GroNLP/ik-nlp-22_winemag · Datasets at Hugging Face

index int64 1 130k	country stringclasses 8 values	description stringlengths 34 829	points int64 80 100	price float64 4 3.3k	province stringclasses 21 values	variety stringlengths 4 26
119,226	US	Sangiovese may be the hardest grape of all to get right. In Eberle's hands, it makes for a softly pleasant, lip-smackingly delicious wine of ease and comfort. Nothing Italian about it, but you'll like the cherry, berry, tobacco and spice flavors.	86	22	California	Sangiovese
116,152	France	A heady swirl of Amalfi lemon hits you right in the heart, if not the nose. The lemon notes become even more fully expressed on the taut but full, streamlined but expressive and dry body: they take the rich guise of lemon oil and candied peel. They are utterly tart and fresh but with that golden ripeness at their very core that makes this rather seductive. Taste buds just want to get to the bottom of this and rejoice in the purity and fruity tang. This is translucent and refreshing but also rich and full of delicious lemony vigor. The finish is lip-smacking. It will be hard to resist this, but this is certain to get even better. Drink now through 2035.	95	48	Alsace	Riesling
83,096	France	A smooth and ripe wine produced by the team of Cos d'Estournel. It is full and rich with black-plum fruits and velvet tannins. With fine acidity at the back, it has kept its freshness. Drink from 2022.	89	43	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
9,925	US	This wine comes alive on the expansive, fleshy palate of black pepper and olive tapenade flavors. It walks a fine line between tenacious structure and high-cheekboned fruit—a mélange of raspberry, cassis and blueberry compote. The aromas are enticing and reminiscent of violets. Though it can be enjoyed now, it will evolve well through 2034.	95	115	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
117,804	Spain	Typical for basic Rioja, this is violet in color, with fresh plum and red berry aromas. The palate comes across kind of hard, tight and candied, with sweet berry fruit flavors that turn bitter on the finish.	86	15	Northern Spain	Tempranillo
45,735	France	Toast and ripe spice go well with the warm red-berry fruits in this wine. It is rich, layering new wood and fine tannins along with a firm structure. Drink this wine, with its good potential, from 2019. This is one of seven château in the Médeville family and 2014 was their 188th harvest.	90	42	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
29,860	US	This is a delicious Merlot for drinking now. It's Martin Ray's best in years, a dry, smooth, soft wine, with elaborate cherry pie, blackberry jam and oak flavors that are complex and spicy.	89	22	California	Merlot
25,214	US	Good acidity in this Chardonnay provides a brisk balance to the ripe pineapple, passion fruit, pear and spice flavors. Made in the modern style, it has a minerality that lifts it and provides interest.	92	45	California	Chardonnay
70,416	France	Soft wine, now ripe and open, its fruit just masking almonds, toast and sweet cream. The acidity gives backbone to this mature wine which is concentrated yet with a touch of acidity and spice.	90	35	Burgundy	Chardonnay
35,727	US	Expertly integrated aromas of black plum, vanilla cola, light clove, pralines and a touch of caramel cream show on the nose of this bottling by a Sta. Rita Hills producer that sourced from up north. Wild berries, red cherry and black raspberry pop on the palate, where an earthy tension of chipped slate meets with a baked goods richness.	91	42	California	Grenache
77,334	US	With aromas reminiscent of moist soil after a summer rain, this wine also offers notes of dark coffee, cola cherry, black licorice and herbs. It's tightly wound, with dark fruit and coffee flavors and a hyperextended finish. Its best days are still in front of it.	91	34	Washington	Cabernet Sauvignon
70,937	US	Rose petal notes perfume this intensely aromatic rosé, accenting concentrated sour cherry and raspberry flavors. A robust blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it's dry in style but rich and ripe with fruit flavors. A hint of chalk and salinity mark the elegant finish.	89	16	New York	Rosé
14,625	US	Made in a full-bodied style, this estate wine is generous in blackberry, black licorice and dark cherry, with classic cola spice dancing around its edges. Smooth and memorable, it is made from a handful of vineyards, including Nicole's, Bow Tie and Robert Thomas, all vineyard-designates of their own for the producer.	90	40	California	Pinot Noir
93,393	US	A brilliantly complex but rarely done blend, this mix of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Petite Sirah shows blueberry donuts, vanilla ice cream, licorice, stewed strawberries and the lightest touch of dill and herbal aromatics on the nose. Gravel, asphalt and elderberry come through on the sip, elevated by white and black pepper. It's still a tad wound up.	92	50	California	Red Blend
63,605	France	This attractive, lightly honeyed wine has apple and fresh pear flavors. Fresh, fruity and crisp, it finishes with a youthful lift that suggests it will be better from mid-2016.	86	18	Burgundy	Chardonnay
62,186	Italy	The subdued nose eventually reveals black cherry, anise and a whiff of chopped herb that carry over to the straightforward, informal palate. Dusty, drying tannins and a note of bitter sage leave an astringent finish.	86	18	Sicily & Sardinia	Red Blend
84,677	US	Bright in acidity, and powerful in flavor, this Chard oozes ripe pineapple, green apple, mineral, honeysuckle and spicy flavors. Totally dry, it's a little tight, and could develop some bottle complexity in a few years. Nice with Asian fare.	88	33	California	Chardonnay
121,170	US	Surh Luchtel knows how to make a great Cab. The '05 is a beautiful wine, softly complex and layered, with black currant, cherry, mocha, sweet oak and spicy flavors. But it's tannins that really mark this wine. They're so fine, so authoritative. Drink now–2010.	92	40	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
87,945	US	A straightforward and light-bodied wine, this has buttery, earthy aromas, and butter and apple flavors on a rather crisp texture. It turns dry and a bit sharp on the finish.	84	15	California	Chardonnay
117,124	US	This wine by winemaker and owner Dan Kessler offers a zesty nose of crushed boysenberry, black raspberry, scarlet rose petal, wild sage and a touch of violet. There is lots of fresh zip to the sip, where woody elderberries and black plum are lifted by mint and more lively violet character. The finish is laced with juniper.	93	40	California	Pinot Noir
52,203	US	This six-vineyard blend bears a sharp herbal edge that adds grip to the tannins. Beet and green tea flavors mix with tart wild berry fruit. Another year or two of bottle age is recommended.	88	28	Oregon	Pinot Noir
17,853	US	Firm, fruity wine, with good clean varietal flavors. Simple and ripe, with a big, tannic finish.	85	15	California	Zinfandel
36,803	France	A ripe, very smooth second wine of Château Siaurac, rich while still full of fresh fruit that already shows elegance and a light touch. The wine is likely to age well and soon, so drink from 2015.	85	12	Bordeaux	Merlot
118,309	France	From one of the old Provence estates, this is a concentrated herbal wine. It has plenty of spice as well as full red fruits and balanced acidity. This is a fine wine, packed with taste. Drink now.	89	26	Provence	Rosé
73,151	Italy	This is a fantastic Barbera d'Asti Superiore with a plush, soft, velvety feel and loads of intensity that peels back into layers of fresh blackberry, cherry, spice, chocolate, leather and exotic spice. This wine carries the banner high for all the Barbera producers now experimenting with a more modern style.	91	60	Piedmont	Barbera
90,764	Italy	Enticing scents suggesting iris, rose, tilled earth and red berry slowly emerge in the glass. The meaty palate doles out ripe black raspberry, juicy black cherry and a potpourri of cake spice alongside a backbone of firm tannins and fresh acidity. A licorice note closes the lingering finish. Drink 2018–2024.	93	75	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
109,932	Germany	A glaze of honeycomb lends a waxy sheen to crisp tangerine, pineapple and gooseberry in this delicately framed dry Riesling. It's gossamer-fine in texture, but there's a scintillating power within, powered by an electric core of acidity. Subtle hints of exotic spice and tart lime pith reverberate long on the finish. It's enticing now but should gain depth and finesse through 2025.	93	96	Mosel	Riesling
86,804	US	Good and dry, with a firm scour of acidity and an earthiness to the pineapples and pears. This is a fine everyday Chardonnay at a fair price.	85	11	California	Chardonnay
104,470	US	This blend of 64% Syrah, 24% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah shows warm and inviting aromas of cherry, blueberry, brioche, vanilla and brown sugar on the nose. The palate is lush with black cherries, maple and smoke flavors, proving rich and ripe though extremely juicy and tasty. It's an attention grabber.	93	75	California	Red Blend
59,995	US	Coming from this exceptional winery the term reserve (or in this case, riservata) actually means a great deal. Flavors are broad and deep and entwined with plum, cherry compote, soy and chocolate. The length and power are impressive: these flavors just don't quit.	95	45	Oregon	Pinot Noir
109,609	France	This crisp wine has plenty of acidity as well as fruit. It is young to taste, still showing its fresh side that should round out over the next few years. Drink from 2016.	87	17	Alsace	Pinot Gris
99,835	Italy	Blackberry, underbrush, mocha and baking spice aromas lead the nose on this hearty wine. The dense palate offers mature black plum, dill, clove and hints of black pepper alongside bracing tannins.	89	50	Veneto	Red Blend
35,605	US	Sage-tinted cedar and black cherry combine in this proprietary blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Sangiovese, 13% Syrah and 13% Zinfandel, from the producer's estate vineyard. Lean and refined, it shares a generosity of chocolate on the palate, with a slight spiciness to the finish.	91	50	California	Red Blend
115,752	US	Whiffs of baby powder and blossoms lend a floral, perfumed tone to this pretty Gewürztraminer. It's bold in body and alcohol, but the palate stays bright thanks to fresh grapefruit and tangerine flavors.	87	17	New York	Gewürztraminer
110,943	US	A soft, hot, Porty wine, with sweet red plum and chocolate flavors. The official alcohol reading is 16% by volume. Tasted twice.	83	36	California	Syrah
72,962	US	This is a good price for a coastal Pinot Noir that's so rich and balanced. It's silky in the mouth, with luscious strawberry, cranberry and cola flavors, and deepened with notes of toasty oak.	88	20	California	Pinot Noir
109,632	US	Too ripe, almost Porty, although it's bone dry. Shows flavors of currants, chocolate and raisins, with a bitterness throughout.	82	45	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
39,722	US	A flashy Cabernet, it's the kind that makes red wine lovers sit up and say, “This is really good.” That's because the blackberries, cherries and currants, not to mention new French oak, are so lush. On the other hand, the enjoyment is all upfront, and the wine's aging potential is limited.	87	36	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
24,525	US	From the producer best known for its own Anderson Valley estate wines, this Pinot is varietally rustic in pine needle, dark, baked plum and smoky oak, the oak stylistically reminiscent of many of its other wines. Mellowed acidity complements the burliness and ripeness of the fruit before a lengthy, Asian-spiced finish.	91	60	California	Pinot Noir
65,214	US	Expensive, yes, but a very fine Pinot that shows the elegance of its Santa Barbara origins. Dry and crisp in acidity, it's extraordinarily deep in raspberry, cherry and currant fruit, with interesting notes of sautéed beef, cola, vanilla, baking spices and sandalwood. Drink now–2015 to enjoy its fruitiness.	93	60	California	Pinot Noir
95,394	US	A little rugged in the mouth, with some fierce tannins, but otherwise a pretty good Cabernet-based wine. The berry-cherry and currant flavors will benefit from an hour or two of airing.	86	35	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
32,015	US	A deeply impressive Bordeaux blend. It comes from this small, but prestigious, appellation, which is a bridge between Sonoma County and Napa Valley. Marked by dryness and a superb tannic structure, it has deep flavors of blackberries, black currants, violets, herbs and cedar. Needs time. Give it 4–6 years in the cellar.	94	39	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
116,041	US	A brilliant shade of pink, this bottling shows all the classic rosé aromas, from watermelon, to strawberry to bubblegum, with a touch of warm pastry as well. The palate offers a candied watermelon and cotton candy flavors, without any sweetness.	88	28	California	Pinot Noir
9,605	US	This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, although it doesn't say so on the label. The wine is awesome and impeccable in the modern Oakville style of intensely ripe fruit and sweet, soft tannins. The flavors of raspberries, cherries, cocoa and sweet oak are incredibly delicious. It's soft enough to drink now, but will hold for 6–8 years.	93	150	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
18,297	US	Three-fifths Merlot, one quarter Cab Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this Bordeaux-style blend shows ripe fruit scents of raisin and prune, offset with baking spices and plenty of chocolate and espresso. Full-throttle, smooth and concentrated, it's a big, concentrated, somewhat in-your face-effort, but delicious all the way through.	91	42	Washington	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
73,173	US	This expertly structured wine will last for ages. It begins with dense blackberry jam, caramel, vanilla, fresh licorice and chocolate-ganache aromas. There is a density of flavors on the sip, but not an overwhelming weight, with black cherry, chocolate syrup and asphalt tones hung on chalky tannins that are a little firm right now. Drink 2018–2033.	93	60	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
72,963	Germany	Whiffs of smoke and spice add complexity to this remarkably inexpensive, tasty Riesling. Off dry in style, with delicate white peach and apricot flavors, it's brightened by lime acidity and hints of savory herbs. Drink now.	88	11	Mosel	Riesling
110,220	US	A nicely drinkable Chardonnay marked by vigorous acidity and creamy-smooth flavors of pineapple tart, Key lime pie and lemongrass. Good as an inexpensive alternative to coastal bottlings that cost far more.	87	18	California	Chardonnay
56,011	US	Rich earthy tones of iron and sagebrush meet with a touch of barnyard, roasted meats, dark cranberry fruit and a touch of sarsaparilla on the nose of this Josh Jensen bottling. More iron, wet clay, turned loam and slate minerality show on the palate, where black pepper, cooked black cherries, pomegranate and cranberry round out the still quite tannic sip.	92	52	California	Pinot Noir
67,652	US	Richness and depth meet vibrancy and precision in this multi-layered and multi-faceted wine. The aroma combines mild spices with gentle red fruits. Flavors go deeper to black cherry and cinnamon, while a broad, gentle texture with mild tannins seems to fill the mouth. Best after 2021.	94	72	California	Pinot Noir
40,147	US	A blend of fruit from Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards, this wine opens with aromas of vanilla, wood spice, cream, red apple and fruit. The palate brings elegantly styled, tart fruit flavors that linger on the finish. The balance is impeccable.	91	43	Washington	Merlot
44,529	Germany	While rich and almost nectar like in ripeness, this vibrantly peachy, floral wine is kept in check by an exhilarating strike of lime acidity. Off dry in style, it's concentrated and penetrating, yet bracingly sheer. It would be a showstopper apéritif at the most elegant cocktail party.	91	22	Mosel	Riesling
76,116	Italy	Straightforward and already accessible, this opens with aromas of rubber, coffee, vanilla, toasted oak and plum cake. The extracted palate delivers mature black cherry, chocolate, and sage alongside evolved, fleeting tannins. Enjoy through 2019.	88	50	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
67,614	US	100% Malbec, it's redolent with dark plums, wild blueberries and peppery spices. The soft, silky flavors are light but have good concentration with the oak (80% American) seeming quite dialed back.	87	20	Washington	Malbec
79,850	US	This is a moderately aromatic wine with notes of pear, flowers and applesauce. It drinks a hair off dry (4 g/L residual sugar), finishing on a bitter note.	84	16	Oregon	Pinot Gris
62,917	US	Rather heavy in texture, with the weight of a Rhone wine, and thick, fruity flavors of plums, heirloom tomatoes, cola, espresso and oak. Very dry, with smooth tannins. This is a big Pinot, clean and complex, although not particularly delicate.	87	33	California	Pinot Noir
116,112	US	This well-defined Cabernet offers blackberry, black cherry and a hint of sweet grape jam. It's set in a frame of rock and tannin, that seems to catch and hold as it enters the back of the throat. Perhaps an indication that more bottle age, or some hours of decanting, are in order? In any event, it stops a bit short.	88	28	Washington	Cabernet Sauvignon
103,977	US	This combines 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Zinfandel into a voluptuously lush and rounded package of blackberry fruit and tobacco leaf flavor. The texture is dusty and gravelly, complementing the jammy ripeness.	87	80	California	Red Blend
31,912	US	Semi-sweet, this wine combines cherry and chocolate flavors with a vegetal, asparagus taste that detracts from the pleasures a dessert wine ought to bring.	84	24	California	Zinfandel
63,115	Italy	The celebrated Cerequio cru is known for its elegant and refined wines. However, in this hot vintage, you can taste the maturity of the fruit thanks to the wine's aromas of plum, prune and spice cake. Clay soils help shape the wine's natural density and structure.	91	120	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
9,263	US	This wine is lifted by vibrant acidity and shows bread-like aromas accented with wild strawberry, compost and forest floor flavors. Light-bodied and fresh on the palate, it's nicely crafted and table-ready.	91	27	California	Pinot Noir
20,329	US	This dazzling, dry and restrained wine was matured in new French oak but with such a light touch that it feels more lean than fat in texture. It has enough fruitiness—crisp apple and lemon flavors—and spice to make it tempting now, though it will improve with age. Best after 2020.	92	42	California	Chardonnay
379	Italy	This blend of Chardonnay, Nosiola and Pinot Bianco offers up apples and cream on the nose, along with flavors of peach and citrus. It's a comfortable mix of fruit that finishes lively and fresh, making it a fine apéritif.	88	15	Northeastern Italy	White Blend
40,015	US	Creamy vanilla and pear pie provide a fleshy and full-bodied texture to this wine, which leans tropical in guava and melon. Aged in entirely neutral oak, the fruit shows well within a wave of ripeness.	87	26	California	Chardonnay
95,982	Italy	Dense and extracted, this opens with aromas of cherry marinated in spirits, prune, ground black pepper and leather. The syrupy palate offers blackberry extract, licorice, espresso and toasted oak alongside teeth-coating tannins and almost searing alcohol.	87	80	Veneto	Red Blend
82,220	Italy	Honeysuckle, honeydew melon and white-peach aromas follow through to the somewhat sweet palate along with a note of glazed orange zest. Fresh acidity lifts the rich candied flavors.	87	19	Veneto	Glera
97,093	US	Very ripe and fruity and ultra smooth in texture, this wine is a treat to drink and a very good value. A touch of sweetness adds to the supple mouthfeel and helps carry the boysenberry and blueberry notes through the finish.	88	13	California	Red Blend
97,076	Italy	This Riserva Chianti Classico shows simple sweet cherry flavors packed within a clean, polished package. It's an easygoing wine that would pair with light meat or chicken dishes.	86	28	Tuscany	Sangiovese
1,579	US	A sip is all it takes to fall in love with this potent Pinot Noir. Big tannins and crisp acidity make it hard to appreciate now, but there's a gigantic core of cherries and raspberries, with a firm minerality from the soil. Will develop bottle complexity over the years. Don't even think of popping the cork before 2015.	95	56	California	Pinot Noir
62,366	US	This intensely ripe wine is made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Malbec and Merlot. Its waxy cherry, currant and blueberry flavers are laced wtih milk chocolate and smoky oak richness, a dash of high-toned acidity sparking on the finish.	90	120	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
27,359	France	From one of the most famous vineyard slopes in Sancerre, the wine is tight, structured and still young. It has great potential with rich citrus, herbs and green fruit flavors. Along with the tense, mineral texture, the wine has both concentration and aging ability. Drink from 2019.	93	37	Loire Valley	Sauvignon Blanc
47,611	US	This 100% varietal wine is lightly aromatic with notes of toast, spice and apple. The oak aging (20% new French) helps provide a sense of roundness but the fruit concentration doesn't seem to stand up to it.	85	15	Washington	Chardonnay
4,240	US	A rich taste of caramel wraps around toasty charred oak in this young estate wine. Dense and chewy, it shows its youth and vintage signature, a sizable presence of tannin.	88	100	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
57,525	Italy	A whiff of cellar floor burns off to reveal berry, subtle oak and leather. The palate displays juicy sour cherry, sage and menthol alongside tightly packed tannins that need time to unwind. Drink 2018–2025.	88	48	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
11,116	US	Attractive floral aromas and bright cherry and raspberry flavors make a light, refreshing impression. This medium-bodied wine has light tannins and lively acidity in the texture.	87	12	California	Pinot Noir
41,582	France	Considering the relatively light nature of the vintage, this wine has been overmanipulated. Hard tannins and a bitter chocolate flavor are all too much for the fruit. A gentler approach would have been better.	86	35	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
83,248	US	Medium sweet and fruit forward, this is loaded with flavors of orange pekoe tea, candied lemon and peach marmalade. It's a fruit circus, with plenty of sweetness. It could be used as a dessert wine with a berry pie, or tried as an adventurous companion to a blue cheese.	88	14	Oregon	Riesling
21,863	US	Another Best Buy Merlot from Bogle. The wine is just as you want a nice Merlot to be, rich and soft and flavorful in cherries, with a kiss of smoky oak.	86	10	California	Merlot
38,655	US	This ambitious, against-all-odds island project with ancient grapevines is showing promising results, in this case offering smoked meats, hard spice and very tight purple fruit on the nose. The palate is tart with cranberries and raspberries, with a pencil lead and earth character, proving quite interesting if not entirely Zin-like.	89	72	California	Zinfandel
13,229	US	There's a bitter apricot pit flavor to this blush Pinot Noir. It's dry and crisp with acidity that brightens peach and citrus flavors.	84	25	California	Rosé
99,782	US	Sparkling richness stars in this concentrated, ultimately balanced wine, which offers a warming note of pear compote and peach within subtle waves of toasted oak. The lushly cradled fruit is awash in anise and fennel.	91	38	California	Chardonnay
47,615	US	Grown in the High Valley appellation within Lake County, this is huge, black and packed with blackberry and blueberry flavors. It's decadent like a blueberry pie topped with chocolate sauce. Ready to drink now.	87	23	California	Petite Sirah
67,982	Italy	Made with 80% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, this offers aromas of ripe plum, wild berry, underbrush and espresso. On the palate, notes of mocha and grilled herb add depth to the core of dried black cherry while fine-grained tannins provide the framework. Reflecting the heat of the vintage, it's evolving quickly and is already accessible.	89	19	Tuscany	Red Blend
111,874	US	This Merlot-Zinfandel blend is very dry, full-bodied and rustic, with blackberry, currant, herb and cedar flavors that have bitter tobacco notes on the finish. Good with everyday fare.	85	14	California	Red Blend
1,006	US	This bold, expressive Pinot Noir bursts open with spice, herb and leaf then rolls into flavors of vanilla cream and tangy red fruits. The spicy elements wrap into all the other flavors, giving lift and life; this is an exciting wine, though not necessarily one to cellar.	88	40	Oregon	Pinot Noir
95,455	US	This is a refined and restrained Pinot from a reputable grape grower who has successfully made the transition to winemaker. Raspberry, cherry-vanilla and rhubarb interplay seamlessly, teasing with a taste of decadence and silky tannins. The finish offers highlights of orange zest and clove.	94	39	California	Pinot Noir
94,907	Spain	Hot earth, baked cherry and mild vanilla aromas come in front of a snappy, angular palate with tangy pie-cherry and red-plum flavors. Sheer and basic Rioja with high acidity, lean fruit, a cleansing finish and a light body.	84	12	Northern Spain	Tempranillo
50,868	US	A dry, edgy blend of Barbera, Grenache and several other varieties, this is tannic and lacks richness. Pair it with a cheese and pepperoni pizza to coax out the fruit.	82	17	California	Red Blend
121,889	US	A dramatic wine, this is rich, full bodied and incredibly complex, laced with notes of ripe, sweet blackberries and crème de cassis, with a spirituous heat from relatively high alcohol. Its pedigree is clear throughout the entire tasting experience. This is a really gorgeous Cabernet, showing refinement and grace, but it is very tannic. Give it at least 10 years.	97	190	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
13,311	US	Winemaker Adam Henkel inherited this vintage's barrels, but puts together a tasty blend, showing cracked peppercorns, obsidian-like rocks, layers of blackberry and a slight hint of green pepper. Pasilla chile opens the palate, which unfolds with boysenberry and blackberry, staying evenly balanced the entire sip.	90	75	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
74,768	US	A sound, everyday wine with some special qualities. It's dryish and super-fruity in cherries and raspberries, and even has some salty, smoky notes of bacon. The alcohol is refreshingly low.	85	17	California	Merlot
52,758	US	This is an easygoing, mouthfillng and fruity wine that's plump with blackberry and cherry flavors. It has a soft texture despite high octane and very little tannin.	86	25	California	Sangiovese
19,740	US	This is a hearty version of the variety for this producer, known for its oft-lighter approach. It reveals skill as well, the grapes from another prime site overseen by brand partner Bill Price. A feral shock of mushroom dominates on the nose before punchy tannins and a medium-body distract slightly in contoured texture, only barely letting in crisp flavors of orange peel and dark cherry.	91	60	California	Pinot Noir
95,056	France	The great 2002 vintage has produced some remarkable wines and this falls into that category. Still so fresh, with swathes of mineral texture and tight acidity, it is still developing. Hints of toast point to a future where the wine will be rounder and with even more complexity. For now, the crisp apple, pear and softer yellow fruits dominate. Drink from 2017.	95	130	Champagne	Champagne Blend
103,872	US	The nose on this bottling is quite reductive at first, with cut grass and damp herb aromas mixing up with dried seaweed and light lemon peel. There is a tart green-grass flavor to the palate, but also a slightly riper Anjou pear component, with a salty freshness emerging toward the finish.	88	24	California	Sauvignon Blanc
123,327	Spain	Punchy plum and raspberry aromas are light and fresh, as is the palate, which introduces jumpy acidity to the equation. Like the nose, this tastes of basic red fruits, cherry and plum in particular, while the finish is persistently fruity. This is 54% Tempranillo and 46% Garnacha.	86	13	Catalonia	Tempranillo Blend
42,575	Italy	There are notes of cut grass and honey on the bouquet. The bubble size is large, and a crisp endnote marks the finish.	86	18	Veneto	Glera
57,958	US	Violet, lavender, espresso and cherry-cola syrup aromas show on the nose of this wine by interior designer Caren Rideau and industry veteran Andres Ibarra, who's been growing and making wine for decades. The palate offers blueberry, cedar ash and pencil shavings, but it shows quite a bit of grip and will require more patience to enjoy fully.	87	34	California	Petite Sirah
66,108	Italy	Young and fruit-driven, this straightforward wine opens with aromas of ripe black and red-skinned fruit accompanied by a whiff of spice rack. The chewy palate doles out juicy black cherry, blackberry, star anise and orange zest alongside vibrant acidity. Enjoy through 2016.	87	17	Piedmont	Barbera
2,422	France	From an estate in the Entre-Deux-Mers region, this wine is firm and concentrated, packed with ripe tannins and juicy blackberry fruit. Dense, with dusty tannins, it is smooth and polished in texture.	85	15	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend

119,226

US

Sangiovese may be the hardest grape of all to get right. In Eberle's hands, it makes for a softly pleasant, lip-smackingly delicious wine of ease and comfort. Nothing Italian about it, but you'll like the cherry, berry, tobacco and spice flavors.

86

22

California

Sangiovese

116,152

France

A heady swirl of Amalfi lemon hits you right in the heart, if not the nose. The lemon notes become even more fully expressed on the taut but full, streamlined but expressive and dry body: they take the rich guise of lemon oil and candied peel. They are utterly tart and fresh but with that golden ripeness at their very core that makes this rather seductive. Taste buds just want to get to the bottom of this and rejoice in the purity and fruity tang. This is translucent and refreshing but also rich and full of delicious lemony vigor. The finish is lip-smacking. It will be hard to resist this, but this is certain to get even better. Drink now through 2035.

95

48

Alsace

Riesling

83,096

France

A smooth and ripe wine produced by the team of Cos d'Estournel. It is full and rich with black-plum fruits and velvet tannins. With fine acidity at the back, it has kept its freshness. Drink from 2022.

89

43

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

9,925

US

This wine comes alive on the expansive, fleshy palate of black pepper and olive tapenade flavors. It walks a fine line between tenacious structure and high-cheekboned fruit—a mélange of raspberry, cassis and blueberry compote. The aromas are enticing and reminiscent of violets. Though it can be enjoyed now, it will evolve well through 2034.

95

115

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

117,804

Spain

Typical for basic Rioja, this is violet in color, with fresh plum and red berry aromas. The palate comes across kind of hard, tight and candied, with sweet berry fruit flavors that turn bitter on the finish.

86

15

Northern Spain

Tempranillo

45,735

France

Toast and ripe spice go well with the warm red-berry fruits in this wine. It is rich, layering new wood and fine tannins along with a firm structure. Drink this wine, with its good potential, from 2019. This is one of seven château in the Médeville family and 2014 was their 188th harvest.

90

42

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

29,860

US

This is a delicious Merlot for drinking now. It's Martin Ray's best in years, a dry, smooth, soft wine, with elaborate cherry pie, blackberry jam and oak flavors that are complex and spicy.

89

22

California

Merlot

25,214

US

Good acidity in this Chardonnay provides a brisk balance to the ripe pineapple, passion fruit, pear and spice flavors. Made in the modern style, it has a minerality that lifts it and provides interest.

92

45

California

Chardonnay

70,416

France

Soft wine, now ripe and open, its fruit just masking almonds, toast and sweet cream. The acidity gives backbone to this mature wine which is concentrated yet with a touch of acidity and spice.

90

35

Burgundy

Chardonnay

35,727

US

Expertly integrated aromas of black plum, vanilla cola, light clove, pralines and a touch of caramel cream show on the nose of this bottling by a Sta. Rita Hills producer that sourced from up north. Wild berries, red cherry and black raspberry pop on the palate, where an earthy tension of chipped slate meets with a baked goods richness.

91

42

California

Grenache

77,334

US

With aromas reminiscent of moist soil after a summer rain, this wine also offers notes of dark coffee, cola cherry, black licorice and herbs. It's tightly wound, with dark fruit and coffee flavors and a hyperextended finish. Its best days are still in front of it.

91

34

Washington

Cabernet Sauvignon

70,937

US

Rose petal notes perfume this intensely aromatic rosé, accenting concentrated sour cherry and raspberry flavors. A robust blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it's dry in style but rich and ripe with fruit flavors. A hint of chalk and salinity mark the elegant finish.

89

16

New York

Rosé

14,625

US

Made in a full-bodied style, this estate wine is generous in blackberry, black licorice and dark cherry, with classic cola spice dancing around its edges. Smooth and memorable, it is made from a handful of vineyards, including Nicole's, Bow Tie and Robert Thomas, all vineyard-designates of their own for the producer.

90

40

California

Pinot Noir

93,393

US

A brilliantly complex but rarely done blend, this mix of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Petite Sirah shows blueberry donuts, vanilla ice cream, licorice, stewed strawberries and the lightest touch of dill and herbal aromatics on the nose. Gravel, asphalt and elderberry come through on the sip, elevated by white and black pepper. It's still a tad wound up.

92

50

California

Red Blend

63,605

France

This attractive, lightly honeyed wine has apple and fresh pear flavors. Fresh, fruity and crisp, it finishes with a youthful lift that suggests it will be better from mid-2016.

86

18

Burgundy

Chardonnay

62,186

Italy

The subdued nose eventually reveals black cherry, anise and a whiff of chopped herb that carry over to the straightforward, informal palate. Dusty, drying tannins and a note of bitter sage leave an astringent finish.

86

18

Sicily & Sardinia

Red Blend

84,677

US

Bright in acidity, and powerful in flavor, this Chard oozes ripe pineapple, green apple, mineral, honeysuckle and spicy flavors. Totally dry, it's a little tight, and could develop some bottle complexity in a few years. Nice with Asian fare.

88

33

California

Chardonnay

121,170

US

Surh Luchtel knows how to make a great Cab. The '05 is a beautiful wine, softly complex and layered, with black currant, cherry, mocha, sweet oak and spicy flavors. But it's tannins that really mark this wine. They're so fine, so authoritative. Drink now–2010.

92

40

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

87,945

US

A straightforward and light-bodied wine, this has buttery, earthy aromas, and butter and apple flavors on a rather crisp texture. It turns dry and a bit sharp on the finish.

84

15

California

Chardonnay

117,124

US

This wine by winemaker and owner Dan Kessler offers a zesty nose of crushed boysenberry, black raspberry, scarlet rose petal, wild sage and a touch of violet. There is lots of fresh zip to the sip, where woody elderberries and black plum are lifted by mint and more lively violet character. The finish is laced with juniper.

93

40

California

Pinot Noir

52,203

US

This six-vineyard blend bears a sharp herbal edge that adds grip to the tannins. Beet and green tea flavors mix with tart wild berry fruit. Another year or two of bottle age is recommended.

88

28

Oregon

Pinot Noir

17,853

US

Firm, fruity wine, with good clean varietal flavors. Simple and ripe, with a big, tannic finish.

85

15

California

Zinfandel

36,803

France

A ripe, very smooth second wine of Château Siaurac, rich while still full of fresh fruit that already shows elegance and a light touch. The wine is likely to age well and soon, so drink from 2015.

85

12

Bordeaux

Merlot

118,309

France

From one of the old Provence estates, this is a concentrated herbal wine. It has plenty of spice as well as full red fruits and balanced acidity. This is a fine wine, packed with taste. Drink now.

89

26

Provence

Rosé

73,151

Italy

This is a fantastic Barbera d'Asti Superiore with a plush, soft, velvety feel and loads of intensity that peels back into layers of fresh blackberry, cherry, spice, chocolate, leather and exotic spice. This wine carries the banner high for all the Barbera producers now experimenting with a more modern style.

91

60

Piedmont

Barbera

90,764

Italy

Enticing scents suggesting iris, rose, tilled earth and red berry slowly emerge in the glass. The meaty palate doles out ripe black raspberry, juicy black cherry and a potpourri of cake spice alongside a backbone of firm tannins and fresh acidity. A licorice note closes the lingering finish. Drink 2018–2024.

93

75

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

109,932

Germany

A glaze of honeycomb lends a waxy sheen to crisp tangerine, pineapple and gooseberry in this delicately framed dry Riesling. It's gossamer-fine in texture, but there's a scintillating power within, powered by an electric core of acidity. Subtle hints of exotic spice and tart lime pith reverberate long on the finish. It's enticing now but should gain depth and finesse through 2025.

93

96

Mosel

Riesling

86,804

US

Good and dry, with a firm scour of acidity and an earthiness to the pineapples and pears. This is a fine everyday Chardonnay at a fair price.

85

11

California

Chardonnay

104,470

US

This blend of 64% Syrah, 24% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah shows warm and inviting aromas of cherry, blueberry, brioche, vanilla and brown sugar on the nose. The palate is lush with black cherries, maple and smoke flavors, proving rich and ripe though extremely juicy and tasty. It's an attention grabber.

93

75

California

Red Blend

59,995

US

Coming from this exceptional winery the term reserve (or in this case, riservata) actually means a great deal. Flavors are broad and deep and entwined with plum, cherry compote, soy and chocolate. The length and power are impressive: these flavors just don't quit.

95

45

Oregon

Pinot Noir

109,609

France

This crisp wine has plenty of acidity as well as fruit. It is young to taste, still showing its fresh side that should round out over the next few years. Drink from 2016.

87

17

Alsace

Pinot Gris

99,835

Italy

Blackberry, underbrush, mocha and baking spice aromas lead the nose on this hearty wine. The dense palate offers mature black plum, dill, clove and hints of black pepper alongside bracing tannins.

89

50

Veneto

Red Blend

35,605

US

Sage-tinted cedar and black cherry combine in this proprietary blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Sangiovese, 13% Syrah and 13% Zinfandel, from the producer's estate vineyard. Lean and refined, it shares a generosity of chocolate on the palate, with a slight spiciness to the finish.

91

50

California

Red Blend

115,752

US

Whiffs of baby powder and blossoms lend a floral, perfumed tone to this pretty Gewürztraminer. It's bold in body and alcohol, but the palate stays bright thanks to fresh grapefruit and tangerine flavors.

87

17

New York

Gewürztraminer

110,943

US

A soft, hot, Porty wine, with sweet red plum and chocolate flavors. The official alcohol reading is 16% by volume. Tasted twice.

83

36

California

Syrah

72,962

US

This is a good price for a coastal Pinot Noir that's so rich and balanced. It's silky in the mouth, with luscious strawberry, cranberry and cola flavors, and deepened with notes of toasty oak.

88

20

California

Pinot Noir

109,632

US

Too ripe, almost Porty, although it's bone dry. Shows flavors of currants, chocolate and raisins, with a bitterness throughout.

82

45

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

39,722

US

A flashy Cabernet, it's the kind that makes red wine lovers sit up and say, “This is really good.” That's because the blackberries, cherries and currants, not to mention new French oak, are so lush. On the other hand, the enjoyment is all upfront, and the wine's aging potential is limited.

87

36

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

24,525

US

From the producer best known for its own Anderson Valley estate wines, this Pinot is varietally rustic in pine needle, dark, baked plum and smoky oak, the oak stylistically reminiscent of many of its other wines. Mellowed acidity complements the burliness and ripeness of the fruit before a lengthy, Asian-spiced finish.

91

60

California

Pinot Noir

65,214

US

Expensive, yes, but a very fine Pinot that shows the elegance of its Santa Barbara origins. Dry and crisp in acidity, it's extraordinarily deep in raspberry, cherry and currant fruit, with interesting notes of sautéed beef, cola, vanilla, baking spices and sandalwood. Drink now–2015 to enjoy its fruitiness.

93

60

California

Pinot Noir

95,394

US

A little rugged in the mouth, with some fierce tannins, but otherwise a pretty good Cabernet-based wine. The berry-cherry and currant flavors will benefit from an hour or two of airing.

86

35

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

32,015

US

A deeply impressive Bordeaux blend. It comes from this small, but prestigious, appellation, which is a bridge between Sonoma County and Napa Valley. Marked by dryness and a superb tannic structure, it has deep flavors of blackberries, black currants, violets, herbs and cedar. Needs time. Give it 4–6 years in the cellar.

94

39

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

116,041

US

A brilliant shade of pink, this bottling shows all the classic rosé aromas, from watermelon, to strawberry to bubblegum, with a touch of warm pastry as well. The palate offers a candied watermelon and cotton candy flavors, without any sweetness.

88

28

California

Pinot Noir

9,605

US

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, although it doesn't say so on the label. The wine is awesome and impeccable in the modern Oakville style of intensely ripe fruit and sweet, soft tannins. The flavors of raspberries, cherries, cocoa and sweet oak are incredibly delicious. It's soft enough to drink now, but will hold for 6–8 years.

93

150

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

18,297

US

Three-fifths Merlot, one quarter Cab Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this Bordeaux-style blend shows ripe fruit scents of raisin and prune, offset with baking spices and plenty of chocolate and espresso. Full-throttle, smooth and concentrated, it's a big, concentrated, somewhat in-your face-effort, but delicious all the way through.

91

42

Washington

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

73,173

US

This expertly structured wine will last for ages. It begins with dense blackberry jam, caramel, vanilla, fresh licorice and chocolate-ganache aromas. There is a density of flavors on the sip, but not an overwhelming weight, with black cherry, chocolate syrup and asphalt tones hung on chalky tannins that are a little firm right now. Drink 2018–2033.

93

60

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

72,963

Germany

Whiffs of smoke and spice add complexity to this remarkably inexpensive, tasty Riesling. Off dry in style, with delicate white peach and apricot flavors, it's brightened by lime acidity and hints of savory herbs. Drink now.

88

11

Mosel

Riesling

110,220

US

A nicely drinkable Chardonnay marked by vigorous acidity and creamy-smooth flavors of pineapple tart, Key lime pie and lemongrass. Good as an inexpensive alternative to coastal bottlings that cost far more.

87

18

California

Chardonnay

56,011

US

Rich earthy tones of iron and sagebrush meet with a touch of barnyard, roasted meats, dark cranberry fruit and a touch of sarsaparilla on the nose of this Josh Jensen bottling. More iron, wet clay, turned loam and slate minerality show on the palate, where black pepper, cooked black cherries, pomegranate and cranberry round out the still quite tannic sip.

92

52

California

Pinot Noir

67,652

US

Richness and depth meet vibrancy and precision in this multi-layered and multi-faceted wine. The aroma combines mild spices with gentle red fruits. Flavors go deeper to black cherry and cinnamon, while a broad, gentle texture with mild tannins seems to fill the mouth. Best after 2021.

94

72

California

Pinot Noir

40,147

US

A blend of fruit from Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards, this wine opens with aromas of vanilla, wood spice, cream, red apple and fruit. The palate brings elegantly styled, tart fruit flavors that linger on the finish. The balance is impeccable.

91

43

Washington

Merlot

44,529

Germany

While rich and almost nectar like in ripeness, this vibrantly peachy, floral wine is kept in check by an exhilarating strike of lime acidity. Off dry in style, it's concentrated and penetrating, yet bracingly sheer. It would be a showstopper apéritif at the most elegant cocktail party.

91

22

Mosel

Riesling

76,116

Italy

Straightforward and already accessible, this opens with aromas of rubber, coffee, vanilla, toasted oak and plum cake. The extracted palate delivers mature black cherry, chocolate, and sage alongside evolved, fleeting tannins. Enjoy through 2019.

88

50

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

67,614

US

100% Malbec, it's redolent with dark plums, wild blueberries and peppery spices. The soft, silky flavors are light but have good concentration with the oak (80% American) seeming quite dialed back.

87

20

Washington

Malbec

79,850

US

This is a moderately aromatic wine with notes of pear, flowers and applesauce. It drinks a hair off dry (4 g/L residual sugar), finishing on a bitter note.

84

16

Oregon

Pinot Gris

62,917

US

Rather heavy in texture, with the weight of a Rhone wine, and thick, fruity flavors of plums, heirloom tomatoes, cola, espresso and oak. Very dry, with smooth tannins. This is a big Pinot, clean and complex, although not particularly delicate.

87

33

California

Pinot Noir

116,112

US

This well-defined Cabernet offers blackberry, black cherry and a hint of sweet grape jam. It's set in a frame of rock and tannin, that seems to catch and hold as it enters the back of the throat. Perhaps an indication that more bottle age, or some hours of decanting, are in order? In any event, it stops a bit short.

88

28

Washington

Cabernet Sauvignon

103,977

US

This combines 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Zinfandel into a voluptuously lush and rounded package of blackberry fruit and tobacco leaf flavor. The texture is dusty and gravelly, complementing the jammy ripeness.

87

80

California

Red Blend

31,912

US

Semi-sweet, this wine combines cherry and chocolate flavors with a vegetal, asparagus taste that detracts from the pleasures a dessert wine ought to bring.

84

24

California

Zinfandel

63,115

Italy

The celebrated Cerequio cru is known for its elegant and refined wines. However, in this hot vintage, you can taste the maturity of the fruit thanks to the wine's aromas of plum, prune and spice cake. Clay soils help shape the wine's natural density and structure.

91

120

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

9,263

US

This wine is lifted by vibrant acidity and shows bread-like aromas accented with wild strawberry, compost and forest floor flavors. Light-bodied and fresh on the palate, it's nicely crafted and table-ready.

91

27

California

Pinot Noir

20,329

US

This dazzling, dry and restrained wine was matured in new French oak but with such a light touch that it feels more lean than fat in texture. It has enough fruitiness—crisp apple and lemon flavors—and spice to make it tempting now, though it will improve with age. Best after 2020.

92

42

California

Chardonnay

379

Italy

This blend of Chardonnay, Nosiola and Pinot Bianco offers up apples and cream on the nose, along with flavors of peach and citrus. It's a comfortable mix of fruit that finishes lively and fresh, making it a fine apéritif.

88

15

Northeastern Italy

White Blend

40,015

US

Creamy vanilla and pear pie provide a fleshy and full-bodied texture to this wine, which leans tropical in guava and melon. Aged in entirely neutral oak, the fruit shows well within a wave of ripeness.

87

26

California

Chardonnay

95,982

Italy

Dense and extracted, this opens with aromas of cherry marinated in spirits, prune, ground black pepper and leather. The syrupy palate offers blackberry extract, licorice, espresso and toasted oak alongside teeth-coating tannins and almost searing alcohol.

87

80

Veneto

Red Blend

82,220

Italy

Honeysuckle, honeydew melon and white-peach aromas follow through to the somewhat sweet palate along with a note of glazed orange zest. Fresh acidity lifts the rich candied flavors.

87

19

Veneto

Glera

97,093

US

Very ripe and fruity and ultra smooth in texture, this wine is a treat to drink and a very good value. A touch of sweetness adds to the supple mouthfeel and helps carry the boysenberry and blueberry notes through the finish.

88

13

California

Red Blend

97,076

Italy

This Riserva Chianti Classico shows simple sweet cherry flavors packed within a clean, polished package. It's an easygoing wine that would pair with light meat or chicken dishes.

86

28

Tuscany

Sangiovese

1,579

US

A sip is all it takes to fall in love with this potent Pinot Noir. Big tannins and crisp acidity make it hard to appreciate now, but there's a gigantic core of cherries and raspberries, with a firm minerality from the soil. Will develop bottle complexity over the years. Don't even think of popping the cork before 2015.

95

56

California

Pinot Noir

62,366

US

This intensely ripe wine is made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Malbec and Merlot. Its waxy cherry, currant and blueberry flavers are laced wtih milk chocolate and smoky oak richness, a dash of high-toned acidity sparking on the finish.

90

120

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

27,359

France

From one of the most famous vineyard slopes in Sancerre, the wine is tight, structured and still young. It has great potential with rich citrus, herbs and green fruit flavors. Along with the tense, mineral texture, the wine has both concentration and aging ability. Drink from 2019.

93

37

Loire Valley

Sauvignon Blanc

47,611

US

This 100% varietal wine is lightly aromatic with notes of toast, spice and apple. The oak aging (20% new French) helps provide a sense of roundness but the fruit concentration doesn't seem to stand up to it.

85

15

Washington

Chardonnay

4,240

US

A rich taste of caramel wraps around toasty charred oak in this young estate wine. Dense and chewy, it shows its youth and vintage signature, a sizable presence of tannin.

88

100

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

57,525

Italy

A whiff of cellar floor burns off to reveal berry, subtle oak and leather. The palate displays juicy sour cherry, sage and menthol alongside tightly packed tannins that need time to unwind. Drink 2018–2025.

88

48

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

11,116

US

Attractive floral aromas and bright cherry and raspberry flavors make a light, refreshing impression. This medium-bodied wine has light tannins and lively acidity in the texture.

87

12

California

Pinot Noir

41,582

France

Considering the relatively light nature of the vintage, this wine has been overmanipulated. Hard tannins and a bitter chocolate flavor are all too much for the fruit. A gentler approach would have been better.

86

35

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

83,248

US

Medium sweet and fruit forward, this is loaded with flavors of orange pekoe tea, candied lemon and peach marmalade. It's a fruit circus, with plenty of sweetness. It could be used as a dessert wine with a berry pie, or tried as an adventurous companion to a blue cheese.

88

14

Oregon

Riesling

21,863

US

Another Best Buy Merlot from Bogle. The wine is just as you want a nice Merlot to be, rich and soft and flavorful in cherries, with a kiss of smoky oak.

86

10

California

Merlot

38,655

US

This ambitious, against-all-odds island project with ancient grapevines is showing promising results, in this case offering smoked meats, hard spice and very tight purple fruit on the nose. The palate is tart with cranberries and raspberries, with a pencil lead and earth character, proving quite interesting if not entirely Zin-like.

89

72

California

Zinfandel

13,229

US

There's a bitter apricot pit flavor to this blush Pinot Noir. It's dry and crisp with acidity that brightens peach and citrus flavors.

84

25

California

Rosé

99,782

US

Sparkling richness stars in this concentrated, ultimately balanced wine, which offers a warming note of pear compote and peach within subtle waves of toasted oak. The lushly cradled fruit is awash in anise and fennel.

91

38

California

Chardonnay

47,615

US

Grown in the High Valley appellation within Lake County, this is huge, black and packed with blackberry and blueberry flavors. It's decadent like a blueberry pie topped with chocolate sauce. Ready to drink now.

87

23

California

Petite Sirah

67,982

Italy

Made with 80% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, this offers aromas of ripe plum, wild berry, underbrush and espresso. On the palate, notes of mocha and grilled herb add depth to the core of dried black cherry while fine-grained tannins provide the framework. Reflecting the heat of the vintage, it's evolving quickly and is already accessible.

89

19

Tuscany

Red Blend

111,874

US

This Merlot-Zinfandel blend is very dry, full-bodied and rustic, with blackberry, currant, herb and cedar flavors that have bitter tobacco notes on the finish. Good with everyday fare.

85

14

California

Red Blend

1,006

US

This bold, expressive Pinot Noir bursts open with spice, herb and leaf then rolls into flavors of vanilla cream and tangy red fruits. The spicy elements wrap into all the other flavors, giving lift and life; this is an exciting wine, though not necessarily one to cellar.

88

40

Oregon

Pinot Noir

95,455

US

This is a refined and restrained Pinot from a reputable grape grower who has successfully made the transition to winemaker. Raspberry, cherry-vanilla and rhubarb interplay seamlessly, teasing with a taste of decadence and silky tannins. The finish offers highlights of orange zest and clove.

94

39

California

Pinot Noir

94,907

Spain

Hot earth, baked cherry and mild vanilla aromas come in front of a snappy, angular palate with tangy pie-cherry and red-plum flavors. Sheer and basic Rioja with high acidity, lean fruit, a cleansing finish and a light body.

84

12

Northern Spain

Tempranillo

50,868

US

A dry, edgy blend of Barbera, Grenache and several other varieties, this is tannic and lacks richness. Pair it with a cheese and pepperoni pizza to coax out the fruit.

82

17

California

Red Blend

121,889

US

A dramatic wine, this is rich, full bodied and incredibly complex, laced with notes of ripe, sweet blackberries and crème de cassis, with a spirituous heat from relatively high alcohol. Its pedigree is clear throughout the entire tasting experience. This is a really gorgeous Cabernet, showing refinement and grace, but it is very tannic. Give it at least 10 years.

97

190

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

13,311

US

Winemaker Adam Henkel inherited this vintage's barrels, but puts together a tasty blend, showing cracked peppercorns, obsidian-like rocks, layers of blackberry and a slight hint of green pepper. Pasilla chile opens the palate, which unfolds with boysenberry and blackberry, staying evenly balanced the entire sip.

90

75

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

74,768

US

A sound, everyday wine with some special qualities. It's dryish and super-fruity in cherries and raspberries, and even has some salty, smoky notes of bacon. The alcohol is refreshingly low.

85

17

California

Merlot

52,758

US

This is an easygoing, mouthfillng and fruity wine that's plump with blackberry and cherry flavors. It has a soft texture despite high octane and very little tannin.

86

25

California

Sangiovese

19,740

US

This is a hearty version of the variety for this producer, known for its oft-lighter approach. It reveals skill as well, the grapes from another prime site overseen by brand partner Bill Price. A feral shock of mushroom dominates on the nose before punchy tannins and a medium-body distract slightly in contoured texture, only barely letting in crisp flavors of orange peel and dark cherry.

91

60

California

Pinot Noir

95,056

France

The great 2002 vintage has produced some remarkable wines and this falls into that category. Still so fresh, with swathes of mineral texture and tight acidity, it is still developing. Hints of toast point to a future where the wine will be rounder and with even more complexity. For now, the crisp apple, pear and softer yellow fruits dominate. Drink from 2017.

95

130

Champagne

Champagne Blend

103,872

US

The nose on this bottling is quite reductive at first, with cut grass and damp herb aromas mixing up with dried seaweed and light lemon peel. There is a tart green-grass flavor to the palate, but also a slightly riper Anjou pear component, with a salty freshness emerging toward the finish.

88

24

California

Sauvignon Blanc

123,327

Spain

Punchy plum and raspberry aromas are light and fresh, as is the palate, which introduces jumpy acidity to the equation. Like the nose, this tastes of basic red fruits, cherry and plum in particular, while the finish is persistently fruity. This is 54% Tempranillo and 46% Garnacha.

86

13

Catalonia

Tempranillo Blend

42,575

Italy

There are notes of cut grass and honey on the bouquet. The bubble size is large, and a crisp endnote marks the finish.

86

18

Veneto

Glera

57,958

US

Violet, lavender, espresso and cherry-cola syrup aromas show on the nose of this wine by interior designer Caren Rideau and industry veteran Andres Ibarra, who's been growing and making wine for decades. The palate offers blueberry, cedar ash and pencil shavings, but it shows quite a bit of grip and will require more patience to enjoy fully.

87

34

California

Petite Sirah

66,108

Italy

Young and fruit-driven, this straightforward wine opens with aromas of ripe black and red-skinned fruit accompanied by a whiff of spice rack. The chewy palate doles out juicy black cherry, blackberry, star anise and orange zest alongside vibrant acidity. Enjoy through 2016.

87

17

Piedmont

Barbera

2,422

France

From an estate in the Entre-Deux-Mers region, this wine is firm and concentrated, packed with ripe tannins and juicy blackberry fruit. Dense, with dusty tannins, it is smooth and polished in texture.

85

15

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend