BUYINGGUIDE December2013 Snow blankets the vineyards around the church at Cuis, south of Épernay in Champagne. IN THIS MONTH’S GUIDE ONLINE EXCLUSIVES 94 CHAMPAGNE 136 OREGON + 6 more reviews online + 23 more reviews online GLOBAL CHARDONNAY 110 FRANCIACORTA 139 NEW YORK More than 110 reviews from around the world. + 5 more reviews online 114 TUSCANY 140 CANADA FRENCH FRENZY + 8 more reviews online + 5 more reviews online Reviews from Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Burgundy and more. 117 GERMANY 141 SPIRITS + 3 more reviews online + 38 more reviews online CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR EPHAS Over 65 wines reviewed, with 57 priced below $50 C 120 PORTUGAL + 47 more reviews online 142 BEER and 10 scoring 90 points or higher. 126 CHILE + 33 more reviews online MICK ROCK / 128 CALIFORNIA + 288 more reviews online FOR ADDITIONAL RATINGS AND REVIEWS, VISIT BUYINGGUIDE.WINEMAG.COM WineMag.com | 93 buyingGUIDE CHAMPAGNE IT’S PARTY TIME—AND BUbbLY REIGNS SUPREME f there is one time in the year when Champagne is a must, it is the hol- ing they are Champagne producers who only make wines from their own iday season. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanuk- vineyards. Americans are increasingly fascinated by these handcrafted Ikah, or even just a few days off work, ’tis the season to pop a cork or two. wines, each with their own distinct personalities. That’s why every December the Buying Guide focuses on Cham- The last trend is the increasing number of Champagnes from the Aube. pagne—132 of them in this issue. The finest examples are unique selec- This is the southernmost part of Champagne, more than halfway between tions, the result of centuries of experience and the special climate and ter- Reims and Burgundy, and it’s warmer than the rest of the region. Round roir of the Champagne region. and lush, these Champagnes are of impressively good quality and price, Three trends stand out in this year’s wide-ranging reviews. First, empha- offering an alternative profile to the classic style for which Champagne is sis on the classic Champagne blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot known. Meunier is back. While blanc de blancs Champagnes (also represented and All in all, it’s worth just celebrating this variety of delicious Champagnes. reviewed here) are delicious, with their mineral textures and apple-crisp Who, after all, really needs an excuse? fruitiness, the backbone of Champagne remains the blend: More complex, Although Champagne is the star of this issue’s Buying Guide, we also re- more subtle and ultimately more satisfying. view one of Italy’s sparkling stars, Franciacorta, as well as selections from The second trend is the increasingly wide range of Champagne produc- Germany and Portugal in Europe. From the New World, check out reviews ers we can now choose from in America. This year, we were delighted to of wines from Chile, plus hundreds of reviews from California, New York review for the first time producers whose names were previously unknown and Oregon. And, as always, be sure to check out our complete database, to U.S. wine drinkers. Some of these are real discoveries, like Lelarge-Pu- with thousands more reviews, at buyingguide.winemag.com. geot, Vincent Couche and Jean-Noël Haton. All three are growers, mean- Cheers! —ROGER VOSS ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE is ready to drink. Lanson International Americas Ltd. Ruinart NV Brut Rosé (Champagne). This —R.V. 91 is a full-bodied and fruity wine. It has ripe red Louis Roederer 2005 Cristal Brut Rosé abv: 12.5% Price: $125 berry fruits as well as layers of warm citrus and fresh 96 (Champagne). A beautifully balanced wine acidity. It’s the richness that shows most strongly here, that exudes elegance as well as richness. It is drier than Louis Roederer 2008 Brut Rosé (Cham- from the fruit to the texture, very much a house style of previous vintages of Cristal Rosé, yielding a bright, crisp 94 pagne). Still young and fruity, this is a wine Ruinart. Drink now. Moët Hennessy USA. —R.V. and layered wine. Red fruits are married with orange with impressive potential. For now, enjoy the palest of abv: 12.5% Price: $75 zest and tight acidity. It can be drunk now, but it is a rosé colors, bright red fruits, and crisp and lively acidity. young wine and will certainly age well through 2022. In the next several years, this will deepen and mellow, Lanson NV Rose Label Brut Rosé (Cham- Maisons Marques & Domaines USA. —R.V. so keep and don’t drink until 2017. Maisons Marques & 90 pagne). Dry and crisp, this is a delicious rosé abv: 12% Price: $595 Domaines USA. Cellar Selection. —R.V. that has both ripe fruit and a tight line of acidity. Its red abv: 12% Price: $79 fruits are laced with fresh citrus character and an under- Ruinart 1998 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé lying touch of toast. This is a bottling that can improve 95 (Champagne). This is a beautiful wine, from Chanoine 2005 Tsarine Millésime Brut with age, but is great now. Lanson International Amer- its onion-skin pink color onward. It is, of course, ma- 91 Rosé (Champagne). Pale pink in color, this icas Ltd. —R.V. ture, but still exhibits vibrant red and citrus fruits. It is is a full, fruity wine that’s aromatic in character. The red abv: 12.5% Price: $65 very dry in style, a paean to delicious acidity. This great fruits are topped with citrus and bright acidity, as well wine does not need to age longer, but still has some po- as signs of maturity, giving a toasty character. The wine Lelarge-Pugeot NV Premier Cru Brut tential to improve for the next few years. Moët Hen- is rich and ready to drink. Deutsch Family Wine & Spir- 90 Rosé (Champagne). Deliciously crisp and nessy USA. —R.V. its. —R.V. dry, this is a forward and fruity rosé, made from Pinot abv: 12.5% Price: $275 abv: 12% Price: $75 Noir, with a particularly fine depth of flavor. It has a ripe wild-strawberry character along with citrus freshness Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Rosé (Cham- Dampierre NV Cuvée des Ambassadeurs and a tight mineral structure. It can be drunk now, but 94 pagne). Such an elegant, ethereal wine, this 91 Brut Rosé (Champagne). This is a full in the should also improve over the next few months. Vintage orange-pink wine is dry and crisp with fruity raspberry mouth, forward and fruity rosé, that is all fresh acidi- Imports, Inc. —R.V. flavor at the fore. This particular bottling could improve ty and lively, crisp flavors. It has a light, zesty texture abv: 12% Price: $45 for a year, but makes a great food Champagne now. T. and the merest hint of toastiness. Drink now or give it a Edward Wines Ltd. —R.V. year’s bottle aging. Next Level Spirits. —R.V. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin NV Brut Rosé abv: 12% Price: $NA abv: 12.5% Price: $NA 90 (Champagne). This is a beautiful, full rosé that is rich and shows a fine balance between acidity Lanson NV Extra Age Brut Rosé (Cham- H. Blin NV Blin’s Édition Limitée Extra and fruitiness. This bottling is also mature with toasti- 94 pagne). The palest pink in color, this is a ma- 91 Brut Rosé (Champagne). For full review ness coming through, giving a softer, rounder character. ture, ripe Champagne. It certainly hints at the extra age see page 98. (five years in the cellar) which gives it a glow of rich- abv: 12.5% Price: $63 ness and toasty flavors. Fine lines of acidity cut through the full texture to give a wonderful, balanced wine that Continued on page 103 94 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | DECEMBER 2013 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 Lauren Buzzeo, Assistant Tasting Director Anna Lee C. Iijima, Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa, Managing Editor Joe Czerwinski, Contributing Editor Michael Schachner, Contributing Taster Andrew Hoover and Spirits Robert Mondavi 2011 Fumé Blanc Editor Kara Newman in New York, European Editor Roger W.H. Smith 2010 Hellenthal Vineyard Pi- 95 (Oakville). This isn’t Mondavi’s most expensive Voss in Bordeaux, Italian Editor Kerin O’Keefe in Switzerland, not Noir (Sonoma Coast). From a vineyard Fumé (Sauvignon) Blanc. But it is one of their best ever. California Editor Steve Heimoff in Oakland, Contributing 96 Editor Virginie Boone in Santa Rosa and Contributing Editors in the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation, this is clearly one In fact, it’s so classic, you could use it in a winemak- Paul Gregutt and Sean Sullivan in Seattle. of the best wines of the vintage. The mouthfeel is light ing class to teach future vintners about how great Napa If a wine was evaluated by a single reviewer, that taster’s and silky, with refined tannins that give it a slight astrin- Sauvignon Blanc should taste. It’s bone dry, brilliantly initials appear following the note. When no initials appear gency. The flavors are vast and complex with raspber- crisp with acidity and gently touched by oak. The main following a wine review, the wine was evaluated by two or more reviewers and the score and tasting note reflect ries, cherries and cola, but also forest notes of mush- notes are of lees, which give a sourdough tang, and lay- the input of all tasters. Unless otherwise stated, all Spirits rooms, balsam and herbs.