| 12972 | 12971 | Chile | Can't-miss aromas of juniper, olive and tree bark dominate lesser notes of lemon peel and blackberry. This feels taut and rubbery, with tomatoey acidity. Woodsy, herbal, gritty flavors of currant and cranberry finish tart and with a note of minty green. | Barrel Select | 84 | 12 | Cachapoal Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Santa Ema 2011 Barrel Select Syrah (Cachapoal Valley) | Syrah | Santa Ema |
| 12973 | 12972 | Australia | This plump, medium-bodied Pinot Noir lacks for fruit, instead showcasing savory notes of underbrush, smoke and roasted vegetables. Drink up. | | 84 | 14 | Victoria | Yarra Valley | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Shoofly 2012 Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley) | Pinot Noir | Shoofly |
| 12974 | 12973 | Chile | Honey blossom and grassy aromas are all right, but struggle to offer much fruit. An oily, full palate is home to honeyed flavors of peach, nectarine and melon. Bitterness is a major player on a chunky finish. The blend is 45% Riesling, 43% Chardonnay and 12% Viognier. | Ona Special Reserve Riesling-Chardonnay-Viognier | 84 | 17 | Leyda Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Anakena 2013 Ona Special Reserve Riesling-Chardonnay-Viognier White (Leyda Valley) | White Blend | Anakena |
| 12975 | 12974 | Chile | Scratchy aromas of red plum and currant are herbal and rubbery. In the mouth, this is tart and shows sharp acidity. Herbal plum and raspberry flavors finish with minty, green notes. | Reserva | 84 | 13 | Maule Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Apaltagua 2013 Reserva Malbec (Maule Valley) | Malbec | Apaltagua |
| 12976 | 12975 | France | Bright and herbaceous the wine is on the cusp between cool, fresh flavors and more tropical richness. It has a perfumed character, bright and crisp citrus and warmer apricot fruits. Drink now. | Ferran Pradets | 84 | 12 | Southwest France | Côtes du Marmandais | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Cave du Marmandais 2013 Ferran Pradets Sauvignon Blanc (Côtes du Marmandais) | Sauvignon Blanc | Cave du Marmandais |
| 12977 | 12976 | France | Bright, soft and herbaceous, this has a touch of sweetness as well fresh fruit. Citrus and gooseberries abound with only the lightest structure to hold it together. | | 84 | 14 | Southwest France | Côtes de Gascogne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | l'Escargot 2013 Sauvignon Blanc (Côtes de Gascogne) | Sauvignon Blanc | l'Escargot |
| 12978 | 12977 | France | Nutty and honeyed, this is a young, apple-fruited Chenin Blanc with lively acidity and a crisp character that's filled out with a touch of sweetness. It's ready to drink. | | 84 | 13 | Loire Valley | Vouvray | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Marquis de Goulaine 2012 Vouvray | Chenin Blanc | Marquis de Goulaine |
| 12979 | 12978 | US | This has earthy aromas and sun-dried tomato flavors, full body, but a soft balance and smooth texture. | Pauli Ranch | 84 | 36 | California | Mendocino County | | Jim Gordon | @gordone_cellars | Muscardini 2010 Pauli Ranch Sangiovese (Mendocino County) | Sangiovese | Muscardini |
| 12961 | 12960 | US | It's a good thing Garagiste Festival cofounder Stewart McLennan caught the winemaking bug. This delicious bottling shows black currant, plum, blueberry, fennel, lavender, vanilla and gingerbread spice on the nose. Elegant purple-flower elements kick off the palate, and then come waves of blueberry-chiffon cake, blackberry juice, sea-salt caramel and a touch of vanilla. | | 94 | 55 | California | Paso Robles Willow Creek District | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Golden Triangle 2013 Syrah (Paso Robles Willow Creek District) | Syrah | Golden Triangle |
| 12980 | 12979 | US | Hints of toast, mushroom and black coffee lend a savory, earthy tone to ruddy black cherry and plum flavors. A bit clumsy and fading on the palate, it's showing its age, so best to drink up soon. | | 84 | 17 | New York | New York | New York Other | Anna Lee C. Iijima | | Palaia Vineyards 2007 Merlot (New York) | Merlot | Palaia Vineyards |
| 12962 | 12961 | US | Plush black-currant aromas meet with light licorice and a plum-pudding note on the nose of this 70% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 1% Mourvèdre and 1% Viognier blend. It dries up tightly on the palate, showing blackberry alongside strong licorice and violet elements, all framed by a chalky structure. | WCS Jack John | 94 | 75 | California | Paso Robles Willow Creek District | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Jada Vineyard & Winery 2014 WCS Jack John Red (Paso Robles Willow Creek District) | Rhône-style Red Blend | Jada Vineyard & Winery |
| 12981 | 12980 | US | Hints of popcorn and buttered toast accent flavors of pressed apple and pear on this easygoing semisweet Cayuga. It's delicate in frame, finishing with a bright burst of lemon-candy acidity. | Pearl | 84 | 14 | New York | New York | New York Other | Anna Lee C. Iijima | | Palaia Vineyards NV Pearl White (New York) | White Blend | Palaia Vineyards |
| 12963 | 12962 | US | This 100% varietal wine from the Lewelling Vineyard is a blockbuster, providing a showy demonstration of ripe richness that's gorgeously lush. Christmas plum pudding, clove and cinnamon lurk behind a chalky underbelly of firm tannin and black licorice, finishing fresh in the glass. | | 94 | 108 | California | St. Helena | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | B Cellars 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (St. Helena) | Cabernet Sauvignon | B Cellars |
| 12982 | 12981 | US | It's rather understated in flavor, and more smooth and round than typical for the variety. This is a good, rich-textured, medium-bodied wine with straightforward flavors. | | 84 | 10 | California | California | California Other | Jim Gordon | @gordone_cellars | Pomelo 2013 Sauvignon Blanc (California) | Sauvignon Blanc | Pomelo |
| 12964 | 12963 | US | From the only producer to source Zin from this famous vineyard, this wine is abundant in a complexity of baked bread, blackberry jam and vanilla, with endless depth on the palate. Fresh and juicy, it balances its fruitiness with mountain-sized tannin strength and concentration. | Stagecoach Vineyard | 94 | 52 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Robert Biale 2014 Stagecoach Vineyard Zinfandel (Napa Valley) | Zinfandel | Robert Biale |
| 12983 | 12982 | France | A blend of Cabernet and Merlot, this has red fruit notes, a light structure and plenty of final acidity. It finishes with caramel as well as freshness. | Colombelle L'Originel | 84 | 8 | Southwest France | Côtes de Gascogne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Producteurs Plaimont 2013 Colombelle L'Originel Rosé (Côtes de Gascogne) | Rosé | Producteurs Plaimont |
| 12965 | 12964 | US | The eponymous winemaker of this brand is based in San Francisco, from which, in this bottling, he turns out a stunner. Focused, intense, energetic and yet delicate, the nose is full of just-ripe raspberries, bay leaf, thyme, eucalyptus and chipped slate. A sip reveals crushed herbs galore, from oregano to anise, set against tart pomegranate and red plums. Menthol shows on the finish. | Solomon Hills Vineyard | 94 | 43 | California | Santa Maria Valley | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Ryan Cochrane 2014 Solomon Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) | Pinot Noir | Ryan Cochrane |
| 12984 | 12983 | US | This opens with a strong sense of coconut that abruptly hits pomegranate and cranberry on the palate. The sweetness of the coconut dissipates on the finish, which veers slightly sour. | Estate Bottled | 84 | 75 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Spring Mountain Vineyard 2011 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain Vineyard |
| 12985 | 12984 | Italy | Aromas recall cellar floor, dried black fruit and a hint of black pepper. The palate tastes old, offering prune and clove alongside angular tannins but without much fruit richness. | Matervitae | 84 | 10 | Southern Italy | Puglia | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Torrevento 2012 Matervitae Primitivo (Puglia) | Primitivo | Torrevento |
| 12986 | 12985 | France | The latest releases from Clos Triguedina aim to create wines for early drinking. Elegant is soft, juicy and fruity—perhaps so soft, it has lost any sense of Malbec character. Even so, it is a gentle red wine that is ready to drink. | Elegant | 84 | 16 | Southwest France | Cahors | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Jean-Luc Baldès 2012 Elegant Malbec (Cahors) | Malbec | Jean-Luc Baldès |
| 12987 | 12986 | US | There's a funky herbal, slightly green quality to this wine, possessed of plenty acidity, as the variety is known for, yet muted in its typical floral aromatics and bright fruit. | Destination Series | 84 | 30 | California | Sonoma Valley | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Kunde 2011 Destination Series Barbera (Sonoma Valley) | Barbera | Kunde |
| 12988 | 12987 | Italy | Aromas of charred earth, tire rubber, allspice and oak lead the nose. The palate seems older than it is, showing toasted oak and tertiary flavors of flint, mineral and black pepper along with steeped prune. The fruit is already dried up leaving only evident alcohol and oak sensations. | Santufili | 84 | 62 | Southern Italy | Salento | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Mocavero 2008 Santufili Primitivo (Salento) | Primitivo | Mocavero |
| 12989 | 12988 | Chile | Dusty white-fruit and vanilla aromas are leesy and sweet smelling. The palate on this unoaked Chardonnay is light, with modest acidity. Ripe honeydew melon and apple flavors finish soft and simple. | Select Terroir Unoaked | 84 | 10 | Maipo Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Santa Ema 2014 Select Terroir Unoaked Chardonnay (Maipo Valley) | Chardonnay | Santa Ema |
| 12990 | 12989 | Chile | Plum and wintergreen aromas are earthy but flat. This has a chunky, jammy, flabby feel along with flavors of stewed plum, green herbs and raw oak. Baked berry flavors with green notes control the finish, which has a stewy character. | Reserva | 84 | 13 | Rapel Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Santa Rita 2011 Reserva Carmenère (Rapel Valley) | Carmenère | Santa Rita |
| 12966 | 12965 | Austria | The gloriously intense lift of fresh lemon zest rises immediately. The concentrated palate is so precise, so taut and has so much tension that you can almost feel the citrus flavors exploding in your mouth. This is wonderfully aromatic Riesling that comes with a panoply of both ripe and tart citrus. Gloriously long, ripe and fresh. | Pfaffenberg Reserve | 94 | 51 | Kremstal | | | Anne Krebiehl MW | @AnneInVino | Salomon-Undhof 2015 Pfaffenberg Reserve Riesling (Kremstal) | Riesling | Salomon-Undhof |
| 12967 | 12966 | US | This smoky, earthy, soft and delicate wine comes from an estate vineyard planted in 1999 in the Occidental Hills. Rose petals and cranberry mingle effortlessly on the silky palate, while a bite of black tea and tannin tease on the finish. | MK Vineyard | 94 | 82 | California | Sonoma Coast | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Small Vines 2014 MK Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) | Pinot Noir | Small Vines |
| 12968 | 12967 | France | A firm and structured cru wine from 100-year-old vines that has layers of firm fruits and tannins. It is a wine that is likely to mature well, with its wood aging and dry core. A blend from four parcels, it is concentrated and with a rich black-cherry character. Drink this exceptional wine, from old-vine hunter Stéphane Aviron, starting in 2020. | | 94 | 24 | Beaujolais | Moulin-à-Vent | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Stéphane Aviron 2015 Moulin-à-Vent | Gamay | Stéphane Aviron |
| 12969 | 12968 | US | From heritage clones of Wente and Mt. Eden, this top-end Chardonnay from the Foley family offers salted peaches, hazelnuts and crushed sea shells on a nose that recalls a steady sea breeze. It's light and brisk on the palate, with yellow pear, nectarine and lemon salt, all wrapped by a grippy texture. Excellent by itself, it would pair with foods from shellfish to roasted chicken. | Courtney's Vineyard | 94 | 55 | California | Sta. Rita Hills | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Two Sisters 2014 Courtney's Vineyard Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) | Chardonnay | Two Sisters |
| 12970 | 12969 | US | Roasted and raw beef, dried strawberry, crushed marjoram and salt-and-pepper seasonings show on this Syrah. Extremely dark in the glass, it's bolstered by 4% Grenache, 4% Mourvèdre and 2% Viognier. Elderberry fruit kicks off the palate, following by pepper, coffee grinds, espresso beans and dark-chocolate sauce, surrounded by grippy tannins. | Toasted Slope Estate | 94 | 48 | California | Adelaida District | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Alta Colina 2013 Toasted Slope Estate Syrah (Adelaida District) | Syrah | Alta Colina |
| 12971 | 12970 | US | This wine is aromatically untoward with notes of seabreeze, green herbs, citrus and wood. It's medium bodied, somewhat gritty in feel, with barnyard flavors. | Flintlock | 84 | 20 | Washington | Yakima Valley | Columbia Valley | Sean P. Sullivan | @wawinereport | Ded.Reckoning 2012 Flintlock Merlot (Yakima Valley) | Merlot | Ded.Reckoning |