| 57789 | 57788 | France | Barrel-fermented Roussanne isn't what you'd expect from Provence, but this is an excellent wine, offering subtle smoke and toasted hazelnut aromas to go with white peach fruit. It boasts honeyed richness, plenty of weight and a long, cinnamon-infused finish. | Confidence | 90 | 25 | Provence | Vin de Pays des Alpilles | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Domaine d'Eole 2006 Confidence Roussanne (Vin de Pays des Alpilles) | Roussanne | Domaine d'Eole |
| 57790 | 57789 | US | A crisp wine that shows why this region east of San Francisco was renowned for Sauvignon Blanc 100 years ago. There's a firm mineral tang to the lemongrass, fig, green melon and papaya flavors, and the finish, while thoroughly dry, has a honeyed richness. | | 90 | 16 | California | Livermore Valley | Central Coast | | | Fenestra 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (Livermore Valley) | Sauvignon Blanc | Fenestra |
| 57791 | 57790 | US | The vineyard is owned by the Farrells, and is located in the Green Valley, the coolest section of Russian River. The wine is very bright in acidity and clean and clear in minerals, with notes of tart lemondrop, brioche and Asian pear. Lees add a distinct taste of yeast and a rich, creamy texture. Perfect with cracked crab. | Cresta Ridge Vineyard | 90 | 38 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Gary Farrell 2005 Cresta Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) | Chardonnay | Gary Farrell |
| 57792 | 57791 | Portugal | A lively, fresh wine, whose wood aging has just enhanced the delicious fruit flavors of mango and pineapple. The acidity bounces up and down, vibrant and crisp. Considering its origin in one of the hottest regions of the Douro, this is impressive. | Quinta do Côa | 90 | 16 | Douro | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | CARM 2006 Quinta do Côa White (Douro) | Portuguese White | CARM |
| 57793 | 57792 | US | Smelling of pure Syrah, annotated with rock and white pepper, this is graceful, muscular and compact. The wild blueberry fruit is not too sweet and has a clean, resonant finish. It still needs time to knit together and bring the barrel flavors into focus. | Loess | 90 | 40 | Washington | Walla Walla Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Waters 2005 Loess Syrah (Walla Walla Valley (WA)) | Syrah | Waters |
| 57794 | 57793 | US | Here's a dry, very tannic young Zin, with exotic flavors of wild berries, pomegranates, plums, dark unsweetened chocolate, nutmeg, Chinese five-spice and tobacco, and the list could go on and on. Totally distinctive, it seems to capture a taste of its place. The vines are said to be 120 years old. | Bigalow Vineyard | 90 | 28 | California | Contra Costa County | Central Coast | | | Trinitas 2004 Bigalow Vineyard Zinfandel (Contra Costa County) | Zinfandel | Trinitas |
| 57795 | 57794 | US | Here's one to put away for a while. Even though the warm vintage coaxed out oodles of black currants, blackberry and cherry pie filling, red plum and dry, unsweetened chocolate flavors, the wine has a tannic intensity that makes it a bit astringent. But it's balanced and well-structured, so cellar, and should be best 2009–2012. | Estate Bottled | 90 | 42 | California | Santa Cruz Mountains | Central Coast | | | Mount Eden Vineyards 2004 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Cruz Mountains) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Mount Eden Vineyards |
| 57796 | 57795 | US | Mainly Syrah, with a little splash of Viognier, this opulent, sensual wine floods the mouth with flavors of blackberry and blueberry pie filling, chocolate-raspberry truffle, red licorice, black pepper, clove and vanilla oak. Made in the modern, cult Cab style, it has high alcohol and is soft. | The Brawler | 90 | 36 | California | Calaveras County | Sierra Foothills | | | Prospect 772 2005 The Brawler Syrah-Viognier (Calaveras County) | Syrah-Viognier | Prospect 772 |
| 57781 | 57780 | US | Supple and inviting, this mellow take on Cabernet Franc has soft cherry-pie flavors, a dash of pepper, and a smooth, chocolaty finish, with a pleasant, toasty, caramel aftertaste. | Proprietor's Reserve | 88 | 25 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Maryhill 2009 Proprietor's Reserve Cabernet Franc (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Cabernet Franc | Maryhill |
| 57782 | 57781 | US | Michael David makes bombastically huge wines, but here they've mastered the style, making a black-as-night Syrah true to it's roots, with flavors of dark red fruit, bacon and toast, with a wall of vanilla and oak. It's juicy, jammy and surprisingly well integrated, a wine that's ready to drink now, preferably with a sizzling tri-tip. | Sixth Sense Syrah | 88 | 16 | California | Lodi | Central Valley | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Michael David 2010 Sixth Sense Syrah Syrah (Lodi) | Syrah | Michael David |
| 57783 | 57782 | US | A perfectly fine Cabernet, with ripe blackberry, black currant and herb flavors. Does a good job at a fair price. | Annabella | 88 | 17 | California | Napa County | Napa | | | Michael Pozzan 2010 Annabella Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa County) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Michael Pozzan |
| 57784 | 57783 | US | For a wine that's been made with a soft touch but still has some weight and finesse, this is a great value. It opens with aromas of ripe peach fuzz and crisp apple, a nice intermingling of flavors. Lemon and grapefruit rind flavors shine on the finish. | Split Oak Estates Sur Lie | 88 | 11 | California | California | California Other | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Morro Bay 2010 Split Oak Estates Sur Lie Chardonnay (California) | Chardonnay | Morro Bay |
| 57785 | 57784 | US | This has plenty of cherry, red licorice, cola and spice flavors that are wrapped into firm tannins. Long on the finish, this is a very good example of a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. | Horseshoe Bend Vineyard | 88 | 34 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Occidental Road Cellars 2008 Horseshoe Bend Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) | Pinot Noir | Occidental Road Cellars |
| 57786 | 57785 | Italy | Bovale is a little-known indigenous grape from Sardinia. This opens with savory aromas of cured meat, chocolate, ripe fruit and prune. The close is bold, bitter and bright. | Essentija | 88 | 30 | Sicily & Sardinia | Isola dei Nuraghi | | | | Pala 2008 Essentija Bovale (Isola dei Nuraghi) | Bovale | Pala |
| 57787 | 57786 | Austria | An attractive, crisp wine that boasts all the right citrus and green herb flavors along with a hint of pepper. Bright and ready to drink. Screwcap | Sandgrube | 88 | 21 | Weinviertel | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Pratsch 2010 Sandgrube Grüner Veltliner (Weinviertel) | Grüner Veltliner | Pratsch |
| 57788 | 57787 | US | From the first whiff—laden with tangy notes of herb, leaf and spicy cranberry fruit—this announces itself as classic Oregon Pinot Noir. At 14+% it's ripe enough to build a core of sweet cherry fruit; but it is not shy about expressing the herbal side of the grape, and does so to good effect. It's a vivacious, expressive wine that offers a rich range of flavors, well beyond the basic fruit and barrel approach of too many wineries. | | 90 | 30 | Oregon | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Domaine Coteau 2006 Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills) | Pinot Noir | Domaine Coteau |
| 57797 | 57796 | US | This is the highlight of an excellent lineup from Stemilt Creek. It brings the same smooth, round fruit forward flavors as the other wines, but adds in more details with citrus, olive and green tea flavors streaking through. The finish gets downright sexy, with a strong wash of chocolate and caramel. It's made for immediate enjoyment rather than cellaring. | | 90 | 28 | Washington | Washington | Washington Other | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Stemilt Creek 2004 Cabernet Franc (Washington) | Cabernet Franc | Stemilt Creek |
| 57798 | 57797 | US | This is reminiscent of the best Glen Fiona Syrahs from the Rusty Figgins era. It's 100% varietal from the Lonesome Springs Vineyard, quite dark and spicy with sweet berry fruit. Consistent stylistically with the other releases from Michael Florentino Cellars, this adds interesting details of white pepper and baking spices. Forward, fleshy, appealing, delicious and well-made. | | 90 | 32 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Michael Florentino Cellars 2005 Syrah (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Syrah | Michael Florentino Cellars |
| 57799 | 57798 | Portugal | Tightly coiled, the firm tannins hold down the exuberant berry fruits and fresh acidity. It is certainly young, but the elegance is already here, as well as the herb and spice seasoning from wood. The dry aftertaste reinforces the need for aging, at least 4–5 years. | Duas Quintas Reserva | 90 | 33 | Douro | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Ramos-Pinto 2004 Duas Quintas Reserva Red (Douro) | Portuguese Red | Ramos-Pinto |
| 57800 | 57799 | US | For unknown reasons, Chuck Reininger holds back his Merlots; but Reininger makes real Merlot—96% pure—and it works. It's silky and smooth, chocolaty and showing pleasing nuances of herb and grass. The fruit is light, pretty and perfectly ripe, tasting of strawberry, cherry and pomegranate. | | 90 | 30 | Washington | Walla Walla Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Reininger 2003 Merlot (Walla Walla Valley (WA)) | Merlot | Reininger |
| 57801 | 57800 | US | A blend of 60% Cabernet, 20% Merlot, 18% Syrah and splashes of Malbec, Zinfandel and Tempranillo, this spicy and toasty red wine shows the care that went into the original barrels, which were never intended for this inexpensive tasting room red. The fruit is juicy and bursting with bright sweet berry flavors, and the generous oak adds cinnamon and butterscotch. | Red Table Wine | 90 | 13 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | The Winemaker's Loft 2005 Red Table Wine Red (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Red Blend | The Winemaker's Loft |
| 57802 | 57801 | US | Cabernet-philes who want to experiment with Petite Sirah will find this a rewarding entry wine. It shows the variety's firm, punchy tannins, full-bodied muscularity, and deeply extracted black currant, plum, carob, coffee, pepper and cedar flavors that are powerful and long-lasting. Yet beyond the brawn is elegance and finesse. Drink now through 2010. | | 90 | 24 | California | El Dorado | Sierra Foothills | | | Toogood 2005 Petite Sirah (El Dorado) | Petite Sirah | Toogood |
| 57803 | 57802 | US | The Shea vineyard is still recovering from extensive post-phylloxera replanting, and many of the wines produced from its fruit seem much lighter than in the past. Here, however it compensates, at least partially, with a graceful, elegant composition. The mix of red fruits, mineral and light spring herbs is perfectly set against polished tannins. I would expect this wine to add texture and complexity over the next decade or more. | Shea Vineyard | 90 | 75 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Torii Mor 2005 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir | Pinot Noir | Torii Mor |
| 57804 | 57803 | France | Smells of fresh strawberries and grapefruit, then adds deeper notes of cherries and spice on the palate. This medium-bodied rosé should prove exceptionally versatile at the table, having enough weight to handle red meat and enough freshness to pair with lighter, lunch-friendly fare. | Cuvée Alexandra | 90 | | Provence | Côtes de Provence | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Château Rasque 2007 Cuvée Alexandra Rosé (Côtes de Provence) | Rosé | Château Rasque |
| 57805 | 57804 | France | Floral and fresh, but there's more to it than just a simple quaff. Watermelon and berry flavors are carried by a plump, medium-bodied palate, slightly oily texture and a long, mouthwatering finish. | | 90 | 15 | Provence | Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Domaine d'Eole 2007 Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence) | Rosé | Domaine d'Eole |
| 57806 | 57805 | France | The domaine bottling of Saint-André de Figuière really ratchets up the quality over its négociant wines, adding much more weight and concentration. This blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache and 25% Cinsault blends black cherry and citrus flavors into a richly textured, spicy rosé. | Vieilles Vignes | 90 | 20 | Provence | Côtes de Provence | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Domaine Saint-André de Figuière 2007 Vieilles Vignes Rosé (Côtes de Provence) | Rosé | Domaine Saint-André de Figuière |
| 57807 | 57806 | France | It's expensive, but there's no denying the high quality of this wine. Almost smoky, mineral-like complexity emerges on the nose, followed by hints of cherry fruit underscored by dramatic freshness on the lengthy finish. | Château de Selle | 90 | 42 | Provence | Côtes de Provence | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Domaines Ott 2007 Château de Selle Rosé (Côtes de Provence) | Rosé | Domaines Ott |
| 57808 | 57807 | Chile | For a first effort from Casablanca, Viu Manent has hit a home run. This wine is a classic New World Chard, meaning it's liberally oaked, vibrant, ripe and full of tropical fruit. But along with the obvious there are also notes of cinnamon, mineral, exotic apple and butterscotch. Imported by Baystate Wine Co. | Reserva | 90 | 14 | Casablanca Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Viu Manent 2007 Reserva Chardonnay (Casablanca Valley) | Chardonnay | Viu Manent |
| 57809 | 57808 | US | Boudreaux has made a lively and well-modulated Chardonnay in 2006. Bright, snappy fruit flavors mix apple, pear and white peach. Acids are fresh and clean, and the wine has verve and lift right on through a lightly toasty finish, hinting at butterscotch. | 'Unfiltered' | 90 | 35 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Boudreaux Cellars 2006 'Unfiltered' Chardonnay (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Chardonnay | Boudreaux Cellars |
| 57810 | 57809 | Italy | Dark, inky extraction opens this Barolo and segues to bold aromas of mature berry fruit and spicy oak renderings. The wine feels plush, rich and generous in the mouth but the tightness and astringency of the tannins suggest that this wine will be ready in 5–10 years. | Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano | 93 | | Piedmont | Barolo | | | | Podere Rocche dei Manzoni 2007 Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano (Barolo) | Nebbiolo | Podere Rocche dei Manzoni |