1651 | 1650 | Portugal | Lisboa, with its cool climate, lends itself to crisp rosés like this. This lively fruity wine is touched by hints of vanilla and layers of red-fruit flavors. It is light and ready to drink. | Pinta Negra | 85 | 9 | Lisboa | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Adega Mãe 2015 Pinta Negra Rosé (Lisboa) | Rosé | Adega Mãe |
1652 | 1651 | Argentina | Dry earthy herbal aromas of tomato, red-berry fruits and oak set up a full palate with pounding tannins. This tastes roasted and herbal, with notes of bell pepper, tomato and creamy oak. A hard-tannin finish confirms that this Merlot skipped charm school. | 006 Riverside Estate | 85 | 20 | Other | Patagonia | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Aniello 2015 006 Riverside Estate Merlot (Patagonia) | Merlot | Aniello |
1653 | 1652 | US | This is a neutral, papery white wine, with a flat, rather than lively mouthfeel. The apple flavored fruit is there, along with a touch of licorice, but the freshness seems to have been lost along the way. | Cloud Rest Vineyard | 85 | 18 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Oak Knoll 2014 Cloud Rest Vineyard Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley) | Pinot Gris | Oak Knoll |
1654 | 1653 | Portugal | Mula Velha, “the old donkey,” is a younger wine than its name suggests. Brisk and fruity, it offers firm tannins and layers of blackberry fruit. With a touch of oak aging, the wine is developing well and will be ready to drink from late 2017. | Mula Velha Reserva | 85 | 10 | Lisboa | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Parras Wines 2015 Mula Velha Reserva Red (Lisboa) | Portuguese Red | Parras Wines |
1655 | 1654 | Portugal | This wine is ripe, full of black fruits and soft tannins. With plenty of acidity to keep it crisp, the wine has a cool, flavorful character topped off by berry fruits. It's ready to drink. | Terra Grande | 85 | 10 | Alentejano | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Parras Wines 2015 Terra Grande Red (Alentejano) | Portuguese Red | Parras Wines |
1656 | 1655 | Portugal | This wine is light in tannins and ripe in fruit, with a delicious red-berry character. Drink this attractive wine from 2019. | Lote 138 | 85 | 11 | Douro | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Quinta dos Avidagos 2015 Lote 138 Red (Douro) | Portuguese Red | Quinta dos Avidagos |
1657 | 1656 | France | This is a soft, ripe and fruity wine. It has gentle tannins and attractive red-berry fruits. There is just a touch of dryness that gives this easygoing wine its structure. Drink from early 2017. | | 85 | 13 | Bordeaux | Bordeaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Lanscade 2015 Bordeaux | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Lanscade |
1658 | 1657 | France | High-toast aromas are followed on the palate by flavors that are more about wood than fruit. That gives the wine a tough, extracted character that probably will not go away. | | 85 | 20 | Bordeaux | Haut-Médoc | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Troupian 2014 Haut-Médoc | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Troupian |
1659 | 1658 | France | This is a crisp and fruity wine that's perfumed and full of citrus and green fruits. It has a lively character that is filled out with the ripe fruitiness of the vintage. The aftertaste, bright and fresh, suggests it will benefit from another few months. Drink from summer 2016. | | 85 | 13 | Bordeaux | Entre-Deux-Mers | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Vrai Caillou 2015 Entre-Deux-Mers | Bordeaux-style White Blend | Château Vrai Caillou |
1660 | 1659 | US | Roughly equal portions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot go into this tannic blend. It may be a little too far along the aging curve, at least for showing much fruit. It's drying out—displaying a touch of leather—and should be consumed as soon as possible. | Sams Valley Vineyard | 85 | 25 | Oregon | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Cliff Creek 2011 Sams Valley Vineyard Claret (Southern Oregon) | Claret | Cliff Creek |
1661 | 1660 | US | The Claret benefits from an additional year of bottle age, integrating the components (60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% each Cab Franc and Malbec). Tart red-berry fruit is accented with light toast from barrel aging. There's a slight hint of burnt rubber that will blow off with decanting. | | 85 | 35 | Oregon | Rogue Valley | Southern Oregon | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Del Rio 2013 Claret (Rogue Valley) | Claret | Del Rio |
1662 | 1661 | US | This is a light simple red, without particular varietal character. It's much like an inexpensive California Merlot—fine for every day drinking, generic and unassuming. | | 85 | 28 | Oregon | Umpqua Valley | Southern Oregon | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Delfino 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon (Umpqua Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Delfino |
1663 | 1662 | Italy | This inky-colored zesty wine offers aromas of sour cherry, leather and a hint of dried herb. The extremely simple, easygoing palate shows red plum and a hint of clove alongside loose knit tannins. | | 85 | 10 | Central Italy | Montepulciano d'Abruzzo | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Gru 2015 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo | Montepulciano | Gru |
1664 | 1663 | Portugal | This wine is smooth and soft, with an attractive creamy texture and light acidity. Yellow fruits and stewed pears are lifted by a mineral texture. The wine is named after the vineyard rather than after the literal Portuguese meaning of “scantily dressed.” Drink now. | Pouca Roupa Branco | 85 | 13 | Alentejano | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | J. Portugal Ramos 2015 Pouca Roupa Branco White (Alentejano) | Portuguese White | J. Portugal Ramos |
1665 | 1664 | US | Light cinnamon and sugar aromas, and fresh, fruity and lightly sweet flavors make this wine easy on the palate. The texture is soft. | | 85 | 10 | California | California | California Other | Jim Gordon | @gordone_cellars | First & Local 2015 Chardonnay (California) | Chardonnay | First & Local |
1666 | 1665 | Argentina | Oily aromas of citrus peel and lychee set up a lemony palate with pyrazine-influenced citrus flavors. Lychee is the lead flavor on a finish that's mildly bitter. | Esperanza Por Un Milagro | 85 | 12 | Other | Salta | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Amalaya 2015 Esperanza Por Un Milagro White (Salta) | White Blend | Amalaya |
1667 | 1666 | Australia | Wet stone and graphite scents up front give way to hints of honey and Earl Grey tea (bergamot). It's medium bodied and fades quickly on the finish, but it's a solid buy for under $10. | | 85 | 9 | Australia Other | South Eastern Australia | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Half Mile Creek 2014 Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc (South Eastern Australia) | Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc | Half Mile Creek |
1668 | 1667 | US | This good, basic wine offers herb and cherry aromas, mostly crisp fruit flavors and a firm, tannic texture. | | 85 | 12 | California | California | California Other | Jim Gordon | @gordone_cellars | California Republic 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (California) | Cabernet Sauvignon | California Republic |
1669 | 1668 | Italy | Aromas of dark-skinned berry, plum and blue flower come together on this. The simple palate offers morello cherry and a hint of clove alongside soft, not very persistent tannins. | Capostrano | 85 | 19 | Central Italy | Montepulciano d'Abruzzo | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Cantina Valle Tritana 2014 Capostrano (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo) | Montepulciano | Cantina Valle Tritana |
1670 | 1669 | France | This is a light and fruity wine that is ready to drink. It has spice and a layer of dry tannins that are acting as a support to the red fruits and acidity. | | 85 | 20 | Bordeaux | Graves | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Doms 2014 Graves | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Doms |
1671 | 1670 | France | This is a seriously wood-aged wine. Its burnt toast character doesn't chime with the light fruitiness of the vintage and so gives a wine that is bitter and extracted. Less overworking would have produced a better wine. | | 85 | 28 | Bordeaux | Saint-Émilion | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Pindefleurs 2013 Saint-Émilion | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Pindefleurs |
1672 | 1671 | US | This wine seems overtaken with scents and flavors of tree tar and resin. The impression of pine resin cuts out the fruit, leaving some woody flavors in the finish. | Sams Valley Vineyard | 85 | 25 | Oregon | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Cliff Creek 2012 Sams Valley Vineyard Merlot (Southern Oregon) | Merlot | Cliff Creek |
1673 | 1672 | US | Quady North's Flagship is what the owners consider the best lot of wine of the year. Generously slathered in toasty new oak, this very limited (two barrel) reserve from the estate's Frank's Vineyard is not the blockbuster of the previous vintage, but shows exceptional winemaking skills. Black cherry fruit is wrapped in woody tannins, a yin-yang combination that works by dissonance rather than harmony. | Flagship | 90 | 65 | Oregon | Applegate Valley | Southern Oregon | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Quady North 2007 Flagship Syrah (Applegate Valley) | Syrah | Quady North |
1674 | 1673 | US | A huge, ripe, opulent wine, rich in orange, butter, peach, honey and spice flavors. Shows great depth and power, yet finishes thoroughly dry and crisp. Should develop bottle complexities over the next six years. Blended with 15% Roussanne. | | 90 | 20 | California | Santa Ynez Valley | Central Coast | | | Qupé 2010 Marsanne (Santa Ynez Valley) | Marsanne | Qupé |
1675 | 1674 | France | Not a big, overwhelming blockbuster, this harmonious blend of equal parts Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Clairette and Bourboulenc features ripe citrus and pineapple flavors, with a hint of melon thrown in for good measure. It's pleasantly medium bodied and creamy in the mouth, with a reasonably long finish. Drink it over the next 12–18 months. | | 90 | 40 | Rhône Valley | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Réserve des Oliviers 2009 White (Châteauneuf-du-Pape) | Rhône-style White Blend | Réserve des Oliviers |
1676 | 1675 | France | Like many of the '07 Hermitages, this isn't a huge wine, but instead shows a nice sense of proportion, marrying hickory smoke with touches of cracked peppercorns, cedar and roasted beef. Drink now–2020. | | 90 | 126 | Rhône Valley | Hermitage | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Tardieu-Laurent 2007 Hermitage | Syrah | Tardieu-Laurent |
1677 | 1676 | Italy | Libatio shows nice integration with smooth tones of cassis, blueberry, white almond and dried spice. The results deliver balance and elegance and make this a food-friendly option for meat or hearty pasta dishes. | Libatio | 90 | | Tuscany | Toscana | | | | Sant Agnese dei F.lli Gigli 2006 Libatio Red (Toscana) | Red Blend | Sant Agnese dei F.lli Gigli |
1678 | 1677 | US | Flamboyantly rich in cherries, raspberries and cranberries that are a bit tart, yet enriched with sweet oak. Firm acidity brings everything to a clean, bright finish. A pretty wine, showing elegance and finesse. | Julia's Vineyard | 90 | 50 | California | Santa Maria Valley | Central Coast | | | Bonaccorsi 2008 Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) | Pinot Noir | Bonaccorsi |
1679 | 1678 | US | Gavin Chanin makes this distinctive, interesting Chardonnay. Shows a ino Sherry-like yeastiness, and is minerally and streamlined. Zesty flavors of limes, kiwis and grapefruits round out the finish. | Bien Nacido Vineyard | 90 | 30 | California | Santa Maria Valley | Central Coast | | | Chanin 2008 Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley) | Chardonnay | Chanin |
1680 | 1679 | US | Another Livermore Valley producer to watch, Cuda Ridge has fashioned a varietally textbook Cab Franc here, with an intensely woody, herbal nose. Medium-bodied, with tannins that are integrated and ready to soften, this Cab Franc, barrel-aged for 18 months, is really, really good, and ready to age another 3–5 years. | | 90 | 28 | California | Livermore Valley | Central Coast | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Cuda Ridge Wines 2008 Cabernet Franc (Livermore Valley) | Cabernet Franc | Cuda Ridge Wines |