Buyingguide Best of Year2018
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BUYINGGUIDE BEST OF YEAR2018 THIS MONTH 2 CALIFORNIA 46 WASHINGTON 47 TEXAS 50 VIRGINIA 51 OTHER UNITED STATES 52 CHILE 58 NEW ZEALAND 63 SPAIN 68 BORDEAUX 80 BURGUNDY 91 RHÔNE VALLEY 98 NORTHERN ITALY 104 CENTRAL ITALY 107 SICILY 109 OTHER ITALY 111 BULGARIA 112 OTHER EUROPE 113 SPIRITS 116 BEER Pinot Noir growing in Monterey County. FOR ADDITIONAL RATINGS AND REVIEWS, VISIT WINEMAG.COM/RATINGS JAIME LEWIS JAIME WINEMAG.COM | 1 BUYINGGUIDE Mount Eden Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir ( Santa Cruz Mountains). Brilliantly fresh 96 and snappy black raspberry aromas lead into a savory streak of mulberry-laced pork fat, hickory and tobacco smoke, with a hint of crushed slate CALIFORNIA on this wine’s fascinating and shape-shifting nose. A banner vintage for Central Coast Pinot Noir Peppery spice grips the palate immediately, then splashes fresh red plum and pomegranate flavors around, finishing on white pepper, cracked nutmeg anonizing or castigating an entire vintage Block M from the Sta. Rita Hills (included in and unrelenting tension. —M.K. feels like a fool’s errand in California. The this month’s Buying Guide). These bottlings abv: 13.5% Price: $65 weather is much more cooperative than showcase all that Central Coast Pinot Noir can the Old World, and the landscape is pep- be: bright, fruity and undeniably delicious, yet Ryan Cochrane 2016 Solomon Hills Vineyard Cpered with microclimates, making exceptions intriguingly layered in a wild herb tone, lifted by 96 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley). Always one of the more compelling bottlings from the region to the rule. fresh acidity and framed by lithe tannins. each year, this single-vineyard expression shows And yet, here I am ready to declare 2016 This is very much the style that’s lauded smoked thyme, roasting game, light raspberry, tea as a banner year for Central in the recently released doc- leaves and dried purple flowers on the nose. Rose Coast Pinot Noir. Following the umentary Somm 3, in which petal, Chinese five spice and cardamom pod flavors drought-addled and minimal The 2016 vintage sommelier-turned-winemaker make for an exotic palate, set against a tart red-fruit backdrop. —M.K. harvest of 2015, the 2016 vintage Rajat Parr’s Domaine de la Côte welcomed the abv: 13.3% Price: $46 welcomed the return of rains to return of rains to Pinot from the Sta. Rita Hills is the Golden State, flushing the repeatedly mistaken for Bur- Albatross Ridge 2015 Estate Reserve Pinot the Golden State, Noir (Monterey County). For full review see soils a bit and breathing new life gundy by a renowned panel of 95 into the wines. The growing sea- flushing the soils a experts. This seemingly Old page 3. abv: 13% Price: $65 son started early due to warm bit and breathing World style is the commonal- spring weather but mellowed new life into wines. ity in many of the top-scoring Daniel 2015 Ferrington Vineyard Pinot Noir out later into summer, allowing wines from the 2016 vintage. (Anderson Valley). Savory nuances and 95 for proper maturation. Outside of California, else- a tight, nervy structure distinguish this impres- Whatever the climatic equation, the results where in this issue’s Buying Guide, you’ll find sive, potentially long-lived wine. It has all the ripe fruit and full body one could ask for, but also offers are remarkable. I’ve reviewed nearly 200 Cen- reviews from other New World regions like accents of sage, black tea and redwood forest in the tral Coast Pinot Noirs from the 2016 vintage, Washington, Texas, Chile and New Zealand. aromas and meaty accents in the flavors. Great bal- with more than 140 scoring 90 points or above. The Old World is well represented as well, with ance from good acidity and firm tannins completes At the top of the range are the Roar Sober- France and Italy holding court alongside lesser- the picture. Best after 2021.Cellar Selection. —J.G. anes Vineyard from the Santa Lucia Highlands known regions in Eastern Europe, like Bulgaria. abv: 13.3% Price: $60 (published in a prior issue) and the Melville Cheers! —Matt Kettmann Gary Farrell 2016 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley). For full review see 95 page 3. abv: 13.3% Price: $70 PINOT NOIR Daniel 2015 Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley). Lynmar 2016 Lynn’s Blend Pinot Noir (Russian Oodles of black cherry and sour cherry fill River Valley). Powerfully structured and 96 95 Melville 2016 Block M Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita the aroma and flood the flavors of this full-bodied, brooding in dark fruit, this velvety red (named for Hills). Extremely fresh and pungent aromas concentrated and deeply fruity wine. The ripeness the winery’s founder) is exotic and savory in nature. 97 of smashed strawberries are enhanced by white is balanced by good fruit acidity, making the wine A succulent midpalate gives way to highlights of pepper dust, whole green peppercorns, wet tobacco both seductive and refreshing to sip. Made from white pepper, cardamom and black tea as the ripe- leaf and the smell of a dewy morning amidst pine Ferrington Vineyard and the old-vine Beaujolais ness grips the tongue. —V.B. trees and chaparral scrub on this wine by Chad Vineyard, it has the structure to age and improve. abv: 14.5% Price: $85 Melville. The palate is simply stunning with juni- Best to drink after 2023.Cellar Selection. —J.G. per and pine-needle elements that slip into rich yet abv: 13.4% Price: $45 Lynmar 2016 Monastery Pinot Noir (Russian tart cherry and baked raspberry, proving extremely River Valley). For full review see page 3. 95 dynamic and lovely all around. Editors’ Choice. Melville 2016 Indigéne Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita abv: 14.2% Price: $70 —M.K. Hills). The 2016s are Chad Melville’s first 96 abv: 14.2% Price: $60 total-control vintage since longtime winemaker Melville 2016 Anna’s Block Pinot Noir (Sta. Greg Brewer departed, and they show how much Rita Hills). Rusty red cherry, wild mint, 95 Bee Hunter 2015 Docker Hill Vineyard Pinot he knows his family’s ranch. Bright and buoyant turned earth and rainbow peppercorns show on the Noir (Mendocino). For full review see page aromas of bursting pomegranate, cranberry, laven- lovely nose of this bottling by Chad Melville from 96 3. Cellar Selection. der and cinnamon lead into a palate of tart cherry, his family’s property. The palate is extremely fresh abv: 14.9% Price: $48 hibiscus and lemon rind, with thyme and sage and vibrant, with Bing cherry and plump hibiscus dusted throughout. Editors’ Choice. —M.K. abv: 14.1% Price: $50 Continued on page 20 2 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | BEST OF YEAR 2018 The Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide The Buying Guide includes ratings and reviews of new-release and selected older beverage alcohol products evaluated by Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s editors and other qualified tasters. Regular contributors to our Buying Guide include Tasting Director Alexander Peartree, Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa, Managing Editor Lauren Buzzeo, Assistant Tasting Director Fiona Adams, Tasting Coordinator Carrie Dykes, Contributing Editors Michael Schachner, Anna Lee C. Iijima, Christina Pickard, Mike DeSimone, Jeff Jenssen and Spirits Editor Kara Newman in New York; European Editor Roger Voss in France; Italian Editor Kerin O’Keefe in Switzerland; Bee Hunter 2015 Docker Hill Vineyard Pinot Gary Farrell 2016 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Contributing Editor Anne Krebiehl in England; Contributing Editors Noir (Mendocino). The nose of this wine Noir (Santa Maria Valley). Subtle and ele- Virginie Boone, Jim Gordon and Matt Kettmann in California; and 96 95 Contributing Editors Paul Gregutt and Sean Sullivan in Washington. from the folks at Balo Vineyards is full of ripe fruit, gant aromas of pomegranate, dried rose petals and If a wine was evaluated by a single reviewer, that taster’s giving it a powerful yet nuanced feel. Intense, deep a touch of game show on the beautiful nose of this initials appear following the note. When no initials appear fol- lowing a wine review, the wine was evaluated by two or more fruit flavor mingles with sage, rhubarb, black tea bottling. There’s a wide array of flavors on the pal- reviewers and the score and tasting note reflect the input of all and a touch of black pepper. It’s delicious and com- ate, from dried lilac, violet and rose petals to black tasters. Unless otherwise stated, all spirit reviews are by Kara Newman and all beer reviews are by Lauren Buzzeo. plex on the palate, with smooth, fine layers of inte- plum, tarragon, Earl Grey tea and more game. —M.K. Each review contains a score, the full name of the product, its grated tannins and acidity. Best after 2023.Cellar abv: 13.3% Price: $70 suggested national retail price, its alcohol (abv) as reported to us Selection. —J.G. by the submitter and a tasting note. If price or alcohol content cannot be confirmed, NA (not available) will be printed. Prices abv: 14.9% Price: $48 are for 750-ml bottles unless otherwise indicated. TASTING METHODOLOGY AND GOALS All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5–8 samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted. ABOUT THE SCORES Ratings reflect what our editors felt about a particular product. Beyond the rating, we encourage you to read the accompanying tasting note to learn about a product’s special characteristics.