55321 | 55320 | US | A little one-dimensional, but offers enough cherry, red currant and smoky oak flavors to get by for everyday eating. A good example of the art of blending, with 115,000 cases produced. | Coastal Estates | 84 | 11 | California | California | California Other | | | Beaulieu Vineyard 2011 Coastal Estates Merlot (California) | Merlot | Beaulieu Vineyard |
55322 | 55321 | France | Tight, crisp and mineral driven, this wine has citrus fruits and a steely texture, demonstrating that it needs to age for a year. | | 87 | 15 | Bordeaux | Bordeaux Blanc | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château de Bonhoste 2011 Bordeaux Blanc | Bordeaux-style White Blend | Château de Bonhoste |
55323 | 55322 | France | This is a fruity wine, and its black currant flavor emerging right away. Next comes the bright acidity, while the tannins form a solid, dark and dry contrast. The wine needs at least two years to soften into something rich. | | 87 | 10 | Bordeaux | Bordeaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château de la Bouyère 2010 Bordeaux | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château de la Bouyère |
55324 | 55323 | France | Both the aromas and the flavors show considerable wood-aging notes that need time to integrate. The wine will begin to show its fruity black-currant and red plum flavors in a year. It has the richness and ripeness for aging over several years. | | 87 | | Bordeaux | Bordeaux Supérieur | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château de Macard 2010 Bordeaux Supérieur | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château de Macard |
55325 | 55324 | France | Ripe red fruits give this wine a juicy feel. The fruit is balanced, with new wood and caramel flavors offering a smooth contrast to each other. The smoky aftertaste is warm and ripe. | Cuvée Isabelle | 87 | 25 | Bordeaux | Bordeaux Supérieur | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Haut-Mongeat 2009 Cuvée Isabelle (Bordeaux Supérieur) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Haut-Mongeat |
55326 | 55325 | France | Very herbaceous and fruity, this has gooseberry, lime and pink grapefruit flavors. It's a light, bright and attractive, and it will be ready to drink in a few months. | | 87 | 15 | Bordeaux | Entre-Deux-Mers | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château La Mothe du Barry 2011 Entre-Deux-Mers | Bordeaux-style White Blend | Château La Mothe du Barry |
55327 | 55326 | France | With its forward acidity, this shows its fresh side before revealing its ripe red-berry flavors. Tannins form a firm, solid base that dominates the finish. | | 87 | 12 | Bordeaux | Bordeaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Moulin de Mallet 2010 Bordeaux | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Moulin de Mallet |
55328 | 55327 | France | Smoky, ripe and juicy, this wine's weight and tannins are secondary to the plum note and balancing acidity. The wine is open, generous and delicious already. | Réserve du Château | 87 | 17 | Bordeaux | Bordeaux Supérieur | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Pey la Tour 2009 Réserve du Château (Bordeaux Supérieur) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Pey la Tour |
55329 | 55328 | France | This is a fruity effort, with a blackberry note that is laced with attractive tannins and acids. With its smooth, ripe texture and full mouthfeel, this is already approachable. | Chai de Bordes | 87 | 10 | Bordeaux | Bordeaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Cheval Quancard 2009 Chai de Bordes (Bordeaux) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Cheval Quancard |
55330 | 55329 | US | Both wines from this new producer show significant bottle variation. This Cabernet remains stubbornly stiff and compact, despite hours of breathing time. Some tightly wound berry and pomegranate flavors poke through, with notes of thistle and herb. | | 87 | 30 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Coach House 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coach House |
55331 | 55330 | US | This is a dark, tarry wine, with a black cherry and cassis core that's accented by licorice and asphalt highlights. It's big but well built, a powerful red blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot. It seems to be trending into a somewhat pruny finish, and not likely to improve with further bottle age, so drink up. | Untitled | 87 | 35 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Des Voigne Cellars 2009 Untitled Red (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Red Blend | Des Voigne Cellars |
55332 | 55331 | Italy | From the Castel del Monte wine zone in northern Puglia, Bolonero is a blend of 70% Nero di Troia and 30% Aglianico aged in stainless steel. The first grape renders bright fruit tones of cherry and blackberry, and the second delivers power and structure. | Bolonero | 87 | | Southern Italy | Castel del Monte | | | | Torrevento 2009 Bolonero Red (Castel del Monte) | Red Blend | Torrevento |
55333 | 55332 | US | This is called Old Ghost because the fruit used to make the wine is sourced from old vines. It's big, thick and dense, with layers of ripe blackberry, tar and smoky oak. A cigar smoker's kind of wine, this is a grand old Lodi Zin. | Old Ghost Old Vine | 87 | 37 | California | Lodi | Central Valley | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Klinker Brick 2010 Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi) | Zinfandel | Klinker Brick |
55334 | 55333 | Spain | The bouquet on this Cava is a bit gaseous, with mild lime and apple aromas. In the mouth, it's foamy but fresh and lifted. Flavors of candied apple and mango finish in sweet fashion. Nice for Cava but with limits. | Brut Exclusive Gran Reserva | 87 | 16 | Catalonia | Cava | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Marqués de Gelida 2008 Brut Exclusive Gran Reserva Sparkling (Cava) | Sparkling Blend | Marqués de Gelida |
55335 | 55334 | US | This is made in a dark, rich style, with the lush vanilla and tobacco flavors that can be found throughout this winery's red wine lineup. Here, the plummy fruit has the density to match the oak treatment. | | 87 | 17 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Maryhill 2010 Barbera (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Barbera | Maryhill |
55336 | 55335 | US | This Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend has a tart and tangy appeal. The mixed plum and berry fruit flavors are matched with strongly herbal streaks. Tannins are earthy and astringent. | Hattrup Farms Marvell | 87 | 32 | Washington | Rattlesnake Hills | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Maryhill 2010 Hattrup Farms Marvell Red (Rattlesnake Hills) | Rhône-style Red Blend | Maryhill |
55337 | 55336 | France | This medium-bodied, silky-textured rosé features modestly confected aromas of bubble gum and cotton candy, which give way on the palate to vinous notes of cherry and wet stone. Drink up. | Cuvée Tradition | 87 | 12 | Rhône Valley | Costières de Nîmes | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Mas des Bressades 2011 Cuvée Tradition Rosé (Costières de Nîmes) | Rosé | Mas des Bressades |
55338 | 55337 | Italy | Corona Majore is a meaty and intense red wine, with slightly cooked notes of cherry syrup and blackberry pie, followed by tangy layers of spice and leather. The finish shows sour fruit and generous texture. | Corona Majore | 87 | 33 | Sicily & Sardinia | Cannonau di Sardegna | | | | Tenute Soletta 2009 Corona Majore (Cannonau di Sardegna) | Cannonau | Tenute Soletta |
55339 | 55338 | Italy | This bright Aglianico delivers a dark fruit aroma, with touches of rum cake and dusty mineral at the back. The brightness of the acidity will refresh your tastebuds. | | 87 | 13 | Southern Italy | Campania | | | | Terredora 2010 Aglianico (Campania) | Aglianico | Terredora |
55340 | 55339 | US | This tight and compact Cabernet has an earthy base, with leafy forest-floor flavors and very astringent tannins. That said, there is good fruit at the core, especially the note of spicy plum. | | 87 | 21 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Three Rivers 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Three Rivers |
55341 | 55340 | US | This marks a change in style from Three Rivers's 2010, with noticeably less new oak influence and a much smaller production. The green apple and pineapple flavors have some sharpness, and the barrel fermentation (just 15% new oak) adds a biscuit-like note of vanilla wafer. | | 87 | 18 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Three Rivers 2011 Chardonnay (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Chardonnay | Three Rivers |
55342 | 55341 | US | This new release of Riot changes the grapes around, with Sangiovese now comprising half of the wine and Mourvèdre and Grenache filling in the rest of the mix. It's a fun blend, fruity and broad, with a tart raspberry kick and a plummy, spicy finish. | Riot Red Table Wine | 87 | 18 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Trio Vintners 2010 Riot Red Table Wine Red (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Red Blend | Trio Vintners |
55343 | 55342 | Argentina | This smells big but flat, with rich, jammy scents of berry and cherry. The palate comes across heavy and grabby. Flavors of pastry, lactic plum, berry and cassis are heavily influenced with oak, while the finish is full in feel but short in flavor. A blend of 62% Malbec, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Syrah. | Arriero Reserve Blend | 87 | 24 | Mendoza Province | Mendoza | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Hacienda del Plata 2009 Arriero Reserve Blend Red (Mendoza) | Red Blend | Hacienda del Plata |
55344 | 55343 | Argentina | Cherry, cassis and spice aromas are mild and comported. The wine feels chewy and just dense enough, with baked cassis, berry and herb flavors that finish toasty and hot, with a rubbery note. Clean aromas and full fruit flavors are this wine's best attributes. | Zagal | 87 | 14 | Mendoza Province | Mendoza | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Hacienda del Plata 2010 Zagal Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Hacienda del Plata |
55345 | 55344 | Australia | Medium to full bodied, with nicely supple tannins, Wirra Wirra's Church Block is an attractive wine for near-term consumption. Flavors in this blend of 48% Cabernet, 37% Shiraz and 15% Merlot range from broiled tomato to tart berry, then pick up some dried fruit character with air, finishing with an unusually tart edge. | Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Shiraz | 87 | 20 | South Australia | McLaren Vale | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Wirra Wirra 2008 Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Shiraz Red (McLaren Vale) | Red Blend | Wirra Wirra |
55346 | 55345 | US | Once past the whiff of tack-room leather, this young wine opens to reveal broad, sappy plummy fruit. It's not only unique but a whole lot of fun. | Estate | 87 | 30 | Washington | Yakima Valley | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Wilridge 2010 Estate Zweigelt (Yakima Valley) | Zweigelt | Wilridge |
55347 | 55346 | US | Planted in the 1970s, the Frank Herbert Vineyard is owned by winemaker Marco Cappelli. Newsome-Harlow winemaker Scott Klann made a great Zin from this vineyard in 2009, but the 2010 seems sweeter, dialed up on a lot of levels, with more intensity of fruit and alcohol and less of the savory spice that was so attractive last vintage. Still, it's worth tasting for the sake of understanding the vicissitudes of vineyard, vintage and vintner. | Frank Herbert Vineyard | 87 | 36 | California | El Dorado County | Sierra Foothills | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Newsome-Harlow 2010 Frank Herbert Vineyard Zinfandel (El Dorado County) | Zinfandel | Newsome-Harlow |
55348 | 55347 | US | This is dry, crisp and clean. But if you're looking for richness, you won't find it. With its savory lemon, mineral and white pepper flavors, this is an elegant sipper. | | 87 | 15 | California | California | California Other | | | One Hope 2010 Chardonnay (California) | Chardonnay | One Hope |
55349 | 55348 | Italy | Stellato is the quintessential seafood wine that opens with yellow flower, citrus, pear and apple aromas. There's a grassy accent of dried hay at the back, and the wine is crisp and bright in the mouth. | Stellato | 87 | | Sicily & Sardinia | Vermentino di Sardegna | | | | Pala 2011 Stellato (Vermentino di Sardegna) | Vermentino | Pala |
55350 | 55349 | US | Here's one of Testarossa's more forward Pinots from the 2011 vintage, but that appeal is deceptive. It's rich and ripe in raspberry, strawberry and cola flavors, with an apparent sweetness that belies the dry finish. The acidity is adequate, giving it a tart softness. Yet the parts have not come together. Give it until 2017 and see what happens. | Soberanes Vineyard | 92 | 60 | California | Santa Lucia Highlands | Central Coast | | | Testarossa 2011 Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) | Pinot Noir | Testarossa |