| 40741 | 40740 | US | This is one of the biggest, richest Chardonnays that Rodney Strong has ever produced, and no wonder, as longtime winemaker Rick Sayre was assisted by David Ramey as a consultant. The wine has Ramey-esque proportions, gigantic in fleshy tropical fruit, caramel, vanilla cream, butterscotch and meringue flavors. It's so softly decadent, it's almost better as a cocktail wine than with food. | Reserve | 91 | 30 | California | Sonoma County | Sonoma | | | Rodney Strong 2005 Reserve Chardonnay (Sonoma County) | Chardonnay | Rodney Strong |
| 40742 | 40741 | US | Summers has been quietly perfecting Cabernet under the radar. The '04 continues a string of successful vintages. It's riper and more accessible than previous years, and rewards for expressive black currant flavors enhanced with lots of fine, smoky new oak. The tannins are so gentle, you can drink this wine now, but it should hold for a good six years. | | 91 | 46 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Summers 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Summers |
| 40743 | 40742 | Austria | A wonderfully pure, fresh and natural wine, limpid with minerality, green fruits, concentrated pepper and spice. This is a powerful expression of Grüner Veltliner, a rich, but freshly green wine. Glass stopper. | Lindberg Reserve | 91 | 34 | Kremstal | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Salomon-Undhof 2006 Lindberg Reserve Grüner Veltliner (Kremstal) | Grüner Veltliner | Salomon-Undhof |
| 40744 | 40743 | US | This bubbly charms with cherry and raspberry flavors and a touch of limes and vanilla. It's nice and smooth in the mouth, with a creamy mousse. Showing real finesse and elegance, this sparkler will be delicious with raw tuna. | Blanc de Noirs | 91 | 20 | California | Sonoma County | Sonoma | | | Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Noirs Sparkling (Sonoma County) | Sparkling Blend | Gloria Ferrer |
| 40745 | 40744 | Austria | Soft and finely perfumed, this is full-bodied Riesling, adding just a touch of sweetness to the pear and white currant fruit flavors. This is a great vintage of this wine, probably the best since 2002. | Langenloiser Steinmassel | 91 | 30 | Kamptal | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Bründlmayer 2006 Langenloiser Steinmassel Riesling (Kamptal) | Riesling | Bründlmayer |
| 40746 | 40745 | Austria | A creamy, smooth wine, flavored with pears, even lychees and full, ripe Grüner Veltliner. This shows the rich side of the grape, while still keeping its essential freshness. Typical pepper flavors come to finish. Glass stopper. | Wachtberg | 90 | 18 | Kremstal | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Salomon-Undhof 2006 Wachtberg Grüner Veltliner (Kremstal) | Grüner Veltliner | Salomon-Undhof |
| 40747 | 40746 | France | Crisp, dry but fruity, this has just enough body to support the red currant flavors and crisp red-apple skin texture. A lively, vibrant wine, all freshness and light, just what a rosé should be. | Tsarine Rosé Brut | 90 | 40 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Chanoine NV Tsarine Rosé Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Chanoine |
| 40748 | 40747 | US | Here is yet another Washington Riesling that shows how good these wines can be. This is well beyond the sweet and fruity style of the tasting room wines; here are layers of stone fruits, density and weight, length and detail. Once in the mouth this explodes with flavor and keeps bringing the oranges, peaches, apricots, nectarines and apples to the table. | | 90 | 16 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | DaMa 2006 Riesling (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Riesling | DaMa |
| 40749 | 40748 | New Zealand | The Awatere is a subregion of Marlborough receiving more and more notice for its distinctive Sauvignons and Pinots. Vavasour was an early pioneer, and the 2007 is especially successful, offering up some slightly sweaty, nettle-y aromas to go along with hints of ripe melons and nectarines. It's nicely concentrated, with a slightly oily mouthfeel and good persistence. | | 90 | 20 | Awatere Valley | | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Vavasour 2007 Sauvignon Blanc (Awatere Valley) | Sauvignon Blanc | Vavasour |
| 40750 | 40749 | US | Mostly Pinot Noir with some Chardonnay, this bubbly shows the pedigree of these two noble varieties in its balance and elegance. It has rich Champagne-like flavors of smoke, brioche, raspberry, lime and vanilla, and finishes dry and polished. This is a great price for a sparkling wine of this quality and sophistication. | Blanc de Noirs | 90 | 19 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Mumm Napa NV Blanc de Noirs Sparkling (Napa Valley) | Sparkling Blend | Mumm Napa |
| 40751 | 40750 | US | A fine follow-up to Seia's inaugural 2004 Clifton Hill, this again delivers ripe, concentrated flavors of plum and berry, lifted with citrus and finishing with a hint of mint. Despite the high (15.3%) alcohol, it is clean and bracing, with natural acids and very little heat in the finish. As young as it is, it hits a bit of a dead spot in the back, but it has the stuffing (and the pedigree) that would suggest that with a few years of cellaring it will open out and show more of the herb and smoked meat character that is lurking just below the surface. | Clifton Hill Vineyard | 90 | 30 | Washington | Wahluke Slope | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Seia 2005 Clifton Hill Vineyard Syrah (Wahluke Slope) | Syrah | Seia |
| 40752 | 40751 | US | What's so nice about this Cab is its balance and delicacy, without the heaviness that can mar a more alcoholic wine. It shows polished flavors of cherries, blackberries, cola and cedar, with a long, fine finish of cassis liqueur. Really an elegant sipper, this wine is best now and for a couple years. | | 90 | 55 | California | Yountville | Napa | | | Rocca 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (Yountville) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rocca |
| 40753 | 40752 | Australia | A tiny bottling (220 cases) of old-vine Grenache, this wine features lovely aromas of cinnamon, clove and ripe cherries. In the mouth it's surprisingly elegant, delivering cherry and spice flavors without excessive weight, ending on a slightly tart note. Drink now and over the next 4–5 years. | Australian Old Vine Collection | 90 | 100 | South Australia | McLaren Vale | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Gibson's BarossaVale 2005 Australian Old Vine Collection Grenache (McLaren Vale) | Grenache | Gibson's BarossaVale |
| 40754 | 40753 | US | Simple and jammy, with sweet flavors of cherries, currants, licorice and spices. | | 82 | 15 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Ca' Momi 2007 Zinfandel (Napa Valley) | Zinfandel | Ca' Momi |
| 40755 | 40754 | US | Sweaty and pruney in the nose, this hot and disjointed wine could be almost any red grape; there's no varietal character. It's volatile and thins out quickly, leaving green tannins in the back of the mouth. | | 82 | 32 | Oregon | Columbia Valley (OR) | Oregon Other | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Cathedral Ridge 2007 Syrah (Columbia Valley (OR)) | Syrah | Cathedral Ridge |
| 40756 | 40755 | US | Quite thin, as if over-cropped, turning the fruit generic. Then it brings in a honey character, as if it were botrytis-affected. But it is not a sweet or late harvest wine; it's quite dry. | Wetzel Estate | 82 | 12 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Château Bianca 2008 Wetzel Estate Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley) | Pinot Gris | Château Bianca |
| 40757 | 40756 | US | Sweet and simple in apricot and pineapple flavors, with a heavy coating of caramelized oak. Drinkable, but disagreeably fruit-juicy. | | 82 | 29 | California | Arroyo Seco | Central Coast | | | Cobblestone 2008 Chardonnay (Arroyo Seco) | Chardonnay | Cobblestone |
| 40758 | 40757 | US | A semisweet wine, with apricot jam and citrus flavors, offset by crisp acidity. Turns cloying after a few sips. | Diamond Collection Emerald Label | 82 | 16 | California | California | California Other | | | Francis Coppola 2009 Diamond Collection Emerald Label Pinot Grigio (California) | Pinot Grigio | Francis Coppola |
| 40759 | 40758 | US | A tough, green wine, with minty sharp acidity and not much fruit, although you'll find some modest cherry flavor. | | 82 | 19 | California | Alexander Valley | Sonoma | | | Praxis 2007 Merlot (Alexander Valley) | Merlot | Praxis |
| 40760 | 40759 | US | Burning hot in alcohol, this Zin is totally dry. It has peppery flavors of shriveled grapes and currants, with a bitter mouthfeel. | E. Passalacqua Heritage Estate | 82 | 26 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Gia Domella 2007 E. Passalacqua Heritage Estate Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) | Zinfandel | Gia Domella |
| 40761 | 40760 | US | Light and sweet, with raspberry jelly flavors and lots of acidity. | Zinfandel | 82 | 10 | California | California | California Other | | | Glen Ellen 2009 Zinfandel Rosé (California) | Rosé | Glen Ellen |
| 40762 | 40761 | US | Soft and mushy in structure, with sweet, pie-filling flavors of berries that have a baked fruit edge, this Zin tastes like it was a victim of hot overripeness. | Destiny Vineyards Reserve | 82 | 75 | California | Paso Robles | Central Coast | | | Hunt Cellars 2004 Destiny Vineyards Reserve Zinfandel (Paso Robles) | Zinfandel | Hunt Cellars |
| 40763 | 40762 | US | A tough, common wine, gritty in tannins, with superripe blackberry flavors that veer into bitter raisinskins and dark, unsweetened baker's chocolate. Not going anywhere. | Long Valley Red Limited Estate Reserve | 82 | 50 | California | Temecula Valley | South Coast | | | Stuart Cellars 2006 Long Valley Red Limited Estate Reserve Meritage (Temecula Valley) | Meritage | Stuart Cellars |
| 40764 | 40763 | US | Soft, sweet and Porty, with sugared flavors of red cherry jam and red currants. Feels hot and prickly in the mouth. | | 82 | 28 | California | Paso Robles | Central Coast | | | Venteux 2007 Grenache (Paso Robles) | Grenache | Venteux |
| 40765 | 40764 | US | Even though this wine is nicely dry and crisp, it's too vegetal, with a green bean taste. | Bella Sandra | 82 | 20 | California | Carmel Valley | Central Coast | | | Silvestri 2007 Bella Sandra Chardonnay (Carmel Valley) | Chardonnay | Silvestri |
| 40766 | 40765 | US | Not as fleshy as many examples of this southern Rhône blend, this shows thin, generic fruit with no particular focus. | | 82 | 21 | Oregon | Rogue Valley | Southern Oregon | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Agate Ridge 2008 Marsanne-Roussanne (Rogue Valley) | Marsanne-Roussanne | Agate Ridge |
| 40767 | 40766 | Spain | A green, struggling wine from front to back. The nose kicks up underripe aromas to go with distant red fruit, while the palate is edgy and prickly, with high acidity creating snappy cherry and green flavors. | Esenzia | 82 | 9 | Northern Spain | Vino de la Tierra del Bajo Aragón | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Bodegas y Vinos de Lécera NV Esenzia Garnacha (Vino de la Tierra del Bajo Aragón) | Garnacha | Bodegas y Vinos de Lécera |
| 40768 | 40767 | US | Vegetal, with a green bell pepper aroma and taste. What fruit there is veers toward currants, and the mouthfeel is soft. | S&S; | 82 | 35 | California | Monterey County | Central Coast | | | Carmel 2007 S&S; Syrah (Monterey County) | Syrah | Carmel |
| 40769 | 40768 | US | Vegetal, with an asparagus edge to the citrus fruit flavors. That mars this otherwise clean, dry and zesty Chardonnay. | Selected Vineyards | 82 | 10 | California | Central Coast | Central Coast | | | Concannon 2008 Selected Vineyards Chardonnay (Central Coast) | Chardonnay | Concannon |
| 40770 | 40769 | US | Bone dry and tannic, with a sour bite of acidity. It's a pretty fierce Cab, despite some decent blackberry flavors. | Chateau d'Og | 82 | 14 | California | Central Coast | Central Coast | | | Mutt Lynch 2007 Chateau d'Og Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Coast) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Mutt Lynch |