Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2015 i Wine Spectator

Visit www.winespectator.com/053115 to find links to all of the following resources. Exclusive information for members of WineSpectator.com: 2014 BORDEAUX BARREL TASTINGS Which wines should you buy as futures? Senior editor James Molesworth visited Bordeaux in late March to taste barrel samples of the young wines. Read his on-the-scene blogs for highlights. Plus, get his scores and tasting notes for hundreds of reds, whites and sweet wines. RATINGS FLASH! Keep on top of new releases from your favorite regions. Our new e-mail alert will let you know when we’ve added wine reviews to our Wine Ratings database from your selected regions. Just enter your e-mail address and your preferences—we’ll do the rest! Free resources for all of our WineSpectator.com readers: NEW! UNFILTERED NEWSLETTER Sign up for our free, mobilefriendly e-mail about…

When Americans do their grocery shopping, they’re increasingly finding aisles stocked with wine. A recent Nielsen study found that almost 30,000 U.S. grocery stores sold wine in 2014, up more than 9 percent since 2010. Supermarkets across the country, including superstores like Costco, sold $8.6 billion of wine last year—and that’s despite laws that prohibit or heavily restrict wine sales in grocery stores in 15 states, including big markets such as New York. Store managers are learning that when customers buy wine, they buy more food, too. Here’s a look at the top states for grocery wine sales last year. TOP 5 STATES 1 $1,588,000,000 CALIFORNIA 2 $852,000,000 FLORIDA 3 $603,000,000 TEXAS 4 $357,000,000 OHIO 5 $351,000,000 VIRGINIA THE AVERAGE CONSUMER SPENDS $47 per trip to the supermarket when they…

Ryan Seacrest is famously passionate about music: Millions of Americans know him from his roles on American Idol, American Top 40 and his Los Angeles morning radio show, On Air With Ryan Seacrest. Less well known, however, is the television and radio host’s deep love— nay, “obsession,” as Seacrest puts it—for wine. When Seacrest, 40, got his first job as a DJ for a local radio station in San Francisco almost 20 years ago, he was thrilled that his salary would allow him to budget for a great bottle of California wine every week. His fondness for the wines of his adopted home state, and his friendships with Napa vintners, eventually led him to a new hosting gig in 2006: Auction Napa Valley. Seacrest chatted recently with assistant editor Esther…

Want to win friends and influence people with your cheese connoisseurship? Master the cheese plate. Put together a course of the finest table cheeses and serve it to a group of your favorite foodies—that is, if you don’t mind them relentlessly hounding you to liven up every future special occasion with your expert selections. Buffet-style appetizer cheese boards get messy in a hurry and don’t do right by finer cheeses. Serving a wellplanned plate at the end of a meal is the only civilized option. “I always serve cheese before or in place of dessert,” says Liz Thorpe, cheese consultant par extraordinaire and author of The Cheese Chronicles and a forthcoming reference book. “The level of delight and appreciation from my guests always exceeds expectations.” To concerns about consuming rich…

CABERNET & COMPANY Chile’s benevolent climate has been kind to Cabernet Sauvignon, with the regions of Maipo and Colchagua the standard bearers. But as cooler areas have been planted, such as the Leyda Valley, flavorful wines are also being made from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. VIÑA KOYLE Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Royale Los Lingues Vineyard 2012 (91, $26) Ripe; plum, dark cherry, currant, dried beef, Asian spice, mint, dark chocolate VIÑA LEYDA Pinot Noir Leyda Valley Las Brisas Vineyard 2013 (91, $22) Cherry, red currant, sandalwood, spice, mineral; elegant CONCHA Y TORO Cabernet Sauvignon Marchigue Serie Riberas Gran Reserva 2013 (90, $17) Dried berry, cherry tart, forest floor VIÑA POLKURA Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Bela 2012 (90, $20) Tense, silky; dark fruit, Asian spice, white chocolate VIÑA CASABLANCA Cabernet…

In Pursuit of Balance argues for the virtues of a particular wine style that exemplifies the group’s concept of “balance.” In February, I ponied up $125 to attend a New York tasting of California wines sponsored by a group that calls itself In Pursuit of Balance. About 30 wineries poured their newest Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir releases. Although my tasting beats focus on the Old World, I have long been a fan of California wines. I regularly cellar a few California wineries and I’m always interested in the state’s new wines and the evolution of its wine industry. At the IPOB tasting, I focused on Chardonnay. Among the standouts were Wind Gap’s 2009 Woodruff Vineyard, Tyler’s 2012 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and, from the same site, Chanin’s 2013 Sanford &…

An obsession with vineyards led to what is perhaps Ken Wright’s most lasting achievement: the creation of six sub-appellations in northern Willamette Valley. Today, Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, Ribbon Ridge, Dundee Hills, McMinnville and Eola–Amity Hills appear regularly on wine labels. It wasn’t easy. After a false start in 1995, Wright used his considerable powers of persuasion to convince fellow vintners to apply for the approval of these American Viticultural Areas in 2000. By 2005, when the sub-AVAs were finally in place, consumers and the trade picked up on them quickly. Wright had expected to spend a lifetime getting people to pay attention to the new districts. But dividing a Pinot Noir region into component parts was a natural approach to anyone familiar with Burgundy. Wright suggested the broad outlines of…

Alex Guarachi’s 30-year career as a wine importer dates back to a time when Chile’s modern wine industry was, as he puts it, “in diapers.” This was in 1985, the year Guarachi, 60, began importing Chilean wine into the United States. A native of Chile but a U.S. citizen, he is a bridge between two eras as well as two continents. Ever since he started as an importer, Guarachi has been in the thick of an international web that has drawn in some of the biggest players and finest wines in the Americas. In the late 1980s, he helped childhood friend Aurelio Montes launch and distribute Viña Montes, now among Chile’s largest and most respected brands. And now, decades later, Guarachi is also a California vintner. In the mid-2000s, Guarachi…

Southern Italy’s Irpinia winegrowing district, located in the heart of the Campania region, is a pastoral patchwork of vines, fields of grass and cereal, and groves of hazelnut, olive, oak and chestnut trees. Only 50 miles from Naples and the hot and sunny beaches of the AmalfiCoast, it can be lush and green, even at the height of summer. The area’s proximity to the sea and its compact chain of mountains create a verdant environment for grapegrowing and wine production. But most visitors bypass Campania’s tranquil interior, even though the region has quietly been making some of the best reds in southern Italy for decades with its Taurasi DOCG, and the region’s whites have raised the bar in the past 10 to 15 years. During the past year, I have…

AUSTRALIA 89 Flegenheimer Bros. Paisant Red McLaren Vale 2013 $21 Light in weight and color, with a crisp feel to the red berry and white pepper flavors, finishing with finesse. Grenache and Shiraz. Drink now through 2019. 800 cases made.—H.S. 89 Fowles Chardonnay Victoria Are You Game? 2013 $17 Sleek and focused, with pinpoint pear, lime and spice flavors on a polished frame. The finish has intensity. Drink now through 2017. 5,000 cases made.—H.S. 89 Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir Yarra Valley 2013 $20 Focused and distinctive, featuring a contrast of blueberry and red fruit flavors, with an earthy edge shading the extended finish. Needs time to come together. Best from 2016 through 2020. 3,800 cases imported.—H.S. 88 Fowles Chardonnay Central Victoria 490 Metres 2013 $15 Sleek, lithe and juicy, with…

Humans have been drinking for a long time. Archaeological evidence suggests people in China were deliberately mixing grapes with rice to produce a fermented beverage between 7000 B.C. and 6000 B.C. But scientists have theorized for several years that our thirst for alcohol goes back much further, to the prehistoric days when early man tasted fermented fruit and enjoyed the taste—and the buzz. Now a new study by researchers in Florida and Indiana argues that we inherited a tolerance for booze from our primate ancestors, who evolved the ability to efficiently metabolize alcohol roughly 10 million years ago. Fruit—full of sugar and delicious to yeast—has always been prone to fermentation. Recent research has shown that the most common species of winemaking yeast evolved to produce higher amounts of alcohol during…

On Feb. 7, the 11th triennial wine auction of the Lyric Opera of Chicago raised $1.8 million. Its $1,042,300 in live bids represents a record for the event. “This year we had such strong wine commitments that we didn’t feel that we needed other luxury goods, as we have done in the past,” said Erica Sandner, the event’s chairwoman. At $40,000, the top auction lot, donated by the Frescobaldi family, was a trip for two to Tuscany, complete with visits to Frescobaldi’s Masseto estate and Antinori’s Villa Tignanello. Another high note came when a wine dinner with opera singer Renée Fleming sold for $34,000—after which Fleming spontaneously offered a second dinner, won by another bidder for $30,000. Bordeaux winemaker David Launay, of Château Gruaud-Larose, served as the auction’s honored guest…

Years ago, when I first started making chocolates, I noticed that mine seemed to melt in people’s hands more quickly than the pros’ did, and the chocolate felt kind of soft. It turns out I was skipping a crucial process called “tempering.” Have you heard of tempered glass? It is made stronger than regular glass through a careful heating and cooling process (and sometimes chemical treatment). Putting chocolate through similar paces gives it a slightly higher melting point, better snap and a longer shelf life. When is tempering necessary? “Any time a chocolate is used by itself it must be tempered,” says Peter Greweling, professor of baking and pastry arts at CIA and author of Chocolates and Confections at Home With the Culinary Institute of America. So for shell molding…

Even in lesser years, infant Napa Cabs are fascinating to taste. In great years such as 2013, they are stunning. In what has become an annual rite of winter, Napa winemakers trotted out some of their rarest wines at Premiere Napa Valley in February. The tradeonly event, organized by Napa Valley Vintners, includes a barrel tasting and auction where producers showcase their specialty cuvées—new pet bottlings and cellar trial balloons. Premiere amounts to an annual physical for Napa’s heavyweight champion, Cabernet. It’s a chance for hard-core fans to sink their purple-stained teeth into the new vintage, assess its quality and take the pulse of the market. This year’s selection mostly hailed from the next superstar vintage, 2013. It’s hard not to be enthralled by these seductive beauties. Even in lesser…

On a crisp and sunny December morning, the view from the village of Chiroubles in France’s Beaujolais region presents a quintessential picture of idyllic countryside: rolling hills of vines and pastureland divided by narrow, winding roads, and a calm, sleepy feeling that seems to hold the modern world at bay. But change is coming to Beaujolais and its wines, and while the process has been painful, the prospects are bright. The huge success of Beaujolais Nouveau in the 1970s and ’80s brought unprecedented prosperity to the area, but a subsequent backlash in the ’90s against these often mass-produced and lesser-quality versions created an image problem that the region’s wineries have been hard-pressed to resolve. But difficulties can sometimes present new possibilities. “There was an economic crisis [in the region] 10…

Highly Recommended The issue’s most impressive wines. Includes top-scorers and wines that represent optimal purchases based on their combination of score, price and availability. 97 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block 2012 $195 CALIFORNIA A remarkably seductive effort, delightfully creamy and chocolaty, plush and layered, with a firm, rich, potent core of dense, earth-laced currant and blackberry flavors. Firm cedary oak is evident, gliding along gracefully on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 200 cases made.—J.L. 94 Colene Clemens Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains Adriane 2012 $50 OREGON Distinctly spicy and peppery, this is layered, complex and harmonious, with generous cherry and floral flavors on an open-weave frame. The tannins are well-submerged in the mix, and the finish echoes beautifully. Drink now through 2022. 1,096 cases…

The cornerstones of a successful party are good friendship and lively conversation, but delicious wines certainly don’t hurt. If you’re hosting, make sure to plan the wines in advance, including time to chill or decant them if necessary—a last-minute raid of your wine cabinet might distract you from enjoying the festivities. MATCHING WINES TO THE OCCASION There are many kinds of parties and many types of wine. Make your guests happy by finding the best matches. Here are some ideas. DR. VINNY Dear Dr. Vinny, Is it OK to serve a wine that is brought by a guest that same evening? —Sandy, Springfield, Va. Dear Sandy, A host or hostess gift is traditionally considered just that—a gift—which means there is no obligation to serve it that evening. When I host,…

Hats Off to Harvey Harvey Steiman’s piece on Anthony Bourdain (cover, March 31) is perhaps the best piece he has written for Wine Spectator, and I have been a regular reader since 1985. It is apparent that he really connected with Bourdain, and his article provides wonderful insights into what makes this man tick. Harvey is a great writer and there is no secret as to why he has been a mainstay of your publication. Hats off to Wine Spectator and Harvey for the great work over the years. Joel Jensen Southgate, Ky. A Question of Coverage Don’t get me wrong, I love Anthony Bourdain, but when I saw the cover of your March 31 issue and read the disappointingly short article, “In Memoriam, Serge Hochar,” I could not help…

A Scandalous Glass A simply designed, handblown red wine goblet from Crate & Barrel has been selling quickly, thanks to regular appearances on ABC’s show Scandal. Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington, is known for ending stressful days as a Washington, D.C., power broker with a glass of red wine. Fans seem to like the look and style of the Camille, as the glass is called. “The glass has sold out multiple times in the past couple of years,” said Vicki Lang, director of public relations for Crate & Barrel. The chain is expecting new shipments this spring. —Kasey Carpenter New Investors in Pinot A group of investors led by Ken Fredrickson, a master sommelier and wholesaler, purchased a 70 percent stake in Brewer-Clifton, one of Sta. Rita Hills’ top…

While man remains the only animal to conduct blind tastings and publish wine reviews, plenty of other species enjoy alcohol. In his second book on evolution, The Descent of Man, Charles Darwin noted that some villagers in Africa had learned to trap wild baboons by placing bowls of beer outside at night. In the morning, they easily captured the drunken monkeys lying nearby. Alcohol has been on Earth for eons. Scientists have found evidence that single-cell microbes were able to consume simple sugars and turn them into carbon dioxide and ethanol 4 billion years ago. But happy hour really started 100 million years in the past, when fruit-bearing trees first appeared. Fruit makes an ideal fermentation vat, and ripe, swollen fruit lures all kinds of insects, birds and mammals because…

As time goes by and you become more exposed to wines, chances are you’ll find your palate changing. It might seem that once you’ve “acquired a palate” it becomes a fixed thing, like calibrating the color on your big-screen TV. But it’s not so. If anything, as time goes by and you become more exposed to wines, chances are you’ll find your palate changing, effectively transforming into something surprisingly different from what it was originally. I’m not talking simply about changing tastes, where you find that you like Syrah more and Cabernet Sauvignon less. Rather, I’m referring to the underlying values that you prize, regardless of the grape variety or type of wine under consideration. How do you know if your palate is transforming? It’s not enough merely to say…

As a source of value-priced reds and whites, Chile is a winemaking juggernaut. It’s a testament to Chile’s development over the past two to three decades that the country can offer dozens of bottlings, including international varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, that rival counterparts from California, Australia and elsewhere in the New World. For example, it’s hard to beat the qualityto-price ratio of Concha y Toro’s Marqués de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 from the Puente Alto district, which hails from storied terroir just south of the capital, Santiago. Delivering a suave mix of dark fruit, cherry and spice flavors, along with an appealing hint of green herb, the wine rates an outstanding 91 points on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale and costs only $26 a bottle. A white…

This Buying Guide contains ratings of new releases from around the world and the results of special tastings reported on in greater depth elsewhere in the issue. Complete tasting notes are provided for all new releases scoring 85 or more points (on the Wine Spectator 100-point scale, explained below); notes for wines scoring 84 points or less are included at the discretion of the taster. Additional reviews appear 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. If no reviewer’s initials appear, the wine was tasted by a panel of Wine Spectator editors. James Laube California Harvey Steiman Australia, Oregon, Washington Thomas Matthews Spain Kim Marcus Argentina, Austria, Chile, Germany, Portugal Bruce…