A First Look at Our Editors' Most Exciting New Wines
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A FIRST LOOK AT OUR EDITORS’ MOST EXCITING NEW WINES Vol. 14 Semiannual No. 2 | Dec. 26, 2018 InsiderMarvin R. Shanken Editor and Publisher A Members-Only, Weekly Publication SEMIANNUAL REPORT: JULY 11 – DEC. 20, 2018 945 Wines Reviewed The second half of 2018 saw a diverse collection of red, white and dessert wines— ARGENTINA: ....... 12 and even rosés—that were worth a spot in your cellar or in your drink-now queue, AUSTRALIA: ....... 14 compiled weekly in the Wine Spectator Insider. Since our last Semiannual Report in AUSTRIA: ..........36 July, 945 such wines, scoring between 92 and 99 points, have been featured. CALIFORNIA: .....209 France had the most wines represented, with 299 selections achieving classic FRANCE: .........299 GERMANY: ..........11 and outstanding scores. Half of those came from the Rhône Valley, which enjoyed ITALY: ............190 excellent recent vintages; Champagne and Burgundy were also well represented. NEW ZEALAND: .... 19 California came in second, with 209 wines, led by Cabernet, Syrah and Pinot Noir, OREGON: ..........89 in that order. Then Italy, with 190 wines, had a great showing with ageworthy PORTUGAL: ........27 Barolos and super Tuscans, as well as great-value Chianti Classico. An additional SOUTH AFRICA: .....8 SPAIN: ............23 eight countries and two U.S. states are featured here. A stunning three wines are WASHINGTON: ......8 tied for this semiannual's top honor: Krug Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne Clos d'Ambonnay 2002, Quinta do Noval Vintage Port Nacional 2016 and Domaine St.- Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Collection Charles Giraud 2016 all received a whopping 99 points, the highest score in these pages. Wines are arranged here in alphabetical order by producer within their regions. Those highlighted as Hot Wines when first published in the Insider are marked with a diamond (t). Each listing includes the wine's score and price; for complete tasting notes, please search our online database at WineSpectator.com. ARGENTINA Viña Doña Paula Malbec Tupungato Alluvia Parcel 2014 93 points | $100 | 220 cases made | Red Achával-Ferrer Malbec Mendoza Finca Altamira 2015 Bodega Noemía Malbec Río Negro Valley 2016 92 points | $150 | 1,200 cases made | Red de Patagonia 94 points | $136 | 4,500 cases made | Red Achával-Ferrer Malbec Mendoza Finca Bella Vista 2015 Fincas Patagonicas Malbec Mendoza Black Tears Tapiz 2014 93 points | $150 | 675 cases made | Red 93 points | $65 | 1,800 cases made | Red Achával-Ferrer Malbec Mendoza Finca Mirador 2015 Familia Zuccardi Aluvional Paraje Altamira Mendoza 2015 94 points | $150 | 925 cases made | Red 93 points | $90 | 1,250 cases made | Red Viña Cobos Malbec La Consulta Bramare Rebon Estate 2015 93 points | $100 | 540 cases made | Red Viña Cobos Malbec Los Árboles Chañares Estate 2015 AUSTRALIA 92 points | $115 | 830 cases made | Red Clare Wine Co. Shiraz Clare Valley 2016 Viña Cobos Malbec Los Árboles Cobos Chañares Estate 2015 92 points | $20 | 1,000 cases made | Red 94 points | $300 | 320 cases made | Red John Duval Plexus Red Barossa Valley 2016 Viña Cobos Malbec Perdriel Bramare Marchiori Estate 2015 93 points | $40 | 2,000 cases imported | Red 93 points | $100 | 540 cases made | Red Giant Steps Chardonnay Yarra Valley 2017 Viña Cobos Malbec Perdriel Cobos Marchiori Estate 2015 92 points | $30 | 25 cases imported | White 95 points | $225 | 590 cases made | Red Wine Spectator Insider Dec. 26, 2018 1 To subscribe, visit www.winespectator.com Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Rotes Tor 2016 93 points | $55 | 30 cases imported | White Franz Hirtzberger Riesling Smaragd Wachau Hochrain 2016 94 points | $64 | 15 cases imported | White Huber Riesling Traisental Ried Berg Reserve 2017 93 points | $70 | 278 cases made | White Jurtschitsch Grüner Veltliner Kamptal Ried Käferberg 2016 93 points | $52 | 208 cases made | White Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Loibner Ried Kreutles 2016 94 points | $72 | 81 cases imported | White Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Loibner Ried Loibenberg 2016 93 points | $91 | 71 cases imported | White t Knoll Riesling Smaragd Wachau Loibner 2016 95 points | $72 | 81 cases imported | White Moric Blaufränkisch Burgenland Neckenmarkt Alte Reben 2012 93 points | $120 | 200 cases made | Red Giant Steps (Photo by Rick Liston) Maria & Sepp Muster Gräfin Steirerland 2015 94 points | $49 | 20 cases imported | White Nigl Riesling Kremstal Ried Goldberg 2017 Giant Steps Chardonnay Yarra Valley Gruyere Farm Vineyard Ocarina 2017 94 points | $84 | 50 cases imported | White 93 points | $42 | 25 cases imported | White Nigl Riesling Kremstal Ried Pellingen Privat 2016 Giant Steps Chardonnay Yarra Valley Sexton Vineyard 2017 93 points | $65 | 117 cases imported | White 93 points | $42 | 25 cases imported | White Nikolaihof Wachau Zwickl 2017 Giant Steps Pinot Noir Yarra Valley 2017 93 points | $28 | 500 cases imported | White 92 points | $30 | 25 cases imported | Red Bernhard Ott Wagram Ried Kirchtal 2017 Handpicked Chardonnay Yarra Valley Regional Selections 2016 93 points | $51 | 66 cases imported | White 92 points | $25 | 2,500 cases made | White Pichler-Krutzler Grüner Veltliner Wachau Ried Kellerberg 2016 Geoff Hardy Shiraz McLaren Vale Pertaringa Yeoman 2016 94 points | $59 | 15 cases imported | White 93 points | $250 | 1,000 cases made | Red Pichler-Krutzler Grüner Veltliner Wachau Ried Loibenberg 2016 Helen & Joey Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Layla 2017 93 points | $48 | 15 cases imported | White 93 points | $27 | 144 cases imported | Red F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Ried Liebenberg 2016 Jamsheed Syrah Yarra Valley Nouveau 2017 93 points | $56 | 30 cases imported | White 92 points | $25 | 1,000 cases made | Red F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Wachau Dürnsteiner 2016 t Leeuwin Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2015 93 points | $38 | 35 cases imported | White 95 points | $89 | 800 cases imported | White t F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Kellerberg 2016 Penley Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Steyning 2015 95 points | $78 | 25 cases imported | White 93 points | $50 | 100 cases imported | Red F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Loibenberg 2016 Penley Eos Coonawarra 2016 94 points | $56 | 20 cases imported | White 93 points | $100 | 50 cases imported | Red F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Steinertal 2016 Tyrrell’s Shiraz Heathcote Rufus Stone 2016 94 points | $56 | 30 cases imported | White 92 points | $25 | 1,500 cases made | Red Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Achleithen 2017 93 points | $120 | 14 cases imported | White AUSTRIA Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Kirchweg 2017 93 points | $75 | 13 cases imported | White t Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Hollerin 2017 95 points | $51 | 147 cases imported | White Prager Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Klaus 2017 94 points | $80 | 450 cases made | White Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Loibenberg 2017 93 points | $56 | 150 cases imported | White t Prager Riesling Smaragd Wachau Wachstum Bodenstein 2017 95 points | $80 | 450 cases made | White Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Wachau Ried Steinertal 2017 93 points | $65 | 144 cases imported | White Andreas & Sauvignon Blanc Steiermark Green Dragonfly 2015 Elisabeth Tscheppe 93 points | $52 | 20 cases imported | White Judith Beck Blaufränkisch Burgenland Ried Altenberg 2015 93 points | $60 | 250 cases made | Red Werlitsch Steirerland Glück 2013 94 points | $60 | 20 cases imported | White Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Heiligenstein Kamptal 2017 93 points | $65 | 75 cases imported | White Rainer Wess Grüner Veltliner Wachau Ried Loibenberg 2016 93 points | $40 | 400 cases made | White Hiedler Riesling Kamptal Maximum Reserve 2016 93 points | $51 | 50 cases imported | White Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Axpoint 2016 CALIFORNIA 94 points | $55 | 25 cases imported | White Alban Syrah Edna Valley Patrina Alban Estate 2015 t Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Honivogl 2016 93 points | $48 | 550 cases made | Red 95 points | $96 | 25 cases imported | White Alban Syrah Edna Valley Reva Alban Estate 2014 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Kirchweg 2016 94 points | $98 | 1,100 cases made | Red 93 points | $44 | 40 cases imported | White Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Bentrock Vineyard 2016 92 points | $62 | 290 cases made | Red Wine Spectator Insider Dec. 26, 2018 2 To subscribe, visit www.winespectator.com Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills La Encantada 2016 93 points | $62 | 262 cases made | Red Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak Stagecoach Vineyard 2015 93 points | $220 | 550 cases made | Red Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Beckstoffer Georges III 2015 94 points | $220 | 500 cases made | Red Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Beckstoffer Dr. Crane 2015 93 points | $220 | 500 cases made | Red Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Beckstoffer Las Piedras 2015 93 points | $220 | 500 cases made | Red Alta Colina Syrah Paso Robles Block 2 Bio 2015 92 points | $50 | 220 cases made | Red Argot Syrah Sonoma County Mosaic 2015 93 points | $45 | 250 cases made | Red Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley Nuits-Blanches au Bouge 2015 93 points | $40 | 800 cases made | White Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir California Isabelle 2015 Corley Family 93 points | $50 | 750 cases made | Red Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Knox Alexander 2015 Cattleya Chardonnay Russian River Valley Pratt Vineyard 2016 92 points | $50 | 850 cases made | Red 92 points | $70 | 75 cases made | White AXR Cabernet Sauvignon