Holiday gift-giving edition
DOMESTIC
91 Stephen Test 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, O'Neel Ranch, Russian River Valley ($22)
Almost Sancerre like; bright, pure and clean with fresh herbs, fruit and complex acidity; great balance and style.
92 Airfield Estates 2006 Riesling Icewine, Yakima Valley ($28)
Lovely and creamy; thick with ripe luscious vanilla and honey.
88 Robert Mondavi 2005 Reserve Fumé Blanc, To Kalon Vineyard, Napa Valley ($35)
Rich, dense and lush with spice, herbs and juicy notes; well balanced. ICON ESTATES
89 The Ojai Vineyard 2005 Chardonnay, Clos Pepe Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills ($40)
Creamy and dense with pure, crisp acidity and lovely notes of oak, spice and ripe flesh.
90 Dolce 2003 Napa Valley ($85)
An 89% Semillon, 11% Sauvignon Blanc late-harvest beauty; lush, balanced flavors of vanilla and spice. FAR NIENTE
90 Edge Wine 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($20)
A new negociant project from Ray Signorello; gorgeous berry and plum fruit with generous, ripe flavors and modern style; a steal.
93 Saxum Vineyards 2005, Booker Vineyard, Paso Robles ($55)
92% Syrah with 8% Grenache; excellent acid structure and massive blackberry fruit; long, complex and beautifully intense.
92 Robert Keenan 2004 Merlot, Mailbox Vineyard, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley ($60)
Smooth texture and ripe plum and blackberry fruit; rich, velvety and concentrated.
94 Xtant 2003 Napa Valley ($75)
Complex, velvety and totally charming; notes of spice, cassis, chocolate and vanilla; 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 15% Malbec. O’NEILL VOSTI WINES
92 Archery Summit 2004 Pinot Noir, Archery Summit Estate, Dundee Hills ($150)
Lush and seamless Oregon Pinot, aged in 80% new French oak: dense, complex and layered with ripe cherry fruit.
IMPORTS
91 Nikolaihof 2006 Grüner Veltliner Hefeabzug, Wachau ($28)
A bright and juicy Austrian white with smooth, peachy fruit and steely, mineral-tinged flavor. SKURNIK WINES
95 Jackson-Triggs Niagara 2005 Vidal Icewine, Proprietors’ Reserve, Niagara Peninsula ($20; 375 ml.)
Explosive candied peach fruit and silky texture with superb acid structure; lingers with amazing complexity and depth. CONSTELLATION
91 Vinniaoli Jermann 2003 Capo Martino, Venezia Giulia ($96)
A Ribolla Gialla blend; dense and creamy with ripe, toasted fruit; long, complex and elegant. EMPSON USA
97 Vincent Girardin 2005 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru ($119)
Silky, intense and pure with deep notes of oak, minerals and amazing fruit; many layers of flavor, all set on a firm base of acidity. VINEYARD BRANDS
94 Bollinger 1999 Brut La Grande Année ($125)
Luscious and creamy with lovely complexity of oak and toasty fruit. TERLATO WINES INTL.
90 Terrabianca 2004 Piano del Cipresso, Toscana ($44)
100% Sangiovese; intense flavors and racy acidity; deep and really lovely. EMPSON USA
92 Chateau Reynella 2004 Reserve Shiraz, Cellar No. One, McLaren Vale ($65)
Basket pressed; thick texture and gorgeous blackberry fruit; pure and captivating. PACIFIC WINE PARTNERS
91 Bodegas Roda 2003 Roda I, Rioja ($73)
Dense, ripe and pert and with intense black fruit; a classic modern Rioja. MAVERICK WINE CO.
95 Mongeard-Mugneret 2005 Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Orveaux ($75)
Fragrant and elegant with luscious cherry fruit and racy acidity; complex and gorgeous. VINEYARD BRANDS
94 Le Cheval Fou 2005 Hermitage ($125)
Americans invade the Northern Rhône! Loaded with personality plus excellent structure; rich blackberry and cassis fruit with great complexity and style. LE CHEVAL FOU WINE
VALUE AND BY-THE-GLASS RECOMMENDATIONS
88 Hogue Cellars 2006 Late Harvest White Riesling, Columbia Valley ($9)
Bright and juicy with sweetness and good acid balance; very pleasant. CONSTELLATION
87 Heron Wines 2006 Chardonnay, California ($10)
Smooth and silky with soft acidity and good fruit; long and ripe with good balance.
87 Prahova Valley 2004 Tamaioasa Romanesca, Dealu Mare ($10)
A smooth Romanian white with sweet, peachy fruit and clean, juicy flavors; long, silky and fresh. DANEX INTL.
88 Rancho Zabaco 2006 Dancing Bull Sauvignon Blanc, California ($12)
Bright, fresh and citrusy with racy acidity and bracing flavors. GALLO
88 Quady Winery 2006 Muscat “Electra,” California ($13)
Fresh and juicy with tangy grapefruit, lively spice and crisp acidity; delicious.
88 Hardy's Wines 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stamp of Australia, South Eastern Australia ($7)
Dense and smooth with ripe plum and blackberry fruit. CONSTELLATION
88 2002 Byzantium Rosso di Valachia, Dealu Mare ($10)
A silky and generous Romanian red with fresh, clean flavors of earth, spice and plum. DANEX INTL.
88 Falesco 2005 Vitiano Rosso, Umbria ($11)
34% Sangiovese, 33% Merlot and 33% Cabernet; balanced with fresh plum, charm and style. WINEBOW
88 Kendall-Jackson 2005 Syrah, Vintner's Reserve, California ($12)
Another charmer in this K-J tier: smooth and vibrant with red berry fruit, good structure and notes of oak and earth.
88 Maramonte 2005 Syrage, Lot 7, California ($12)
58% Syrah, 29% Petit Verdot, 13% Petite Sirah; smooth and clean with spice, blackberry fruit and slick texture. MARA WINE GROUP
SPIRITS
92 Vida Añejo Tequila ($68)
Smooth and earthy on the nose; mellow agave flavors with soft oak complexity; long, spicy and clean with hints of caramel and cinnamon. VIDA TEQUILA
94 Chivas Regal 25 Year Old ($299)
Smooth and toasty with lovely depth; rich vanilla and notes of dried fruit, espresso and caramel; unctuous and elegant with gorgeous texture and luscious flavors. PERNOD-RICARD
94 Johnny Walker Blue Label Scotch King George V Edition ($600)
Deep amber color; fragrant and smooth with lovely depth; mellow and fleshy, toasty and rich with sweet caramel, treacle, honey, vanilla and toasted oak with lovely texture. DIAGEO
93 Compass Box Flaming Heart Whisky ($85)
A rich nose of toast and smoke; peaty, layered and dense with spice, flesh, intensity and notes of caramel and vanilla. WYATTZIER
94 Parker’s Heritage Collection Bourbon ($80)
New release paying tribute to 6th-generation master distiller Parker Beam; dark, toasty and grassy with lovely floral notes and caramel and honey; silky and quite lovely. HEAVEN HILL
94 Courvoisier Napoléon Cognac ($85)
Elegant and complex; notes of smoke, spice and licorice with wood, rich dried fruits and earth; dense and yet very classy. BEAM GLOBAL SPIRITS
90 Castello Banfi Grappa ($43, 500 ml.)
Powerful with dry, hot, spicy flavors and notes of pepper, grass and vegetation; intense, complex and rustic with very good length. BANFI VINTNERS
94 Aqua Perfecta Poire Eau de Vie ($40, 375 ml.)
Creamy, lush and showing true pear flavors and amazing depth of flavor; clear, complex and certainly the best EDV this distillery has ever produced. CRAFT DISTILLERS
92 VeeV Açai Spirit ($35)
Sophisticated and silky with mellow, soft notes of prickly pear; rich, long and complex with moderate sweetness and balance. VEEV SPIRITS
Absolut Winner
ABSOLUT VODKA has become a modern classic, thanks not only to its famous series of relentlessly inventive ad campaigns but also simply because of its smooth, clean, all-natural flavors. The sleek Scandinavian apothecary-style bottle—whose familiar iconic silhouette would probably be recognized by visiting aliens—has become part of contemporary consciousness and generates instant visual brand equity anywhere it’s seen.
But even an icon as absolute as ABSOLUT needs company. Parent V&S has introduced several beautifully-made flavored versions over the years, from Peppar to Apeach, but recently the time seemed right for something even more exciting and more primal. So, getting back to basics while taking a leap forward at the same time, the company has just launched a new 100-proof sibling to the original: ABSOLUT 100. Like the original product, ABSOLUT 100 is crafted from winter wheat grown in southern Sweden and is subject to the same proprietary continuous distillation process, a technique pioneered by Absolut in 1879.
The black-coated bottle looks very nearly like a photographic negative of the original, as if this new version arrived from some parallel vodka universe where all things transparent have become shrouded in mystery and power. (Don’t worry: the vodka is crystal clear; it’s only the bottle that’s black.) ABSOLUT 100 radiates an unmistakable and slightly menacing presence on the bar or on the shelf—an allure that will appeal to a target demographic of neo-yuppie (and mostly male) vodka-drinkers who grew up with Darth Vader as a secret role model.
ABSOLUT 100 is meant to impress. It’s an imminently mixable spirit that brings high-octane power to classic mixed cocktails or more elaborate signature creations; no doubt today’s creative mixologists will have a field day with the stuff. With an SRP of $30, ABSOLUT 100 is poised to become the premium vodka of choice for a generation that was still on root beer when the original ABSOLUT appeared in the States. The taste is bold, but smooth on the palate, with an aromatic citrus-spice flavor and clean, mellow texture. As the packaging suggests, it shows its power, but it’s nothing if not bold, yet surprisingly soft on the way down.
The bottom line: Best new line extension. Best new vodka. A perfect 100 score.