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
102,105	US	Rich, dense and cool, with an overt menthol streak. The fat, tangy fruit has a cedar edge and also a pronounced piercing quality. Round, voluminous, tannic and in general quite big. Now the wood is a bit heavy-handed. A year or two on its side should help it along.	89	39	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
111,811	US	Nice blackberry, mocha, teriyaki beef and pepper flavors in this dry, smoothly tannic wine. It's too soft to show development in the bottle, but is pretty good for drinking now.	86	24	California	Syrah
37,592	US	This vintage mixes fruit from Red Mountain and Alder Ridge (in the Horse Heaven Hills). Aromatic and soft, it's a five-grape Bordeaux-style blend, half Cabernet Sauvignon, and it carries that grape's herbal stamp. Tannins are a bit earthy, but the time in bottle has smoothed their rough edges. Drink up!	87	20	Washington	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
110,940	US	A soft, simple, fruity Merlot. Tastes like a cherry, blackberry, roasted almond, cocoa and cinnamon granola bar, melted into wine.	83	10	California	Merlot
15,629	Italy	This classic Amarone has a layered bouquet, with notes of prune, plum, nutmeg and clove, along with bell pepper notes. The palate delivers ripe blackberry and plum flavors, with hints of black pepper and chocolate. While this is very structured, restraint and freshness add elegance.	92	85	Veneto	Red Blend
24,473	US	Knowing only time in stainless steel, this light, clear white is zingy in grapefruit, wet stone and melon, its texture and body crisp and focused. The price for this quality is hard to beat.	90	16	California	Sauvignon Blanc
80,800	US	This everyday Chardonnay will appeal to fans of the modern style of ripe fruit and plenty of oak. It's rich and creamy, with pineapple, tangerine and mango flavors.	86	16	California	Chardonnay
4,613	Spain	Slightly fiery and hot on the nose, but there's enough berry, cherry and dusty leather to keep it positive. The palate is more sheer and sharp than expected, with piercing raspberry, razor's edge acidity and only a touch of back-end sweetness. Juicy but short and searing.	87	41	Catalonia	Red Blend
38,248	US	Layered aromas of dried rose petals and violets meet with peppery strawberry and plum fruit, proving relatively light with crushed-rock minerality on the nose. The palate is also light but juicy with strawberry, soft cherry and red currant, spiced by black pepper. The tannic structure builds throughout the sip.	89	32	California	Zinfandel
104,984	France	A fine, mineral, structured wine with a very dry, solid core. Juicy red fruits offer a hint for its future ripeness. It has the freshness of the vintage that shows through at the end of this chunky wine. Age for 5–7 years.	94	68	Burgundy	Pinot Noir
74,199	US	This is a lusty white buoyed by acidity, swirling in wisps of vanilla cream, cinnamon and a twist of lemon meringue. Ripe in flavor and rich in oak, it's compelling and inviting on the palate, with a suggestion of fennel.	89	45	California	Chardonnay
64,666	Spain	A full-out charge of vanilla aromas is strange for a rosé, but that's what you get along with cherry candy notes. The palate is full and chunky, with stalky berry fruit flavors. Acidity is the wine's saving grace; it keeps things moving.	83	8	Northern Spain	Rosé
72,928	US	Coming from one of the state's premier Syrah vineyards, this wine starts out aromatically reserved before blossoming to reveal notes of dark raspberry, dried cranberry, woodspice, vanilla and anise. It shows the warmth of the vintage with concentrated, black-fruit flavors backed by a light squeeze of tannins followed by a lengthy finish. The oak plays prominently but it works.	91	40	Washington	Syrah
45,882	Spain	Lemon and tangerine aromas are slightly dusty. In the mouth, this Viura-Verdejo combo is lively and bouncy. Pithy citrus, almond-skin and apple flavors finish juicy.	86	9	Northern Spain	White Blend
75,012	Italy	Aromas of blueberry, baking spice and a whiff of leather lead the nose of this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The firm palate offers black plum, raspberry and black pepper alongside smooth tannins. It finishes on a note of mouth-puckering sour cherry.	88	24	Tuscany	Red Blend
68,930	US	A very good, delicious Chardonnay that's easy to drink, and whose richness suggests shrimp, scallops, lobster and similarly rich fare. Dry and crisp in acidity, it wows with pineapple marmalade, crème brûlée, buttered toast, vanilla, honeysuckle and mineral flavors, brightened with zesty acidity.	92	55	California	Chardonnay
126,623	US	Opaque and inky with shades of purple and black, this dessert wine smells both fresh and dense with blackberry, blueberry and gravel notes. The palate packs ripe blueberry and black-cherry-paste flavors with grippy plum-skin texture and a touch of espresso, proving quite sweet but complex.	89	26	California	Petite Sirah
32,512	US	Super-delicious, a mouthful of Chardonnay perfection. Really notable for the pure concentration of its flavors, such as fresh ripe white peach, mango, and spicy fig. Elaborately oaked, but not too much to support the huge fruit. The rich and creamy texture is a delight.	92	30	California	Chardonnay
446	US	Fresh blueberry and grape aromas meet with black plum, asphalt and turned earth on the nose of this bottling by Steve Dooley of Stephen Ross Cellars. Fresh blackberry juice, black pepper and dill show on the palate that is coated with decent acidity and a good tannic structure.	88	20	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
42,584	US	This opens bearing scents suggesting banana and tropical fruit, with an oily character. On the palate, the flavor veers toward sour apple, with tart acids. The finish brings in a lick of butter, but at the moment it doesn't quite come together. This may benefit from more bottle age.	86	24	Oregon	Chardonnay
12,461	US	A good Zinfandel, dry, crisply acidic and rugged in tannins, with cherry-berry and spice flavors with a hint of tobacco and leather. But there's a green, vegetal streak that detracts. Drink now.`	84	19	California	Zinfandel
96,712	US	A textbook illustration of Stags Leap Cabernet. The “velvet glove” is the elaborately ripe, sweet blackberry, cherry and chocolate fruit. The “iron fist” is the tannin structure, so finely woven you hardly notice it, but there it is, offering a coat of astringency and protecting the wine over the next decade.	93	105	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
31,171	US	White peach cooked in browned butter, sea salt and apple slice aromas make for a delicious entry into this bottling from one of the few estate wineries in the appellation. Spiced apple and lemon salt flavors combine for a solid and ever-reliable palate, while a fresh-rain-on-cement accent adds interest and depth.	90	27	California	Chardonnay
23,775	US	This dessert blend of 56% Sémillon and 44% Sauvignon Blanc smells like liquid honey, with beeswax and concentrated apple syrup as supporting aromas. It's viscous with decent grip on the palate, offering flavors of crushed apples, lemon syrup and a lime freshness, with lots of length.	89	39	California	White Blend
9,687	Argentina	This vintage of Broquel reflects the cool, challenged characteristics of the '08 vintage. It has snap and berry aromas and flavors along with obvious oak, char and mocha. The palate is more driving and linear than previous years, with juicy, snappy cherry and wood at the base. Finishes with coffee, toast and controlled bitterness.	86	17	Mendoza Province	Malbec
112,662	US	An alluring nose of smoke, herbs and tobacco spice start this red. On the palate, the wine has a tart cherry and spice profile combined with some blackberry—a bit lean and acidic but with a good steak or grilled chop, will calm down.	84	18	New York	Cabernet Franc
55,985	France	Crisp and fresh, this is a light wine that is dominated by red-currant fruits. It has considerable acidity as well as tannins. Fruity while lightly perfumed, it will be ready from 2018.	88	20	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
98,373	US	In possibly the world's heaviest bottle comes this heavy Ancient Vine Zinfandel, greasy in bacon fat flavor, plus-sized in every way with a taste of sweet cigar smoke from beginning to end.	80	23	California	Zinfandel
16,834	US	It's hard to get very excited about this wine because it's so average and common. It smells weakly of lemons, and the citrus flavors are watery and thin. It's dry and although there's some good acidity, it feels flat in the mouth. That says it all.	83	14	Oregon	Pinot Gris
114,332	US	A green-gold shade, this wine leaps up with buttery scents and flavors, at first more nutty than toasty. It has a tight core of mixed stone fruits, with toasty barrel flavors to wrap it up.	88	38	Oregon	Chardonnay
95,360	US	This full-bodied wine is packed with fruit and spice notes and is especially broad and mouth-filling. Made from mostly Grenache and Mourvèdre, with a dash of Syrah, it has generous ripe plum, macerated cherry and black pepper flavors that spread across the palate and linger on the finish.	90	20	California	Rhône-style Red Blend
89,043	Italy	This wine leads with new leather, dark spice, iris and eucalyptus scents. Its linear, slender palate offers sour cherry, pomegranate, white pepper and ground clove—flavors that are held taut by fine-grained tannins and racy acidity.	90	65	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
17,379	France	This wine is tight, crisp with citrus flavors and intense acidity. It is developing into a refreshing, broader wine that will convey a riper character. Just wait until late 2017.	88	15	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style White Blend
98,162	US	Movie popcorn is the first thing suggested by the nose of this wine, followed by firm, terse oak. Given time to unwind in the glass, the more delicate aspects of its personality start to appear, from crisp Asian pear to ginger spice.	88	36	California	Chardonnay
70,987	Italy	This is a plush and dense interpretation of Barbera with loads of fruit intensity followed by blackberry plum and sweet tobacco. The wine is dense, clean and offers round texture with a crisp acidity finale that is typical of this Italian grape variety.	90	32	Piedmont	Barbera
49,974	US	Light and floral, this is a complex, well-integrated Chardonnay that's bursting in just-sliced pineapple, with a layering of butterscotch and caramel. It's richly textured yet nicely balanced between savory and sweet. The acidity upholds the wine from entering into dense territory, a celebration of one heck of a sunny vintage in a glass.	93	45	California	Chardonnay
82,348	US	Green Valley vineyards figure prominently in this appellation wine, providing delicate, layered acidity and crisp, savory, succulent fruit. Cranberry, cherry and black tea flavors ripple through its bright texture, accented with clove, cola and cedar.	90	42	California	Pinot Noir
61,416	US	Volatile and showing some scents of glue, this hides its cherry fruit. It's drinkable, but for those with a high sensitivity to volatility it may be problematic.	83	22	Oregon	Pinot Noir
36,156	US	Silky in blueberry and boysenberry fruit, this is a balanced Pinot, tending toward black and blue fruit over red, with a bouquet of rose petals and truffled earth. With just a sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg, it develops spiciness on the palate, finishing light and bright.	92	57	California	Pinot Noir
39,952	Italy	This is a big burly wine that just has too many off aromas. Heavy barnyard scents mix with tart berry and espresso elements, and although there's body here, and what seem to be basically good elements, the stable-like odors stop the show.	81	12	Tuscany	Sangiovese
77,100	US	This is a lovely, complex and ultimately beautiful wine, a blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay given extra time to develop in the bottle. It presents as daringly dry but doesn't miss a beat on flavor, showing moderate acidity built around a richness of hazelnut cream complemented by brighter high tones of grapefruit and lime.	93	50	California	Sparkling Blend
12,738	US	This has lots of jammy and peppery aromas and flavors, tastes dry, is very full-bodied, and feels rich but tight with tannins. Although bone dry and almost austere, it's honest and refreshing.	88	36	California	Syrah
78,832	France	Produced from the oldest vines on the Bourgeois family estate, this is a flint and steel-textured wine. The fruit is still coming through the intense texture of this complex wine. The hints of apple and grapefruit will develop as the wine ages. Unlike so many Sancerre, this needs to age. Drink from 2018.	93	40	Loire Valley	Sauvignon Blanc
32,283	US	Brander's annual Bordeaux blend features 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. There is ripe boysenberry, cedar and worn leather on the nose, followed by Bing cherry flavors on the palate, where acidity and a light body combine for a lively finish.	93	35	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
107,275	France	This is a lean wine, all tannins and missing fruit. It is dry and showing considerable hard extraction. It will soften, but not much.	84	13	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
44,386	Italy	Scorched earth, menthol, cooking spice and mature plum aromas take shape in the glass. The forward palate offers dried black cherry, coffee and licorice alongside smooth, polished tannins. Drink soon to capture the remaining fruit flavor.	87	19	Tuscany	Red Blend
13,317	US	Dark gold in color, this is a viscous, ripe and creamy white, layered in minerality and fresh-cut stone fruit. From a mighty mountainous vineyard, it offers bold, full-bodied flavor and texture, a testament to its site, and finishes big in juicy Golden Delicious apple and pear.	90	65	California	Chardonnay
6,341	US	Apricot, peach, orange blossom and honey flavors all come together in this ultrasmooth, ripe but well-balanced wine. Zingy acidity blends with the rich fruitiness to keep it lively and refreshing, even while the viscosity coats the palate.	91	27	California	Viognier
76,799	US	Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) takes the lead on this wine, followed by Merlot (21%), Syrah (17%), Cabernet Franc (14%) and five other varieties. Aromas of blue fruit, char, plum, herb, confection and spice are followed by easy-drinking plum flavors, with a slightly clipped finish. It's a pleasant easy drinker.	87	16	Washington	Red Blend
28,820	US	This feral, smoky Merlot-based Bordeaux blend relies on a mix of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Red and black berry fruit intermingle amidst robust, dry tannins to make a statement of size and power.	85	40	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
30,191	US	A wisp of a wine, bright in lime, nutmeg and honeysuckle, with balanced acidity and mouthwatering texture and concentration. Handley's Gewürztraminer is always the right call when Thai or Chinese is on the menu. A nice introduction or re-introduction to Anderson Valley whites.	90	18	California	Gewürztraminer
102,118	US	An inviting and fragrant nose of blackberry, soy, vanilla and pine opens this medium-weight offering. Tangy, with tart berry, brown sugar and tobacco, it has a bracing mouthfeel with firm acidity, reading almost like a Tuscan red on the palate. Tart and sweet, the finish is brisk.	88	41	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
30,780	US	Always a big, ripe wine, Calera's '08 Viognier is a blast of tropical fruits, vanilla, toffee and buttered cinnamon toast. It's a little sweet and one-dimensional, but tasty.	86	30	California	Viognier
17,455	US	Tough and resilient in acids and tannins, but elegantly streamlined. Shows tart flavors of sour red cherry candy, vanilla and sweet sandalwood. Now–2014.	88	50	California	Pinot Noir
88,082	Italy	Enticing scents of beeswax, citrus blossom and stone fruit meet the nose. The sleek, linear palate offers crisp yellow apple, white peach and a mineral note alongside bracing acidity.	90	22	Northeastern Italy	Chardonnay
43,039	Italy	Its mix of heady aromas include chamomile flower, Spanish broom and yellow stone. The bright, fresh palate offers peach, pear, crunchy apple and a touch of mineral alongside vibrant acidity. It finishes crisp and clean.	87	22	Northeastern Italy	Pinot Grigio
35,833	US	This wine is as lush as apricots, pineapples and peach juice, but with refreshing acidity. Ample honey and buttered-toast notes from oak give it warmth. It's a very good Chard for drinking now with rich shellfish dishes, or a buttery wild mushroom risotto.	88	28	California	Chardonnay
82,776	Germany	Zesty orange and tangerine rinds are marked with honey and sweet spice on the nose of this exuberant off-dry Riesling. Ripe peach, melon and yellow-cherry flavors are lush and sweet on the palate, but countered with a jolt of lime and lemon acidity. It's a beautifully nuanced wine that's effortlessly tasty.	90	31	Mosel	Riesling
14,180	France	This is a fragrant, floral wine, with a smooth touch of vanilla. It has a fruity, ripe feel, and it shows fresh, crisp, apple-like acidity. This is a ready-to-drink, balanced Chardonnay.	86	27	Burgundy	Chardonnay
8,151	France	There is a touch of lemon cheesecake on the nose—both creamy and zesty. The palate seems translucent in its lightness with its fizzing froth. The finish is clean, refreshing and dry. Drink soon.	87	22	Alsace	Sparkling Blend
37,590	Italy	A blend of Sangiovese and 10% other grapes, this opens with aromas of toast, red berries and underbrush. The straightforward palate doles out sugary black plum, dark cherries and chocolate lightly accented with black pepper.	87	23	Tuscany	Red Blend
95,787	US	This is easy to like for its clean, brisk mouthfeel, creaminess and slightly sweet flavors of lime and strawberry. Made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it shows real finesse.	90	29	California	Sparkling Blend
118,811	Italy	Made entirely from Sangiovese, this elegant red boasts classic varietal aromas such as violet, red berry and new leather. On the bright, sleek palate, cinnamon and Mediterranean herb accent a juicy core of Morello cherry and crushed raspberry fruit. It's nicely balanced, with polished tannins and fresh acidity. Drink through 2025.	92	80	Tuscany	Sangiovese
53,715	US	This wine has an extra measure of creaminess in the texture while giving up floral, lightly spicy and wonderfully fruity flavors. There's no obvious oak influence, just ripe raspberry, strawberry and macerated black-cherry notes that softly coat the palate and cling to the finish.	89	14	California	Merlot
4,029	US	Full bodied, dark and tannic, this is a big wine with aromas and flavors of grilled herbs, black pepper, wood and earth. It feels broad on the palate, has a firm, fine-grained texture and lingering peppery flavors.	88	23	California	Petite Sirah
12,047	US	It pulls together toasty oak sweetness in the aromas and delicious ripe cherry and cranberry flavors with bass notes of black plum and clove. Full-bodied, it has firm but not tight tannins that add to the velvety texture.	90	50	California	Pinot Noir
126,993	Italy	Earthy and structured, this fragrant red opens with aromas of leather, underbrush, vineyard dust, blue flower, tilled soil, menthol and woodland berry. The full-bodied palate offers dried black cherry, fig, baking spice, grilled herb and truffle alongside robust, velvety tannins. Drink from 2018 through 2025.	93	76	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
5,418	France	This wine is buttery and has a creamy texture along with a fresh streak. Apple flavors are lifted with citrus while also filled out with that rounder character, making for an immediately attractive, ripe wine. Drink now.	88	23	Burgundy	Chardonnay
59,247	France	The wine is fresh, stalky and showing its wood aging. It has a hard edge of tannins that are not quite ripe. Balancing with that is the black currant fruit and acidity that are crisp and showing a mineral texture. The wine needs to age a while, so wait until 2018.	86	30	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
45,391	Italy	Made from Sangiovese, this opens with delicate aromas of red berry and baking spice. The fresh simple palate presents red plum and clove alongside easygoing tannins. Enjoy soon.	86	10	Tuscany	Sangiovese
66,496	Italy	This easygoing red offers fruit-driven sensations of wild cherry, plum and accents of black pepper. On the palate, bright acidity supports the juicy fruit flavors. It's direct and clean, and will work nicely for informal occasions.	86	19	Piedmont	Barbera
118,318	US	Beginning to round out its youthful edges, the BlackCap (so named for the native Oregon mushroom, berry and bird) offers pretty pie-cherry fruit, savory herbs and silky tannins. There's still some phenolic bite to the finish, suggesting that it can continue to smooth out over the next few years.	91	45	Oregon	Pinot Noir
48,236	Argentina	Concentrated blackberry and desert brush aromas are dense and intense. While this is very rich, it's not overbearing or out of whack. Blackberry flavors with savory spice and earth notes end toasty but not overly complex. Drink through 2019.	92	28	Mendoza Province	Malbec
54,180	US	Perfumed with rose and lavender, this wine has robust tannins and dominant oak notes, both in support of its ripe, concentrated red fruit. Woody, herbal components complement the lushness, framed by gravelly texture.	90	39	California	Pinot Noir
15,426	France	This is a ripe mango and pineapple flavored wine. It is rich, generous and with a fine balance between acidity and the bold fruitiness. It is young and fruity, ready to drink although it will be even better from 2018.	90	42	Burgundy	Chardonnay
61,278	Italy	This fresh blend of Trebbiano and Vermentino from the hills outside Pisa offers pretty aromas of green fruit, kiwi, melon, cut grass and passion fruit. This is a crisp and fresh with a sharp, determined close.	87	14	Tuscany	White Blend
56,400	US	Dry, minty and sharp, and very peppery, with tobacco, wintergreen, cherry and currant flavors, wrapped into sturdy tannins. Drink now.	85	20	California	Zinfandel
115,183	France	This impressive wood-aged wine shows both the rich side of Pouilly Fuissé and its taut, minerally character. It is full and rich, yet always expressing a nervy, zingy edge. Age for at least three years.	91	30	Burgundy	Chardonnay
110,210	US	Angel Vine (formerly Three Angels) now offers three single vineyard Zins as well as this blend, with includes Primitivo and Petite Sirah. Sweet, briary fruit, with a pleasing brambly character, runs through the mouth leaving a chocolaty trail. There is just a hint of leather and funk.	87	20	Washington	Zinfandel
63,405	Italy	This blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon delivers pretty floral and white-fruit aromas, while the long and linear palate shows restrained fruit flavors punctuated by pear and a hint of mineral.	87	17	Piedmont	White Blend
4,943	Argentina	Woodsy, spicy aromas form a solid opening. There's adequate acidity on the palate along with raspberry, red plum and mild herbal notes. Racy, spicy and just toasty enough to rate well across the finish.	86	12	Mendoza Province	Malbec
9,976	Italy	Subdued aromas of Spanish broom and brimstone float from the glass. The vertical palate offers yellow apple, citrus zest and mineral alongside crisp acidity.	87	45	Sicily & Sardinia	White Blend
88,555	France	This wine shows ripe fruit, sweet tannins and soft acidity. Strawberries are prominent along with a bright, fruity feel. The wine doesn't seem likely to age and will be enjoyable in a year.	85	13	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
15,669	France	Earth and apple, citrus and herb all mingle on nose and palate. It is the green apple with its chamomile edge and above all the bright ripe lemon freshness which expands across the dry palate. This is full of bright refreshing citrus and a beautifully understated vigor which will live in this wine for years to come. The finish culminates in a gorgeously tart but ripe apple notion. Very moreish now and approachable but with lots of future promise. Drink 2017–2030.	94	40	Alsace	Riesling
41,510	US	The strawberry fruit shows a wild herbal side, with a touch of toasted grain. The tannins are firm and the finish carries a hint of chicken broth.	87	30	Oregon	Pinot Noir
18,323	Spain	A fine Cava with easygoing white fruit aromas and a cushioned, full and round palate. Tastes rich and honeyed, with toasty, nutty, dry apple and pear flavors. Elegant and complex, with texture and style.	91	50	Catalonia	Sparkling Blend
58,442	Italy	This expresses pretty Nebbiolo aromas of violet, saddle leather, truffle and red berry. The vibrant palate offers crushed raspberry, Morello cherry, cinnamon and tobacco hints while assertive tannins and bright acidity provide support. Drink 2021–2029.	91	50	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
81,922	France	This wine's black currant aromas shine. It's still young and structured, its firm tannins at the fore. But those black currant flavors are crisp and fruity, highlighting its fine balance, as all the elements fall into place. Drink from 2020.	92	28	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
29,999	US	This is an inaugural release of this variety from the Mount George Vineyard in cool Coombsville, granted AVA status in 2011. Juicy and soft in blackberry and stone fruit, the wine is cradled by generous tannins and herbal tones. Full bodied, its sinewy structure suggests it would benefit from more time in bottle; cellar through 2022.	91	75	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
45,711	US	Santa Barbara-raised Steve Gerbac makes a winning white wine with aromas of scorched lemons, browned butter and vanilla, sliced down the middle with white rock minerality. Broad, oak-driven flavors at the tip of the palate quickly tighten into a line of lime zest acidity that lingers, with white pepper and chamomile spices emerging in the midpalate.	92	32	California	Chardonnay
2,663	US	Conflict is two thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. Smoke wreathes around deep cherry candy flavors, leading into some chewy tannins dusted with savory herbs.	90	55	Washington	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
65,062	US	This wine shows a ton of oak influence, from the smoky charred aromas to the sweet-seeming maple syrup flavors to the velvety clinging texture. It is medium bodied, lush in mouthfeel and high in spice content that dominates the fruit flavors underneath.	86	12	California	Merlot
104,410	Germany	Deeply earthy and savory tones juxtapose sunny peach and apricot in this feather-light, off-dry wine. Brisk texture and spine tingling acidity are thirst quenching and fresh. Drink now.	87	13	Mosel	Riesling
75,319	US	Strawberry and raspberry flavors are fresh and clean, not thin, but less robust than previous vintages. It's a delicate, nicely crafted wine that could be cellared through 2025.	90	49	Oregon	Pinot Noir
121,110	US	Pale salmon colored, this medium-sweet blend of Pinot Noir (80%) and Pinot Gris is lightly spritzy with notes of strawberry and mint but doesn't have the acid to hold the sugar up.	84	16	Oregon	Rosé
85,486	US	Cinnamon and spearmint elements give depth to the pinpoint, laser-sharp fruit notes of cherry blossom and strawberry on this bottling. Strong herbal flavors of thyme and marjoram and spices of green cardamom of peppercorn hit the palate right away, seasoning cranberry and pomegranate fruit, and finishing on a slate minerality.	92	55	California	Pinot Noir
126,756	US	This wine is 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. Jammy aromas of red and blue fruit are followed by a plush, flavorful palate that shows a pleasing sense of balance and length with a raspberry-filled finish.	91	40	Washington	Rhône-style Red Blend
3,364	US	This full-bodied wine has a big impact on the palate due to smoky, meaty flavors, very firm tannins and an overall huge personality. It starts with aromas of charcoal and charred oak, goes to ripe, rich but not sweet fruit flavors, and finishes with all that grip as well as lingering smoky nuances.	92	45	California	Petite Sirah
39,113	US	As salty as preserved lemon brine, this wine is medium-bodied, with integrated oak, having aged in 33% new French barrels. Golden delicious apple and a spicy bite of quince round out the subtle fruit flavors, bolstered by gravelly texture.	91	45	California	Chardonnay
35,150	US	Made in a soft, sweet style, this simple Syrah is very rich in black cherry jam, dark chocolate, toast and exotic baking spice flavors, wrapped into smooth, velvety tannins. It's a crowd pleaser.	86	33	California	Syrah

102,105

US

Rich, dense and cool, with an overt menthol streak. The fat, tangy fruit has a cedar edge and also a pronounced piercing quality. Round, voluminous, tannic and in general quite big. Now the wood is a bit heavy-handed. A year or two on its side should help it along.

89

39

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

111,811

US

Nice blackberry, mocha, teriyaki beef and pepper flavors in this dry, smoothly tannic wine. It's too soft to show development in the bottle, but is pretty good for drinking now.

86

24

California

Syrah

37,592

US

This vintage mixes fruit from Red Mountain and Alder Ridge (in the Horse Heaven Hills). Aromatic and soft, it's a five-grape Bordeaux-style blend, half Cabernet Sauvignon, and it carries that grape's herbal stamp. Tannins are a bit earthy, but the time in bottle has smoothed their rough edges. Drink up!

87

20

Washington

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

110,940

US

A soft, simple, fruity Merlot. Tastes like a cherry, blackberry, roasted almond, cocoa and cinnamon granola bar, melted into wine.

83

10

California

Merlot

15,629

Italy

This classic Amarone has a layered bouquet, with notes of prune, plum, nutmeg and clove, along with bell pepper notes. The palate delivers ripe blackberry and plum flavors, with hints of black pepper and chocolate. While this is very structured, restraint and freshness add elegance.

92

85

Veneto

Red Blend

24,473

US

Knowing only time in stainless steel, this light, clear white is zingy in grapefruit, wet stone and melon, its texture and body crisp and focused. The price for this quality is hard to beat.

90

16

California

Sauvignon Blanc

80,800

US

This everyday Chardonnay will appeal to fans of the modern style of ripe fruit and plenty of oak. It's rich and creamy, with pineapple, tangerine and mango flavors.

86

16

California

Chardonnay

4,613

Spain

Slightly fiery and hot on the nose, but there's enough berry, cherry and dusty leather to keep it positive. The palate is more sheer and sharp than expected, with piercing raspberry, razor's edge acidity and only a touch of back-end sweetness. Juicy but short and searing.

87

41

Catalonia

Red Blend

38,248

US

Layered aromas of dried rose petals and violets meet with peppery strawberry and plum fruit, proving relatively light with crushed-rock minerality on the nose. The palate is also light but juicy with strawberry, soft cherry and red currant, spiced by black pepper. The tannic structure builds throughout the sip.

89

32

California

Zinfandel

104,984

France

A fine, mineral, structured wine with a very dry, solid core. Juicy red fruits offer a hint for its future ripeness. It has the freshness of the vintage that shows through at the end of this chunky wine. Age for 5–7 years.

94

68

Burgundy

Pinot Noir

74,199

US

This is a lusty white buoyed by acidity, swirling in wisps of vanilla cream, cinnamon and a twist of lemon meringue. Ripe in flavor and rich in oak, it's compelling and inviting on the palate, with a suggestion of fennel.

89

45

California

Chardonnay

64,666

Spain

A full-out charge of vanilla aromas is strange for a rosé, but that's what you get along with cherry candy notes. The palate is full and chunky, with stalky berry fruit flavors. Acidity is the wine's saving grace; it keeps things moving.

83

8

Northern Spain

Rosé

72,928

US

Coming from one of the state's premier Syrah vineyards, this wine starts out aromatically reserved before blossoming to reveal notes of dark raspberry, dried cranberry, woodspice, vanilla and anise. It shows the warmth of the vintage with concentrated, black-fruit flavors backed by a light squeeze of tannins followed by a lengthy finish. The oak plays prominently but it works.

91

40

Washington

Syrah

45,882

Spain

Lemon and tangerine aromas are slightly dusty. In the mouth, this Viura-Verdejo combo is lively and bouncy. Pithy citrus, almond-skin and apple flavors finish juicy.

86

9

Northern Spain

White Blend

75,012

Italy

Aromas of blueberry, baking spice and a whiff of leather lead the nose of this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The firm palate offers black plum, raspberry and black pepper alongside smooth tannins. It finishes on a note of mouth-puckering sour cherry.

88

24

Tuscany

Red Blend

68,930

US

A very good, delicious Chardonnay that's easy to drink, and whose richness suggests shrimp, scallops, lobster and similarly rich fare. Dry and crisp in acidity, it wows with pineapple marmalade, crème brûlée, buttered toast, vanilla, honeysuckle and mineral flavors, brightened with zesty acidity.

92

55

California

Chardonnay

126,623

US

Opaque and inky with shades of purple and black, this dessert wine smells both fresh and dense with blackberry, blueberry and gravel notes. The palate packs ripe blueberry and black-cherry-paste flavors with grippy plum-skin texture and a touch of espresso, proving quite sweet but complex.

89

26

California

Petite Sirah

32,512

US

Super-delicious, a mouthful of Chardonnay perfection. Really notable for the pure concentration of its flavors, such as fresh ripe white peach, mango, and spicy fig. Elaborately oaked, but not too much to support the huge fruit. The rich and creamy texture is a delight.

92

30

California

Chardonnay

446

US

Fresh blueberry and grape aromas meet with black plum, asphalt and turned earth on the nose of this bottling by Steve Dooley of Stephen Ross Cellars. Fresh blackberry juice, black pepper and dill show on the palate that is coated with decent acidity and a good tannic structure.

88

20

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

42,584

US

This opens bearing scents suggesting banana and tropical fruit, with an oily character. On the palate, the flavor veers toward sour apple, with tart acids. The finish brings in a lick of butter, but at the moment it doesn't quite come together. This may benefit from more bottle age.

86

24

Oregon

Chardonnay

12,461

US

A good Zinfandel, dry, crisply acidic and rugged in tannins, with cherry-berry and spice flavors with a hint of tobacco and leather. But there's a green, vegetal streak that detracts. Drink now.`

84

19

California

Zinfandel

96,712

US

A textbook illustration of Stags Leap Cabernet. The “velvet glove” is the elaborately ripe, sweet blackberry, cherry and chocolate fruit. The “iron fist” is the tannin structure, so finely woven you hardly notice it, but there it is, offering a coat of astringency and protecting the wine over the next decade.

93

105

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

31,171

US

White peach cooked in browned butter, sea salt and apple slice aromas make for a delicious entry into this bottling from one of the few estate wineries in the appellation. Spiced apple and lemon salt flavors combine for a solid and ever-reliable palate, while a fresh-rain-on-cement accent adds interest and depth.

90

27

California

Chardonnay

23,775

US

This dessert blend of 56% Sémillon and 44% Sauvignon Blanc smells like liquid honey, with beeswax and concentrated apple syrup as supporting aromas. It's viscous with decent grip on the palate, offering flavors of crushed apples, lemon syrup and a lime freshness, with lots of length.

89

39

California

White Blend

9,687

Argentina

This vintage of Broquel reflects the cool, challenged characteristics of the '08 vintage. It has snap and berry aromas and flavors along with obvious oak, char and mocha. The palate is more driving and linear than previous years, with juicy, snappy cherry and wood at the base. Finishes with coffee, toast and controlled bitterness.

86

17

Mendoza Province

Malbec

112,662

US

An alluring nose of smoke, herbs and tobacco spice start this red. On the palate, the wine has a tart cherry and spice profile combined with some blackberry—a bit lean and acidic but with a good steak or grilled chop, will calm down.

84

18

New York

Cabernet Franc

55,985

France

Crisp and fresh, this is a light wine that is dominated by red-currant fruits. It has considerable acidity as well as tannins. Fruity while lightly perfumed, it will be ready from 2018.

88

20

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

98,373

US

In possibly the world's heaviest bottle comes this heavy Ancient Vine Zinfandel, greasy in bacon fat flavor, plus-sized in every way with a taste of sweet cigar smoke from beginning to end.

80

23

California

Zinfandel

16,834

US

It's hard to get very excited about this wine because it's so average and common. It smells weakly of lemons, and the citrus flavors are watery and thin. It's dry and although there's some good acidity, it feels flat in the mouth. That says it all.

83

14

Oregon

Pinot Gris

114,332

US

A green-gold shade, this wine leaps up with buttery scents and flavors, at first more nutty than toasty. It has a tight core of mixed stone fruits, with toasty barrel flavors to wrap it up.

88

38

Oregon

Chardonnay

95,360

US

This full-bodied wine is packed with fruit and spice notes and is especially broad and mouth-filling. Made from mostly Grenache and Mourvèdre, with a dash of Syrah, it has generous ripe plum, macerated cherry and black pepper flavors that spread across the palate and linger on the finish.

90

20

California

Rhône-style Red Blend

89,043

Italy

This wine leads with new leather, dark spice, iris and eucalyptus scents. Its linear, slender palate offers sour cherry, pomegranate, white pepper and ground clove—flavors that are held taut by fine-grained tannins and racy acidity.

90

65

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

17,379

France

This wine is tight, crisp with citrus flavors and intense acidity. It is developing into a refreshing, broader wine that will convey a riper character. Just wait until late 2017.

88

15

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style White Blend

98,162

US

Movie popcorn is the first thing suggested by the nose of this wine, followed by firm, terse oak. Given time to unwind in the glass, the more delicate aspects of its personality start to appear, from crisp Asian pear to ginger spice.

88

36

California

Chardonnay

70,987

Italy

This is a plush and dense interpretation of Barbera with loads of fruit intensity followed by blackberry plum and sweet tobacco. The wine is dense, clean and offers round texture with a crisp acidity finale that is typical of this Italian grape variety.

90

32

Piedmont

Barbera

49,974

US

Light and floral, this is a complex, well-integrated Chardonnay that's bursting in just-sliced pineapple, with a layering of butterscotch and caramel. It's richly textured yet nicely balanced between savory and sweet. The acidity upholds the wine from entering into dense territory, a celebration of one heck of a sunny vintage in a glass.

93

45

California

Chardonnay

82,348

US

Green Valley vineyards figure prominently in this appellation wine, providing delicate, layered acidity and crisp, savory, succulent fruit. Cranberry, cherry and black tea flavors ripple through its bright texture, accented with clove, cola and cedar.

90

42

California

Pinot Noir

61,416

US

Volatile and showing some scents of glue, this hides its cherry fruit. It's drinkable, but for those with a high sensitivity to volatility it may be problematic.

83

22

Oregon

Pinot Noir

36,156

US

Silky in blueberry and boysenberry fruit, this is a balanced Pinot, tending toward black and blue fruit over red, with a bouquet of rose petals and truffled earth. With just a sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg, it develops spiciness on the palate, finishing light and bright.

92

57

California

Pinot Noir

39,952

Italy

This is a big burly wine that just has too many off aromas. Heavy barnyard scents mix with tart berry and espresso elements, and although there's body here, and what seem to be basically good elements, the stable-like odors stop the show.

81

12

Tuscany

Sangiovese

77,100

US

This is a lovely, complex and ultimately beautiful wine, a blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay given extra time to develop in the bottle. It presents as daringly dry but doesn't miss a beat on flavor, showing moderate acidity built around a richness of hazelnut cream complemented by brighter high tones of grapefruit and lime.

93

50

California

Sparkling Blend

12,738

US

This has lots of jammy and peppery aromas and flavors, tastes dry, is very full-bodied, and feels rich but tight with tannins. Although bone dry and almost austere, it's honest and refreshing.

88

36

California

Syrah

78,832

France

Produced from the oldest vines on the Bourgeois family estate, this is a flint and steel-textured wine. The fruit is still coming through the intense texture of this complex wine. The hints of apple and grapefruit will develop as the wine ages. Unlike so many Sancerre, this needs to age. Drink from 2018.

93

40

Loire Valley

Sauvignon Blanc

32,283

US

Brander's annual Bordeaux blend features 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. There is ripe boysenberry, cedar and worn leather on the nose, followed by Bing cherry flavors on the palate, where acidity and a light body combine for a lively finish.

93

35

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

107,275

France

This is a lean wine, all tannins and missing fruit. It is dry and showing considerable hard extraction. It will soften, but not much.

84

13

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

44,386

Italy

Scorched earth, menthol, cooking spice and mature plum aromas take shape in the glass. The forward palate offers dried black cherry, coffee and licorice alongside smooth, polished tannins. Drink soon to capture the remaining fruit flavor.

87

19

Tuscany

Red Blend

13,317

US

Dark gold in color, this is a viscous, ripe and creamy white, layered in minerality and fresh-cut stone fruit. From a mighty mountainous vineyard, it offers bold, full-bodied flavor and texture, a testament to its site, and finishes big in juicy Golden Delicious apple and pear.

90

65

California

Chardonnay

6,341

US

Apricot, peach, orange blossom and honey flavors all come together in this ultrasmooth, ripe but well-balanced wine. Zingy acidity blends with the rich fruitiness to keep it lively and refreshing, even while the viscosity coats the palate.

91

27

California

Viognier

76,799

US

Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) takes the lead on this wine, followed by Merlot (21%), Syrah (17%), Cabernet Franc (14%) and five other varieties. Aromas of blue fruit, char, plum, herb, confection and spice are followed by easy-drinking plum flavors, with a slightly clipped finish. It's a pleasant easy drinker.

87

16

Washington

Red Blend

28,820

US

This feral, smoky Merlot-based Bordeaux blend relies on a mix of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Red and black berry fruit intermingle amidst robust, dry tannins to make a statement of size and power.

85

40

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

30,191

US

A wisp of a wine, bright in lime, nutmeg and honeysuckle, with balanced acidity and mouthwatering texture and concentration. Handley's Gewürztraminer is always the right call when Thai or Chinese is on the menu. A nice introduction or re-introduction to Anderson Valley whites.

90

18

California

Gewürztraminer

102,118

US

An inviting and fragrant nose of blackberry, soy, vanilla and pine opens this medium-weight offering. Tangy, with tart berry, brown sugar and tobacco, it has a bracing mouthfeel with firm acidity, reading almost like a Tuscan red on the palate. Tart and sweet, the finish is brisk.

88

41

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

30,780

US

Always a big, ripe wine, Calera's '08 Viognier is a blast of tropical fruits, vanilla, toffee and buttered cinnamon toast. It's a little sweet and one-dimensional, but tasty.

86

30

California

Viognier

17,455

US

Tough and resilient in acids and tannins, but elegantly streamlined. Shows tart flavors of sour red cherry candy, vanilla and sweet sandalwood. Now–2014.

88

50

California

Pinot Noir

88,082

Italy

Enticing scents of beeswax, citrus blossom and stone fruit meet the nose. The sleek, linear palate offers crisp yellow apple, white peach and a mineral note alongside bracing acidity.

90

22

Northeastern Italy

Chardonnay

43,039

Italy

Its mix of heady aromas include chamomile flower, Spanish broom and yellow stone. The bright, fresh palate offers peach, pear, crunchy apple and a touch of mineral alongside vibrant acidity. It finishes crisp and clean.

87

22

Northeastern Italy

Pinot Grigio

35,833

US

This wine is as lush as apricots, pineapples and peach juice, but with refreshing acidity. Ample honey and buttered-toast notes from oak give it warmth. It's a very good Chard for drinking now with rich shellfish dishes, or a buttery wild mushroom risotto.

88

28

California

Chardonnay

82,776

Germany

Zesty orange and tangerine rinds are marked with honey and sweet spice on the nose of this exuberant off-dry Riesling. Ripe peach, melon and yellow-cherry flavors are lush and sweet on the palate, but countered with a jolt of lime and lemon acidity. It's a beautifully nuanced wine that's effortlessly tasty.

90

31

Mosel

Riesling

14,180

France

This is a fragrant, floral wine, with a smooth touch of vanilla. It has a fruity, ripe feel, and it shows fresh, crisp, apple-like acidity. This is a ready-to-drink, balanced Chardonnay.

86

27

Burgundy

Chardonnay

8,151

France

There is a touch of lemon cheesecake on the nose—both creamy and zesty. The palate seems translucent in its lightness with its fizzing froth. The finish is clean, refreshing and dry. Drink soon.

87

22

Alsace

Sparkling Blend

37,590

Italy

A blend of Sangiovese and 10% other grapes, this opens with aromas of toast, red berries and underbrush. The straightforward palate doles out sugary black plum, dark cherries and chocolate lightly accented with black pepper.

87

23

Tuscany

Red Blend

95,787

US

This is easy to like for its clean, brisk mouthfeel, creaminess and slightly sweet flavors of lime and strawberry. Made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it shows real finesse.

90

29

California

Sparkling Blend

118,811

Italy

Made entirely from Sangiovese, this elegant red boasts classic varietal aromas such as violet, red berry and new leather. On the bright, sleek palate, cinnamon and Mediterranean herb accent a juicy core of Morello cherry and crushed raspberry fruit. It's nicely balanced, with polished tannins and fresh acidity. Drink through 2025.

92

80

Tuscany

Sangiovese

53,715

US

This wine has an extra measure of creaminess in the texture while giving up floral, lightly spicy and wonderfully fruity flavors. There's no obvious oak influence, just ripe raspberry, strawberry and macerated black-cherry notes that softly coat the palate and cling to the finish.

89

14

California

Merlot

4,029

US

Full bodied, dark and tannic, this is a big wine with aromas and flavors of grilled herbs, black pepper, wood and earth. It feels broad on the palate, has a firm, fine-grained texture and lingering peppery flavors.

88

23

California

Petite Sirah

12,047

US

It pulls together toasty oak sweetness in the aromas and delicious ripe cherry and cranberry flavors with bass notes of black plum and clove. Full-bodied, it has firm but not tight tannins that add to the velvety texture.

90

50

California

Pinot Noir

126,993

Italy

Earthy and structured, this fragrant red opens with aromas of leather, underbrush, vineyard dust, blue flower, tilled soil, menthol and woodland berry. The full-bodied palate offers dried black cherry, fig, baking spice, grilled herb and truffle alongside robust, velvety tannins. Drink from 2018 through 2025.

93

76

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

5,418

France

This wine is buttery and has a creamy texture along with a fresh streak. Apple flavors are lifted with citrus while also filled out with that rounder character, making for an immediately attractive, ripe wine. Drink now.

88

23

Burgundy

Chardonnay

59,247

France

The wine is fresh, stalky and showing its wood aging. It has a hard edge of tannins that are not quite ripe. Balancing with that is the black currant fruit and acidity that are crisp and showing a mineral texture. The wine needs to age a while, so wait until 2018.

86

30

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

45,391

Italy

Made from Sangiovese, this opens with delicate aromas of red berry and baking spice. The fresh simple palate presents red plum and clove alongside easygoing tannins. Enjoy soon.

86

10

Tuscany

Sangiovese

66,496

Italy

This easygoing red offers fruit-driven sensations of wild cherry, plum and accents of black pepper. On the palate, bright acidity supports the juicy fruit flavors. It's direct and clean, and will work nicely for informal occasions.

86

19

Piedmont

Barbera

118,318

US

Beginning to round out its youthful edges, the BlackCap (so named for the native Oregon mushroom, berry and bird) offers pretty pie-cherry fruit, savory herbs and silky tannins. There's still some phenolic bite to the finish, suggesting that it can continue to smooth out over the next few years.

91

45

Oregon

Pinot Noir

48,236

Argentina

Concentrated blackberry and desert brush aromas are dense and intense. While this is very rich, it's not overbearing or out of whack. Blackberry flavors with savory spice and earth notes end toasty but not overly complex. Drink through 2019.

92

28

Mendoza Province

Malbec

54,180

US

Perfumed with rose and lavender, this wine has robust tannins and dominant oak notes, both in support of its ripe, concentrated red fruit. Woody, herbal components complement the lushness, framed by gravelly texture.

90

39

California

Pinot Noir

15,426

France

This is a ripe mango and pineapple flavored wine. It is rich, generous and with a fine balance between acidity and the bold fruitiness. It is young and fruity, ready to drink although it will be even better from 2018.

90

42

Burgundy

Chardonnay

61,278

Italy

This fresh blend of Trebbiano and Vermentino from the hills outside Pisa offers pretty aromas of green fruit, kiwi, melon, cut grass and passion fruit. This is a crisp and fresh with a sharp, determined close.

87

14

Tuscany

White Blend

56,400

US

Dry, minty and sharp, and very peppery, with tobacco, wintergreen, cherry and currant flavors, wrapped into sturdy tannins. Drink now.

85

20

California

Zinfandel

115,183

France

This impressive wood-aged wine shows both the rich side of Pouilly Fuissé and its taut, minerally character. It is full and rich, yet always expressing a nervy, zingy edge. Age for at least three years.

91

30

Burgundy

Chardonnay

110,210

US

Angel Vine (formerly Three Angels) now offers three single vineyard Zins as well as this blend, with includes Primitivo and Petite Sirah. Sweet, briary fruit, with a pleasing brambly character, runs through the mouth leaving a chocolaty trail. There is just a hint of leather and funk.

87

20

Washington

Zinfandel

63,405

Italy

This blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon delivers pretty floral and white-fruit aromas, while the long and linear palate shows restrained fruit flavors punctuated by pear and a hint of mineral.

87

17

Piedmont

White Blend

4,943

Argentina

Woodsy, spicy aromas form a solid opening. There's adequate acidity on the palate along with raspberry, red plum and mild herbal notes. Racy, spicy and just toasty enough to rate well across the finish.

86

12

Mendoza Province

Malbec

9,976

Italy

Subdued aromas of Spanish broom and brimstone float from the glass. The vertical palate offers yellow apple, citrus zest and mineral alongside crisp acidity.

87

45

Sicily & Sardinia

White Blend

88,555

France

This wine shows ripe fruit, sweet tannins and soft acidity. Strawberries are prominent along with a bright, fruity feel. The wine doesn't seem likely to age and will be enjoyable in a year.

85

13

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

15,669

France

Earth and apple, citrus and herb all mingle on nose and palate. It is the green apple with its chamomile edge and above all the bright ripe lemon freshness which expands across the dry palate. This is full of bright refreshing citrus and a beautifully understated vigor which will live in this wine for years to come. The finish culminates in a gorgeously tart but ripe apple notion. Very moreish now and approachable but with lots of future promise. Drink 2017–2030.

94

40

Alsace

Riesling

41,510

US

The strawberry fruit shows a wild herbal side, with a touch of toasted grain. The tannins are firm and the finish carries a hint of chicken broth.

87

30

Oregon

Pinot Noir

18,323

Spain

A fine Cava with easygoing white fruit aromas and a cushioned, full and round palate. Tastes rich and honeyed, with toasty, nutty, dry apple and pear flavors. Elegant and complex, with texture and style.

91

50

Catalonia

Sparkling Blend

58,442

Italy

This expresses pretty Nebbiolo aromas of violet, saddle leather, truffle and red berry. The vibrant palate offers crushed raspberry, Morello cherry, cinnamon and tobacco hints while assertive tannins and bright acidity provide support. Drink 2021–2029.

91

50

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

81,922

France

This wine's black currant aromas shine. It's still young and structured, its firm tannins at the fore. But those black currant flavors are crisp and fruity, highlighting its fine balance, as all the elements fall into place. Drink from 2020.

92

28

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

29,999

US

This is an inaugural release of this variety from the Mount George Vineyard in cool Coombsville, granted AVA status in 2011. Juicy and soft in blackberry and stone fruit, the wine is cradled by generous tannins and herbal tones. Full bodied, its sinewy structure suggests it would benefit from more time in bottle; cellar through 2022.

91

75

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

45,711

US

Santa Barbara-raised Steve Gerbac makes a winning white wine with aromas of scorched lemons, browned butter and vanilla, sliced down the middle with white rock minerality. Broad, oak-driven flavors at the tip of the palate quickly tighten into a line of lime zest acidity that lingers, with white pepper and chamomile spices emerging in the midpalate.

92

32

California

Chardonnay

2,663

US

Conflict is two thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. Smoke wreathes around deep cherry candy flavors, leading into some chewy tannins dusted with savory herbs.

90

55

Washington

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

65,062

US

This wine shows a ton of oak influence, from the smoky charred aromas to the sweet-seeming maple syrup flavors to the velvety clinging texture. It is medium bodied, lush in mouthfeel and high in spice content that dominates the fruit flavors underneath.

86

12

California

Merlot

104,410

Germany

Deeply earthy and savory tones juxtapose sunny peach and apricot in this feather-light, off-dry wine. Brisk texture and spine tingling acidity are thirst quenching and fresh. Drink now.

87

13

Mosel

Riesling

75,319

US

Strawberry and raspberry flavors are fresh and clean, not thin, but less robust than previous vintages. It's a delicate, nicely crafted wine that could be cellared through 2025.

90

49

Oregon

Pinot Noir

121,110

US

Pale salmon colored, this medium-sweet blend of Pinot Noir (80%) and Pinot Gris is lightly spritzy with notes of strawberry and mint but doesn't have the acid to hold the sugar up.

84

16

Oregon

Rosé

85,486

US

Cinnamon and spearmint elements give depth to the pinpoint, laser-sharp fruit notes of cherry blossom and strawberry on this bottling. Strong herbal flavors of thyme and marjoram and spices of green cardamom of peppercorn hit the palate right away, seasoning cranberry and pomegranate fruit, and finishing on a slate minerality.

92

55

California

Pinot Noir

126,756

US

This wine is 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. Jammy aromas of red and blue fruit are followed by a plush, flavorful palate that shows a pleasing sense of balance and length with a raspberry-filled finish.

91

40

Washington

Rhône-style Red Blend

3,364

US

This full-bodied wine has a big impact on the palate due to smoky, meaty flavors, very firm tannins and an overall huge personality. It starts with aromas of charcoal and charred oak, goes to ripe, rich but not sweet fruit flavors, and finishes with all that grip as well as lingering smoky nuances.

92

45

California

Petite Sirah

39,113

US

As salty as preserved lemon brine, this wine is medium-bodied, with integrated oak, having aged in 33% new French barrels. Golden delicious apple and a spicy bite of quince round out the subtle fruit flavors, bolstered by gravelly texture.

91

45

California

Chardonnay

35,150

US

Made in a soft, sweet style, this simple Syrah is very rich in black cherry jam, dark chocolate, toast and exotic baking spice flavors, wrapped into smooth, velvety tannins. It's a crowd pleaser.

86

33

California

Syrah