| 17071 | 17070 | Portugal | Fine ripe fruit pushes through the young tannic structure in this fresh wine. It still has an edge of tannin which balances well with the red berry fruits. Acidity cuts through everything to leave a crisp, blueberry flavored aftertaste. | Muros de Vinha | 85 | 10 | Douro | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Quinta do Portal 2013 Muros de Vinha Red (Douro) | Portuguese Red | Quinta do Portal |
| 17072 | 17071 | Spain | Powdery berry aromas are sketchy but don't offend. This Garnacha feels jammy, rubbery and on the tannic side, while buttery accents intermingle with briny raspberry flavors. A plump, almost sticky feeling finish shows smacking tannins. | Joana | 85 | 15 | Catalonia | Montsant | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Sant Rafel 2014 Joana Garnacha (Montsant) | Garnacha | Sant Rafel |
| 17073 | 17072 | US | Very shy in aromas, this wine eventually offers slight minerality and the faintest whiff of white peach. The palate is also light, though not unpleasant, showing fresh lime zest and melon flavors. | | 85 | 17 | California | Santa Barbara County | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Lucas & Lewellen 2014 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) | Chardonnay | Lucas & Lewellen |
| 17074 | 17073 | South Africa | Wood aromas are front and center on the nose of this lush Pinotage, with notes of berry preserves and cherry compote in the background. The smooth palate boasts ample acidity and ripe tannins that lend a spicy grip to the rich chocolate and jammy fruit flavors. Drink now. | Bush Vine | 85 | 14 | Paarl | | | Lauren Buzzeo | @laurbuzz | Tormentoso 2014 Bush Vine Pinotage (Paarl) | Pinotage | Tormentoso |
| 17075 | 17074 | Portugal | Winemaker Leonor Freitas runs her vineyard just south of Lisbon. This soft, fruity blend is light in both tannins and acidity. It's fresh in character, giving a ripe wine that is ready to drink now. | Monte de Baía | 85 | 12 | Península de Setúbal | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Wines & Winemakers 2014 Monte de Baía Red (Península de Setúbal) | Portuguese Red | Wines & Winemakers |
| 17076 | 17075 | US | This Chardonnay pays homage to the winemaker's wife and business partner, Rae Lee, who unfortunately passed away from breast cancer in 2009. This is an enjoyable showing, displaying lemon and peach tones over a core of creamed corn. Having spent six months in neutral French oak, the palate shows a bit of breadth, balanced by lively acidity. | Cuvee Rae Lee Avonlea | 85 | 25 | Michigan | Lake Michigan Shore | | Alexander Peartree | | Wyncroft 2013 Cuvee Rae Lee Avonlea Chardonnay (Lake Michigan Shore) | Chardonnay | Wyncroft |
| 17077 | 17076 | US | Aromas are floral and fruity, but also oaky, while flavors add ripe plum and black cherry jazzed up with vanilla accents. This is medium bodied, not very tannic, but packs a good amount of flavor. | | 85 | 15 | California | California | California Other | Jim Gordon | @gordone_cellars | Manifesto! 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (California) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Manifesto! |
| 17078 | 17077 | Argentina | Black fruit aromas come with spice and earth notes. This is saturated to the point of feeling heavy. Herbal raspberry and plum flavors end with grating, scratchy, unresolved tannic grab. | Reserva | 85 | 17 | Mendoza Province | Mendoza | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Quattrocchi 2011 Reserva Malbec (Mendoza) | Malbec | Quattrocchi |
| 17096 | 17095 | US | This wine comes from a single vineyard in the western part of the appellation. Aromas suggest honeysuckle, lemon cream sauce and a wild array of garden herbs and spices, from scallions and green garlic to fresh oregano. It's light and bright on the palate, with a steely focus of lime juice on peach. | Parker West | 92 | 37 | California | Sta. Rita Hills | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Fess Parker 2013 Parker West Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) | Chardonnay | Fess Parker |
| 17097 | 17096 | Portugal | The combination of acidity, dark fruits and a minerality give this wine both great density and a fine potential. It is firm, showing the terroir of the Douro well in its grainy texture while also bringing acidity into play. It is young, concentrated and needs to age. Drink from 2017. | Quinta da Fronteira Grande Reserva | 92 | 60 | Douro | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Companhia das Quintas 2012 Quinta da Fronteira Grande Reserva Red (Douro) | Portuguese Red | Companhia das Quintas |
| 17098 | 17097 | France | Delamotte, the sister house of the legendary Salon, is based in the Côte des Blancs so it has plenty of experience with Chardonnay. This crisp, fruity and lightly toasty wine shows well-balanced freshness and poise. Drink now. | Blanc de Blancs Brut | 92 | 112 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Delamotte 2007 Blanc de Blancs Brut Chardonnay (Champagne) | Chardonnay | Delamotte |
| 17099 | 17098 | Spain | Bready, yeasty apple and pear aromas come with grassy hints and notes of green herbs. As a brut nature, it's no surprise that this hits with straight-ahead acidity and crispness. Flavors of sourdough bread, lemon and golden apple finish stony, tight and minerally. Drink through 2019. | Gran Reserva Brut Nature | 92 | 27 | Catalonia | Cava | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Agustí Torelló Mata 2008 Gran Reserva Brut Nature Sparkling (Cava) | Sparkling Blend | Agustí Torelló Mata |
| 17100 | 17099 | US | Just 10% of this wine was fermented in new French oak which adds a bit of weight and length. Grapefruit, peach and lime mingle on the palate, a briny afterthought providing an edge. Smooth and refreshing, it ends in a long dream of lemon. | | 92 | 20 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Armida 2014 Sauvignon Blanc (Russian River Valley) | Sauvignon Blanc | Armida |
| 17079 | 17078 | Italy | Here's a fun and zingy white that offers aromas and flavors of white spring flower, tart green apple and a hint of mineral. It's simple but well made, with zesty acidity that gives it a refreshing finish. | Castel Pietra | 85 | 13 | Northeastern Italy | Vigneti delle Dolomiti | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Mezzacorona 2014 Castel Pietra Pinot Grigio (Vigneti delle Dolomiti) | Pinot Grigio | Mezzacorona |
| 17080 | 17079 | Portugal | While there is plenty of fruit here, there is also a rustic, barnyard edge that is less attractive. The wood aging has produced some spicy flavors and tannins to give the wine structure. | Montaria Tinto Reserva | 85 | 10 | Alentejano | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Parras Vinhos 2013 Montaria Tinto Reserva Red (Alentejano) | Portuguese Red | Parras Vinhos |
| 17081 | 17080 | US | Lushly scented with fresh-cut wood, red berries, cherries and toasted coconut, this delicately entwines the flavors that follow. It's a gentle, lovely, graceful and low-alcohol beauty that should continue to drink well into the mid-2020's. | Freedom Hill Vineyard | 92 | 42 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | St. Innocent 2013 Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) | Pinot Noir | St. Innocent |
| 17082 | 17081 | Argentina | Cool, earthy, rooty aromas of licorice, Graham cracker, cassis and blackberry are dark and brooding. This Malbec is loosely structured, with heavy extraction and blackened, gritty flavors of blackberry and toast. A dark, rubbery, blocky finish is giant like the rest of the wine. Drink through 2022. | Pasionado | 92 | 62 | Mendoza Province | Tupungato | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Andeluna 2012 Pasionado Malbec (Tupungato) | Malbec | Andeluna |
| 17083 | 17082 | Italy | A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Nero, this elegant wine opens with an alluring fragrance of white flowers and stone fruit. Made with no dosage, the linear palate offers juicy yellow apple, citrus, toasted almond and a hint of spice. A refined perlage accentuates the mineral finish. | Naturae | 92 | 45 | Lombardy | Franciacorta | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Barone Pizzini 2011 Naturae Sparkling (Franciacorta) | Sparkling Blend | Barone Pizzini |
| 17084 | 17083 | France | The balance of this wine is immediately striking. Everything is in its place: the crisp apples, tight acidity and the mineral texture are all just right. It's a delicious, perfumed and fragrant wine that is ready to drink with its light, poised aftertaste. | Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut | 92 | 80 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Billecart-Salmon NV Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Chardonnay (Champagne) | Chardonnay | Billecart-Salmon |
| 17085 | 17084 | Argentina | Lemony oak sits atop a heady bouquet supported by woody, baked-berry aromas. This is fresh and fast-moving across the palate, with rooty, toasty flavors of baked black fruits. A peppery, toasty, chocolaty finish is solid, dense and layered. Drink through 2021. | Nicolas Catena Zapata | 92 | 135 | Mendoza Province | Mendoza | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Bodega Catena Zapata 2011 Nicolas Catena Zapata Red (Mendoza) | Red Blend | Bodega Catena Zapata |
| 17086 | 17085 | Italy | This elegant sparkler opens with alluring aromas of fragrant jasmine, wisteria and white peach. Thanks to 80-year old vines, the linear palate has both finesse and concentration, offering ripe yellow apple, Bartlett pear, energizing mineral tones and a saline note alongside a creamy mousse. | Dosaggio Zero | 92 | 30 | Veneto | Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore | | Kerin O’Keefe | @kerinokeefe | Ca' dei Zago 2013 Dosaggio Zero (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore) | Glera | Ca' dei Zago |
| 17087 | 17086 | Canada | Produced from the estate vineyard's oldest vines, this CSV bottling is a dry, leesy, textural wine, with dominant flavors of citrus flesh and rind along with green apples. There's a strong streak of mineral also, and a well-balanced finish of medium length. | CSV Estate Bottled | 92 | 25 | Ontario | Beamsville Bench | | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Cave Spring 2012 CSV Estate Bottled Riesling (Beamsville Bench) | Riesling | Cave Spring |
| 17088 | 17087 | US | Dense and intense, with loads of fine-grained tannin, this is a deep, dark-colored wine with oodles of flavor and a very thick texture. As massive as it is in texture though, delicious flavors like blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate come through and then linger on the finish. Drink from 2016 to 2026. | Naylor Vineyard | 92 | 29 | California | El Dorado | Sierra Foothills | Jim Gordon | @gordone_cellars | Cedarville Vineyard 2012 Naylor Vineyard Petite Sirah (El Dorado) | Petite Sirah | Cedarville Vineyard |
| 17089 | 17088 | US | This big-boy, 100% varietal Cab is reflective of both its vintage and provenance, a celebration of black pepper, blackberry and tar around an intensely full-bodied, bittersweet palate. Tobacco leaf and leather saddle interweave themselves through the wine's middle and end. Drink now through 2020. | Walther River Block | 92 | 150 | California | Rutherford | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | D.R. Stephens 2012 Walther River Block Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford) | Cabernet Sauvignon | D.R. Stephens |
| 17090 | 17089 | US | This is a rich, inviting wine with characteristics of dried cranberry and red currant, replete with dusty, spicy tannins and spicy, spiked vanilla. Lush, the tannins are soft and supple, a tad smoky, and the secondary elements darker in smoke, black licorice and espresso. Burly, it's balanced and refined. | Estate | 92 | 55 | California | St. Helena | Napa | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Ehlers Estate 2012 Estate Merlot (St. Helena) | Merlot | Ehlers Estate |
| 17091 | 17090 | Australia | Phil Sexton's wines under the Giant Steps label are becoming more consistent, and the 2014s may be his best yet. This is a medium- to full-bodied wine, with a supple, creamy texture and lingering notes of spring flowers and black cherries. Subtle oaking adds brown sugar and mocha shadings to the crisp finish. Drink now–2022. | Sexton Vineyard | 92 | 42 | Victoria | Yarra Valley | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Giant Steps 2014 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley) | Pinot Noir | Giant Steps |
| 17092 | 17091 | US | Adam Comartin's San Jose-based label shines a bright light on this new appellation. This wine shows blackberry shave ice, black cherries, black pepper, cola and the lifting aromatics of violets on the nose. More black pepper spices up the palate, with the balanced cherry and berry power proving quite distinctive and regal. | Tierra Alta Vineyard | 92 | 40 | California | Ballard Canyon | Central Coast | Matt Kettmann | @mattkettmann | Comartin 2012 Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah (Ballard Canyon) | Syrah | Comartin |
| 17093 | 17092 | France | Savory spiced apple with complex autolytic overtones of stone, oatmeal, soy and baked apple lend a rich, rounded to the nose and palate. There is real character in the classy, slender structure and the lingering taste is satisfyingly clean and long. | Extra Brut | 92 | 30 | Alsace | Crémant d'Alsace | | Anne Krebiehl MW | @AnneInVino | Domaine Charles Frey 2011 Extra Brut Sparkling (Crémant d'Alsace) | Sparkling Blend | Domaine Charles Frey |
| 17094 | 17093 | US | Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the majority of this Meritage, with 25% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The blending succeeds in offering a mix of chalky tannins and juicy cassis, with the wine structured and fairly elegant in style. Pencil lead and licorice mark the lengthy finish. Drink now through 2020. | The Mariner | 92 | 45 | California | Dry Creek Valley | Sonoma | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Dry Creek Vineyard 2012 The Mariner Meritage (Dry Creek Valley) | Meritage | Dry Creek Vineyard |
| 17095 | 17094 | Spain | Licorice aromas are matched by herbal, horsey notes on this earthy, muscular Monastrell. A bold, high-volume palate is home to plum, currant and blackened flavors, while an integrated, lightly herbal finish is fresh and powerful, with a firm structure that will ensure at least several additional years of life. Drink through 2023. | Las Quebradas | 92 | 42 | Levante | Alicante | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Enrique Mendoza 2010 Las Quebradas Monastrell (Alicante) | Monastrell | Enrique Mendoza |