Wine Enthusiast May 2021 Buying Guide
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BUYINGGUIDE MAY 2021 THIS MONTH 2 NEW YORK 25 CALIFORNIA 52 WASHINGTON 57 CHILE 59 URUGUAY 60 BOLIVIA 60 NEW ZEALAND 63 AUSTRALIA 65 SOUTH AFRICA 68 PORTUGAL 73 BORDEAUX 86 RHÔNE VALLEY 99 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 112 BASILICATA 116 SPIRITS 119 BEER Close up of Riesling growing on the vine FOR ADDITIONAL RATINGS AND REVIEWS, VISIT WINEMAG.COM/RATINGS SHUTTERSTOCK WINEMAG.COM | 1 BUYINGGUIDE Fox Run 2019 Silvan Riesling (Seneca Lake). For full review see page 9. Editors’ Choice. 93 abv: 12.4% Price: $20 Hermann J. Wiemer 2019 Magdalena NEW YORK Vineyard Riesling (Seneca Lake). 93 The power in seeking a sense of place Concentrated aromas of lemon oil, peach, pine and struck flint grace the nose of this single-vineyard Riesling. It’s rounded and full in feel on the palate, ieslings from New York are among the best 10 miles from the winery on the northwest filled out by juicy orchard fruit flavors yet expertly examples of the variety in the country, side of Seneca Lake, this silt loam site is one honed by zesty acidity and a delicate grip of white with those from the Finger Lakes region of the warmest in the area and consistently tea. A lemon oil tone lingers on the finish, but with leading the charge. About 1,000 acres produces a richly fruited, earthy and textured ample lift and length. —A.P. Rare planted to the grape in the area, making dry expression. abv: 12% Price: $35 it a relatively small affair, yet what it lacks in Other bottlings, like Wagner’s Caywood Hosmer 2019 Limited Release Riesling quantity, it more than makes up for in quality East or Red Newt’s Tango Oaks, are more (Cayuga Lake). For full review see page 10. 93 and site expression. recent endeavors. The former is a racy, stony, Editors’ Choice. Vineyards in the Finger Lakes are anything streamlined wine sourced from a steep vineyard abv: 11.3% Price: $25 but homogenous. Due to the planted in 2005, while the latter Standing Stone 2019 Timeline Dry Riesling region’s geological history— is a perfumed and spicy yet Vineyards in the 93 (Seneca Lake). Sourced from vines planted namely a wall of glaciers from pristinely fruity Riesling from a in 1972, this striking dry Riesling delves into ice ages in the past carving up Finger Lakes are unique gravelly site caused by a perfumed tones of peach, apple, jasmine and slate. the land—a mix of soil types and anything but catastrophic flood in 1935. There’s richness to the palate yet immense lift and textures are exposed and planted These are but a drop in drive, with lasting acidity and crushed-stone verve homogenous. pushing it along. It lingers long on a resounding to vines. Beyond that, sites also the bucket for site-focused citrus finish.Editors’ Choice. —A.P. range in elevation, slope and Rieslings which seem to have abv: 12% Price: $25 proximity to the lakes, all of which influence the exploded in the past few years. But buyer development of the grapes and contribute to the beware: Quality and site specificity do not The Grapes of Roth 2019 Virgin Berry Dry Riesling (Long Island). Ripe yellow apple stylistic outcome of the final wine. always go hand-in-hand, and of course the 93 and Mirabelle plum aromas mix with crushed salt Much like the rest of the wine world, other half of the equation for the final bottled and apple blossoms on the nose of this dry Riesling. many Finger Lakes producers share the goal outcome happens in the cellar. Regardless, There’s ample lift to the rounded palate, where of creating wines with a “sense of place” and the persistent pursuit of understanding how crystalline acidity pushes through the ripe juicy Riesling is the natural conduit in the region. Riesling performs across the region’s varied fruit flavors. Pithy pomelo zest and earthy white tea Ever the pioneer, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard sites is important. This discovery only makes flavors lend depth and linger on the close. —A.P. abv: 11.6% Price: $32 has been bottling its well-regarded Magdalena the Finger Lakes stronger and solidifies it as a Vineyard Riesling for over a decade. Located world-class wine region. —Alexander Peartree Wagner 2019 Caywood East Vineyard Estate Bottled Riesling (Finger Lakes). For full 93 review see page 11. Editors’ Choice. abv: 12% Price: $20 and lemon zest, with a real sense of energy and lift RIESLING that persists through the lingering finish. Drink Fox Run 2019 Reserve Riesling (Seneca now–2030. —A.P. Lake). There’s ample depth to the nose 92 Hermann J. Wiemer 2019 HJW Vineyard abv: 9.5% Price: $36 of this wine, showing lemon oil, crushed stone, Riesling (Seneca Lake). Incredibly zesty yet yellow apple and ginger. It’s semidry in style but 94 rich aromas of apple, lemon peel and chamomile Hermann J. Wiemer 2019 Reserve Dry impeccably balanced by plenty of zesty acidity. Juicy dazzle on the nose of this single-vineyard wine. Riesling (Seneca Lake). For full review see orchard fruit flavors are underscored by a tangy line 94 It’s rounded and ripe in feel on the palate, yet page 7. Editors’ Choice. of wet slate, making this utterly balanced and quite immensely lifted by vibrant acidity. Juicy apple, abv: 12.5% Price: $29 lengthy. Drink through 2026. —A.P. peach and yellow blossom flavors never falter, with abv: 11.6% Price: $30 a delicate crushed stone element adding zip to the Living Roots 2019 Shale Creek Bone-Dry lingering finish. Drink through 2030. —A.P. Riesling (Finger Lakes). Sourced from a Hermann J. Wiemer 2019 Dry Riesling 94 abv: 12.5% Price: $39 Keuka Lake vineyard, this rich dry Riesling offers (Seneca Lake). Well-concentrated aromas 92 dense tones of tangerine, lemon oil, pine and dry of apple and peach meld with crushed stone and Hermann J. Wiemer 2019 Josef Vineyard honeycomb on the nose. There’s immense breadth yellow blossoms on the nose. There’s a real sense of Riesling (Seneca Lake). Concentrated and body to the palate, where juicy shots of orange energy and lift to the deft palate, where juicy shots 94 aromas of yellow apple, pineapple, lemon oil and and apple push through the sultry texture. There’s of tangerine and pome fruit are lifted by vibrant pine meld with a blossomy undertone in this a delicate earthiness to it all, with a crushed slate Riesling sourced from a vineyard that dates to the minerality zipping along on the lingering finish. 1970s. It’s unctuously sweet on the palate yet well Editors’ Choice. —A.P. defined. Luscious orchard fruit is dappled in honey abv: 13.2% Price: $26 Continued on page 22 2 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | MAY 2021 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, Editor-in-Chief Susan Kostrzewa, Managing Editor Lauren Buzzeo, Assistant Tasting Director Fiona Adams, 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 Il Marroneto 2016 Madonna delle Grazie Kerin O’Keefe in Switzerland; Contributing Editors Virginie Boone, (Brunello di Montalcino). This dazzling Jim Gordon and Matt Kettmann in California; Contributing Editors 100 Paul Gregutt and Sean P. Sullivan in Washington; and Beer Editor wine is for Sangiovese purists and fans of extreme Argiano 2016 Vigna del Suolo (Brunello di John Holl in New Jersey. finesse. Opening with tantalizing aromas of rose, 98 Montalcino). Made with vines that average If a wine was evaluated by a single reviewer, that taster’s violet, berry, tilled earth and new leather, it’s 55 years old, this fragrant, single-vineyard Brunello initials appear following the note. When no initials appear fol- lowing a wine review, the wine was evaluated by two or more youthfully intense but already a classic. Focused, boasts aromas of violet, menthol, wild berry and reviewers and the score and tasting note reflect the input of all structured and radiant, the chiseled palate delivers spice. Loaded with class and finesse, the delicious, tasters. Unless otherwise stated, all spirit reviews are by Kara Newman and all beer reviews are by John Holl. cherry, raspberry, licorice and crushed mint before full-bodied palate features Marasca cherry, rasp- Each review contains a score, the full name of the product, its a tobacco close. Taut, refined tannins and bright berry compote, blood orange, licorice and a hint of suggested national retail price, its alcohol (abv) as reported to us acidity keep it perfectly balanced. Drink 2026– coffee alongside polished, velvety tannins. A salty by the submitter and a tasting note. If price or alcohol content cannot be confirmed, NA (not available) will be printed. Prices 2046. LLS–Winebow. Cellar Selection. —K.O. mineral note lingers on the finish. Drink 2024–2046. are for 750-ml bottles unless otherwise indicated. abv: 14.5% Price: $350 LUX Wines. Cellar Selection. —K.O. TASTING METHODOLOGY AND GOALS abv: 14.5% Price: $200 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.