Innholdsfortegnelse for October 15, 2016 i Wine Spectator

Visit www.winespectator.com/101516 to find links to all of the following resources. Free resources for all our WineSpectator.com readers: VOTE IN THE 2016 VIDEO CONTEST! Original short wine videos have been pouring into Wine Spectator’s 10th annual Video Contest. (Entry deadline is Monday, Sept. 5.) On Sept. 12, we’ll post the finalists so you can vote for your favorite. The first-place winner will receive a pair of tickets to our spectacular Wine Experience weekend. The top video will be revealed on Sept. 20. In the meantime, check out the entry guidelines and previous years’ finalists at www.winespectator.com/videocontest2016. THE WINE WORLD, UNFILTERED Love wine and spirits? Love pop culture? Get the scoop on how drinks intersect with movies, TV, music, sports, politics and more, in our weekly web column and its companion…

JACK ROSE 2 ounces applejack or apple brandy 3⁄4 ounce fresh lemon juice 3⁄4 ounce grenadine Place all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Once upon a time, long before whiskey ruled our land, nothing was more American than Mom and apple spirits. It may not have been a New World creation, like Bourbon, but the first drink settlers to these shores distilled was the fermented juice of apples. That drink’s recent rediscovery by craft distillers has rendered some exquisite examples with which to toast autumn’s arrival. In the wake of a hard apple cider revival, a coterie of microdistillers (especially in apple-growing regions) have been polishing apple brandy and the related spirit applejack. In turn, bartenders have used the spirit to…

SPANISH BULLION These value wines from Spain are as good as gold. From Bierzo in the northwest to Montsant on the Mediterranean coast, with Ribera del Duero and Rioja in between, here is a group of reds and whites that offer both the traditional and modern sides of Spanish wine. ACÚSTIC CELLER Carinyena-Garnatxa Montsant Braó Vinyes Velles 2013 (93, $36) Vibrant, velvety; tart cherry, raspberry, currant, licorice, mountain herb, mineral BODEGAS FRANCO-ESPAÑOLAS Rioja Bordón Gran Reserva 2007 (92, $25) Dried cherry, floral, vanilla, spice, orange peel; elegant BODEGAS FEDERICO PATERNINA Rioja Gran Reserva 2006 (92, $25) Expressive; cherry, vanilla, spice, mineral, orange peel BODEGAS SIERRA CANTABRIA Rioja Reserva 2010 (92, $27) Cherry, black tea, licorice, floral; harmonious VALDRINAL Ribera del Duero Reserva 2011 (92, $24) Firm, graceful; ripe cassis, raspberry,…

A millennium and a half ago, the land that is modern-day Israel was renowned for its wine. The numerous ancient wine presses still being discovered today demonstrate how great the demand was for wine from this part of the world. In modern times, Israel has struggled to establish itself as a wine destination. Although the wine industry was revived in the 19th century under the initiative of Edmond de Rothschild, quality for many years was lackluster as nation-building took precedence over vinous pleasures. As a result, wine tourism in Israel remained stunted. Visiting vineyards and wineries? This is the Middle East, not Europe. However, since the turn of the century, Israel’s wine culture has been rapidly evolving. In the mid-1980s, there were only about 15 active wineries in the country;…

“Rioja made a big mistake. We focused on gran reserva, rather than grand cru.” When Álvaro Palacios made this observation, in 2012, he was standing in an old-vine Garnacha vineyard at his Bodegas Palacios Remondo estate in Rioja Baja. During the past 30 years, he has made brilliant wines from Rioja, Priorat and Bierzo, always seeking out old vines and focusing on distinctive terroir. “We have to valorize the growers and the terroir of their vineyards.”–TELMO RODRÍGUEZ But Spanish wine law mostly takes a different approach. Rioja is a large wine region, with more than 150,000 acres of vineyards. That’s three times the size of Napa Valley. Yet unlike Napa, which is divided into 16 distinctive subappellations, all of Rioja comprises only one geographic designation. Instead of geography, Rioja’s quality…

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 Oregon, Washington Thomas Matthews Spain Kim Marcus Argentina, Austria, Chile,…

RECOMMENDED WINES CHEF’S PICK: Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard 2012 WINE SPECTATOR ALTERNATES: Flora Springs Merlot Napa Valley 2013 (90, $30) Arianna Occhipinti Frappato Terre Siciliane 2013 (91, $43) Comfort food is the name of the game at the Second Floor by Scott Gottlich, a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence–winning bistro in Dallas. But not in the way you might think. “We don’t mean black-eyed peas and fried chicken,” Gottlich says. “We mean the comfort of the food that we have an emotional tie with.” He likes to take a cherished food memory, elevate it and put it on the menu. The dish he’s provided here is served only occasionally at special dinners at the Second Floor. “We have customers that say, ‘When you have this on the…

There was a moment when it appeared as if Orville Magoon might establish the reputation of Lake County wine. Orville Magoon’s eyes used to twinkle whenever he recalled the story of how his mother admonished him and his brother, Eaton, to do something “more romantic” than growing hay or running cattle on their 23,000-acre spread in the wilds of Lake County. Born of Scottish, Hawaiian and Chinese ancestry, the Magoon brothers came to California from Honolulu. They acquired their pristine expanse in Coyote Valley in 1963 in a threeway land swap with the University of Hawaii and a private rancher, trading their Hawaiian beachfront property for the settlement called Guenoc. Located in the southeast corner of Lake County, the property borders on and extends into Napa County, allowing it to…

Israel offers a panoply of grapes and flavors and a consistent level of quality. And though its best white and red wines remain firmly rooted in French varieties, its vintners are beginning to explore the native grapes of the West Bank—a region showing ample promise for the years to come. Over the past year, I have reviewed more than 120 Israeli wines. About two-thirds are red, reflecting the population’s preference for Bordeaux-style blends. There is also a nascent movement for vinifying southern French varieties such as Syrah, which is yielding impressive results. Whites are coming on strong with terroir-driven wines from higher and cooler terrains that are rich in limestone. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate this category, but there are noteworthy bottlings of Marsanne and Roussanne, as well as some…

A day in the life of Rupert Murdoch is not short on diversions. But the 85-year-old media tycoon has found, he says, “a great new interest.” Wine will do that to people. Even to a man of Murdoch’s station. In 2012, Murdoch purchased Moraga Estate, a boutique winery in Bel Air, a tony neighborhood of Los Angeles. “It’s like a new life,” Murdoch says of his involvement with the wine business. “It might require me to work less, which I won’t, but I have more time and I just enjoy it. It keeps me busy.” Murdoch doesn’t really need a new project to keep busy. Since buying Moraga, he has stepped down as CEO of 21st Century Fox, but he remains executive chairman of News Corp, the American multinational mass-media…

READERS WEIGH IN ON SHELF-TALKERS Wine Spectator readers respond to Marvin R. Shanken’s challenge to wine retailers to ensure that shelf-talkers aid consumers by being accurate and credible (Editor’s Letter, Sept. 30). Thank you for calling out this questionable yet all too common business practice. It’s understandable that there are going to be occasional tag errors, but some retailers have such large quantities of errant tags that the credibility and integrity of the seller should be questioned. William Rasche Dublin, Ohio I don’t disagree that some retailers can be shady with misleading shelf-talkers. But in fairness, many retailers stock the younger vintages, which Wine Spectator is slow to rate. I do appreciate a historical ratings trajectory when the current vintage is “not yet rated.” Costco is a great example: They…

When I was a kid, labels on chocolate bars simply read “milk,” “dark,” “semisweet,” “bittersweet” or “baking.” There were no percentages. Then a couple of decades ago, you started seeing “58% cacao” on the label. Europeans especially began to tout the higher proportion of the ingredient that makes chocolate chocolate. Americans like numbers and took to this system well. Even recipes, which used to give a baking-chocolate weight plus the amount of sugar required to cut it, started suggesting bars of a certain percentage instead. The new wave of bars had a snappier texture and usually more depth, complexity and persistence of flavor. Our burgeoning class of food nerds would brag about the 76-percent Ecuadoran bar they had tried, leaving milk bars way behind. Following the credo that too much…

In terms of total dollars, global auction sales of fine and rare wine in the first half of 2016 were little different from the same period in 2015; this year’s $138 million figure represents just a 1 percent increase over the first half of last year. But a closer look at the top three markets—the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong—reveals some surges and a notable fall, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of the marketplace now. This year’s sales in the U.S. were up 10 percent at $84 million, while U.K. sales rose 19 percent to $15.5 million. But Hong Kong lagged, dropping 18 percent in sales to $38.7 million. The slowdown in Asia’s biggest auction market is partially due to a shift in consignment practices. “With the strengthening…

How long will a wine age? History shows that long-lived wines have what might be called a “capacity of site.” Recently, my wife and I had some friends over for dinner. Relatively new to wine, they are enthusiastic learners. I served, among other wines, a bottle of Giacomo Conterno Barbera d’Alba 2006. It showed beautifully, and everybody was suitably impressed. “This wine tastes awfully good,” said one of our guests. I agreed. “Does it need any more age?” he asked. I replied that for my taste, it absolutely did not, but that based on long experience with Barberas as good as this one, the wine could soldier on for, oh, another 20 years or so stored in a cool cellar. Our guest was floored and flabbergasted. “Another 20 years!” he…

The owners of Royal Wine Corporation, which controls much of the kosher wine market in the United States (and that of Israeli wines as well), do not advertise the religious status of their bottlings. It’s a matter of business. “The people who are looking for kosher wines know to look for us, and for the rest, it’s just not important,” says CEO Mordy Herzog, who represents the eighth generation of his family working in wine. “Obviously, being kosher is great, but we have to grow outside the kosher market.” Given that Jews are a tiny percentage of the U.S. population, it would seem a sound strategy. The Herzogs point with pride to Royal’s success in gaining wider acceptance for the Jewish state’s wine among the broader public. “We’ve been successful…

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. 95 M. Marengo Barolo Brunate Riserva 2010 $92 ITALY Compact and austere, yielding subtle cherry, berry and spice flavors. Underbrush and tobacco notes are the main themes now, but this remains fresh and long on the mineral- and spice-filled aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2036. 1,000 cases made.—B.S. 94 Giacomo Ascheri Barolo 2012 $40 ITALY Licorice, cherry and tar notes mark this intense, chewy red, packed with sweet fruit midpalate that offsets the dense, dusty tannins. Shows fine integration and length, with the aftertaste echoing licorice, cherry, tar and mineral details. Best from 2019 through 2035. 200 cases imported.—B.S. 94 Maison Bleue Syrah Walla Walla Valley…

ARGENTINA 95 Viña Cobos Malbec La Consulta Bramare Rebon Vineyard 2013 $95 This red is suave and rich, with seductive smokiness to the red berry, sandalwood, chestnut and plum tart flavors. Beefy overtones add to the complexity, revealing white pepper notes midpalate. The refined finish lengthens out, showing accents of freshground coffee and white chocolate. Drink now through 2022. 157 cases imported.—K.M. 94 Viña Cobos Malbec Luján de Cuyo Bramare Touza Vineyard 2013 $95 Spicy and luscious, filled with blackberry, dark currant, plum and cherry tart flavors. Creamy midpalate, with a finish that overflows with chocolate mousse and mocha notes. Mouthfilling richness. Drink now through 2020. 48 cases imported.—K.M. 93 Viña Cobos Malbec Luján de Cuyo Bramare Marchiori Vineyard 2013 $95 A big, rich and powerful red that features concentrated…

DR. VINNY Dear Dr. Vinny, What is Manischewitz? What does it taste like? —Cole K., Portland, Ore. Dear Cole, Manischewitz is the brand name of a company based in the United States that makes a variety of kosher food products. It sells everything from matzo to gefilte fish, but the name Manischewitz has become somewhat synonymous with the company’s kosher Concord grape wine, which was once ubiquitous in Jewish households, where wine is an important part of holiday rituals. Manischewitz wine has been owned by wine giant Constellation Brands since 1987, which licenses the name from Manischewitz Food’s parent company. There are currently a handful of different bottlings of Manischewitz wine, including cherry and blackberry versions. The best known is the Concord grape version. Concord grapes are native to the…