| 17431 | 17430 | US | Try sneaking this into your next wine group blind tasting. It might turn some heads. It shows the ripe, polished cherry, plum, sage, carob and licorice flavors of the finest Merlots, with rich, finely ground tannins, and finishes dry. With a drop of Cabs Sauvignon and Franc, it has true complexity. | | 87 | 15 | California | Sonoma County | Sonoma | | | Ray's Station Vineyards 2003 Merlot (Sonoma County) | Merlot | Ray's Station Vineyards |
| 17432 | 17431 | US | This is a new dessert wine from Bonny Doon, from the Arroyo Seco region which is such a great source of whites. With 11% residual sugar, it's quite sweet. The apricot, peach, pear and lime flavors have a honeyed, botrytised richness. | Le Vol des Anges Beeswax Vineyard | 87 | 30 | California | Arroyo Seco | Central Coast | | | Bonny Doon 2006 Le Vol des Anges Beeswax Vineyard Roussanne (Arroyo Seco) | Roussanne | Bonny Doon |
| 17433 | 17432 | Italy | The nose is rich and easy; packed with dark fruit, a touch of oak. Not terribly serious, but beautifully balanced and very likeable. The finish is short-medium, and the fruit stays with it. A comfort wine for comfort food. | Bricco dei Merli | 87 | 26 | Piedmont | Barbera d'Alba | | | | Azienda Agricola Cogno 2004 Bricco dei Merli (Barbera d'Alba) | Barbera | Azienda Agricola Cogno |
| 17434 | 17433 | France | Always one of the most reliable and successful white Bordeaux brands, dominated by Sauvignon Blanc. The 2005 is a rich, tropical fruit and white currant-flavored wine. There is some green plum, fresh acidity and a hint of wood. Great as an apéritif, it also works well with sushi. | Numéro 1 | 87 | | Bordeaux | Bordeaux Blanc | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Dourthe 2006 Numéro 1 (Bordeaux Blanc) | Bordeaux-style White Blend | Dourthe |
| 17435 | 17434 | Italy | This alluring Chardonnay displayed a gorgeous nose of vanilla and candied apricot. While it is relatively simple on the palate, the flavors are concentrated and it finishes well. Overall, an easygoing bottle of wine that will match most foods. | | 87 | 17 | Piedmont | Langhe | | | | Il Falchetto 2006 Chardonnay (Langhe) | Chardonnay | Il Falchetto |
| 17436 | 17435 | France | More toast than fruit even at this young stage, this is a ripe wine, showing big woody, toasty flavors that leave freshness behind. There are flavors of cream, caramel and wood here. Acidity appears on the finish. | Tsarine Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs | 87 | 75 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Chanoine 2003 Tsarine Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay (Champagne) | Chardonnay | Chanoine |
| 17437 | 17436 | US | Reserve Alexandre is always a really nice, interesting wine, but with recent price increases, consumers should be wary. The '04 shows classic Alexander Valley softness and herbs, along with cherries, blackberries and oak, and it's an elegantly balanced wine. But it doesn't seem to be an ager, as it's a little thin on the finish, so drink now. | Reserve Alexandre Meritage | 87 | 56 | California | Alexander Valley | Sonoma | | | Geyser Peak 2004 Reserve Alexandre Meritage Red (Alexander Valley) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Geyser Peak |
| 17438 | 17437 | US | With residual sugar of 15.2%, this is a very sweet wine, but crisp acidity gives it complete balance. The flavors are direct and appealing and, as the variety suggests, powerful in tangerines and honeyed oranges. | Late Harvest | 87 | 15 | California | California | California Other | | | Fiore d'Arancio NV Late Harvest Orange Muscat (California) | Orange Muscat | Fiore d'Arancio |
| 17439 | 17438 | US | This isn't a very complex Merlot, but it is textbook if you're looking for soft fruitiness. It has oak-influenced cherry and blackberry flavors, with hints of violets and fruit tea, and is dry and dusty in tannins. Give it more concentration and it would be a star. | | 87 | 19 | California | Alexander Valley | Sonoma | | | Geyser Peak 2004 Merlot (Alexander Valley) | Merlot | Geyser Peak |
| 17440 | 17439 | US | Soft and gentle in the mouth, with a silky texture, this very ripe Cab shows jammy blackberry, cherry, vanilla and smoke flavors. This is the best Lake county Cab from Guenoc in years. | | 87 | 18 | California | Lake County | | | | Guenoc 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (Lake County) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Guenoc |
| 17441 | 17440 | US | The appellation is in San Benito County, a terroir that has plenty of coastal influence. Acidity and ripeness are the stars in this bright, expressive, dry but fruity wine, with pineapple, lime and honeysuckle flavors. Try as an interesting alternative to Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier. | Amore | 87 | 20 | California | Cienega Valley | Central Coast | | | Pietra Santa 2006 Amore Pinot Grigio (Cienega Valley) | Pinot Grigio | Pietra Santa |
| 17442 | 17441 | US | Delicious in raspberries, cherries, sassafras, cola, orange blossom tea and vanilla, with a beautifully silky texture, this single-vineyard Pinot comes from low-yielding vines in the central part of the appellation. It's a little too soft for cellaring, but offers solid pleasure now. | Garys' Vineyard | 87 | 50 | California | Santa Lucia Highlands | Central Coast | | | Roar 2005 Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) | Pinot Noir | Roar |
| 17443 | 17442 | US | A little sharp, but easily the winery's best non-vineyard designated Cab since the '02. Shows a ripeness level that slam dunks cherries, blackberries, cola and oak onto the palate, yet maintains an elegant dryness. | | 87 | 18 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Rutherford Ranch 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford Ranch |
| 17444 | 17443 | US | If anyone can make converts to Lemberger, Washington's one-time answer to Zinfandel, it's talented winemaker Don Townshend. This bright, tangy, raspberry-laden wine comes across as a stable-mate to Grenache or a light Dry Creek Zin, but it really occupies a niche all its own. Barrel-aged and ripened to a moderate 13.5% alcohol, it screams out for pizza. | | 87 | 15 | Washington | Yakima Valley | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Townshend 2005 Lemberger (Yakima Valley) | Lemberger | Townshend |
| 17445 | 17444 | Italy | The 2003 Barbaresco is evolving well, if quickly. It shows mature flavors of smoky fruit, sweet plums, graphite and a touch of rubber. Soft on the palate, and delicious now, it should drink well for another five years. | | 87 | 61 | Piedmont | Barbaresco | | | | Pio Cesare 2003 Barbaresco | Nebbiolo | Pio Cesare |
| 17446 | 17445 | Italy | The Romualda is a lovely wine that has evolved nicely. It has some of the plumminess of the year, but there is also some freshness and a pretty floral quality. Big, rich and pleasant. | La Romualda | 87 | 30 | Piedmont | Barbera d'Alba | | | | Principiano Ferdinando 2003 La Romualda (Barbera d'Alba) | Barbera | Principiano Ferdinando |
| 17447 | 17446 | France | Attractive, best-selling Crémant d'Alsace, with its crisp apple and almond flavors to go with the acidity. It is lively, well-balanced, a great value in sparkling wines. | Brut | 88 | 22 | Alsace | Crémant d'Alsace | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Wolfberger NV Brut Sparkling (Crémant d'Alsace) | Sparkling Blend | Wolfberger |
| 17448 | 17447 | US | Lots of tannins and zingy acidity in this young 100% Cabernet. That's what the cool climate of Atlas Peak brings. Despite the massive blackberry and cassis richness, the wine is somewhat fierce now, suggesting 4–5 years, and possibly far longer, in a cool cellar. | Limited Release Foss Valley Ranch | 88 | 85 | California | Atlas Peak | Napa | | | Artesa 2007 Limited Release Foss Valley Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon (Atlas Peak) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Artesa |
| 17449 | 17448 | Germany | Lush and already highly enjoyable, with a round, creamy texture and lingering finish. The aromas and flavors bring to mind dessert—ripe apple, honey and cinnamon—but the wine remains essentially dry. | Erbacher Steinmorgen Erstes Gewächs Trocken | 88 | 55 | Rheingau | | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Baron Knyphausen 2009 Erbacher Steinmorgen Erstes Gewächs Trocken Riesling (Rheingau) | Riesling | Baron Knyphausen |
| 17450 | 17449 | Chile | A consistent wine based on the previous vintage, with nice melon, grass and tropical aromas. The palate runs quick and crisp, with tangy citrus flavors, particularly orange, lime and pineapple. Finishes tropical and healthy, with a hint of pine needle. | Punto Final | 88 | 12 | Casablanca Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Bodega Renacer 2010 Punto Final Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley) | Sauvignon Blanc | Bodega Renacer |
| 17451 | 17450 | Germany | Hints of honey and orange marmalade on the nose suggest a wine moving toward maturity at a rapid pace, and one gets a similar impression from the palate, which shows similar development. It's stony and layered with honeyed citrus without being sweet, with a wiry feel to the lingering finish. Drink now. | Rudesheimer Kabinett Dry | 88 | 15 | Rheingau | | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Carl Ehrhard 2008 Rudesheimer Kabinett Dry Riesling (Rheingau) | Riesling | Carl Ehrhard |
| 17452 | 17451 | France | Smooth, creamy wine, showing some good, rich, white fruits. It is soft, with ripe apple and lime juice flavors and vivid and balanced acidity. Attractive, ready-to-drink Champagne. | Millésime Brut | 88 | 50 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Charles de Cazanove 2005 Millésime Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | Charles de Cazanove |
| 17453 | 17452 | Italy | Corte Lenguin delivers an impressive Ripasso this year with luscious softness and plump aromas of vanilla bean, red cherry and mocha. The wine closes with a rich, smoky aftertaste. | | 88 | 20 | Veneto | Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso | | | | Corte Lenguin 2008 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso | Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara | Corte Lenguin |
| 17454 | 17453 | US | There's a very good wine in here, with bright acidity, smooth tannins and complex flavors of raspberries, cherries and cola. Yet there's also a strange metallic taste that makes you wonder about the screwcap. It could just be the high acidity combined with minerality. Give it a good long decant before drinking. | Thorn Ridge Vineyard | 88 | 56 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Inman Family 2007 Thorn Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) | Pinot Noir | Inman Family |
| 17455 | 17454 | France | A fine, crisp and balanced Champagne, that has fresh red currant and red apple fruits, a tight texture and light tannins. Fruity, very lively. | Rosé Brut | 88 | 60 | Champagne | Champagne | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | J. de Telmont NV Rosé Brut (Champagne) | Champagne Blend | J. de Telmont |
| 17456 | 17455 | US | Tough and resilient in acids and tannins, but elegantly streamlined. Shows tart flavors of sour red cherry candy, vanilla and sweet sandalwood. Now–2014. | | 88 | 50 | California | Sonoma Coast | Sonoma | | | J Vineyards & Winery 2009 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) | Pinot Noir | J Vineyards & Winery |
| 17457 | 17456 | Italy | There's a very spicy, sassy element to this Amarone by La Giaretta that comes across as mesquite smoke, teriyaki, Spanish cedar and hummus. The wine is tight and taut on the close with a delicate prune-like aftertaste. | | 88 | 40 | Veneto | Amarone della Valpolicella Classico | | | | La Giaretta 2007 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico | Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara | La Giaretta |
| 17458 | 17457 | Chile | Narrow, forward black cherry aromas are dark and positive. It's a bit choppy and showing acidity on the palate, with plum, red berry and additional edgy zest. Flows fast and direct due to its bright fruit and lively acids. A good everyday red wine that's tasty and charged up. | Casa | 88 | 13 | Rapel Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Lapostolle 2009 Casa Merlot (Rapel Valley) | Merlot | Lapostolle |
| 17459 | 17458 | US | The tannins are still hard as nails in this five-year-old Cabernet. It's like chewing on sandpaper, but the black currant and cassis flavors are powerful. An old-fashioned wine that could develop over the years. | Secret Clone | 88 | 100 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | M. Cosentino 2006 Secret Clone Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | M. Cosentino |
| 17460 | 17459 | US | Now 20 years old, Ponzi's five acres of this unusual Piedmontese grape yields a limited-production white wine that is always a joy to taste. Spicy and tart, with stone fruit flavors dramatically speckled with white pepper and herb. | | 88 | 20 | Oregon | Willamette Valley | Willamette Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Ponzi 2010 Arneis (Willamette Valley) | Arneis | Ponzi |