BUYINGGUIDE NOVEMBER2017 THIS MONTH 2 NEW YORK 21 WASHINGTON 31 CALIFORNIA 56 CHILE 62 BEAUJOLAIS 64 BURGUNDY 81 PROVENCE 82 PAYS D’OC 84 PIEDMONT 91 CENTRAL ITALY 93 SPAIN 104 SPIRITS 106 BEER New York pét-nat wine in a riddling rack. FOR ADDITIONAL RATINGS AND REVIEWS, VISIT WINEMAG.COM/RATINGS ANNA LEE IIJIMA WINEMAG.COM | 1 BUYINGGUIDE yet firmly structured to improve at least another decade. —A.I. abv: 12.7% Price: $29 Keuka Spring 2016 Semi-Sweet Riesling NEW YORK (Finger Lakes). While bountiful in ripe, 90 Small production, big results plush nectarine, peach and melon, this medium- sweet Riesling off sets its sunny side with dazzling acidity. Light on its feet yet deeply penetrating, it’s hether the Finger Lakes, Long Island, vintage as well as the plump nectar of an Indian an effortless people pleaser offering balance and Hudson Valley or beyond, the best summer. You can taste the complexity gained satisfaction. —A.I. wines in New York are still made by from patient lees aging in Nathan Kendall’s abv: 9.9% Price: $17 small, typically family-owned winer- Chardonnay or the nuanced texture of Pinot Wies with limited technological shortcuts and in Noir made without correction via fining agents. Glenora 2016 Select Harvest Riesling (Finger Lakes). Juicy, sweet honeydew and green miniscule volume. As this month’s batch of reviews show, 89 plum flavors are cut by shards of piercing lime and To put production figures wines from New York offer lemon in this ripe, light-footed Riesling. Medium- into perspective, rising stars Often priced a dizzying array of diversity. sweet in style, it’s a keenly balanced single-vineyard in the Finger Lakes like Nathan Classics like Riesling and Mer- bottling that should improve well through 2021. Kendall make less than 4,000 under $20 at entry lot are featured alongside fine —A.I. abv: 9.5% Price: $25 cases a year. The regional heavy- level, these wines sparkling wines and rarities weight, Hermann J. Wiemer, represent a breed like Gamay and Grüner Velt- Hermann J. Wiemer 2015 Josef Vineyard Ries- produces about 17,000 cases of painstakingly liner. Often priced under $20 89 ling (Finger Lakes). Compared to Wiemer’s annually. Yet even combined, at entry level, these wines rep- more fruity, floral bottlings this vintage, the Josef these efforts are hardly a drop made, small- resent a breed of painstakingly Vineyard is decidedly savory, showing pronounced notes of earth and herb. Semisweet in style, the pal- in the bucket when compared to production made, small-production pours ate offers concentrated doses of fresh white pear large-scale American producers pours that offer that provide remarkable value. and tangerine as well. The finish lingers on dusty who make upward of 10 million remakable value. Call it cliché, but we value mineral tones. —A.I. cases a year. wine because it offers some- abv: 9.3% Price: $39 While great wines can be thing unique: a time capsule Hosmer 2016 Riesling (Cayuga Lake). Bold made many ways, there’s distinct value in wines expressive of a singular terroir or vintage. You strokes of yellow peach and tangerine get 89 made carefully in small quantities, directly can taste the struggle and the glory. It con- a jolt of electric acidity in this squeaky-clean, off- reflecting the terroir, vintage and philosophies nects you to the hearts of the people and places dry Riesling. Fresh and fruity, it’s a mouthwatering of their makers. Winemaker Fred Merwath’s that crafted it, and only further enhances your white to enjoy now through 2019. —A.I. Rieslings at Hermann J. Wiemer reveal both drinking experience. We’ll toast to that. abv: 12.3% Price: $17 the filigreed effect of grapes coaxed from a cool Cheers! —Anna Lee C. Iijima Glenora 2016 Riesling (Finger Lakes). Whiffs of smoky crushed slate lend some mineral 88 depth to this light-bodied, medium-sweet Riesling. It’s a deftly balanced wine offering zippy tangerine, lemon and lime tinged by a reverberating streak of gorgeous already but should develop well through honey. —A.I. RIESLING 2028. Editors’ Choice. —A.I. abv: 11.5% Price: $14 abv: 12.5% Price: $36 Hermann J. Wiemer 2015 HJW Vineyard Ries- McGregor 2016 Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes). ling (Finger Lakes). Fresh green herbs and Hermann J. Wiemer 2015 Dry Riesling (Sen- Heady floral perfume, tropical fruit and 94 88 lime zest lend vibrance to this lighter-bodied bot- eca Lake). Wiemer’s standard dry Riesling delicate red berry notes burst from the glass. Dry in 93 tling from Wiemer’s 2015 vintage. White grapefruit is an impeccable value for a wine that offers such style, it’s a light-footed sip with bracing grapefruit and citrus are piercing and spry, finishing with a density of fruit and minerality. While dry in style, acidity and a concentrated, primary palate. Enjoy delightful edge of salt and crushed-stone. Drinks it’s a luscious, deeply fruity wine studded with tan- soon to maximize all its youthful exuberance. —A.I. beautifully now but should develop well through gerine and stone-fruit flavors glazed in honey and abv: 12% Price: $20 2028. Editors’ Choice. —A.I. nectar. It’s unctuous and ripe, but finishes with a abv: 12% Price: $39 cool, steel-edged persistence. Editors’ Choice. —A.I. Red Newt Cellars 2016 Circle Riesling (Fin- abv: 12% Price: $19 ger Lakes). There’s a honeyed tone to this 88 Hermann J. Wiemer 2015 Magdalena Vine- medium-sweet Riesling that is light on its feet with yard Riesling (Seneca Lake). Despite a Hermann J. Wiemer 2015 Reserve Dry Ries- spine-tingling acidity. Earthier elements of crushed 94 savory backbone of slate and tart, tangerine acid- ling (Seneca Lake). Orange blossom and stone and saffron lend subtle nuance to juicy grape- 93 ity, sun-kissed cantaloupe, pineapple and citrus lemon zest perfume this intensely aromatic dry fruit, lime and green apple. Easy going and fresh, it take center stage in this full-bodied Riesling. It’s Riesling. Plump yellow cherry and tangerine flavors should be enjoyed young through 2019. —A.I. fresh and dry yet lusciously mouthfilling, clinging build on the palate, invigorated by racy zips of acid- abv: 10.5% Price: $15 on the palate through a long, meandering finish. It’s ity and crushed-stone minerality. Buoyantly pretty Continued on page 16 2 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | NOVEMBER 2017 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 Managing Editor/Tasting Director Lauren Buzzeo, Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa, Tasting Manager Alexander Peartree, Senior Tasting Coordinator 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; Contributing Editor Anne Krebiehl in Eng- land; Contributing Editors Virginie Boone, Jim Gordon and Matt Louis Latour 2015 Montrachet. This opulent, Siduri 2015 Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir Kettmann in California; and Contributing Editors Paul Gregutt and powerful wine has weight, richness and a (Sta. Rita Hills). This is a stellar representa- Sean Sullivan in Washington. 97 96 If a wine was evaluated by a single reviewer, that taster’s ini- beautiful creamy texture. It’s built to age, from its tion of the region, combining ripeness with dark earth tials appear following the note. When no initials appear follow- wood aging to its minerality. Concentrated, it offers and wild herb notes. Aromas of black cherry, crushed ing a wine review, the wine was evaluated by two or more review- yellow fruits shot through with acidity. From the slate, turned loam, dried hibiscus and violets make ers and the score and tasting note reflect the input of all tasters. Unless otherwise stated, all spirit reviews are by Kara Newman grandest Chardonnay vineyard in Burgundy, it will for a lavish nose. The rounded palate weaves black and all beer reviews are by Lauren Buzzeo. age well and be ready to drink from 2026. Louis raspberry together with gravel, thyme and sagebrush. Each review contains a score, the full name of the product, its suggested national retail price, its alcohol (abv) as reported to us Latour Inc. Cellar Selection. —R.V. Iron fist, silk glove, utterly delicious. —M.K. by the submitter and a tasting note. If price or alcohol content abv: 14.5% Price: $650 abv: 14.4% Price: $60 cannot be confirmed, NA (not available) will be printed. Prices 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. Classic 98–100: The pinnacle of quality. Superb 94–97: A great achievement. Excellent 90–93: Highly recommended. Foxen 2015 Block 8 Bien Nacido Vineyard Siduri 2015 Pisoni VIneyard Pinot Noir (Santa Often good value; well recommended. Very Good 87–89: Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley). This block- Lucia Highlands). From one of the most cov- Good 83–86: Suitable for everyday consumption; 96 96 often good value.