Innholdsfortegnelse for February 28, 2025 i Wine Spectator

Visit WineSpectator.com/022825 to find links to all of the following resources. TOP 100 WINES OF THE YEAR Join Wine Spectator senior editors as they discuss 2024’s Top 10 in our video series. Plus, find matching recipes and in-depth articles related to the Top 10 and scroll through wine history with our Top 100 lists back to 1988. FREE RESOURCES FOR ALL WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS TOP UNFILTERED STORIES OF 2024 From wine fraud to celebrity news, 2024 gave us plenty to talk about in the world of wine and culture. DAILY WINE PICKS Every day of the week, get a recently reviewed wine handpicked by our editors for its value, collectability or other wow-factor that makes it worthy of the spotlight. Visit WineSpectator.com to see each day’s pick, plus the full archive of these standout…

The alleged mastermind of a multimillion-dollar wine counterfeiting gang was conducting a transaction with a shady printer at Milan’s Malpensa airport when the Carabinieri moved in and arrested him last September. At the same moment in multiple locations elsewhere in Italy and in France, law enforcement officers launched raids and arrested five collaborators. It was the culmination of an international operation to dismantle a network that prosecutors say sold more than €2 million (approx. 2.12 million) in fake wine. At the head of the illicit activity, investigators found a familiar suspect: Aleksandr Lugov. Lugov came to light in 2013 when Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) staff found odd bottles on the market. An international investigation led to the arrests of multiple people in France and Italy selling fake wine. Eventually,…

Rhône fans at the 2024 Wine Experience got a once-in-a-lifetime treat: a tasting of E. Guigal’s “La La” Côte-Rôties, perhaps the Northern Rhône’s most famous wines. They were among the first Syrahs to showcase singlevineyard wines in, and draw significant attention to, a previously unheralded appellation. E. Guigal’s leader, Philippe Guigal, brought the 2020 La La wines for the tasting, which was on its own an astounding opportunity. But there was a very welcome surprise. The La Las come from vertiginous vineyards in Côte-Rôtie; production is small and prices are high, and E. Guigal only rarely adds a new vineyard and corresponding cuvée to the lineup. The first La La is La Mouline, which debuted with the 1966 vintage. La Landonne, from a vineyard planted to celebrate Philippe’s birth, arrived…

GAJA BARBARESCO Sorì San Lorenzo 2021 It was a meeting for the ages: Legendary Italian vintner Angelo Gaja sat down for an interview with Wine Spectator editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken in front of an audience of more than 1,000 wine lovers at the 2024 New York Wine Experience. As the two took the stage, with glasses of Gaja’s 2021 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo, it was easy to picture these old friends catching up over a bottle of wine like this many times before. Their conversation was a follow-up to Shanken’s interview with Gaja for Wine Spectator’s April 30, 2024, issue, focusing on key events in Gaja’s remarkable adventure in bringing high quality Italian wine to the United States. Shanken was ready to pick up where they’d left off,…

There is no single formula for identifying great value when it comes to wine. Growing conditions, vintage variations, winemaking styles and personal tastes can all change from year to year, making any hard-and-fast rules difficult to pin down. What is clear is that a range of high quality wines are being made around the world at affordable prices. That’s why, for the fourth year in a row, we’ve enlisted Wine Spectator’s team of editors to select the top values of the past 12 months. How do producers making such good wines keep their costs down and their production figures up? It’s different from region to region, but our process of selection focuses on wines that express the distinctive character of a specific appellation or variety while keeping prices low through…

Washington’s Columbia Valley is one of the most versatile winegrowing regions in the U.S., an expanse of more than 11 million acres. Seattle might be rainy and cloudcovered but in Columbia Valley, which is farther to the east beyond the Cascade Mountains, there’s plenty of sunshine. While reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah dominate the vineyard landscape, there are pockets of the valley that are cooler and well-suited to white wines. Varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc prosper in the subappellations of Yakima and Walla Walla valleys, Ancient Lakes, Lake Chelan and Horse Heaven Hills. Although Chardonnay was Washington’s most widely planted wine grape for years, Riesling surpassed it in 2023, bringing in about 24,000 tons compared with Chardonnay’s 22,000 tons. According to the Washington State…

The American obsession with Sancerre has proven immune to price hikes. Bottles from the Loire Valley’s most famous Sauvignon Blanc region get more expensive every year, yet this has done nothing to deter its many faithful fans. This feverish demand is partly responsible for driving up prices, but scarcity has pushed them higher still, with several harvests plagued by frost, hail and rot resulting in major supply shortages. Value seekers need to think in relative terms when it comes to Sancerre. Consider yourself a savvy shopper if you can find high quality, terroir-expressive versions for under $40, steering clear of the overpriced, mediocre versions that proliferate due to the category’s popularity. Blue-chip names to rely on include Henri Bourgeois, now run by the 10th generation of the family. Head winemaker…

It’s a great time to enjoy Barbera. Whether you’ve never tried the juicy, fruit-infused reds made from this grape or you’re familiar with the wines and ready for a revisit, there are several reasons to pull the cork on a Barbera with your next meal or dinner party. High in natural acidity and low in tannins, Barbera can result in thin, sharp wines, particularly if this high-yielding variety isn’t kept under control. However, thanks to warmer growing seasons, lean, acidic Barberas are mostly a thing of the past. In fact, Barbera excels in hot years, rarely suffering from overripe, pruny or raisiny flavors with diligent work in the vineyard. In the right hands, Barbera now yields a range of styles, from elegant versions showing pure violet, cherry, black cherry and…

Spain’s Garnacha grape is already well-known under its French moniker, Grenache. It’s the solo star or a blending partner in bottlings from California, Australia and southern France, notably from the Rhône Valley’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. But in Spain, Garnacha still flies under the radar. The grape is frequently used for blending with other varieties, and so its name is less familiar to consumers since it’s not often listed on labels. It tends to play second fiddle to Spain’s most widely planted variety, Tempranillo, long considered the better option for fine wine. Garnacha is the workhorse variety that was planted throughout Spain at the end of the 19th century when phylloxera wiped out the country’s vineyards. Prized at the time for its high yields and robust, hardy character, Garnacha was viewed by…

When guests arrived at the 17th annual Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival’s Grand Tasting on Dec. 15, 2024, they found an even bigger and better event than in previous years. The climax of a four-day culinary extravaganza, the food and wine tasting, hosted at the Palm Beach County Convention Center and presented by Wine Spectator, offered a night of perfect food and wine combinations created by amazing chefs, restaurateurs and vintners. An annual highlight of the festival, this year’s Grand Tasting attracted more than 2,500 revelers ready to indulge in dishes, both savory and sweet, from 60 of South Florida’s finest restaurants while tasting selections from 115 wineries, each pouring a wine rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator editors in blind tastings. Several wineries poured wines scoring…

When attendees are asked which Wine Experience seminar they’re looking forward to the most, many quickly respond with the same answer: the Chefs’ Challenge. This longtime fan-favorite event pits four leading chefs and restaurateurs against one of Wine Specator’s own in a wine pairing competition. This year, senior editor Bruce Sanderson returned to face-off against his opponents from the 2023 event, Chefs’ Challenge veterans José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen and executive chairman of José Andrés Group restaurants; Emeril Lagasse, owner of Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning Emeril’s and Delmonico Steakhouse; Eric Ripert, chef and partner of Grand Award winner Le Bernardin in New York City; and Danny Meyer, executive chairman of Union Square Hospitality Group, whose New York restaurants include Grand Award winner the Modern. So how does it…

Barolo has long been known as the King of Wines, and for many wine lovers, it remains the ultimate expression of Nebbiolo. But traditionally, enjoying the wines took immense patience; because their robust tannins demanded long cellaring to soften, the wines were often austere in their youth. Things began to change in the 1980s and 1990s, when a group of winemakers known as the “Barolo Boys” introduced new techniques and a distinctly modern style. A four-wine tasting at this year’s Wine Experience attested to further stylistic shifts and improvements in quality, in part driven by warmer growing seasons over the past 20 years. Senior editor Bruce Sanderson said the 2020 vintage “may be the standard for post-modern Barolo.” Thanks to “warm and relatively dry” weather, these wines boast “expressive red…

It’s a big world out there. From the coastal reaches along the Pacific to the mountainous terrain of the Andes to the fertile river valleys of Central Europe, there are countless wine regions worthy of exploration. Where to start on your journey to find great wines at affordable prices? The first step is to have the right guide to show you around. That’s where our team of senior editors come in. Not only do they know the wines themselves from their extensive annual tastings, but they also know the landscapes, having traveled the back roads and sifted through the soils with their hands. They’ve stood on the ridgetops of vineyards to catch the changing exposure of the sun and felt the steep incline of precipitous hillside terraces, breathing a little…

Zinfandel has a lot of spunk and that’s why I’ve always liked it. There are no illusions of grandeur. The grape lacks the pedigree of Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay, but among California wines, it’s like a pair of jeans—a familiar, comfortable fit. Even the top Zin winemakers know its humble beginnings, but they appreciate its historical significance in the Golden State. The earliest mention of Zinfandel came in 1832, when a nursery in Boston advertised it for sale. Not native to California, Zin was introduced to the state during the Gold Rush sometime between 1852 and 1857. It proved so popular that by the end of the 19th century it was the most-widely planted wine grape in California. The origins of Zinfandel were a mystery until 2002, when DNA testing…

It’s a golden age for the white wines of the Golden State. California Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs are better than ever, driven by increased vine age, improved farming practices and greater winemaker experience. A sense of energy is apparent across the state. Yet wine lovers willing to dig a little deeper into California’s offerings will be rewarded with other expressive, terroir-driven whites, many of which are affordably priced. What will you find if you look past Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the popular regions of Napa and Sonoma? Plenty of value-priced gems showcasing distinctive character. This is my advice for bargain hunters: Seek out offbeat white varieties from offbeat regions across California. First up is Chenin Blanc, a charming, versatile white grape that can be made in a range of styles,…

When people ask me to recommend a delicious, affordable red wine, I almost always direct them to Côtes du Rhône. Packed with ripe, juicy fruit, these wines also offer real character. Unlike many other value-priced reds around the world that often taste similar to one another, Côtes du Rhônes channel their origins in southern France with distinctive notes of spices and Provençal herbs. These are wines with soul. This endorsement is even stronger with the 2022 vintage, a terrific year for Rhône Valley reds. It was a hot, dry growing season, which resulted in a lot of concentration, yet alcohol levels weren’t over the top, so the wines are balanced. Grenache, particularly from old vines, can thrive in these conditions, while Mourvèdre yielded especially dense and tannic fruit, which means…

Italy boasts several hundred grape varieties, but certain grapes are tightly tied to different parts of the country. Nebbiolo is the star in Piedmont, especially from Barolo and Barbaresco; Sangiovese shines throughout Tuscany; and across southern Italy, Aglianico dominates bottlings of quality red wine. Despite its significance for southern Italy, Aglianico still flies under the radar for many American consumers. That’s good news for those looking for value, since for the most part, pricing is reflected in this lack of awareness. That means this signature red generally offers very good quality for the price. Harvest for Aglianico, a late-ripening variety, typically takes place in late October or even early November, with the grapes retaining notably high natural acidity and developing abundant levels of polyphenolic compounds (color and tannins). The result…

Few countries offer as many opportunities for discovery as Portugal, which is one of the world’s most dynamic wine regions right now. The country’s oldest appellations for table wine production date back more than a century, while other areas have only emerged in the last two to three decades. Although winemakers across Portugal are delivering plenty of quality wines in a range of styles, they haven’t achieved the level of attention that might drive up costs. More than 90% of the wines in this report are priced at less than $100 per bottle. Given the high quality of Portugal’s wines, it’s likely they won’t fly under the radar much longer. The country itself has seen tourism skyrocket since COVID, fueling even more interest in its wines. During the first six…

California’s Crisis—Too Many Grapes The California wine industry is in the doldrums as it faces three challenges at once: consumer spending on wine is declining, inventory is backed up, and there’s a glut of grapes and bulk wine left over from the 2024 harvest. The last hazard, the oversupply of grapes, poses an immediate threat. Many growers, even in top regions like Napa, are struggling to sell their fruit. Experts estimate tens of thousands of acres of vines will need to be pulled up. “It’s a tough situation. There’s no doubt about it, where we sit as an industry,” said Glenn Proctor of Ciatti Company, a global wine and grape broker based in Novato, California. “We’re kind of going through some resets, trying to understand where we’re going to go…

Napa Valley has a new appellation. Thirteen years after Coombsville was created by the federal government as an American Viticultural Area (AVA), the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has approved Crystal Springs of Napa Valley. Wineries that wish to bottle their wine with the new AVA on the label got the thumbs-up on Nov. 15. Crystal Springs is located on the western face of the Vaca Mountains bordering the Howell Mountain, St. Helena and Calistoga appellations. The region encompasses more than 4,000 acres of land, with 230 acres currently planted to grapevines. Every vineyard in the AVA is planted on hillside slopes. The steep landscape is one reason for the small amount of planted vines. The terrain is rugged. Elevations range between 400 and 1,400 feet, just…

The Wine Experience took the high road on its second day of seminars—right into the mountains that run along the west side of Napa Valley—with a tasting of four Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignons from California’s Spring Mountain District and Mount Veeder appellations. “I hosted a mountain Cabernet panel here [in 2019] to illustrate what vineyard sources at elevation can do,” said senior editor and lead Cabernet taster James Moles-worth to preface the tasting. “These sites are not conducive to mechanized labor. [They’re] also naturally low-yielding, sometimes giving just half of what a valley floor site does … [in terms of] slope and smaller productions, these are the grands crus sites in Napa.” Lokoya winemaker Chris Carpenter has been making mountain-grown Napa Cabernets for more than two decades. While he’d taken a…

International winemaker Paul Hobbs has had quite an adventure establishing Viña Cobos in Argentina over the past 25 years: A partially blind man has driven him along treacherous mountain-side roads; he found his future winery partners on a bus to Mendoza; he’s faced battering hailstorms. Hobbs shared these stories and more during a tasting at the Wine Experience. Renowned for his California wines, Hobbs has appeared at the event in the past, but this year, he made history: He presented the first multi-vintage, multi-cuvée tasting of Argentine wine, and of Malbec, on the main stage. Going back to the 2014 vintage, the lineup showcased Hobbs’ mastery of Malbec. “This is a tremendous opportunity for Argentina and for me,” Hobbs told the audience. After a sidetracked trip to Chile brought him…

“I always consider Las Cases the sixth first-growth,” said senior editor James Molesworth as he introduced a four-vintage vertical tasting of Château Léoville Las Cases’s St.-Julien grand vin, a second growth. “I might get in trouble for that, but it was clearly an oversight in that classification. … Since the ’08 vintage, all of the wines I’ve reviewed from Las Cases have earned 90 points or better. In fact, 10 of the 14 wines earned 95 points or better. You cannot get more consistent.” Molesworth pointed out that Las Cases has been resolutely traditional, that its owner, Jean-Hubert Delon of Domaines Delon, “is very proud of the fact that [it] is one of the estates from the 1855 Classification whose vineyard has not changed at all.” But not all things…

PASSPORT PASSEPORT/PASAPORTE WINE SPECTATOR NAME AARON ROMANO SENIOR EDITOR DESTINATIONS ARGENTINA CHILE Over the past few decades, Argentina has embraced an idea that many preeminent wine regions strive for: a single variety planted across a range of terroirs. For Argentina, that grape is Malbec, which is capable of going in different stylistic directions based on where it’s grown. In recent vintages, the style that many producers are trying to achieve is only attainable from coolerclimate, mountainous vineyards. “High elevation with mountains allows for wines of freshness and elegance,” says Joaquín Martin, winemaker for Finca Sophenia in Gualtallary. “Our philosophy is focused on juiciness and texture.” Argentine Malbec first became known for soft, juicy reds, primarily from vineyards in Mendoza’s warmer locales. While quaffable, these versions lacked distinction, masked by extended…

Oregon Pinot Noir offers an ideal synthesis of Old and New World styles, bridging the divide between red Burgundy and California Pinot. Rarely overripe, the wines have bright acidity, tension and savory qualities that create an appealing dynamic, with the best examples featuring a silky, almost sensuous texture. But finding high quality Pinot Noirs at a value price is the challenge. Unlike Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, which thrive in a range of climates, Pinot is more finicky about where it’s planted. The grape does best in cooler climates and it’s most at home in well-drained clay and limestone soils. While it needs sunshine, it doesn’t like too much heat. Pinot can also be fussy in the vineyard, with thin grape skins that make it susceptible to sunburn and heat fluctuation…

As flavorful and food-friendly as Rieslings can be, they confuse many wine lovers, who incorrectly assume they are all sweet. In fact, most of the best Rieslings are crisp in style, or “dry,” with a mouthwatering, even bracing, acidity. These versions showcase fresh flavors of lime, pear and apple, sometimes with floral, herbal or mineral accents. Rieslings that are considered “off-dry,” or “semi-sweet,” are a touch riper and rounder—think of a perfectly ripe peach—and they make terrific pairings with dishes that might otherwise be a tough match with wine, such spicy foods or Asian cuisines. A small dash of sweetness can stand up to ingredients such as soy sauce, chili peppers, fresh ginger and curries. The good news for wine drinkers seeking out crisp, refreshing whites is that both dry…

I often make the case that the finest expressions of single-vineyard Grüner Veltliner from Austria’s best terroirs can rival top white Burgundy in complexity, depth and ageability—and at a fraction of the cost. That same price-to-quality ratio also plays out with many of Austria’s more entry-level, affordably priced Grüners. The idea of “cheap Grüner” may conjure thoughts of pleasant-if-dilute wines for quaffing, often sold in 1-liter bottles, that deliver a modest mix of light citrus and herb flavors, not dissimilar to generic Pinot Grigio. But the country’s growing number of family-owned wineries crafting outstanding Grüners across the price spectrum means that real character can be found around $30 and less—if you know the names to look for. Covering more than one-third of Austria’s total vineyard acreage, Grüner boasts impressive stylistic range.…

For many wine lovers, Pinot Grigio is synonymous with Italian white wine, the go-to grape within a broad category that includes hundreds of other options. Among the many white wines imported to the U.S., Pinot Grigio is far and away the most consumed variety—and even compared with domestic whites, only Chardonnay surpasses it in popularity. The most common examples of Pinot Grigio found stateside are the most introductory, coming from Italy’s Delle Venezie DOC. This broad appellation allows production from nearly 70,000 vineyard acres throughout the Triveneto area (encompassing the Veneto and Friuli–Venezia-Giulia regions, plus the Trentino portion of Trentino–Alto Adige). More than 95% of the appellation’s production is exported, with the U.S., the leading export market, claiming nearly half that total. Many Delle Venezie Pinot Grigios carry very low…

Following the cool, wet 2021 vintage, Port producers were ready for a return to normal. This should have meant the hot, dry growing conditions that are typical for the Douro. What they got instead was a more extreme version of what “normal” now looks like. In fact, 2022 was the driest season since the turn of the century, with the hottest May in nearly 100 years as well as torrid heat waves in June and July. It fell to two light spates of rain in the first and second weeks of September to help cool off the vines, allowing them to finish ripening. As hotter, drier conditions have become the norm over the past two decades, Douro producers feel as if their vines have acclimated. Within the region’s winding topography,…