| 4951 | 4950 | France | With a few years in bottle, this is maturing well. It has ripeness, the tannins beginning to soften into rich spice and damson jelly flavors. The acidity is still very present as is the dry core. | Les Vignes de Julia | 86 | | Bordeaux | Bordeaux Supérieur | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Chateau de Launay 2005 Les Vignes de Julia (Bordeaux Supérieur) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Chateau de Launay |
| 4952 | 4951 | US | This soft, sweet, oaky Cabernet will appeal to those who like the New World style. It's as puffy as a dessert concoction, with cherry, chocolate, nougat and cinnamon spice flavors, and is ready to drink now. | Reserve | 86 | 69 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Cobblestone 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Cobblestone |
| 4953 | 4952 | US | A good, off-dry useful wine for drinking across the board with a wide variety of fare, or by itself as a cocktail. It's brisk and clean, with pleasant citrus, apricot, spice and vanilla flavors. | | 86 | 13 | California | California | California Other | | | Dancing Derby 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (California) | Sauvignon Blanc | Dancing Derby |
| 4954 | 4953 | US | A solid Zin for everyday drinking. A little rough and thin, but dry and spicy, with berry, currant and teriaki flavors. | | 86 | 20 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | De Loach 2009 Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) | Zinfandel | De Loach |
| 4955 | 4954 | Spain | Melon and almond skin aromas lead to pithy citrus on what amounts to a pretty good bouquet. Round, citrusy and fresh in the mouth, with orange, passion fruit and tropical leanings. Solid and well shaped for a $7 quaffer. 70% Airen and 30% Macabeo. | Protocolo Blanco | 86 | 7 | Central Spain | Vino de la Tierra de Castilla | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Dominio de Eguren 2010 Protocolo Blanco White (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla) | White Blend | Dominio de Eguren |
| 4956 | 4955 | Spain | Mint and milk chocolate are the lead aromas, followed by cherry and herbal notes. The wine is basic, fresh and fruity, with choppy tannins, heat and lively red berry flavors with citrus undertones. Runs a bit rough and heady. | La Multa Old Vine | 86 | 15 | Northern Spain | Calatayud | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | El Escocés Volante 2009 La Multa Old Vine Garnacha (Calatayud) | Garnacha | El Escocés Volante |
| 4957 | 4956 | France | With three years' aging, this has developed into an almond- and toast-flavored wine that has softened and rounded the fruit. It has turned into a serious wine, its rich structure allied to the acidity. Ready to drink. | Ammonites | 90 | 37 | Loire Valley | Sancerre | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Domaine Roblin 2010 Ammonites (Sancerre) | Sauvignon Blanc | Domaine Roblin |
| 4958 | 4957 | US | This is one of the best Bordeaux blends now available from Paso Robles. Based on Cabernet Sauvignon, it's enormously ripe in blackberry jam, currant, chocolate and cedar flavors that finish lush and spicy. The tannins are strong, but negotiable with barbecue. | Ensemble Lock Vineyard | 90 | 42 | California | Paso Robles | Central Coast | | | Écluse 2010 Ensemble Lock Vineyard Red (Paso Robles) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Écluse |
| 4959 | 4958 | Spain | Right away you know this Syrah-Petit Verdot is a powerful wine. The bouquet is pointed and blasts away with cherry, berry, spice and oak aromas. It's thick, pushy and full-bodied, with minty, toasty oak flavors running side by side with blackberry. On the finish, it's more charred and toasty, with peppery spice and some heat. Drink now–2015. | | 90 | 35 | Central Spain | Vino de la Tierra de Castilla | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Finca Constancia 2010 Syrah-Petit Verdot (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla) | Syrah-Petit Verdot | Finca Constancia |
| 4960 | 4959 | US | Sommeliers will appreciate this Chardonnay for its dryness and elegance, not to mention the price. It favors restraint over flamboyance, yet offers plenty of rich tropical and citrus fruits, with hints of honey and minerals. The alcohol is refreshingly balanced. | | 90 | 26 | California | Sonoma Valley | Sonoma | | | Bump 2011 Chardonnay (Sonoma Valley) | Chardonnay | Bump |
| 4961 | 4960 | Italy | Here's a gorgeous wine to pair with foie gras or pâté. A Riserva expression of Gewürztraminer, it opens with a bright golden color and segues to intense aromas of honey, candied peach, yellow rose, lemon curd and natural rubber. In the mouth, the wine is rich, opulent and long-lasting. | Brenntal Riserva | 90 | 23 | Northeastern Italy | Alto Adige | | | | Cantina Cortaccia 2009 Brenntal Riserva Gewürztraminer (Alto Adige) | Gewürztraminer | Cantina Cortaccia |
| 4962 | 4961 | Italy | Here is a beautiful Pinot Bianco with aromas of melon and stone fruit that pop right out of the glass. This white variety is generally known for the richness of its mouthfeel more than its bouquet. But this expression excels on both the nose and in the mouth thanks to its intensity and purity. | Dellago | 90 | 22 | Northeastern Italy | Alto Adige | | | | Cantina Produttori Bolzano S. Maddalena/Gries 2011 Dellago Pinot Bianco (Alto Adige) | Pinot Bianco | Cantina Produttori Bolzano S. Maddalena/Gries |
| 4963 | 4962 | France | Powerful and rich, this is a concentrated, wood-aged wine. It has toasted almonds as well as ripe pear and green-plum fruit. With a fine tension under the fruitiness, it will age over several years. | Les Terrasses | 90 | 25 | Loire Valley | Anjou | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château de la Roulerie 2011 Les Terrasses Chenin Blanc (Anjou) | Chenin Blanc | Château de la Roulerie |
| 4964 | 4963 | France | Full-bodied, fruity wine that has wood aging flavors along with red plum and strawberry fruits. Smoky, perfumed, this is a wine that shows fresh fruit with a good depth of flavor. Age for 2–3 years. | | 90 | 20 | Loire Valley | Anjou Villages Brissac | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château la Varière 2010 Cabernet Franc-Cabernet Sauvignon (Anjou Villages Brissac) | Cabernet Franc-Cabernet Sauvignon | Château la Varière |
| 4965 | 4964 | US | A finely crafted, complex Cabernet that shows classic Napa construction. The tannins are very fine and the acidity balancing, while the flavors are rich in black currants, minerals and cedar. Drink now–2017. | | 90 | 60 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | ZD 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | ZD |
| 4966 | 4965 | US | This wine shows the glamour you expect from a Phelps Cabernet. It's softly tannic and rich in blackberries, currants, licorice and cedar, with a lovely structure. Nice to drink now, right out of the bottle. Easy to find, with 17,300 cases produced. | Estate Grown | 90 | 65 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Joseph Phelps 2010 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Joseph Phelps |
| 4967 | 4966 | Spain | This is a really good showing for the Garnacha Blanca grape. The bouquet is fresh and not the least bit blowsy, with an emphasis on apple and pear aromas. The wine is plump, fruity and showing modest acidity, while flavors of apple and baking spices precede a finish that's easygoing. Drink now. | Els Ameliers | 90 | 35 | Catalonia | Terra Alta | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Lafou 2011 Els Ameliers Garnacha Blanca (Terra Alta) | Garnacha Blanca | Lafou |
| 4968 | 4967 | Argentina | As a whole, this is top-shelf Malbec with weight, character and complexities. It's also a touch gamy on the nose, with a no-miss blast of compost. Beyond that, the palate shows lemony oak and tight tannins on top of oaky, leathery flavors of robust berry and baked plum. Drink this rock-solid specimen now through 2016. | Lindaflor | 90 | 40 | Mendoza Province | Mendoza | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Monteviejo 2008 Lindaflor Malbec (Mendoza) | Malbec | Monteviejo |
| 4969 | 4968 | France | Ripe black currant aromas set this wine on its full, warm path. It is intensely fruity with a rounded feel to it. The acidity cuts through the ripe character, giving tension and a piercing crisp aftertaste. | Anciennes Vignes | 90 | 26 | Loire Valley | Sancerre | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Patient Cottat 2010 Anciennes Vignes (Sancerre) | Sauvignon Blanc | Patient Cottat |
| 4970 | 4969 | France | Pécharmant produces some of the most dense reds of Bergerac, and this wine from Ancienne Cure shows some of the same character in a more fruity version. Black fruits and firm tannins are layered with forward acidity to give a wine that will be approachable this year. | Sélection Jour de Fruit | 90 | | Southwest France | Pécharmant | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Domaine l'Ancienne Cure 2011 Sélection Jour de Fruit (Pécharmant) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Domaine l'Ancienne Cure |
| 4971 | 4970 | France | Initially youthfully crisp and herbaceous, the wine then broadens into riper more yellow-fruit flavors. That gives it richness and weight that balance with the grapefruit and lemon-juice freshness. Give this fine wine a year to meld together | | 90 | 29 | Loire Valley | Pouilly-Fumé | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Domaine Seguin 2011 Pouilly-Fumé | Sauvignon Blanc | Domaine Seguin |
| 4972 | 4971 | Italy | You don't see much Syrah from the Veneto in northeast Italy, but Cicogna shows that the variety does have a future here. This expression is soft and plump with ripe fruit, blackberry, leather and tobacco. There's a point of bright freshness on the long finish. | Cicogna | 90 | 35 | Veneto | Veneto | | | | Domenico Cavazza 2009 Cicogna Syrah (Veneto) | Syrah | Domenico Cavazza |
| 4973 | 4972 | Chile | Over the past few years, San Pedro has consistently put out excellent SBs under its 1865 label. This sings of coastal Chilean Sauvignon via mineral, passion fruit and grapefruit aromas. In the mouth, it's chiseled like a statue, with a mix of citrus and green flavors. Expect a cutting, crisp, zesty finish. | 1865 Single Vineyard | 90 | 19 | Leyda Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | San Pedro 2012 1865 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley) | Sauvignon Blanc | San Pedro |
| 4974 | 4973 | US | With a depth of ripe cherry flavor, Sean Thackrey's Wentzel Clone 777, shows concentration and weight, with a riper, fleshier and bolder character than its clonal companions grown in the same vineyard block. | Cassiopeia Wentzel Vineyard Clone 777 | 90 | 45 | California | Anderson Valley | | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Sean Thackrey 2010 Cassiopeia Wentzel Vineyard Clone 777 Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley) | Pinot Noir | Sean Thackrey |
| 4975 | 4974 | US | Tolosa may be the only vineyard to produce two unoaked Chardonnays in the same vintage. Their '11 Central Coast is quite good. This one, from estate Edna Valley fruit, is even better. With keen acidity and a brisk minerality, it shows complex flavors of limes, kiwis and grapefruits, and hints of riper, richer tropical fruits. | Pure | 90 | 34 | California | Edna Valley | Central Coast | | | Tolosa 2011 Pure Chardonnay (Edna Valley) | Chardonnay | Tolosa |
| 4976 | 4975 | US | A fancy Syrah, dry, complex and interesting to drink. It packs in a lot of blackberry and cherry fruit flavors, accented with a sweet jacket of smoky oak. The alcohol is a bit high, resulting in some heat. Drink soon. | La Paloma Larner Vineyard | 90 | 28 | California | Santa Ynez Valley | Central Coast | | | Transcendence 2010 La Paloma Larner Vineyard Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley) | Syrah | Transcendence |
| 4977 | 4976 | US | Ripe, forward flavors of raspberries, cherries and cola mark this Pinot Noir. It's gentle in the mouth and nice and low in alcohol. Seems too soft for aging, so drink over the next 2–3 years with a great steak. | Floodgate Vineyard Rock Hill | 89 | 55 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Alysian 2010 Floodgate Vineyard Rock Hill Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) | Pinot Noir | Alysian |
| 4978 | 4977 | Germany | Shows good varietal character in a somewhat sweet format. It starts off slightly musky and gingery on the nose, then adds lychee fruit flavors. For its sweetness, it's not particularly richly textured or weighty, making it a possibility as an apéritif. | Neipperger Schlossberg Auslese | 88 | 48 | Württemberg | | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Grafen Neipperg 2006 Neipperger Schlossberg Auslese Traminer (Württemberg) | Traminer | Grafen Neipperg |
| 4979 | 4978 | US | This unusual dry Gewürztraminer puts the flavor focus squarely on grapefruit and pineapple, with a bone-dry acid underpinning. It has moderate concentration and length, with alcohol rated at just 12.5%. | Dry | 88 | 13 | Washington | Yakima Valley | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Bonair 2007 Dry Gewürztraminer (Yakima Valley) | Gewürztraminer | Bonair |
| 4980 | 4979 | Italy | Thick and brawny, this Sicilian Shiraz boasts a deep purple hue and presents in-your-face aromas of prune, cedar, blueberry and white peppercorn. The consistency is chunky and chewy, like play dough, but drying mineral tones help cap those jammy fruit flavors. | Accademia del Sole | 88 | | Sicily & Sardinia | Sicilia | | | | Calatrasi 2005 Accademia del Sole Shiraz (Sicilia) | Shiraz | Calatrasi |