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
96,007	US	From a longtime value producer, an immensely rich wine with significantly ripe, big fruit. Has layers of flavors ranging from blackberries and plums to chocolate, and is very dry. But the tannins are great, plush and thick and easy. Might benefit from a year or so in the bottle.	89	18	California	Merlot
74,350	France	Heavy toast aromas follow through to a wine that is packed with new wood and some fruit. It has a biting burnt edge that may soften.	83	14	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
30,153	Italy	This offers raw aromas of black cherry, plum, prune and blackberry jelly. The mouthfeel is smooth, rich and chewy.	87	30	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
127,117	Argentina	Applesauce and fruit salad are rather strange, unconvincing aromas for Merlot, and the palate of plum and wild berry is big, broad and lunky. Jammy on the back end, with herbal berry flavors on the finish. Acceptable red wine but nothing special.	83	18	Mendoza Province	Merlot
17,668	US	Juicy, soft and sublime, this vineyard site sits on the extreme Sonoma Coast, near the town of Annapolis, approaching the Mendocino County line. Fine tannins and bright acidity combine for a memorable taste experience, marked in fresh strawberry, raspberry and black pepper.	92	54	California	Pinot Noir
85,228	Spain	There's an exotic twist to the nose, which rests on black cherry, plum and a splash of black coffee. The palate is sound and structured, with dark fruit flavors accented by spice and tea notes. Comfortable on the finish, with good tannins and acids holding it all together. Drink now.	88	30	Northern Spain	Tempranillo
669	US	All varietal, this wine offers unique aromas of toast, fig, dried herb and exotic spice. The purple fruit flavors are deft in style with a pleasing sense of balance, length and texture.	90	30	Washington	Malbec
95,222	US	Very treacly aromas of overripe strawberry, brown sugar and maple syrup show on this dessert-like wine. It's very sweet on the palate, with sweet tea, prune and raisin flavors.	84	40	California	Sangiovese
27,028	US	This appellation blend from Bryan Babcock is flamboyant on the nose, showing lime blossom, honeysuckle, wet cement and peach aromas. There's a great sizzle of acidity and pithy grip to the palate, supporting its strong stone fruit flavors.	88	30	California	Chardonnay
93,902	US	Good flavors of ripe berries, cherries and spices, with a dose of new smoky oak, but there's a certain flatness to the mouthfeel. Some of the life is gone, and the wine turns sweet and raisiny on the finish. Drink now.	85	39	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
76,883	US	From a hilltop spot in an appellation increasingly adept at growing the variety in a restrained way, this wine is voluptuous on the palate while also offering complex layers of smoky meat, truffle earth and black licorice. The finish completes the experience with a healthy dose of black pepper.	92	45	California	Syrah
88,344	US	Based on Petite Sirah, with small amounts of Syrah and Grenache, this is a huge, fruity, extracted wine. It's explosive in raspberry and cherry jam flavor that's so ripe and pure, yet the finish is dry. The tannins are big and firm, making this wine perfect for a deliciously grilled steak, maybe finished with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce.	90	36	California	Red Blend
111,318	US	Black cherry fruit is accented with flavors of coffee grounds and dark chocolate. The fruit is clean and brambly, and the wine overdelivers for the price.	89	12	Washington	Cabernet Sauvignon
99,392	Argentina	Young and fruity smelling up front, with a dusting of hard, dry spice. The palate is firm and juicy, with lightly medicinal red fruit flavors. Finishes with dryness, lots of spice and pepper.	85	12	Mendoza Province	Merlot
51,923	US	Tart red cherries mingle with notes of warm toast, cedar and menthol in this bold, richly bodied Cabernet Franc. Bright cranberry notes cut through the midpalate, which is fringed by fine grained tannins, leading to a lingering hint of savory umami on the finish.	88	45	New York	Cabernet Franc
40,817	Italy	Made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo, this hearty wine features earthy aromas of underbrush, tilled soil and mature black fruits. The juicy palate delivers fleshy black cherry, plum, nutmeg, espresso, black pepper and licorice alongside a solid tannic backbone. Drink through 2019.	90	40	Tuscany	Red Blend
11,211	US	Ice wines are a rarity in Washington. This one offers aromas of orange peel, flowers and candied ginger, seeming to show a touch of oxygen exposure. It's sweet (155g/L residual sugar) but is still quite deft in style.	88	55	Washington	Riesling
129,942	US	This is classic in herbaceous aromas and flavors, rich in juicy blackberry and blueberry while also offering savory pencil shavings and dark chocolate. Leathered, firm tannins complete the picture, providing structure and integration to a wall of well-managed oak.	90	35	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
72,233	US	Made to commemorate the winery's 20th vintage, this smooth and polished effort combines choice lots from the Shea, Freedom Hill, Temperance Hill and Vista Hills vineyards. Sweet cherry fruit carries interesting suggestions of ash, smoke, anise and toasted almond, buffed and buttressed by crisp acids.	91	60	Oregon	Pinot Noir
46,207	US	This is made by Eric Hamacher (Carlton Winemakers Studio) and mixes dried herb, tea, honeysuckle and green apple in a convivial style. Round and fruity, it's dry without being stiff or steely. Very drinkable.	88	18	Oregon	Riesling
78,554	France	From vineyards at the south end of the Côte de Nuits, this is a fruity, crisp wine with attractive ready-to-drink fruit flavors. The aftertaste is tight and packed with acidity.	87	38	Burgundy	Pinot Noir
61,878	US	This wine begins tight and peppery, with cranberry and cherry cola flavors. Tasted over a period of several days, it not only held up well, but seemed to gain in focus. It's not a big wine, but it has authentic grip and surprising ageability.	90	50	Oregon	Pinot Noir
129,511	France	A pink-colored wine, this is ripe in red fruits. It is soft and creamy, with a touch of toast as well as fruitiness. On the dry side of Brut, it has a tight, mineral texture finished with crisp acidity.	88	75	Champagne	Champagne Blend
28,313	Argentina	This well-aged Cab Franc opens with raw, scratchy aromas that can best be described as abrasive and herbal. The palate brings a hard, acidic feel and high-toned, herbal flavors of cherry, plum and rhubarb. A lactic oak flavor meshes with green bean notes on the finish.	86	50	Mendoza Province	Cabernet Franc
124,771	France	Tart, fresh and a bit chunky and rustic, this blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 20% Cinsaut features bold lime notes, scouring acidity and hints of crushed stone. Drink now.	86	15	Provence	Rosé
19,931	US	Smooth, easy to enjoy and crisp in acidity, La Folia's Barbera tastes lighter than its 15.5% alcohol with a mocha kiss on the finish.	89	28	California	Barbera
2,036	Italy	Floral aromas of white spring flowers partner hints of pear and stone fruit. The juicy palate offers white peach, apple and green melon alongside a mineral note and fresh acidity.	87	15	Veneto	White Blend
65,474	Italy	Made of 70% Syrah, 15% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot, this opens with ripe black plum and tilled earth scents. The dense palate doles out prune, clove and game flavors, pulled taut by assertive tannins. Drink through 2018.	88	25	Tuscany	Red Blend
10,447	US	A ripe Chardonnay, big and full, with fistfuls of oak influence and a spoonful of sugar to help it go down. Find some rich crab cakes in a creamy sauce and enjoy.	85	20	California	Chardonnay
35,389	US	Tart and juicy, with wild raspberry fruit streaked with dried herb and just hinting at black cherry. This is a subtle yet powerful wine, with whiffs of smoke, licorice and coffee, but far less noticeable barrel influence than its companion reds. Focused and pure, with the structure to age.	92	75	Washington	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
99,214	US	This proprietary blend brings together many of Napa Valley's old-vine grapes, from Zinfandel and Petite Sirah to Alicante Bouschet and Mourvèdre. Plum sauce, tobacco and leather are seasoned in black pepper and espresso within a full-bodied grippy package.	88	33	California	Red Blend
71,829	US	Very dry and fairly tannic, it's severe on first sip and hard to appreciate, although there are some good black cherry, cola, leather, oak and black pepper flavors. It's complex in its own way, and gets better as it breathes in the glass. Give it a good, long decanting, and drink it now through 2018. The blend is Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise, in that order.	90	55	California	Rhône-style Red Blend
111,971	France	Feathery, lifted notes of citrus, lemon zest and leaf announce a lightness of touch. Some topnotes of chamomile tisane swing alongside. The palate is fresh, taut, dry and light-footed. Deeper notions of fruit are still just hinted at, a core of fruit that still takes time before it is unlocked. Purity and elegance mark this one out.	93	36	Alsace	Riesling
11,361	US	This is a straightforward but simple wine. It's dry and crisp but a bit watery with lemon, lime and vanilla flavors.	82	15	California	Sauvignon Blanc
39,551	Italy	This ruby-colored Valpolicella opens with bursting tones of red cherry and blackberry with nice spice and toasted almond accents. The mouthfeel is not too rich or bold, but the wine does deliver pretty flavors of jammy fruit and pressed violet.	87	14	Veneto	Red Blend
114,678	US	Aromas come off as quite green, with notes of jalapeño pepper and garden herb mixed with cherry and vanilla. The palate brings broad cherry flavors. It provides appeal but the aromas and flavors seem a bit disconnected and the greenness proves distracting.	87	30	Washington	Cabernet Sauvignon
50,780	US	The soft fruitiness of this blend makes it ideal for sipping now with ham, broiled chicken, or casual picnic fare. It's not a complicated wine to ponder over, but to enjoy for its savory raspberry jam, vanilla and cinnamon flavors.	86	25	California	Rhône-style Red Blend
122,572	US	Huge, tremendous, authoritative and impressive for its sheer volume. It just explodes in blackberries, cassis, dark chocolate, leather, dried herb and smoky oak flavors, with a tangy minerality. The vineyard is in the Stags Leap tenderloin, and the wine combines an approachable drink-me-now quality with obvious ageworthiness through at least 2016. Only 180 cases were produced.	95	105	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
7,880	US	It show the vintage's weakness, with a vegetal edge to the cherries and oak.	84	45	California	Pinot Noir
96,757	US	Lemon-lime and lemon curd mark this wine. The lemon theme continues throughout the layers of apple, vanilla and oak, the oak not perceptible until near the round, voluptuous finish.	88	28	California	Chardonnay
118,208	Italy	Wisteria and hawthorn aromas lead the way alongside a note of chopped herbs. The herbs note follows through to the palate and accents crisp green apple, pear and citrus peel, while vibrant acidity and persistent bubbles provide a zesty backdrop.	88	16	Veneto	Sparkling Blend
36,951	Italy	Menthol, French oak, exotic spice violet and red berry aromas take center stage. The full-bodied, enveloping palate delivers dried Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, licorice, espresso and cinnamon framed in youthfully assertive close-grained tannins. Give this time to fully unwind. Drink 2023–2038.	93	97	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
51,026	Italy	This has a balsamic nose of menthol, eucalyptus, new leather and chopped herb. On the palate, vibrant white pepper and licorice notes accent a core of Morello cherry and crushed raspberry fruit. It has a backbone of firm, polished tannins and bright acidity and will only improve over next decade.	92	34	Tuscany	Red Blend
27,344	France	The latest vintage release from this producer based in Châlons-en-Champagne is very much in the house style with its crisp acidity and tight texture. It is towards the dry end of Brut with apple and citrus flavors and little sign yet of aging. Although this textured wine is ready to drink, it will be better from 2018.	93	95	Champagne	Champagne Blend
85,681	US	Black plum, mulberry, clove and lava rock-like minerality show on the ripe and rounded nose of this bottling from a Paso Robles-based winery. The flavors are fairly reserved at this stage, the focus on its firm structure, but tart plum-skin, thyme, marjoram and cardamom touches will emerge with time.	90	65	California	Pinot Noir
25,363	US	This is a big, ripe, extracted wine, softly tannic in the Paso Robles style. It's a little hot in alcohol, but delicious, with waves of blackberry jam, black licorice and spice flavors.	87	32	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
92,690	Italy	There's a creamy, full quality to this wine that is backed by aromas of mature peach, yellow flower and honey. It has an easy approach and would pair well with salmon or swordfish carpaccio.	87	22	Northeastern Italy	Pinot Grigio
15,455	France	Very structured and packed with tannins, this has the weight to balance those qualities, promising layers of black fruits as it develops. There's a mineral character here, the tannins in suspension. The aftertaste brings out delicious, lightly salty acidity. Drink from 2018.	93	200	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
23,887	Argentina	Punchy prickly citrus aromas are clearly that of Sauvignon Blanc. Light in color and weight, this tastes of tangy citrus with a shot of black and green pepper. Lime is the key flavor noted on a clean but mild finish.	85	10	Mendoza Province	Sauvignon Blanc
105,625	US	Since 2009, the producer has sourced from this site, a relatively warm pocket of the northern reaches of the appellation. Vibrant in red cherry fruit, it's also layered and velvety smooth, with astructure and density that makes it complex and compelling. The fruit dances in blackberry as well as strawberry, with a subtle herbal undertone.	90	40	California	Syrah
97,311	France	Old vines planted in a small parcel at the base of the Corton hill give this ripe and rich wine. Full of jammy fruit, it has structure as well as strawberry and red-cherry flavors, packed with juiciness that comes from the acidity. This wine has a good future. Drink from 2020.	91	55	Burgundy	Pinot Noir
33,424	US	Smoky flint and crushed mineral tones contrast concentrated raspberry and strawberry flavors in this richly concentrated rosé. Full bodied and supple in texture, it's sturdy enough to accompany heartier fish and fowl dishes far beyond the summer months. Sunny acidity brightens the finish.	88	17	New York	Rosé
45,476	US	This is a lovely wine, softly integrated and lean in muscle strength, with enviable complexity and length. Cedar, cranberry and currant are all represented, along a dusting of dried herbs and blackberry pie. This ripe, full-bodied wine never slips through the cracks, maintaining itself with grace under pressure.	93	80	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
88,767	US	From one of Livermore's oldest producers, a small-production Petite Sirah, one of their specialties, all from an estate vineyard planted 40 years ago, this wine is super dark purple in color, very earthy, with nice chocolate and delicate fruit interspersed among the dusty tannins. Pretty and interesting.	87	25	California	Petite Sirah
70,033	US	Forward aromas of ripe cherries and deep vanillin oak meld nicely. Black plum, sweet cherry and coffee flavors, with cedar accents. The very full, supple mouthfeel is captivating. Shows fine length, spicy dry tannins and the stuffing to last. Hold four or more years, as it will keep for ages.	94	65	California	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
89,626	Australia	Deep cassis aromas, a touch of licorice, and menthol notes on the nose open to a palate of black-currant and cocoa flavors in this well-balanced, medium-weight wine. Nicely structured, it finishes with good length and moderate tannins; can be cellared a few years. Best Buy.	88	11	South Australia	Cabernet Sauvignon
29,310	Italy	Made with 100% Sangiovese, this savory red delivers aromas of black cherry, scorched earth and chopped herb. The palate offers crushed blackberry, juicy cherry and black pepper. Fine-grained tannins provide support.	89	28	Tuscany	Sangiovese
87,926	US	This wine is pale peach in color. The 100% Grenache, the wood influence (100% new 500L French oak) is almost completely overwhelming, showing notes of vanillin, wood spice and cream. It lightens up a bit on the dry palate but still can't make up the difference.	85	40	Washington	Rosé
128,414	Spain	Rubbery aromas and a pasty note are on equal footing with plum and cherry scents. This is choppy and mildly astringent in feel, with narrow plum and raspberry flavors that finish quick and with pinching tannins.	84	9	Northern Spain	Merlot
23,626	US	Lemon-lime acidity cuts a laser-sharp edge through honey in this lush, concentrated Riesling full of pink grapefruit, mango and peach flavors. It's a lip smacking, juicy wine, yet stands up to even the most elegant occasions. Drink now.	90	15	New York	Riesling
45,577	US	Smoky leather and cigar make for a formidable entry on the nose before huge, layered tannins rise to the fore. A balance of acidity and brightness lurks beneath the weight, rounded by succulent blackberry and black cherry. Cellar through 2022.	95	95	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
123,537	US	This 100% Sangiovese leaves a lot to be desired. It's vegetal, with sweet and sour raspberry and vanilla flavors.	81	15	California	Rosé
111,836	US	Here's a Cabernet to lay down in the cellar for 6–8 years—or even longer. Two things mark it: the extremely ripe, concentrated blackberry and black currant fruit, and the hefty tannins. Most people will probably open it too soon and miss out on what it could be, when the tannins drop out to reveal its sweet fruity essence.	91	65	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
55,429	US	Lush and buttery with caramel notes, tar and plump blackberry fruit, this bottling by the Riboli family will certainly appease the dinner crowd. It's fairly light in body, but layered with smoky, juicy blackberry fruit, earthy undertones and an easy-drinking and soft tannic structure.	89	28	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
60,053	US	Pretty, structured, layered and bright, Kite's Rest is a blend of all three block designates found on the 12-acre Black Kite Vineyard on the southern side of the Anderson Valley. The wine highlights attributes found in its sister wines.	93	45	California	Pinot Noir
113,529	US	Opening with beautiful aromatics, this wine has a heady invitation of orange and apple blossom before revealing a sublime texture and rich oak. Pillowy on the palate, it offers Asian pear and apple flavors, with a slight confectionery quality of crème brûlée.	90	45	California	Chardonnay
9,721	US	Powerful black cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors seem to infuse this full-bodied wine with lots of fruit energy. It tastes vivid and unique because of that deep vein of black fruit impressions, and stays balanced by firm acidity and fine-grained tannins in spite of its alcoholic strength.	90	38	California	Zinfandel
56,608	Italy	Aromas of scorched earth, overripe black-skinned fruit and a whiff of game lead the nose. The palate is fresher, offering fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry, dark cooking spices and a hint of menthol. Firm, fine-grained tannins provide support, while a tobacco note signals the close.	90	40	Piedmont	Nebbiolo
112,517	Italy	This round, structured Syrah opens with aromas of ripe black fruit, tilled soil and ground black pepper. The palate shows mature blackberry and raspberry together with notes of spice and clove. Velvety tannins provide the framework.	89	65	Tuscany	Syrah
91,312	France	The third wine of Château Valandraud, this is a lighter version of the estate. With its generous tannins and concentration, it is smoky, full of blackberry fruits and the potential to age for a few years. Drink from 2020.	88	30	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
17,918	US	With some blackberry, cassis and oak flavors, this is a pretty good wine. It's a little green, and the acidity is sharp. Drink up.	85	15	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
40,090	US	This is a rich, spicy and lush-fruited rosé. Its palate-pleasing tangle of citrus, peach and light tropical fruit is fresh, forward and inviting. It spent five months in neutral oak and is ready for immediate enjoyment.	90	25	Oregon	Pinot Gris
42,446	US	This is a solid effort, especially at this price point. The cherry-cola core of flavor grabs your interest quickly, and hangs on with a hint of tobacco in the smooth finish. Some nice acidity adds a touch of minerality.	88	16	Oregon	Pinot Noir
81,862	US	A very nice, elegant Chardonnay that shows plenty of creamy, oaky richness of pineapples, limes and pears, but also a crisp streak of acidity and minerality that provides grounding and balance. A good example of Russian River precision.	90	36	California	Chardonnay
50,748	France	Smooth and rich, this has fine black and red cherry flavors, along with structured, dry tannins. There is a spice note from the wood aging, which is balanced by the acidity. The finish has a fine, generous texture. Give this wine at least four years.	90	22	Bordeaux	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
78,142	US	This new project from Steve and Chrystal Clifton from Palmina and formerly Brewer-Clifton is exciting and tasty. Plump red cherry, fine-grained clove, allspice, nutmeg, sage, kola nut and a touch of chile spice show on the supple but focused nose. Tart cranberry, sour cherry and peppery sage pop on the energetic palate.	94	75	California	Pinot Noir
6,275	US	This is a best-of-barrels blend from different vineyard sites. It's a very good wine that grabs your attention with sheer Chardonnay dazzle. The tropical fruits are incredibly ripe and intense, with sweet, smoky oak adding supportive richness, brought into focus by crisp acidity. There's a core, like the nucleus of an atom, that holds everything together. Might even age for half a dozen years.	94	70	California	Chardonnay
17,714	US	This dry Sauvignon Blanc is wonderfully adaptable to today's wide variety of foods. Bone dry and crisp in acidity, it has rich, varietal flavors of Meyer lemon, lime, pink grapefruit and blood orange.	87	16	California	Sauvignon Blanc
103,984	US	Reticent dark fruit and licorice aromas are followed by tart fruit flavors and lightly bunched-up tannins. There's interest but it doesn't all seem to come together.	87	39	Washington	Syrah
104,589	France	An off-dry blend of Grolleau and Gamay, it's crisp and attractively fruity. Strawberries dominate this fresh and aromatic wine. It's a great rosé to drink now.	85	14	Loire Valley	Rosé
47,711	US	This wine is 45% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 11% Malbec. It charms with alluring aromas of herbs, black licorice, cassis and coffee. The palate has a creamy, rich feel with abundant black fruit flavors and exceptional tannin integration.	92	85	Washington	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
95,822	US	This dry Merlot is marked by strong tannins and ripe fruit. It shows bursts of black cherry, currant, cola and cedar flavors, and it has an astringent texture that's unlikely to age away. Drink now.	87	25	California	Merlot
18,010	US	This is an outlier in the Brian Carter lineup of Euro-style blends, a single vineyard, pure varietal Cabernet. As such, it drills down deeply into the character of Washington terroir as captured in a Cab-friendly site, the Stone Tree Vineyard in the heart of the Wahluke Slope AVA. Dark, deep, concentrated, smoky, with tendrils of earth and rock reaching all the way through the tart and tannic finish.	92	48	Washington	Cabernet Sauvignon
9,187	US	From a winery focused on Alsatian wines since starting in 1983, this tremendous Gewürztraminer is redolent with grilled lemon peels, lilac and a chalky minerality. On the elegant and tasty palate, there are white rocks, roasted nectarines, yellow apples and noticeable salinity.	92	20	California	Gewürztraminer
111,341	US	This wine is made in the style of the winery's marvelous Finch Hollow Chardonnays, but is just a little less concentrated. Dry, crisp and elegantly clean, it has complex, mineral-infused flavors of tangerines, peaches and limes, enhanced with lots of smoky new oak. It should hold in the bottle through 2016.	91	64	California	Chardonnay
113	Italy	Made with Vermentino, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica and Petit Manseng, this easy-drinking white has aromas of fragrant white wild flower, citrus and white stone fruit. The ripe round palate offers apricot, lime and a hint of saline.	87	19	Tuscany	White Blend
112,834	US	Candylike oak aromas and flavors dominate this full-bodied and rather tannic wine. It smells and tastes like vanilla, fresh-sawn oak and maple syrup. Some ripe plum flavors in the background are nearly sweet.	86	19	California	Zinfandel
22,410	US	In vintage after vintage, the winery has chosen to make this blush wine heavier than most rosés in California. They've done so again in 2013, giving a darkly colored, fruity wine you could almost drink unchilled as a table red. It has a Beaujolais-like cherry jamminess that is frankly delicious.	87	20	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
31,787	Argentina	Earthy, leathery, stewed aromas are more savory than fruity. The palate on this Malbec-led blend is full, flush and resiny. Savory blueberry, Middle Eastern spice notes and oaky flavors reside in front of a roasted finish with grab and grip.	89	37	Mendoza Province	Red Blend
49,807	US	This is the first reserve Pinot Gris from the winery—half fermented in stainless, half in barrel. The wine feels as if it's very lightly oxidized, with dusty, tawny apple flavors that recall a good hard cider. Its power is in the persistent, bone dry finish, that never quits. Drink now through 2018.	91	26	Oregon	Pinot Gris
120,977	US	Seeing no new oak, the fruit is front and center. The flavors of pepper, dark fruit and herbs are pure, concentrated and soft in feel with a tart uptick on the finish.	90	28	Washington	Malbec
13,016	Argentina	An organic wine that is rough and oily on the nose and tannic and choppy in the mouth. It's a hard, wine with sweaty, sharp scents and too much black olive and funk. Not a disaster but it requires an awful lot from the buyer.	81	12	Mendoza Province	Cabernet Sauvignon
89,326	US	A good Cabernet, with pleasantly ripe blackberry, cherry and currant flavors, as well as a nice coating of sweet oak. Feels a little rugged in the mouth, with some edgy tannins. Give it a couple hours of decanting before service.	87	40	California	Cabernet Sauvignon
25,592	US	This medium-bodied wine is well rounded in texture. The touch of sweet pear in the flavors gives counterpoint to herb and fennel aromas and some citrusy acidity.	85	10	California	Chardonnay
20,744	US	This appetizing wine has attention-getting grapefruit and fresh-cut herb aromas, vivid and crisp fruit flavors, light body and a lingering, citrusy finish.	87	12	California	Sauvignon Blanc
96,298	US	This wine is half Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It's subtle on the nose, with currant, flower, crushed rock and herb notes. The palate is firmly structured, punctuating the flavors on the finish. Best 2025–2030.	92	45	Washington	Bordeaux-style Red Blend
63,806	US	Made in the Mazzocco style of extremely high alcohol and Porty-sweet flavors of blackberries, raisins, chocolate and pepper. If you like this kind of high-octane Zin, it's for you.	82	50	California	Zinfandel
78,056	Portugal	A smooth, rich wine whose fruit is ripe, full of blackberry flavors and perfumed acidity. It also has weight, concentration and a tight mineral edge that gives it extra complexity. The wine is fruity and ready to drink.	90	18	Douro	Portuguese Red
16,612	US	This tastes bright and lively, just a bit sweet and brimming with fruit flavor. It smells like green apples and grapefruit, tastes like honeydew melon and adds a bit of acidity to balance out the ripeness.	86	20	California	Sauvignon Blanc
88,436	US	This study of density shows blueberry, caramel, vanilla bean, coffee syrup, fudge and concentrated lilac and violet notes on the nose. The mouthfeel is extremely full and the flavors quite powerful, delivering blackberry jam, burnt caramel, touches of teriyaki, mocha and candied pecan. As the alcohol level hints, this is a bombastic bottling, sure to grab any table's attention.	93	100	California	Syrah

96,007

US

From a longtime value producer, an immensely rich wine with significantly ripe, big fruit. Has layers of flavors ranging from blackberries and plums to chocolate, and is very dry. But the tannins are great, plush and thick and easy. Might benefit from a year or so in the bottle.

89

18

California

Merlot

74,350

France

Heavy toast aromas follow through to a wine that is packed with new wood and some fruit. It has a biting burnt edge that may soften.

83

14

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

30,153

Italy

This offers raw aromas of black cherry, plum, prune and blackberry jelly. The mouthfeel is smooth, rich and chewy.

87

30

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

127,117

Argentina

Applesauce and fruit salad are rather strange, unconvincing aromas for Merlot, and the palate of plum and wild berry is big, broad and lunky. Jammy on the back end, with herbal berry flavors on the finish. Acceptable red wine but nothing special.

83

18

Mendoza Province

Merlot

17,668

US

Juicy, soft and sublime, this vineyard site sits on the extreme Sonoma Coast, near the town of Annapolis, approaching the Mendocino County line. Fine tannins and bright acidity combine for a memorable taste experience, marked in fresh strawberry, raspberry and black pepper.

92

54

California

Pinot Noir

85,228

Spain

There's an exotic twist to the nose, which rests on black cherry, plum and a splash of black coffee. The palate is sound and structured, with dark fruit flavors accented by spice and tea notes. Comfortable on the finish, with good tannins and acids holding it all together. Drink now.

88

30

Northern Spain

Tempranillo

669

US

All varietal, this wine offers unique aromas of toast, fig, dried herb and exotic spice. The purple fruit flavors are deft in style with a pleasing sense of balance, length and texture.

90

30

Washington

Malbec

95,222

US

Very treacly aromas of overripe strawberry, brown sugar and maple syrup show on this dessert-like wine. It's very sweet on the palate, with sweet tea, prune and raisin flavors.

84

40

California

Sangiovese

27,028

US

This appellation blend from Bryan Babcock is flamboyant on the nose, showing lime blossom, honeysuckle, wet cement and peach aromas. There's a great sizzle of acidity and pithy grip to the palate, supporting its strong stone fruit flavors.

88

30

California

Chardonnay

93,902

US

Good flavors of ripe berries, cherries and spices, with a dose of new smoky oak, but there's a certain flatness to the mouthfeel. Some of the life is gone, and the wine turns sweet and raisiny on the finish. Drink now.

85

39

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

76,883

US

From a hilltop spot in an appellation increasingly adept at growing the variety in a restrained way, this wine is voluptuous on the palate while also offering complex layers of smoky meat, truffle earth and black licorice. The finish completes the experience with a healthy dose of black pepper.

92

45

California

Syrah

88,344

US

Based on Petite Sirah, with small amounts of Syrah and Grenache, this is a huge, fruity, extracted wine. It's explosive in raspberry and cherry jam flavor that's so ripe and pure, yet the finish is dry. The tannins are big and firm, making this wine perfect for a deliciously grilled steak, maybe finished with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce.

90

36

California

Red Blend

111,318

US

Black cherry fruit is accented with flavors of coffee grounds and dark chocolate. The fruit is clean and brambly, and the wine overdelivers for the price.

89

12

Washington

Cabernet Sauvignon

99,392

Argentina

Young and fruity smelling up front, with a dusting of hard, dry spice. The palate is firm and juicy, with lightly medicinal red fruit flavors. Finishes with dryness, lots of spice and pepper.

85

12

Mendoza Province

Merlot

51,923

US

Tart red cherries mingle with notes of warm toast, cedar and menthol in this bold, richly bodied Cabernet Franc. Bright cranberry notes cut through the midpalate, which is fringed by fine grained tannins, leading to a lingering hint of savory umami on the finish.

88

45

New York

Cabernet Franc

40,817

Italy

Made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo, this hearty wine features earthy aromas of underbrush, tilled soil and mature black fruits. The juicy palate delivers fleshy black cherry, plum, nutmeg, espresso, black pepper and licorice alongside a solid tannic backbone. Drink through 2019.

90

40

Tuscany

Red Blend

11,211

US

Ice wines are a rarity in Washington. This one offers aromas of orange peel, flowers and candied ginger, seeming to show a touch of oxygen exposure. It's sweet (155g/L residual sugar) but is still quite deft in style.

88

55

Washington

Riesling

129,942

US

This is classic in herbaceous aromas and flavors, rich in juicy blackberry and blueberry while also offering savory pencil shavings and dark chocolate. Leathered, firm tannins complete the picture, providing structure and integration to a wall of well-managed oak.

90

35

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

72,233

US

Made to commemorate the winery's 20th vintage, this smooth and polished effort combines choice lots from the Shea, Freedom Hill, Temperance Hill and Vista Hills vineyards. Sweet cherry fruit carries interesting suggestions of ash, smoke, anise and toasted almond, buffed and buttressed by crisp acids.

91

60

Oregon

Pinot Noir

46,207

US

This is made by Eric Hamacher (Carlton Winemakers Studio) and mixes dried herb, tea, honeysuckle and green apple in a convivial style. Round and fruity, it's dry without being stiff or steely. Very drinkable.

88

18

Oregon

Riesling

78,554

France

From vineyards at the south end of the Côte de Nuits, this is a fruity, crisp wine with attractive ready-to-drink fruit flavors. The aftertaste is tight and packed with acidity.

87

38

Burgundy

Pinot Noir

61,878

US

This wine begins tight and peppery, with cranberry and cherry cola flavors. Tasted over a period of several days, it not only held up well, but seemed to gain in focus. It's not a big wine, but it has authentic grip and surprising ageability.

90

50

Oregon

Pinot Noir

129,511

France

A pink-colored wine, this is ripe in red fruits. It is soft and creamy, with a touch of toast as well as fruitiness. On the dry side of Brut, it has a tight, mineral texture finished with crisp acidity.

88

75

Champagne

Champagne Blend

28,313

Argentina

This well-aged Cab Franc opens with raw, scratchy aromas that can best be described as abrasive and herbal. The palate brings a hard, acidic feel and high-toned, herbal flavors of cherry, plum and rhubarb. A lactic oak flavor meshes with green bean notes on the finish.

86

50

Mendoza Province

Cabernet Franc

124,771

France

Tart, fresh and a bit chunky and rustic, this blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 20% Cinsaut features bold lime notes, scouring acidity and hints of crushed stone. Drink now.

86

15

Provence

Rosé

19,931

US

Smooth, easy to enjoy and crisp in acidity, La Folia's Barbera tastes lighter than its 15.5% alcohol with a mocha kiss on the finish.

89

28

California

Barbera

2,036

Italy

Floral aromas of white spring flowers partner hints of pear and stone fruit. The juicy palate offers white peach, apple and green melon alongside a mineral note and fresh acidity.

87

15

Veneto

White Blend

65,474

Italy

Made of 70% Syrah, 15% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot, this opens with ripe black plum and tilled earth scents. The dense palate doles out prune, clove and game flavors, pulled taut by assertive tannins. Drink through 2018.

88

25

Tuscany

Red Blend

10,447

US

A ripe Chardonnay, big and full, with fistfuls of oak influence and a spoonful of sugar to help it go down. Find some rich crab cakes in a creamy sauce and enjoy.

85

20

California

Chardonnay

35,389

US

Tart and juicy, with wild raspberry fruit streaked with dried herb and just hinting at black cherry. This is a subtle yet powerful wine, with whiffs of smoke, licorice and coffee, but far less noticeable barrel influence than its companion reds. Focused and pure, with the structure to age.

92

75

Washington

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

99,214

US

This proprietary blend brings together many of Napa Valley's old-vine grapes, from Zinfandel and Petite Sirah to Alicante Bouschet and Mourvèdre. Plum sauce, tobacco and leather are seasoned in black pepper and espresso within a full-bodied grippy package.

88

33

California

Red Blend

71,829

US

Very dry and fairly tannic, it's severe on first sip and hard to appreciate, although there are some good black cherry, cola, leather, oak and black pepper flavors. It's complex in its own way, and gets better as it breathes in the glass. Give it a good, long decanting, and drink it now through 2018. The blend is Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise, in that order.

90

55

California

Rhône-style Red Blend

111,971

France

Feathery, lifted notes of citrus, lemon zest and leaf announce a lightness of touch. Some topnotes of chamomile tisane swing alongside. The palate is fresh, taut, dry and light-footed. Deeper notions of fruit are still just hinted at, a core of fruit that still takes time before it is unlocked. Purity and elegance mark this one out.

93

36

Alsace

Riesling

11,361

US

This is a straightforward but simple wine. It's dry and crisp but a bit watery with lemon, lime and vanilla flavors.

82

15

California

Sauvignon Blanc

39,551

Italy

This ruby-colored Valpolicella opens with bursting tones of red cherry and blackberry with nice spice and toasted almond accents. The mouthfeel is not too rich or bold, but the wine does deliver pretty flavors of jammy fruit and pressed violet.

87

14

Veneto

Red Blend

114,678

US

Aromas come off as quite green, with notes of jalapeño pepper and garden herb mixed with cherry and vanilla. The palate brings broad cherry flavors. It provides appeal but the aromas and flavors seem a bit disconnected and the greenness proves distracting.

87

30

Washington

Cabernet Sauvignon

50,780

US

The soft fruitiness of this blend makes it ideal for sipping now with ham, broiled chicken, or casual picnic fare. It's not a complicated wine to ponder over, but to enjoy for its savory raspberry jam, vanilla and cinnamon flavors.

86

25

California

Rhône-style Red Blend

122,572

US

Huge, tremendous, authoritative and impressive for its sheer volume. It just explodes in blackberries, cassis, dark chocolate, leather, dried herb and smoky oak flavors, with a tangy minerality. The vineyard is in the Stags Leap tenderloin, and the wine combines an approachable drink-me-now quality with obvious ageworthiness through at least 2016. Only 180 cases were produced.

95

105

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

7,880

US

It show the vintage's weakness, with a vegetal edge to the cherries and oak.

84

45

California

Pinot Noir

96,757

US

Lemon-lime and lemon curd mark this wine. The lemon theme continues throughout the layers of apple, vanilla and oak, the oak not perceptible until near the round, voluptuous finish.

88

28

California

Chardonnay

118,208

Italy

Wisteria and hawthorn aromas lead the way alongside a note of chopped herbs. The herbs note follows through to the palate and accents crisp green apple, pear and citrus peel, while vibrant acidity and persistent bubbles provide a zesty backdrop.

88

16

Veneto

Sparkling Blend

36,951

Italy

Menthol, French oak, exotic spice violet and red berry aromas take center stage. The full-bodied, enveloping palate delivers dried Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, licorice, espresso and cinnamon framed in youthfully assertive close-grained tannins. Give this time to fully unwind. Drink 2023–2038.

93

97

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

51,026

Italy

This has a balsamic nose of menthol, eucalyptus, new leather and chopped herb. On the palate, vibrant white pepper and licorice notes accent a core of Morello cherry and crushed raspberry fruit. It has a backbone of firm, polished tannins and bright acidity and will only improve over next decade.

92

34

Tuscany

Red Blend

27,344

France

The latest vintage release from this producer based in Châlons-en-Champagne is very much in the house style with its crisp acidity and tight texture. It is towards the dry end of Brut with apple and citrus flavors and little sign yet of aging. Although this textured wine is ready to drink, it will be better from 2018.

93

95

Champagne

Champagne Blend

85,681

US

Black plum, mulberry, clove and lava rock-like minerality show on the ripe and rounded nose of this bottling from a Paso Robles-based winery. The flavors are fairly reserved at this stage, the focus on its firm structure, but tart plum-skin, thyme, marjoram and cardamom touches will emerge with time.

90

65

California

Pinot Noir

25,363

US

This is a big, ripe, extracted wine, softly tannic in the Paso Robles style. It's a little hot in alcohol, but delicious, with waves of blackberry jam, black licorice and spice flavors.

87

32

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

92,690

Italy

There's a creamy, full quality to this wine that is backed by aromas of mature peach, yellow flower and honey. It has an easy approach and would pair well with salmon or swordfish carpaccio.

87

22

Northeastern Italy

Pinot Grigio

15,455

France

Very structured and packed with tannins, this has the weight to balance those qualities, promising layers of black fruits as it develops. There's a mineral character here, the tannins in suspension. The aftertaste brings out delicious, lightly salty acidity. Drink from 2018.

93

200

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

23,887

Argentina

Punchy prickly citrus aromas are clearly that of Sauvignon Blanc. Light in color and weight, this tastes of tangy citrus with a shot of black and green pepper. Lime is the key flavor noted on a clean but mild finish.

85

10

Mendoza Province

Sauvignon Blanc

105,625

US

Since 2009, the producer has sourced from this site, a relatively warm pocket of the northern reaches of the appellation. Vibrant in red cherry fruit, it's also layered and velvety smooth, with astructure and density that makes it complex and compelling. The fruit dances in blackberry as well as strawberry, with a subtle herbal undertone.

90

40

California

Syrah

97,311

France

Old vines planted in a small parcel at the base of the Corton hill give this ripe and rich wine. Full of jammy fruit, it has structure as well as strawberry and red-cherry flavors, packed with juiciness that comes from the acidity. This wine has a good future. Drink from 2020.

91

55

Burgundy

Pinot Noir

33,424

US

Smoky flint and crushed mineral tones contrast concentrated raspberry and strawberry flavors in this richly concentrated rosé. Full bodied and supple in texture, it's sturdy enough to accompany heartier fish and fowl dishes far beyond the summer months. Sunny acidity brightens the finish.

88

17

New York

Rosé

45,476

US

This is a lovely wine, softly integrated and lean in muscle strength, with enviable complexity and length. Cedar, cranberry and currant are all represented, along a dusting of dried herbs and blackberry pie. This ripe, full-bodied wine never slips through the cracks, maintaining itself with grace under pressure.

93

80

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

88,767

US

From one of Livermore's oldest producers, a small-production Petite Sirah, one of their specialties, all from an estate vineyard planted 40 years ago, this wine is super dark purple in color, very earthy, with nice chocolate and delicate fruit interspersed among the dusty tannins. Pretty and interesting.

87

25

California

Petite Sirah

70,033

US

Forward aromas of ripe cherries and deep vanillin oak meld nicely. Black plum, sweet cherry and coffee flavors, with cedar accents. The very full, supple mouthfeel is captivating. Shows fine length, spicy dry tannins and the stuffing to last. Hold four or more years, as it will keep for ages.

94

65

California

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

89,626

Australia

Deep cassis aromas, a touch of licorice, and menthol notes on the nose open to a palate of black-currant and cocoa flavors in this well-balanced, medium-weight wine. Nicely structured, it finishes with good length and moderate tannins; can be cellared a few years. Best Buy.

88

11

South Australia

Cabernet Sauvignon

29,310

Italy

Made with 100% Sangiovese, this savory red delivers aromas of black cherry, scorched earth and chopped herb. The palate offers crushed blackberry, juicy cherry and black pepper. Fine-grained tannins provide support.

89

28

Tuscany

Sangiovese

87,926

US

This wine is pale peach in color. The 100% Grenache, the wood influence (100% new 500L French oak) is almost completely overwhelming, showing notes of vanillin, wood spice and cream. It lightens up a bit on the dry palate but still can't make up the difference.

85

40

Washington

Rosé

128,414

Spain

Rubbery aromas and a pasty note are on equal footing with plum and cherry scents. This is choppy and mildly astringent in feel, with narrow plum and raspberry flavors that finish quick and with pinching tannins.

84

9

Northern Spain

Merlot

23,626

US

Lemon-lime acidity cuts a laser-sharp edge through honey in this lush, concentrated Riesling full of pink grapefruit, mango and peach flavors. It's a lip smacking, juicy wine, yet stands up to even the most elegant occasions. Drink now.

90

15

New York

Riesling

45,577

US

Smoky leather and cigar make for a formidable entry on the nose before huge, layered tannins rise to the fore. A balance of acidity and brightness lurks beneath the weight, rounded by succulent blackberry and black cherry. Cellar through 2022.

95

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

123,537

US

This 100% Sangiovese leaves a lot to be desired. It's vegetal, with sweet and sour raspberry and vanilla flavors.

81

15

California

Rosé

111,836

US

Here's a Cabernet to lay down in the cellar for 6–8 years—or even longer. Two things mark it: the extremely ripe, concentrated blackberry and black currant fruit, and the hefty tannins. Most people will probably open it too soon and miss out on what it could be, when the tannins drop out to reveal its sweet fruity essence.

91

65

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

55,429

US

Lush and buttery with caramel notes, tar and plump blackberry fruit, this bottling by the Riboli family will certainly appease the dinner crowd. It's fairly light in body, but layered with smoky, juicy blackberry fruit, earthy undertones and an easy-drinking and soft tannic structure.

89

28

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

60,053

US

Pretty, structured, layered and bright, Kite's Rest is a blend of all three block designates found on the 12-acre Black Kite Vineyard on the southern side of the Anderson Valley. The wine highlights attributes found in its sister wines.

93

45

California

Pinot Noir

113,529

US

Opening with beautiful aromatics, this wine has a heady invitation of orange and apple blossom before revealing a sublime texture and rich oak. Pillowy on the palate, it offers Asian pear and apple flavors, with a slight confectionery quality of crème brûlée.

90

45

California

Chardonnay

9,721

US

Powerful black cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors seem to infuse this full-bodied wine with lots of fruit energy. It tastes vivid and unique because of that deep vein of black fruit impressions, and stays balanced by firm acidity and fine-grained tannins in spite of its alcoholic strength.

90

38

California

Zinfandel

56,608

Italy

Aromas of scorched earth, overripe black-skinned fruit and a whiff of game lead the nose. The palate is fresher, offering fleshy black cherry, crushed raspberry, dark cooking spices and a hint of menthol. Firm, fine-grained tannins provide support, while a tobacco note signals the close.

90

40

Piedmont

Nebbiolo

112,517

Italy

This round, structured Syrah opens with aromas of ripe black fruit, tilled soil and ground black pepper. The palate shows mature blackberry and raspberry together with notes of spice and clove. Velvety tannins provide the framework.

89

65

Tuscany

Syrah

91,312

France

The third wine of Château Valandraud, this is a lighter version of the estate. With its generous tannins and concentration, it is smoky, full of blackberry fruits and the potential to age for a few years. Drink from 2020.

88

30

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

17,918

US

With some blackberry, cassis and oak flavors, this is a pretty good wine. It's a little green, and the acidity is sharp. Drink up.

85

15

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

40,090

US

This is a rich, spicy and lush-fruited rosé. Its palate-pleasing tangle of citrus, peach and light tropical fruit is fresh, forward and inviting. It spent five months in neutral oak and is ready for immediate enjoyment.

90

25

Oregon

Pinot Gris

42,446

US

This is a solid effort, especially at this price point. The cherry-cola core of flavor grabs your interest quickly, and hangs on with a hint of tobacco in the smooth finish. Some nice acidity adds a touch of minerality.

88

16

Oregon

Pinot Noir

81,862

US

A very nice, elegant Chardonnay that shows plenty of creamy, oaky richness of pineapples, limes and pears, but also a crisp streak of acidity and minerality that provides grounding and balance. A good example of Russian River precision.

90

36

California

Chardonnay

50,748

France

Smooth and rich, this has fine black and red cherry flavors, along with structured, dry tannins. There is a spice note from the wood aging, which is balanced by the acidity. The finish has a fine, generous texture. Give this wine at least four years.

90

22

Bordeaux

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

78,142

US

This new project from Steve and Chrystal Clifton from Palmina and formerly Brewer-Clifton is exciting and tasty. Plump red cherry, fine-grained clove, allspice, nutmeg, sage, kola nut and a touch of chile spice show on the supple but focused nose. Tart cranberry, sour cherry and peppery sage pop on the energetic palate.

94

75

California

Pinot Noir

6,275

US

This is a best-of-barrels blend from different vineyard sites. It's a very good wine that grabs your attention with sheer Chardonnay dazzle. The tropical fruits are incredibly ripe and intense, with sweet, smoky oak adding supportive richness, brought into focus by crisp acidity. There's a core, like the nucleus of an atom, that holds everything together. Might even age for half a dozen years.

94

70

California

Chardonnay

17,714

US

This dry Sauvignon Blanc is wonderfully adaptable to today's wide variety of foods. Bone dry and crisp in acidity, it has rich, varietal flavors of Meyer lemon, lime, pink grapefruit and blood orange.

87

16

California

Sauvignon Blanc

103,984

US

Reticent dark fruit and licorice aromas are followed by tart fruit flavors and lightly bunched-up tannins. There's interest but it doesn't all seem to come together.

87

39

Washington

Syrah

104,589

France

An off-dry blend of Grolleau and Gamay, it's crisp and attractively fruity. Strawberries dominate this fresh and aromatic wine. It's a great rosé to drink now.

85

14

Loire Valley

Rosé

47,711

US

This wine is 45% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 11% Malbec. It charms with alluring aromas of herbs, black licorice, cassis and coffee. The palate has a creamy, rich feel with abundant black fruit flavors and exceptional tannin integration.

92

85

Washington

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

95,822

US

This dry Merlot is marked by strong tannins and ripe fruit. It shows bursts of black cherry, currant, cola and cedar flavors, and it has an astringent texture that's unlikely to age away. Drink now.

87

25

California

Merlot

18,010

US

This is an outlier in the Brian Carter lineup of Euro-style blends, a single vineyard, pure varietal Cabernet. As such, it drills down deeply into the character of Washington terroir as captured in a Cab-friendly site, the Stone Tree Vineyard in the heart of the Wahluke Slope AVA. Dark, deep, concentrated, smoky, with tendrils of earth and rock reaching all the way through the tart and tannic finish.

92

48

Washington

Cabernet Sauvignon

9,187

US

From a winery focused on Alsatian wines since starting in 1983, this tremendous Gewürztraminer is redolent with grilled lemon peels, lilac and a chalky minerality. On the elegant and tasty palate, there are white rocks, roasted nectarines, yellow apples and noticeable salinity.

92

20

California

Gewürztraminer

111,341

US

This wine is made in the style of the winery's marvelous Finch Hollow Chardonnays, but is just a little less concentrated. Dry, crisp and elegantly clean, it has complex, mineral-infused flavors of tangerines, peaches and limes, enhanced with lots of smoky new oak. It should hold in the bottle through 2016.

91

64

California

Chardonnay

113

Italy

Made with Vermentino, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica and Petit Manseng, this easy-drinking white has aromas of fragrant white wild flower, citrus and white stone fruit. The ripe round palate offers apricot, lime and a hint of saline.

87

19

Tuscany

White Blend

112,834

US

Candylike oak aromas and flavors dominate this full-bodied and rather tannic wine. It smells and tastes like vanilla, fresh-sawn oak and maple syrup. Some ripe plum flavors in the background are nearly sweet.

86

19

California

Zinfandel

22,410

US

In vintage after vintage, the winery has chosen to make this blush wine heavier than most rosés in California. They've done so again in 2013, giving a darkly colored, fruity wine you could almost drink unchilled as a table red. It has a Beaujolais-like cherry jamminess that is frankly delicious.

87

20

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

31,787

Argentina

Earthy, leathery, stewed aromas are more savory than fruity. The palate on this Malbec-led blend is full, flush and resiny. Savory blueberry, Middle Eastern spice notes and oaky flavors reside in front of a roasted finish with grab and grip.

89

37

Mendoza Province

Red Blend

49,807

US

This is the first reserve Pinot Gris from the winery—half fermented in stainless, half in barrel. The wine feels as if it's very lightly oxidized, with dusty, tawny apple flavors that recall a good hard cider. Its power is in the persistent, bone dry finish, that never quits. Drink now through 2018.

91

26

Oregon

Pinot Gris

120,977

US

Seeing no new oak, the fruit is front and center. The flavors of pepper, dark fruit and herbs are pure, concentrated and soft in feel with a tart uptick on the finish.

90

28

Washington

Malbec

13,016

Argentina

An organic wine that is rough and oily on the nose and tannic and choppy in the mouth. It's a hard, wine with sweaty, sharp scents and too much black olive and funk. Not a disaster but it requires an awful lot from the buyer.

81

12

Mendoza Province

Cabernet Sauvignon

89,326

US

A good Cabernet, with pleasantly ripe blackberry, cherry and currant flavors, as well as a nice coating of sweet oak. Feels a little rugged in the mouth, with some edgy tannins. Give it a couple hours of decanting before service.

87

40

California

Cabernet Sauvignon

25,592

US

This medium-bodied wine is well rounded in texture. The touch of sweet pear in the flavors gives counterpoint to herb and fennel aromas and some citrusy acidity.

85

10

California

Chardonnay

20,744

US

This appetizing wine has attention-getting grapefruit and fresh-cut herb aromas, vivid and crisp fruit flavors, light body and a lingering, citrusy finish.

87

12

California

Sauvignon Blanc

96,298

US

This wine is half Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It's subtle on the nose, with currant, flower, crushed rock and herb notes. The palate is firmly structured, punctuating the flavors on the finish. Best 2025–2030.

92

45

Washington

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

63,806

US

Made in the Mazzocco style of extremely high alcohol and Porty-sweet flavors of blackberries, raisins, chocolate and pepper. If you like this kind of high-octane Zin, it's for you.

82

50

California

Zinfandel

78,056

Portugal

A smooth, rich wine whose fruit is ripe, full of blackberry flavors and perfumed acidity. It also has weight, concentration and a tight mineral edge that gives it extra complexity. The wine is fruity and ready to drink.

90

18

Douro

Portuguese Red

16,612

US

This tastes bright and lively, just a bit sweet and brimming with fruit flavor. It smells like green apples and grapefruit, tastes like honeydew melon and adds a bit of acidity to balance out the ripeness.

86

20

California

Sauvignon Blanc

88,436

US

This study of density shows blueberry, caramel, vanilla bean, coffee syrup, fudge and concentrated lilac and violet notes on the nose. The mouthfeel is extremely full and the flavors quite powerful, delivering blackberry jam, burnt caramel, touches of teriyaki, mocha and candied pecan. As the alcohol level hints, this is a bombastic bottling, sure to grab any table's attention.

93

100

California

Syrah