niederösterreich (Austria) Grüner Veltliner “Austrian Pepper” 2010
($15, Palm Bay International): One of the leaders in Weinviertel, a subregion of the Niederösterreich, Pfaffl is a family owned estate just outside of Vienna that deserves their fine reputation. This, what they refer to as their “entry level” wine is a stunning example of a bargain-priced Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s signature white grape. … Read more
Kilikanoon, Clare Valley (South Australia) Riesling “Mort’s Block” 2009
($35, Old Bridge Cellars): One of my biggest surprises tasting wines was discovering how good Australian Riesling is. The conventional wisdom is that Australia is hot (an overly broad generalization), and that Riesling needs cool climate (not always, it turns out). … Read more
Château de Jau, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Languedoc, France) 2008
($13, Pasternak Wine Imports): The usual Mediterranean suspects, Syrah (45%), Mourvèdre (30%), Carignan (15%), and Grenache, come together here to form a winning combination. There’s a wild strawberry-like fruitiness coupled with engaging earthy notes for added complexity. Nicely polished tannins make this mid-weight red easy to enjoy now. … Read more
Pacific Rim, Columbia Valley (Washington) Riesling Selenium Vineyard Vin de Glaciére 2007
($18): Make no mistake, with 16 percent residual sugar, this is a sweet Riesling, best suited either with cheese or as dessert. (I am not an advocate of sweet wines with dessert because I think the sweetness of the dessert and the wine fight with one another, but that’s a subject I’ll to leave to Paul Lukacs and Marguerite Thomas’s “Wine With” column). … Read more
Forrest Estate, Marlborough (New Zealand) Riesling “The Doctors’” 2010
($19, Pacific Prime Wines): Many consumers have become quite conscious of alcohol levels in wine these days (and that’s also true of many writers, for that matter), and this 
is a very unusual New World wine in how restrained it is in terms of alcohol content. … Read more
Frederic Mabileau, St. Nicolas de Bourgueil (Loire Valley, France) “Les Rouillères” 2009
($20, Simon N Cellars): The Loire Valley is so well known for its vibrant whites that consumers often overlook the reds from this region. That’s a shame because when fully ripe, Cabernet Franc, the major red grape in the region, delivers a lovely balance of red fruit flavors and leafy notes. … Read more
Les Deux Rives, Corbières (Languedoc, France) 2008
($9, Pasternak Wine Imports): Corbières, one of the best known of the many appellations that comprise the Languedoc region in the south of France, is a good source of high value red wine. And this is one of them. A typical Mediterranean blend of Grenache (40%), Syrah (30%), Mourvèdre 20 (%), and Carignan, it has a lovely combination of delicate spice and succulent red fruit, almost wild strawberry-like, notes. … Read more
Domaines Baron Rothschild Lafite, Corbières (Languedoc, France) “Blason d’Aussiéres” 2008
($17, Pasternak Wine Imports): 
The usual suspects — Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan — come together to form a more muscular and sophisticated version of Les Deux Rives (also reviewed this week). Deeper and more concentrated, it conveys the similar attractive combination of spice and black fruit flavors. … Read more
Plantagenet, Great Southern (Western Australia, Australia) Chardonnay 2008
($15, Old Bridge Cellars): Wines from Western Australia typically show more restraint compared to those from other parts of the country because the cooling influences of the Indian and Southern Oceans mean the grapes achieve slower, more balanced ripeness. This delectable Chardonnay supports that generalization with a lovely combination of toastiness and subtle creamy notes that sit atop a haunting flintiness. … Read more
Reviews: ITALY
Villa Cerna, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) Riserva 2010 ($24, Banfi Imports): 
Andrea Cecchi and his brother represent the fourth generation of the family making wine. They have four estates, one in Umbria, and three in their home base of Tuscany, including this one, Villa Cerna. … Read more
Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River (Western Australia, Australia) “Siblings” 2009
($18, Old Bridge Cellars): This seamless blend of roughly two-thirds Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon harnesses the best of both grapes. It has the bright herbal aspect of Sauvignon Blanc softened just a bit by the lanolin texture of Semillon. The Semillon rounds out the wine without obliterating the invigorating pungency of the Sauvignon Blanc. … Read more
Sauvion, Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie (Loire Valley, France) Château du Cléray 2010
($15, W J Deutsch): Sur lie means the wine has been kept on the lees (dead yeast), which act as an anti-oxidant keeping the wine fresh and lively, until bottling. That may explain why the 2010 Château du Cléray is even snappier at this stage than the 2009 (previously reviewed). … Read more
Cadaretta, Columbia Valley (Washington) “SBS” 2010
($23): 
Cadaretta has adopted the Western Australia custom of using SBS on the label to indicate a Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend. The Semillon (25%) in Cadaretta’s blend puts a glossy coating on the grassy herbal pungency of Sauvignon Blanc and adds body. … Read more
Cloudy Bay, Marlborough (New Zealand) Pinot Noir 2007
($35, Moët Hennessey USA): 
Cloudy Bay thrust New Zealand onto the world’s wine map with their Sauvignon Blanc two decades ago. They’ve added Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to their portfolio and while neither will replace their Sauvignon Blanc as their standard bearer, this Pinot Noir shows that the Marlborough region is well suited for that varietal. … Read more
Plantagenet, Western Australia (Australia) Sauvignon Blanc ‘Omrah’ 2009
($15, Old Bridge Cellars): 
Founded in 1974, Plantagenet was the first winery in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia. They are well known for their stunning Rieslings, which develop beautifully with bottle age and are among Australia’s best. Less well-known is their second label, Omrah, which represents great value. … Read more
Domaine de la Perrière, Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) 2009
($21, Pasternak Wine Imports): Guy Saget, one of the Loire’s best producers, has controlled this domaine for the past 15 years. The 2009, a great vintage in the Loire, is one of his best. With so much diluted Sancerre on the market, it’s a pleasure to find this one, full of chalky minerality. … Read more
Peter Lehmann, Adelaide (South Australia) ‘Layers’ 2010
($17, Hess Collection): An unconventional blend of Semillon (37%), Muscat (20%), 
Gewürztraminer (20%), Pinot Gris (19%) and Chardonnay suggests that this wine was an afterthought—a way to use leftovers—not planned. Whatever the motivation, it’s an engaging blend that works. Flowery aromatics reinforce its lightness (11.5% stated alcohol) while a lovely lanolin-like texture, undoubtedly from the Semillon, contributes body. … Read more
Georges Duboeuf, Julienas (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) Chateau des Capitans 2010
($19, WJ Deutsch): Duboeuf, often dubbed the King of Beaujolais because he controls so much of the production of that region, was the first négociant to credit the individual grower by putting growers’ names, in addition to his own, on labels. … Read more
Two Princes, Nahe (Germany) Riesling 2010
($14, Valckenberg): Some German producers, responding to the criticism that their labels are too detailed and confusing, have simplified them. This label just tells us that it’s a Riesling from somewhere in the Nahe, a less well-known region that geographically lies just west of the Rheinhessen. … Read more
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley (Washington) Cabernet Sauvignon “Indian Wells” 2009
($18): Chateau Ste. Michelle consistently turns out wines that deliver far more than the prices suggests. This harmonious wine marries red and black fruit flavors with intriguing subtle herbal, almost minty, notes. Not overdone, it speaks to you instead of screaming at you. … Read more
Schloss Saarstein, Saar (Germany) Riesling Serrig Schloss Saarsteiner Kabinett 2010
($26, Valckenberg): The vineyard, Schloss Saarstein, is located in the village of Serrig in the Saar Valley and is owned exclusively (a monopole) by Schloss Saarstein. Hence, there is confusion since the producer and the vineyard have the same name. However, let there be no confusion about the quality of the wine. … Read more
Clos LaChance, Central Coast (Californiac) Cabernet Sauvignon “White Stone Vineyard” 2008
($40): The White Stone Vineyard is the name to give to a 10-acre select hillside portion of their 150-acre estate vineyard in San Martin. Bold, perhaps in part due to a little Malbec (5%) in the blend, this Cabernet focuses on power, but retains elegance.… Read more
Los Vascos, Casablanca Valley (Chile) Sauvignon Blanc 2010
($11, Pasternak Wine Imports): Los Vascos knows how to deliver. Their 2008 Cabernet (previously reviewed) delivers more than the price suggests. And this Sauvignon Blanc is in the same category. It has the distinctive pungency and brightness of Sauvignon Blanc without off putting overly grassy notes.… Read more
Goldwater, Wairau Valley (Marlborough, New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2010
($15, Pasternak Wine Imports): This wine has the expected electrifying zing we’ve come to expect from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. But it also delivers a flinty, almost smoky, quality that makes it stand apart. It has an expansive mouth-filling quality often lacking in wines at this price.… Read more
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Horse Heaven Hills (Washington) Sauvignon Blanc Horse Heaven Vineyard 2010
($15): Chateau Ste. Michelle touts their single vineyard wines, such as this one, as distinctive wines from a single site. That’s surely the case with this Sauvignon Blanc. Layers of citrus notes, herbal nuances and green apple vivacity make this an unusually complex Sauvignon Blanc. … Read more
Graff Collection, Mosel (Germany) Riesling Spätlese Graacher Himmelreich 2010
($17): The wine merchant and importer, Valckenberg acquired the Carl Graff estate in 1969 and sold off the vineyards, but kept the rights to the name, eventually dropping the Carl. Hence, this is a négociant wine and shows just how good they can be when the selection is rigorous. … Read more
Maximin Grünhäuser, Mosel (Germany) Riesling Spätlese Abtsberg 2010
($37): The Maximin Grünhaus estate, one of Germany’s finest, has been owned exclusively by the von Schubert family since 1882. As a monopole, the usual German style of nomenclature–village followed by vineyard name–is not required. It’s composed of two reasonably sized (35-45 acres) south facing vineyards, Abtsberg and Herrenberg and one tiny (2.5-acre) one, Bruderberg, on the slopes of the Ruwer River just before it joins the Mosel. … Read more
Weingut Johannishof, Johannisberg (Rheingau, Germany) Riesling Kabinett ‘V’ 2010
($24, Valckenberg): Johannishof is one of the great producers in the Rheingau, where they own about 50 acres in prized vineyards, included Vogelsang. For unknown reasons they opt to call this wine V instead of putting the vineyard name on the label. … Read more
Clos La Chance, Central Coast (California) JoLi Estate Vineyard ‘Meritage Red Wine’ 2007
($50): Named after their grandchildren, Joseph and Lila, this is a gorgeous Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (59%), Merlot (27%), Petit Verdot (9%) and Malbec. Though each varietal adds character, it’s a seamless blend with no one component dominating. Juicy and succulent fruit flavors are interwoven with earthy mineral notes. … Read more
Jordan, Alexander Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
($52): 
Jordan has been known for finesse-filled wines since their first release, the 1976 Cabernet Sauvignon, in 1980. Winemaker Rob Davis and owners Tom and Sally Jordan have never veered from that style despite the movement toward riper, more massive Cabernet by most of the California wine industry. … Read more
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley (Washington) Riesling 2010
($9): Chateau Ste. Michelle continues its streak of making terrific, well-priced Riesling. The 2010 has the classic Riesling nose of flowers and minerals that follows through onto the palate. Limey acidity balances a delicate fruitiness and gives this dry Riesling a peppy signature. … Read more
Von Kesselstatt, Piesport (Mosel, Germany) Riesling Kabinett Goldtropfschen 2010
($25, Valckenberg): It’s hard to miss with the wines from Von Kesselstatt, one of the leading producers in the Mosel. What’s amazing is how undervalued these wines remain. Goldtropfschen is one of, if not the most, acclaimed vineyards in Piesport, probably the Mosel’s most famous town. … Read more
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley (Washington) Merlot ‘Indian Wells’ 2009
($18): This Merlot conveys herbal, leafy nuances that offset the succulent black fruit flavors and gives the wine a more delicate and intriguing aspect. Polished and long, it’s far less of an overpowering fruit bomb than its 14.5 percent alcohol would suggest. … Read more
Penfolds, South Australia (Australia) Shiraz “St. Henri 2006
($65, FWE Imports): One of the reasons Penfolds is a great producer is that it turns out a wide spectrum of distinctive wines even within a single varietal. The St. Henri Shiraz is, as they call it, a counterpoint to Grange.… Read more
Domaine Fournier, Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) “Cuvée Silex” 2008
($38, David Milligan Selection): I know, why pay $38 for Sancerre when so many good ones go for less than $30? Simple, this one’s unique and worth every penny of it. Fournier is one of Sancerre’s star producers. His Cuvée Silex comes from a distinctive 5-acre parcel whose soil is mostly flint.… Read more