| 38551 | 38550 | Italy | The name is a play on words. Merli is the plural of “blackbirds,” and this wine is 100% Merlot. But it isn't for the birds. Black as night in the glass, with a brooding power that's confirmed on the palate. What's special about it is that unlike so many flabby Merlots, it carries Chianti-like acidity and an unbridled raciness. Excellent now with food, and it will age well, too. | Poggio ai Merli | 91 | 89 | Tuscany | Colli della Toscana Centrale | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Castellare 1999 Poggio ai Merli Merlot (Colli della Toscana Centrale) | Merlot | Castellare |
| 38552 | 38551 | Italy | When Donatella Colombini left the family estate of Fattoria dei Barbi, she set up her own production network at Fattoria del Casato. Here she has made an elegant 1997 Brunello, brimming with black tar and cherries, and balanced ripe, sweet tannins and acidity. While it is not powerful, it is smooth, ripe and seductive. | | 91 | 38 | Tuscany | Brunello di Montalcino | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Donatella Cinelli Colombini 1997 Brunello di Montalcino | Sangiovese | Donatella Cinelli Colombini |
| 38553 | 38552 | France | Only the least of Dagueneau's wines is under $30, but a darn fine wine it is. Smoke, green herbs, flint and lime aromas and green fern, honeysuckle and powdered quartz flavors make for a complex drink that finishes ultraclean. | En Chailloux | 91 | 26 | Loire Valley | Pouilly-Fumé | | | | Didier Dagueneau 2000 En Chailloux (Pouilly-Fumé) | Sauvignon Blanc | Didier Dagueneau |
| 38554 | 38553 | Italy | Dark and dense from the get-go. Initial earth, black plum, tomato and smoke aromas air out nicely with a bit of time, exposing a complex connoisseur's wine that is the perfect candidate for three to five years in the cellar. Now it has such a pure, chewy palate that once the overt oak wears off, it'll be terrific. | Fonterutoli | 91 | 27 | Tuscany | Chianti Classico | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Mazzei 1999 Fonterutoli (Chianti Classico) | Sangiovese | Mazzei |
| 38555 | 38554 | US | Sophisticated winemaking is evident here. The blending is well done, and the mix of raspberry, cherry and plum fruits reflects the Cabernet, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot components. Half the barrels were French, half American oak. A little more punch in the finish would elevate the score. | | 89 | 34 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Mosquito Fleet 2010 Meritage (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Meritage | Mosquito Fleet |
| 38556 | 38555 | France | This is a light, citrus-fruit dominated wine. It has attractive fruitiness, tang and zest, and its acidity is crisp and refreshing. Apples and green fruits add a little richness at the end. Screwcap. | Vieilles Vignes Sur Lie | 89 | 16 | Loire Valley | Muscadet Sèvre et Maine | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château de la Ragotiere 2011 Vieilles Vignes Sur Lie (Muscadet Sèvre et Maine) | Melon | Château de la Ragotiere |
| 38557 | 38556 | US | Made in the popular style, with rich, ripe tropical and citrus fruit flavors, and buttered toast from oak barrels. The acidity is fine, helping the wine finish clean and dry. Drink up. | Director's Cut | 89 | 21 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Francis Ford Coppola 2011 Director's Cut Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) | Chardonnay | Francis Ford Coppola |
| 38558 | 38557 | Spain | With petrol and peach-pit aromas, this is a tight blend of 70% Garnacha Blanca and 30% Macabeo (Viura). The palate is structured and healthy, while the flavors suggest banana, melon and papaya. It finishes crisp, chalky and lush, as if a dusting of powdered sugar were dropped in at the end. | Blanc | 89 | 15 | Catalonia | Terra Alta | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Jaspi 2011 Blanc White (Terra Alta) | White Blend | Jaspi |
| 38559 | 38558 | US | Larner strikes a good balance at weaving Viognier's exotic side with controlled precision, resulting in a tight, dry and complex wine for drinking now. Acidity and minerality provide fine structure to the citrus, Asian pear and peach flavors. | Estate Grown | 89 | 28 | California | Santa Ynez Valley | Central Coast | | | Larner 2010 Estate Grown Viognier (Santa Ynez Valley) | Viognier | Larner |
| 38560 | 38559 | US | This is a very dry Pinot Noir, lowish in alcohol by current standards. It's not showing particularly well now, with a sour cherry and cranberry tartness that makes the mouth water. You can chew on this wine and it reveals plenty of mushroomy, meaty complexities, but it remains aloof and tough. Give it at least five years in a good cellar. | Les Bon Temps Roule | 89 | 55 | California | Santa Barbara County | Central Coast | | | Martellotto 2011 Les Bon Temps Roule Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County) | Pinot Noir | Martellotto |
| 38561 | 38560 | US | A blend every year of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, the 2010 is rich and spicy, rounded with soft tannins and prime red raspberry and cherry fruit. Well integrated, a layering of chocolate, coffee and clove finish the wine off nicely. | Ralphi's Red Blend | 89 | 34 | California | Livermore Valley | Central Coast | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Nottingham Cellars 2010 Ralphi's Red Blend Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot (Livermore Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot | Nottingham Cellars |
| 38562 | 38561 | US | The spritz on this Chenin Blanc gives this wine a sparkling appeal. The flavors of citrus fruits, green peas and vanilla are lovely. | | 89 | 15 | California | Santa Ynez Valley | Central Coast | | | Roark Wine Co. 2011 Chenin Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley) | Chenin Blanc | Roark Wine Co. |
| 38563 | 38562 | US | There's a fresh taste of green herbs to the 2010 “1772” that must be the result of the unusually cool vintage. It's by no means unwelcome, giving a minty, peppery tang to the green apple, tangerine and lime fruit. Drink now. | 1772 | 89 | 44 | California | Edna Valley | Central Coast | | | Tolosa 2010 1772 Chardonnay (Edna Valley) | Chardonnay | Tolosa |
| 38564 | 38563 | US | The Amador Zin specialist is offering its first ever Grenache here, a tremendous debut, super light in color and texture, lightly rendered to show off its layers of delicate violet and raspberry amid a meatier backbone of lurking anise and herbs. With 9% Mourvedre and 5% Syrah, this is a light red worth seeking out. | Estate Bottled | 89 | 20 | California | Shenandoah Valley (CA) | Sierra Foothills | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Amador Foothill Winery 2011 Estate Bottled Grenache (Shenandoah Valley (CA)) | Grenache | Amador Foothill Winery |
| 38565 | 38564 | US | Still quite closed, this wine has a wealth of French oak toast and spices alongside dark berries. It's silky and restrained but with great depth of flavors and intensity. | | 89 | 36 | Washington | Horse Heaven Hills | Columbia Valley | Sean P. Sullivan | @wawinereport | Bunnell 2008 Syrah (Horse Heaven Hills) | Syrah | Bunnell |
| 38566 | 38565 | US | This is the first Chardonnay for Daedalus Cellars. Flavors are rich and full-bodied, with candied orange peel, sweet citrus and vanilla most noticeable among them. Left on the lees for almost 18 months, this is wide open and ready to drink. | Lia's Vineyard | 87 | 25 | Oregon | Chehalem Mountains | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Daedalus Cellars 2006 Lia's Vineyard Chardonnay (Chehalem Mountains) | Chardonnay | Daedalus Cellars |
| 38567 | 38566 | France | This intriguing blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc works well, displaying richness as well as an intense herbaceousness. This is a lively wine, with its apple and pear flavors, topped with grapefruit acidity. | | 87 | 15 | Southwest France | Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Domaine du Tariquet 2007 Chardonnay-Sauvignon (Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne) | Chardonnay-Sauvignon | Domaine du Tariquet |
| 38568 | 38567 | Argentina | A solid example of Bonarda in fine but straightforward form. There's a comfortable attack to the palate, with likable plum and blackberry flavors. It goes a long way on the finish, and as a whole it meets or exceeds expectations. Give this a try if you're interested in Argentinean Bonarda. | | 87 | 11 | Mendoza Province | Mendoza | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Durigutti 2006 Bonarda (Mendoza) | Bonarda | Durigutti |
| 38569 | 38568 | US | This is a very rich Chardonnay, bursting with Key lime pie, ripe golden kiwi, pineapple, buttered toast and crème brûlée flavors. That fine, crisp coastal acidity makes it brisk and clean. Drink now. | Reserve | 87 | 19 | California | Monterey | Central Coast | | | Estancia 2006 Reserve Chardonnay (Monterey) | Chardonnay | Estancia |
| 38570 | 38569 | Italy | This dense, impenetrable Sangiovese has wild blueberry backed by a creamy, almost milky, structure. It is soft and lush with round tannins and lingering spice notes on the finale. | Don Camillo | 87 | 19 | Central Italy | Terre di Chieti | | | | Farnese 2007 Don Camillo Sangiovese (Terre di Chieti) | Sangiovese | Farnese |
| 38571 | 38570 | Italy | Rina Ianca (a blend of Grillo and Viognier) is a beautiful wine with good complexity and character. The emphasis here is on aromas of peach, almond blossom, white mineral and creamy vanilla and the mouthfeel offers both density and persistency. | Rina Ianca | 87 | 13 | Sicily & Sardinia | Sicilia | | | | Feudo di Santa Tresa 2007 Rina Ianca White (Sicilia) | White Blend | Feudo di Santa Tresa |
| 38572 | 38571 | Italy | Feudo Montoni's Grillo delivers abundant aromas of peach and honey over a slightly sweet-smelling nose. In the mouth, the wine shows good balance and richness with refreshing crispness on the close. | G | 87 | 12 | Sicily & Sardinia | Sicilia | | | | Feudo Montoni 2007 G Grillo (Sicilia) | Grillo | Feudo Montoni |
| 38573 | 38572 | Italy | Luminous and fragrant, this is a simple dessert wine made from Verdicchio on Italy's Adriatic coast that delivers apricot, honey, almond paste and touch of dried herb. It has a fresh and tonic feel and adequate density and persistency. | Brumato | 87 | 32 | Central Italy | Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi | | | | Garofoli 2004 Brumato (Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi) | Verdicchio | Garofoli |
| 38574 | 38573 | US | Ripe and forward in chocolate-covered raisin, cherry, peppermint and sweet oak flavors. With its fleshy mouthfeel, this pretty Merlot is ready to drink now. | Reserve | 87 | 24 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Raymond 2005 Reserve Merlot (Napa Valley) | Merlot | Raymond |
| 38575 | 38574 | US | Soft, sweet and chocolaty, with gooey raspberry, cherry and currant flavors. Decadently good in its own way, but kind of candy simple in its appeal. Ready now. | | 87 | 35 | California | Paso Robles | Central Coast | | | Tablas Creek 2006 Syrah (Paso Robles) | Syrah | Tablas Creek |
| 38576 | 38575 | US | Very oaky, with sweet caramel and butterscotch flavors overshadowing the underlying pineapples, pears and limes. But crisp acidity makes for balance, and a firm, stony minerality uplifts and provides structure. | Sangiacomo Vineyards | 87 | 42 | California | Sonoma Coast | Sonoma | | | Tandem 2006 Sangiacomo Vineyards Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) | Chardonnay | Tandem |
| 38577 | 38576 | US | Some tasters will celebrate the elegance and finesse of this lightweight Pinot; time will be the ultimate judge. At the moment it is a bit out of balance; there is light cherry fruit, plenty of alcohol, some grainy, earthy tannins and overall a lack of integration. Maybe it just needs more time in the bottle; the components are good enough—tart cranberry and strawberry flavors, sharp acids, some minerality and an earthy underpinning. It just hasn't (yet) come together. | Reserve | 87 | 42 | Oregon | Dundee Hills | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | The Four Graces 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills) | Pinot Noir | The Four Graces |
| 38578 | 38577 | US | A very nice Pinot Noir. Rich and ripe in jammy, pie-filling black cherry, currant and cola flavors, with complex notes of dusty spices and smoky oak, it's dry and full-bodied, and ready to drink over the next few years. | | 87 | 40 | California | Santa Lucia Highlands | Central Coast | | | Tudor Wines 2006 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) | Pinot Noir | Tudor Wines |
| 38579 | 38578 | US | The complex, seductive nose promises a bit more than the palate delivers. Nonetheless, there is good complexity and a moderately long, if somewhat watery, finish. The slight residual sugar will make this a good choice with drier Asian dishes. Drink now. | Dry | 87 | 12 | New York | Cayuga Lake | Finger Lakes | | | Hosmer 2007 Dry Riesling (Cayuga Lake) | Riesling | Hosmer |
| 38580 | 38579 | Italy | Very thick and syrupy, this is a sticky wine with thick concentration and vegetal notes of green spice, blackberry and milled peppercorn. It's dense, rich and succulent with chewy tannins on the close. | Villa Prandone Zipolo | 87 | 29 | Central Italy | Marche | | | | Il Conte 2004 Villa Prandone Zipolo Red (Marche) | Red Blend | Il Conte |