DOMESTIC
88 King Estate Winery 2006 Pinot Gris, Oregon ($16)
Peachy with lively flavors and juicy acidity; crisp, racy and charming with balance and style.
90 Epiphany Cellars 2006 Viognier, Purité, Un-oaked, Santa Barbara ($22)
Nice style and aromatics of minerals and bright citrus; long and lively.
90 Joseph Phelps 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, St. Helena, Napa Valley ($30)
Aromatic with a lovely texture and ripe peach fruit; mellow with lift and good balance.
89 Dutton-Goldfield 2006 Pinot Blanc, Shop Blanc Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($25)
Firm acid structure and lively peach fruit with soft, sweet new oak notes; minerally and charming.
91 Dierberg Vineyards 2005 Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley ($36)
Tangy, subtle acidity and clean, ripe flavors of citrus and pear; lush and elegant
89 Buena Vista Carneros 2004 Merlot, Carneros ($21)
Intense flavors and lovely mouth feel; plum, spice and fleshy flavors.
BEAM GLOBAL
90 Sebastiani Vineyards 2005 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley ($24)
Luscious, dense and smooth with sweet vanilla oak; rich and lovely.
90 McPrice Myers 2005 Grenache, L'Ange Rouge, Santa Barbara ($30)
Ripe, juicy, rich and long on the finish; 7% Mourvèdre, 9% Syrah.
89 Daniel Gehrs Wines 2004 Fireside Port, Amador ($31)
Balanced, long and very pleasant American port from Portuguese varieties: 45% Tinta Cao, 45% Tinta Amarella, 10% Tinta Roriz.
90 Argyle Winery 2004 Pinot Noir, Nuthouse, Willamette Valley ($45)
Bright and elegant with lovely cherry and berry fruit and sweet oak; stylish with finesse and charm.
TERLATO WINES INT’L
92 Rubissow Wines 2004 Merlot, Rubissow Vineyard, Mount Veeder–Napa Valley ($55)
The erstwhile Rubissow-Sargent is now in the hands of the next generation—Peter Rubissow and his sister Ariel Rubissow-Okamoto—and the style has taken a daring modern leap. This impressive debut Merlot is rich, ripe and loaded with vanilla, spice and gorgeous oak.
IMPORTS
89 Doña Paula 2006 Estate Chardonnay, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina ($16)
Tangy fruit and silky texture in an Argentine Chard; fresh and lovely flavors. VINEYARD BRANDS
90 Campbells Muscadelle, Rutherglen, Australia ($19)
Orange, spice aroma; silky and rich with notes of honey and citrus; showing good acidity. CLICK WINE GROUP
93 Shaw & Smith 2006 Chardonnay, M3, Adelaide Hills, Australia ($30)
Burgundian and delicious; elegant pure fruit flavors with lovely sweet new oak. VINTUS
90 Schloss Gobelsburg 2006 Riesling, Urgestein, Langelois, Austria ($24)
Spritzy, limey and bright Riesling with elegant fruit and lovely acid structure.
MICHAEL SKURKNIK WINES
89 Villa Russiz 2006 Pinot Grigio, Collio, Italy ($32)
Smooth and minerally with complex fruit and spice; long, dense and balanced.
EMPSON
88 Langmeil 2005 Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvèdre, Three Gardens, Barossa Valley, Australia ($18)
Smooth, lush and ripe with velvety texture, sweet oak and deep plum and berry fruit.
EPICUREAN WINES
89 Bodegas La Purísima 2004 Trapio, Yecla, Spain ($29)
100% Monastrell from Spain’s Murcia region; bright blackberry fruit with smooth texture and racy acid structure.
WEYGANDT-METZLER IMPORTING
93 Drei Donà Tenuta La Palazza 1997 Graf Noir, Forli, Italy ($62)
Deep, nicely-structured red (55% Sangiovese, 30% Negretto, 15% Cab Franc) from Romagna; mature, long and seamless with great balance and style.
VINEYARD BRANDS
93 Girardin, Vincent 2005 Red Burgundy, Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey Chambertin, France ($50)
Smooth and lush with gorgeous silky texture and lovely ripe cherry fruit; long, rich and deep with great balance, bright acidity and style. VINEYARD BRANDS
VALUE and BY-THE-GLASS RECOMMENDATIONS
88 Gainey Vineyard 2006 Riesling, Santa Ynez Valley ($13)
Bright stone fruit; juicy, long and dry with zesty flavors.
WILSON DANIELS
88 Don Sebastiani & Sons 2006 Viognier, The White Knight, Clarksburg ($13)
Smooth and ripe with creamy texture and crisp acidity; long, lush and balanced.
89 De Loach Vineyards 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley ($14)
Racy and fresh with citrus, peach and lovely acidity; pure and charming.
BOISSET AMERICA
88 Gallo Family Vineyards 2006 Pinot Gris, Sonoma Reserve, Sonoma ($15)
juicy and crisp with citrus and racy acidity; lively, fresh and long.
GALLO
88 Joel Gott Wines 2006 Chardonnay, Monterey ($15)
Delicate flavors with some herbal notes; soft vanilla and good length.
88 Jindalee Estate 2006 Rosé, South Eastern Australia ($8)
Bright and fresh with juicy strawberry fruit; lively, brisk and balanced.
FREDERICK WILDMAN
88 Vinos de Terruños 2005 Esencia de Monte, Yecla, Spain ($14)
Organically grown 100% Mourvèdre from Mucia; dense with soft tannins and smooth texture; spicy flesh and balanced fruit.
VINOS AND GOURMET
88 Lockwood Vineyard 2005 Syrah, Monterey ($14)
Black raspberry fruit and dense texture; long, rich and generous.
89 Ray’s Station 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast ($15)
Pure plum fruit and racy acidity; bracing and lively with balance and style.
88 Georges Duboeuf 2006 Juliénas Château des Capitans, France ($15)
Cru Beaujolais with ripe raspberry fruit; fresh, long and balanced with lovely flavors and style.
WILLIAM DEUTSCH
SPIRITS
91 Qino1 Vodka, France ($25)
Bready nose with smooth, creamy texture and fresh, clean, vanilla-laced flavors; lengthy finish with balance and style.
CC SPIRITS
95 Rittenhouse 23 Year Old Single Barrel Rye Whiskey ($170)
Sweet and smoky with spicy, toasted American oak and lovely rich dried fruits and floral notes; caramel, vanilla and complex flavors of rye and country grains; a true American masterpiece.
HEAVEN HILL
93 Glenkinchie 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch ($50)
Smoky nose; toasty and rich with sweet oak and ripe flavors; fleshy, dense and complex with lovely notes of tobacco and honey.
DIAGEO
95 Lagavulin 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch ($300)
A bit tamer than the 16 but still chock full of smoke, peat, seaweed and funk; lovely notes of leather, spice and treacle; long, complex and as elegant as a Lagavulin could ever be.
DIAGEO
95 Jean Fillioux Réserve Familiale Cognac, France ($225)
Blended from reserves over 50 years old; intense and aromatic with lovely treacle and intense toast, herbs, tea and almonds; spice, orange rind, apricot and lively balance and great depth.
VERITAS
90 Jose Cuervo Platino Tequila, Mexico ($60)
Dense, rustic and showing spicy agave and flesh; long, ripe, dense and balanced.
DIAGEO
92 ULLR Nordic Libation ($23)
Fresh, racy domestic peppermint schnapps with hot spice and cinnamon notes; sweet and tangy with bite and edgy flavors.
HOOD RIVER DISTILLERIES
93 X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, France ($26)
Pretty hot pink color; juicy, racy and bright with true tropical fruit flavors—mango, passion fruit and blood orange—with edgy bitter-citrus notes.
DAUCOURT-MARTIN IMPORTS
91 Sartori di Verona Limoncello, Italy ($19)
Cloudy yellow; smooth, candied lemon with some nice bitter oils and spice; mellow and rich.
BANFI
90 Columba Columba Cream, Scotland ($25)
Spicy, peaty single-malt flavor with cream and light honey; smooth, creamy and not too sweet; mellow and balanced.
TARTAN WINE & SPIRITS
FEATURETTE
A New Chapter for the Mondavis
It’s impossible to discuss California wine without mentioning the Mondavi family. From early grape-shipping days to the classic wines from Charles Krug, from Robert Mondavi’s founding of the first major post-Prohibition winery in Napa Valley to one of the largest takeover acquisitions in California wine industry history, the Mondavi family seems to have had multiple lives in the wine business, with the accompanying ups and downs. In 2004 when the Robert Mondavi winery was acquired by Constellation, it looked as if the story had come to an end.
But now comes Continuum, a partnership between Robert and two of his children, Tim and Marcia. Continuum, called “a fifth beginning for the Mondavi family,” is once again making wine a family affair. The first vintage, from 2005, will be released in March and it’s an instant classic.
Continuum is a stunning blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc and 19% Petit Verdot. Sourcing grapes from vineyards in the Oakville appellation - land that has been cultivated by the Mondavi family for decades - Continuum is producing just 1500 cases of a single wine that is meant to stand among the finest in the world. The result is a Bordeaux-style blend that’s poised and restrained, while being stylish, elegant and intriguing.
Continuum 2005, Oakville–Napa Valley ($130)
Deep and supple with rich, meaty plum and blackberry with notes of licorice, chocolate, spice and subtle oak; silky, long and elegant with sweet fruit, excellent structure and lots of finesse. 94