| 454 | 453 | France | This is a rich, bottle-aged wine is bright with lemon and green-apple fruitiness, but it's starting to develop secondary flavors—notes of toast, almonds and cookies—as well. It's at just the right stage of development and ready to drink now. | Brut Prestige | 92 | 69 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Philippe Fontaine NV Brut Prestige (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Philippe Fontaine |
| 455 | 454 | Canada | An aromatic knockout with notes of peach, papaya, lychee and brown sugar. At 250 g/L of residual sugar, it's dense and rich with carmelized sugar flavors and a lengthy finish. | Reserve Icewine | 92 | 30 | Ontario | Niagara-On-The-Lake | | Sean P. Sullivan | @wawinereport | Pillitteri 2012 Reserve Icewine Vidal (Niagara-On-The-Lake) | Vidal | Pillitteri |
| 456 | 455 | US | Fine acidity and a bracing minerality, like a lick of cold steel on a winter day, mark this Chardonnay. It has oak notes, but they're wisely kept in the background, allowing the citrus, green apple and peach flavors to star. This beautiful wine continues the winery's string of great reserve Chardonnays, and is their best since the 2006 vintage. | Reserve | 92 | 40 | California | Carneros | Napa-Sonoma | | | Robert Mondavi 2011 Reserve Chardonnay (Carneros) | Chardonnay | Robert Mondavi |
| 457 | 456 | US | Thickly moussed, Roederer's Brut, 60% Chardonnay blended with 40% Pinot Noir, aged two years on yeast is affordable and luxurious. A gorgeous, very dry sparkling wine with aromatics of honey, raisin, apple and pear, it is rich and soft and offers both depth and length. It's an ideal marriage of bright acidity and ripe fruit character. | Brut | 92 | 23 | California | Anderson Valley | | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Roederer Estate NV Brut Sparkling (Anderson Valley) | Sparkling Blend | Roederer Estate |
| 458 | 457 | US | With a wine this finely constructed, the question is always ageability. There's no question about the immediate deliciousness. It's thrilling with raspberries, strawberries, orange rind and cola, and complex notes of minerals and earth. The mouthfeel is absolutely beautiful, comprised of silk and satin brightened with acidity. So should you drink it now? Yes. Will it age? For the next six years, yes. | Solomon Hills Vineyard | 92 | 45 | California | Santa Maria Valley | Central Coast | | | Rusack 2011 Solomon Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) | Pinot Noir | Rusack |
| 459 | 458 | Italy | From one of Franciacorta's leading producers, Gran Cuvée Pas Operé offers an enticing fragrance of acacia flower, white flowers and beeswax. The creamy palate delivers apple, nut, spice, thyme and sage along with fine, persistent effervescence. | Gran Cuvée Pas Operé | 92 | 50 | Lombardy | Franciacorta | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Bellavista 2006 Gran Cuvée Pas Operé Sparkling (Franciacorta) | Sparkling Blend | Bellavista |
| 460 | 459 | France | A rich, bottled-aged wine, full of toast as well as apple and crisp grapefruit flavors, this has great balance and elegance. It's full of fruit, but structured and seamlessly integrated. It's ready to drink now, but will also improve with age. Drink until 2020. | Tzarina No 1 Brut | 92 | 100 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Chanoine NV Tzarina No 1 Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Chanoine |
| 451 | 450 | France | Now part of Jacquart Champagne, Montaudon produces sophisticated and elegant wines, as this Classe M shows. It is crisp and dry in style with citrus and grapefruit flavors dominating. but some bottle age adds texture and notes of toastiness. | Classe M | 92 | | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Montaudon NV Classe M (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Montaudon |
| 461 | 460 | US | Proving that exceptional wines can be (and were) made in this cool, light vintage, this estate-grown selection is both elegant and complex. Flavors of mixed wild berries, a streak of tea, a whiff of peach and compelling balance carry it through an extended finish. | Ridgecrest Vineyards | 92 | 50 | Oregon | Ribbon Ridge | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Chehalem 2011 Ridgecrest Vineyards Pinot Noir (Ribbon Ridge) | Pinot Noir | Chehalem |
| 452 | 451 | Italy | Here's an enticing Vino Nobile offering aromas of underbrush, tobacco leaf, ripe cherry and spice. The palate delivers succulent black cherry, plum, cinnamon and nutmeg along with velvety tannins. Although it shows the warmth of the vintage, it still retains elegance and class. Delicatio Wines, Golden Vines. | Messaggero | 92 | 35 | Tuscany | Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Montemercurio 2007 Messaggero (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano) | Sangiovese | Montemercurio |
| 453 | 452 | France | Aromas of wood aging and ripe yellow fruits are a fine pairing for this wine that comes from the slopes above Meursault. With its textured character, apricot and peach flavors and tight acidity, this is a serious and complex wine that demands aging. Drink from 2015. | Les Tillets | 92 | | Burgundy | Meursault | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Patrick Javillier 2011 Les Tillets (Meursault) | Chardonnay | Patrick Javillier |
| 462 | 461 | US | A marvelous Pinot Blanc, this combines aromatic hints of almond with mixed citrus fruit and rind, zippy acidity and a great wash of minerality. It cleanses and tickles the palate, lingering sensuously through a finish of surprising depth. | Stoller Vineyards | 92 | 29 | Oregon | Dundee Hills | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Chehalem 2012 Stoller Vineyards Pinot Blanc (Dundee Hills) | Pinot Blanc | Chehalem |
| 463 | 462 | France | This big, ripe and fruity wine shows both the richness and the structure of the vintage, but never loses sight of balance. It's full of rich yellow fruits, green plums and citrus, but structured with refreshing acidity, a minerally texture and gentle hints of wood aging. Drink from 2015. | Blagny Premier Cru | 92 | 66 | Burgundy | Meursault | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Henri de Villamont 2010 Blagny Premier Cru (Meursault) | Chardonnay | Henri de Villamont |
| 464 | 463 | France | This is a beautiful wine showing remarkable richness and maturity. Hints of toast and bright fruits combine seamlessly to yield a full, ripe wine marked with with intense acidity. With concentration from old vines showing strongly, it's a wine that's ready to drink now. | Cuvée Marguerite Brut | 92 | 60 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Vollereaux 2007 Cuvée Marguerite Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Vollereaux |
| 465 | 464 | Germany | Richly textured and unabashedly full in body, this dry Riesling is intensely ripe. Pineapple and peach flavor is accented by zesty lime peel and earthy tones of wet stone and lanolin. The midpalate is lifted by a whiff of violet perfume and bold, lemon-lime acidity envigorates the finish. | Westhofen Morstein GG Trocken | 92 | 115 | Rheinhessen | | | Anna Lee C. Iijima | | Wittmann 2011 Westhofen Morstein GG Trocken Riesling (Rheinhessen) | Riesling | Wittmann |
| 466 | 465 | Italy | Morar is a spicy Amarone with a fragrance of raisin, baked plum, tobacco and black pepper. The palate delivers lush black cherry and raspberry flavors mingled with intense white pepper, clove and nutmeg notes. It's smooth and rich with enough freshness to make this a perfect match for seasoned cheeses or roasted red meat. | Morar | 92 | 69 | Veneto | Amarone della Valpolicella | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Valentina Cubi 2008 Morar (Amarone della Valpolicella) | Red Blend | Valentina Cubi |
| 467 | 466 | France | Crisp and structured, this is an intensely mineral wine. It has great acidity and a strongly zesty, tangy character that still needs time to soften. It's bright, fruity and full of dancing freshness. It's good to go now, but keep until 2017 and it will be that much more complex. | Blanc de Blancs Brut | 92 | | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Deutz 2007 Blanc de Blancs Brut Chardonnay (Champagne) | Chardonnay | Deutz |
| 468 | 467 | US | Dense, dark and spicy, this opens with a thicket of briar and bramble—one almost wants to say thistle—wrapped around taut, compact black fruits. There is a hint of gun metal running through the palate, and as the wine warms and slowly opens, it reveals a lingering finish with a little pat of butter left on the tongue. This should be in fine shape for at least another decade. | Evenstad Reserve | 92 | 65 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Domaine Serene 2010 Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) | Pinot Noir | Domaine Serene |
| 469 | 468 | Germany | The nose of this powerfully fruity yet dry Riesling packs a punch, with aromas of ripe pineapple, apricot and floral potpourri. The palate is dense with stone fruit, and a hint of red berry flavor, but finishes elegantly with sleek mineral tones. | Ürziger Würzgarten Alte Reben GG Trocken | 92 | 42 | Mosel | | | Anna Lee C. Iijima | | Dr. Loosen 2011 Ürziger Würzgarten Alte Reben GG Trocken Riesling (Mosel) | Riesling | Dr. Loosen |
| 470 | 469 | Germany | Lanolin and honeycomb notes lend a minerally feel to rich, lusciously concentrated peach and tangerine flavors in this powerful yet finely structured kabinett. A hint of spritz and shocking lemon-lime acidity lead the way to a long, elegant finish. | Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett | 92 | 27 | Mosel | | | Anna Lee C. Iijima | | Dr. Loosen 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling (Mosel) | Riesling | Dr. Loosen |
| 471 | 470 | France | Very dry in style, this is a beautifully crisp, tight and taut Champagne. It has citrus and green apple flavors, and is steely in character while also fruity. It could do well with some more bottle age. | Édition Limitée Extra Brut | 92 | 70 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | H. Blin 2003 Édition Limitée Extra Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | H. Blin |
| 472 | 471 | France | Rich and opulent, this is a full-throated Pinot Noir. It has ripe berry flavors and a balancing acidity that supports a dense texture and underlay of firm tannins. While delicious now, this is a wine that will improve with aging so drink from 2016. | Les Chatelots Premier Cru | 92 | 73 | Burgundy | Chambolle-Musigny | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Henri de Villamont 2010 Les Chatelots Premier Cru (Chambolle-Musigny) | Pinot Noir | Henri de Villamont |
| 473 | 472 | France | This wine is ripe, rich and full in the mouth, like a fruit salad of red cherries, plums and berries. Yet there's a more solid side—rounded tannins support the concentrated fruits, and touches of wood aging broaden the feel of this impressive wine. Drink from 2017. | Les Feusselottes Premier Cru | 92 | 72 | Burgundy | Chambolle-Musigny | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Henri de Villamont 2010 Les Feusselottes Premier Cru (Chambolle-Musigny) | Pinot Noir | Henri de Villamont |
| 474 | 473 | Portugal | A powerful wine, richly structured and full of ripe fruits. It has a solid feel to it, firmly anchored to its dark tannins as well as lightened by the juicy berry flavors. A blend that includes Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, it needs serious aging, so don't drink before 2017. | Gerações Colheita Seleccionada | 92 | 34 | Alentejano | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Herdade Grande 2010 Gerações Colheita Seleccionada Red (Alentejano) | Portuguese Red | Herdade Grande |
| 475 | 474 | France | Already mature, this is a rich and opulent wine that blends together toast and secondary-fruit aromas with fresh, lively acidity. It has weight and substantial depth and concentration. It should age well for another few years, but this impressive wine can be drunk now as well. | Les Grands Nots Millesimé Brut | 92 | | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Jeaunaux-Robin 2004 Les Grands Nots Millesimé Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Jeaunaux-Robin |
| 476 | 475 | US | This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was grown in the well-known Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard. It's at a funny stage of development, with primary cherry and blackberry fruit starting to fade, while sage, dill, green olive and dried fruit notes are emerging. The tannins remain robust, while the acidity is just about perfect for Napa Valley. Awkward now, but with a promising future, it should emerge from the doldrums after 2017. | Clone 6 | 92 | 130 | California | Rutherford | Napa | | | Bell 2009 Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Bell |
| 477 | 476 | US | This is a big wine, clearly in need of cellaring. There's a massive core of blackberries, cherries and baking chocolate on the palate, but it's rigidly tannic, dry and acidic still. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese, putting it in the super Tuscan category. Give it until 2017 to begin to mellow, and it could still be going strong in 2025. | La Castellana | 92 | 88 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Castello di Amorosa 2009 La Castellana Red (Napa Valley) | Red Blend | Castello di Amorosa |
| 478 | 477 | France | An interesting percentage of Cabernet Franc gives this wine a more perfumed character than is usual in many Pomerols. On the palate, the wine is rich and shows the aromatic character of the berry fruits and well integrated wood. It is young still, needing time. Drink from 2017. | | 92 | 65 | Bordeaux | Pomerol | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Vray Croix de Gay 2010 Pomerol | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Vray Croix de Gay |
| 479 | 478 | France | This is a superior vintage Champagne that is just beginning to mature. Crisp white and citrus fruits are beginning to fade into mature toast and cookie flavors, but the wine maintains its zesty texture. Drink this wine now, but beware the cork is secured precariously with string that must be cut to open. | Grand Cru Family Reserve Brut | 92 | | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Dampierre 2005 Grand Cru Family Reserve Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Dampierre |
| 480 | 479 | Italy | Garnet-ruby in color, this has fresh aromas of white cherry, plum, dried dill and rosemary. The mouthfeel is simple and clean, with fresh acidity on the close. | Riserva | 87 | 15 | Sicily & Sardinia | Cannonau di Sardegna | | | | Santa Maria La Palma 2006 Riserva (Cannonau di Sardegna) | Cannonau | Santa Maria La Palma |