15721 | 15720 | France | Attractive and floral, this is fruity with pear and red apple flavors. It is soft and full in the mouth; its creamy mousse lends just a light tang of lemon zest flavor. The finish is balanced and fruity. | Brut | 88 | 45 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Duval-Leroy NV Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Duval-Leroy |
15722 | 15721 | Chile | Pointy aromas of juniper, tree bark, pencil lead and blackberry come out rough but improve with airing. It feels mildly astringent, with rugged flavors of herbal berry and cola. The finish turns oakier, with coconut and vanilla notes rising up. | Single Vineyard Don Maximiano Estate | 88 | 21 | Aconcagua Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Errazuriz 2010 Single Vineyard Don Maximiano Estate Carmenère (Aconcagua Valley) | Carmenère | Errazuriz |
15723 | 15722 | Chile | Reedy on the nose, with notes of pine and juniper to go with tobacco and earthy baked-berry aromas. It feels lively but clacky, with flavors of vanilla, coconut and secondary notes of cassis and berry. The finish is lactic and creamy, with a vanilla note. | Gran Araucano | 88 | 35 | Colchagua Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | François Lurton 2009 Gran Araucano Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | François Lurton |
15724 | 15723 | France | Perfumed wood and black fruit aromas lead the way in this delicious wine. It's rich but still firm, with fine juicy fruit that will come through with time. Packed with tannins, it will be ready to drink from 2021. | | 91 | 23 | Bordeaux | Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Picoron 2015 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Picoron |
15725 | 15724 | France | This rich wine is already smoothly textured yet still has fine tannins that give aging potential. With its black fruit and acidity, it's ripe, smoky and likely to be very drinkable from 2020. | | 91 | 25 | Bordeaux | Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Suau 2015 Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Suau |
15726 | 15725 | France | Full of the bright fruit typical of the vintage, this wine is made from 90% Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc. It's structured with still-young tannins and is dominated by red berry fruit, needing to age until 2021. | | 91 | 35 | Bordeaux | Saint-Émilion | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Tour Grand Faurie 2014 Saint-Émilion | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Tour Grand Faurie |
15727 | 15726 | France | This attractive, juicy wine is full of red fruit. It has strawberry and crisp red currant flavors as well as fine acidity. The result is a wine with good balance, richness, spice and tannins. Drink from 2019. | Cuvée Les Ormeaux | 91 | 18 | Bordeaux | Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Clos Puy Arnaud 2015 Cuvée Les Ormeaux (Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Clos Puy Arnaud |
15728 | 15727 | Portugal | With fragrant violet and red-fruit aromas, this is an enticing wine. Its structure and its concentration bring out its richness and dense black fruits. The wine is elegant, on the dry side of Ports with some firm tannins as well as fine ripe fruits and acidity. Drink this now or (better yet) wait until 2020. | Late Bottled Vintage | 91 | 26 | Port | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Ferreira 2013 Late Bottled Vintage (Port) | Port | Ferreira |
15729 | 15728 | Portugal | This wine, made from 100% Sémillon, is aged in wood and richly endowed. The palate has a smooth texture, with ripe apricot and citrus alongside a hint of a herbs. Drink now. | Private Selection Branco | 91 | 28 | Alentejano | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Herdade do Esporão 2015 Private Selection Branco Sémillon (Alentejano) | Sémillon | Herdade do Esporão |
15730 | 15729 | US | Textured and lengthy, this full-bodied reserve-level wine is soft and round on the palate, expressive in black olive, black cherry, mocha and vanilla. It offers impressive richness and leathery grit on the palate. | Small Block Series Reserve | 91 | 125 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Hess 2014 Small Block Series Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Hess |
15731 | 15730 | Israel | This wine has a nose of black cherry, violet and espresso. It offers well-integrated flavors of blackberry, plum, white chocolate, lavender and coffee bean. Velvety tannins make way for a mellow finish with a lingering sense of brightness. | Kerem Nilli | 91 | 48 | Samson | | | Mike DeSimone | @worldwineguys | Jezreel 2014 Kerem Nilli Argaman (Samson) | Argaman | Jezreel |
15732 | 15731 | Portugal | The top wine in the Periquita range, dominated by Castelão, is densely structured. Its dusty tannins and ripe black plum and black-currant flavors are full of intense ripeness and acidity. Produced in limited quantities with 10 months in wood, this is still young. Drink from 2019. | Periquita Superyor | 91 | 40 | Península de Setúbal | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | José Maria da Fonseca 2014 Periquita Superyor Red (Península de Setúbal) | Portuguese Red | José Maria da Fonseca |
15733 | 15732 | US | This is a tiny production wine, nutty on the nose in almond paste and an intensity of forest floor and earth. Still gritty in its youth, it shows a soft and delicate nature at its core, accented in rose petal and a persistent streak of minerality complemented by a richness of deep dark red cherry. | Precioso | 91 | 75 | California | Sonoma Coast | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Keller 2014 Precioso Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) | Pinot Noir | Keller |
15734 | 15733 | US | From an estate site, this wine offers power and concentration. Creamy in texture, the generosity of fruit is balanced by notes of stone, toasted oak and French butter, making for a wonderfully complete experience on the palate. | Kelli Ann Vineyard | 91 | 40 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | La Crema 2015 Kelli Ann Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) | Chardonnay | La Crema |
15735 | 15734 | US | This bottling from the Scheid family, one of the region's largest growers, shows aromas of baked red cherry in a vanilla pie crust as well as marjoram, bay leaf and cinnamon. The palate balances tart and ripe cranberry and pomegranate with both dried and fresh herbs. | Riverview Vineyard Estate Grown | 91 | 35 | California | Monterey | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Metz Road 2015 Riverview Vineyard Estate Grown Pinot Noir (Monterey) | Pinot Noir | Metz Road |
15736 | 15735 | US | Heavy licorice bombards the nose on this blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, 8% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, but there is plenty of cassis, fudge, brandy and mint to add complexity. Solid acid and firm tannins grab the palate's attention immediately, allowing blackberry, dried herbs and a rocky minerality to converge cleanly. | Mare Nectaris Reserve | 91 | 52 | California | Paso Robles | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Midnight 2013 Mare Nectaris Reserve Red (Paso Robles) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Midnight |
15737 | 15736 | US | Fresh and broad aromas of strawberry syrup meet with eucalyptus oil and wild mint on the clean if simple nose of this bottling. It grows more tart on the sip, with roasted red plum, cranberry and pomegranate, but the fascinating parts are the curious hints of cannabis and hops, which give herbal depth to the fruit. | Bentrock Vineyard | 91 | 48 | California | Sta. Rita Hills | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Montemar Wines 2012 Bentrock Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) | Pinot Noir | Montemar Wines |
15738 | 15737 | Portugal | This is a wood-aged wine that's smooth with rounded and great fruit flavors. The wood is subtle, a hint of spice and no more, allowing the ripe apricot and citrus flavors to show strongly. It is a very fine wine, ready to drink now. | | 91 | 22 | Dão | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Quinta do Perdigão 2015 Encruzado (Dão) | Encruzado | Quinta do Perdigão |
15739 | 15738 | Portugal | This José Ferreira family project in the Douro Valley had its first vintage in 2007. This partially wood-aged wine is rich and full of black fruits. Fermentation in open lagars has given the wine a ripe character as well as dense tannins. The wine is concentrated and likely to age a little further, so drink from 2018. | Pôpa Tinto | 91 | 18 | Douro | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Quinta do Pôpa 2014 Pôpa Tinto Red (Douro) | Portuguese Red | Quinta do Pôpa |
15740 | 15739 | Portugal | This ripe wine is concentrated in blackberry tones, with added spice from 12 months in French and American oak. The tannins and the dry core are still developing into what will be a sumptuous wine. Drink from 2019. | Vinha da Urze Grande Reserva Tinto | 91 | 19 | Douro | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Rui Roboredo Madeira 2013 Vinha da Urze Grande Reserva Tinto Red (Douro) | Portuguese Red | Rui Roboredo Madeira |
15741 | 15740 | US | This wine offers high-toned cherry amidst a fresh, acidic backbone. The secondary characteristics are defined by cedar, forest floor, coffee and leather. Light in body, this is a great crowd pleaser. | Two Range | 91 | 25 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Rutherford Ranch 2015 Two Range Red (Napa Valley) | Red Blend | Rutherford Ranch |
15742 | 15741 | Portugal | This 100% Alvarinho comes from the grape's heartland in the north of the Vinho Verde region. It is crisp while also having concentrated green and citrus fruits, a rich mineral texture and layers of beautifully refreshing acidity. Drink this wine from 2018. | Santos da Casa Reserva | 91 | 15 | Vinho Verde | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Santos & Seixo 2016 Santos da Casa Reserva Alvarinho (Vinho Verde) | Alvarinho | Santos & Seixo |
15743 | 15742 | Chile | Leafy, herbal aromas of eucalyptus, olive and juniper are big players on the nose of this firmly balanced Cabernet Franc. Spicy, herbal berry flavors are fully oaked and chocolaty. On the finish, this is blackened and tannic, with fleshy black-fruit leftovers and a dusting of oaky cocoa. Drink through 2023. | Single Vineyard | 91 | 25 | Sagrada Familia | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Valdivieso 2013 Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc (Sagrada Familia) | Cabernet Franc | Valdivieso |
15744 | 15743 | Portugal | Structured with a strong mineral character, this is a full rich wine. Its density comes from the fermentation in stone lagars giving richness and opulence. The wood aging has added to the smoothness that is balanced by the intense acidity of the black currant fruits at the end. Drink from 2018. | Colheita | 91 | 18 | Dão | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Vinha Paz 2015 Colheita Red (Dão) | Portuguese Red | Vinha Paz |
15745 | 15744 | US | Black plum and elderberry conspire with smoky cola, shaved chocolate and rustic licorice aromas on the nose of this bottling. The sip starts softly before stiffer tannic structure takes hold, bringing forth flavors of dried plum, reduced soy sauce and a slightly bitter charcoal touch, all lifted by buoyant acidity: very dark without being overly ripe. | | 91 | | California | Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Westerly 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon (Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Westerly |
15746 | 15745 | US | Aromatic fruit and floral notes join delicious honeydew melon flavors as this full-bodied wine wraps around the tongue, leaving a soft smooth impression and lingering on the finish. Very good concentration, layers of flavor and that lasting finish lift this wine above the ordinary. | Abroachment | 91 | 18 | California | Lodi | Central Valley | Jim Gordon | @gordone_cellars | Workman Ayer 2015 Abroachment Viognier (Lodi) | Viognier | Workman Ayer |
15747 | 15746 | US | This wine has great potential to emerge as a classic in the years to come, but is a bit tightly wound right now. Hearty roasted plum and blackberry aromas are coated in smoke, chocolate shavings and subtle violet on the nose. The sip starts bright before the strong tannins take hold, hiding the dark berry and minty flavors. | Estrella | 91 | 65 | California | Santa Ynez Valley | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Zaca Mesa 2014 Estrella Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley) | Syrah | Zaca Mesa |
15748 | 15747 | US | From the mighty mountainous site, this 100% varietal wine is densely compact and thick, with a lift of acidity that keeps it fresh despite its power. Black currant, black cherry, graphite and sage combine effortlessly to provide fruit and complexity. | Stagecoach Vineyard | 91 | 95 | California | Atlas Peak | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Addendum 2014 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Atlas Peak) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Addendum |
15749 | 15748 | US | At 600-feet in elevation, this is the site that's behind a wine of structure and considerable power. A thick rich layering of currant and blackberry is soft with a tannic backbone. Clove and tobacco contribute secondary aspects of complexity. | Smothers-Remick Ridge Vineyard | 91 | 85 | California | Sonoma Valley | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Arrowood 2013 Smothers-Remick Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Arrowood |
15750 | 15749 | Portugal | This is a blend dominated by 85% Touriga Nacional from a single vineyard near the Serra da Estrela mountain range. The relatively cool climate shows in the crisp red fruits and the strongly mineral texture. The wine has an obvious aptitude to age further with its tannins and acidity still prominent, so drink from late 2018. | Quinta da Garrida Reserva | 91 | 35 | Dão | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Bacalhôa Wines of Portugal 2014 Quinta da Garrida Reserva Red (Dão) | Portuguese Red | Bacalhôa Wines of Portugal |