DOMESTIC
90 Holly's Hill Vineyards 2006 Patriarche Blanc, El Dorado County ($22)
Smooth and dense with minerals, clean flavors and spice; long, balanced and lush.75% Roussanne, 25% Viognier.
92 Merry Edwards 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley ($27)
Long and quite beautiful; aromatic and floral with lovely pure fruit.
92 Krupp Brothers Estates 2006 Black Bart’s Bride, Napa Valley ($50)
Creamy and lush with rich texture, smooth minerally fruit and sweet new oak; 42% Marsanne, 38% Viognier, 20% Chardonnay.
91 Domaine Serene 2005 Estate Pinot Noir Blanc, Coeur Blanc, Dundee Hills ($60)
Slightly amber in color; bursting with lovely berry fruit and lively acidity; eclectic but completely balanced flavors.
95 Ramey Wine Cellars 2005 Chardonnay, Ritchie Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($65)
Crisp and juicy with exquisite sweet oak and amazing structure and great elegance.
90 Shannon Ridge 2006 Barbera, Lake County ($20)
Tangy and delicious; juicy with ripe plum and sweet blackberry fruit.
90 Kinton 2005 Syrah, Santa Barbara ($20)
Fragrant, juicy and bright with generous blackberry fruit and a velvety finish; fine-grained tannins, long and beautifully balanced.
JACKSON FAMILY VINEYARDS
90 Jordan 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley ($50)
Racy acidity, ripe plum and smooth berry fruit; clean and nicely made.
91 Louis M. Martini 2005 Zinfandel, Gnarly Vines, Monte Rosso Vineyard, ($50)
Dense, dusty and smooth with notes of roasted, rich plum and cassis; rich texture with complexity and depth.
GALLO
IMPORTS
90 Stadt Krems 2006 Grüner Veltliner Sandgrube, Kremstal, Austria ($17)
Bright and aromatic with tangy citrus and smooth peach; racy and complex with depth.
VIN DIVINO
89 Vionta 2006 Albariño, Limited Release, Single Vineyard, Rías Baixas, Spain ($18)
Smooth and fresh; charming, bright and long, totally delicious.
FREIXENET USA
89 Helfrich 2001 Gewürztraminer Grand Cru Steinklotz, Alsace, France ($20)
Creamy and aromatic with rich texture and notes of minerals, vanilla and spice; ripe, long and mellow.
UNDERDOG WINE MERCHANTS
94 Jorge Ordoñez 2005 Late Harvest Muscat, Victoria 2, Malaga, Spain ($50)
Exquisite with seamless flavors and great depth; smooth with rich syrupy texture and a bright acid structure.
TEMPRANILLO, INC.
91 Jean-Marc Boillot 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Macherelles, France ($57)
A serious wine with Old World style; rich with notes of honey, spice and complex minerals. VINEYARD BRANDS
91 Chateau Reynella 2004 Grenache, Basket Press, McLaren Vale, Australia ($24)
Fresh and juicy with lovely black raspberry and firm acidity; clean, balanced and long with excellent style.
PACIFIC WINE PARTNERS
92 Altesino 2001 Vin Santo d’Altesi , Italy ($33)
Silky, lush and creamy with lovely texture and notes of vanilla and caramel.
WINEBOW
91 Engelbrecht Els 2004 Proprieter's Blend, Western Cape, South Africa ($37)
A classic Hermitagé-style Bordeaux blend: five Bordeaux varieties with Syrah added; long, balanced and complex.
TERLATO WINES INTERNATIONAL
96 Poggio Scalette 2003 Il Carbonaione, Alta Valle Della Greve, Italy ($60)
Smooth and brambly with flesh and notes of pine and vanilla.
WINEBOW
93 Château Le Bon Pasteur 2004 Pomerol, France ($102)
Lovely smooth texture and rich plum and cassis fruit; elegant and nicely structured.
THE ROLLAND COLLECTION
VALUE and BY-THE-GLASS RECOMMENDATIONS
89 TriVento 2007 Torrontès, Mendoza, Argentina ($11)
Ripe and juicy with smooth, dry stone fruit flavors; lush, tropical and clean.
BANFI
89 Oak Knoll Winery 2006 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley ($12)
A great value; juicy and bright with sweet melon and racy citrus; zesty, long and quite lovely.
89 Viña Ventisquero 2007 Root:1 Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley ($12)
Fresh, clean flavors; notes of herbs and racy lime and citrus; lively and long.
CLICK WINE GROUP
88 Château de la Ragotière 2006 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie, France ($14)
Unusual with edgy fruit; crisp, bright and racy; fresh, long and lively.
VINEYARD BRANDS
90 Dry Creek Vineyard 2006 Fumé Blanc, Sonoma ($15)
A classic; ripe and fresh with pure, juicy fruit and lovely texture.
88 Cecchi 2005 Sangiovese, Bonizio, Toscana, Italy ($9)
Energetic and charming Maremma-grown Sangiovese; lively black raspberry fruit and racy acidity.
BANFI
89 Cameron Hughes 2005 Lot 48, Napa Valley ($12)
A five-variety Bordeaux blend; ripe plum and berry fruit with lovely sweet oak; highly drinkable.
88 Raymond 2005 Merlot, R Collection, Napa Valley ($15)
Lovely structure; bright and juicy with lovely plum and berry fruit.
90 2 Up 2005 Shiraz, South Australia ($15)
Smooth and fresh with spicy plum and blueberry and subtle oak; lovely balance.
CLICK WINE GROUP
88 Pizzato 2005 Fausto Cabernet Sauvignon, Dr. Fausto Vineyard, Serra Gaúcha, Brazil ($15)
A surprising Brazilian star; velvety texture and ripe fruit; plummy and balanced with length and complexity.
RIO JOE’S
SPIRITS
88 Primo Vodka ($25)
Made from Malbec grapes; varnishy nose; thick and creamy with dry, rich fruit flavors with some earthiness.
D2 IMPORTS
93 Zubrowka Authentic Bak’s Bison Grass Vodka ($29)
Smooth vanilla and coconut flavors; creamy and luscious with viscosity and clean, intense flavors.
ADAMBA IMPORTS
91 Bluecoat American Dry Gin ($25)
Smooth, mellow, juniper-tinged nose; light-textured with some heat and racy, peppery flavors with notes of citrus, orange peel, vanilla and subtle juniper; dry, zesty and lifted.
PIPER PREMIUM BEVERAGES
93 Dos Lunas Añejo Tequila ($45)
Smooth, creamy and toasted with lovely spice, ripe agave, caramel and pepper notes; elegant, rich and showing a long, long finish.
DOS LUNAS SPIRITS
94 The BenRiach Importanticus Peated Malt ($83)
A 12-year-old single malt Scotch finished in tawny port wood; creamy and heavily peated with rich spice, caramel and smoke.
PREISS IMPORTS
93 Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve Irish Whiskey ($250)
Smooth and toasted with lovely dry fruit and rich oak; clean, intense flavors with notes of vanilla and spice; long, supple and elegant.
PERNOD RICARD
92 Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Fine Champagne Cognac ($50)
Fresh and intense with spice, caramel and treacle; fleshy with notes of dried fruits, vanilla and toasted grains.
REMY COINTREAU USA
92 Averna Limoni di Sicilia ($30)
Limoncello-style; rich and dense with a thick, creamy texture; notes of bitter lemon rind and intense sweetness; luscious and natural with lively, racy flavors.
DOMAINE SELECT
92 Kübler Absinthe ($50)
Clear, intense and hot with bitter licorice and anise notes, plus herbs, mint and complex spice flavors; long, silky and persistent.
ALTAMAR BRANDS
90 Coole Swan Dairy Cream Liqueur ($25)
Creamy and smooth with a hint of earth; luscious and milky with notes of Irish whiskey and chocolate.
COOLE QUAY LIQUEUR
McLaren Vale Icon
Yangarra’s Peter Fraser.
At the ripe age of 33, Peter Fraser has made wine in Australia, Spain, France and the U.S. In fact, he currently works double duty as winemaker at Yangarra, Estate Vineyard in McClaren Vale and as consulting winemaker at Kinton vineyards in Santa Barbara. Peter has been with Yangarra since the inaugural harvest in 2000. At Yangarra, the focus is primarily on Rhône varieties—Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussanne and Viognier—which seem to thrive in this cooler part of McLaren Vale. It’s difficult to believe that a winery this young has already become an icon in the region.
I sat down with Peter several weeks ago and tasted through several recent offerings from Yangarra. In classic Aussie form, the wines show enormous depth of fruit, with a masterful style developed by the hand of a master winemaker. During the tasting, I managed to reconfirm my ongoing love affair with Grenache: the Yangarra Old Vines Grenache is stunning, and the High Sands version is absolutely killer. These wines are not to be missed.
Yangarra is imported by Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates.
90 Yangarra 2007 Roussanne, Single Vineyard, McLaren Vale ($19)
Fresh and citrusy with white peach and minerals; bright, long and complex with lovely balance and nerve.
91 Yangarra 2006 Shiraz, Single Vineyard, McLaren Vale ($25)
Fragrant, spicy and dense with meaty blackberry fruit and power; ripe and long; showing elegant complexity.
92 Yangarra 2006 Cadenzia, Single Vineyard, McLaren Vale ($25)
Richly fragrant, smooth and luscious with velvety texture, ripe blackberry fruit and hints of new oak; 68% Grenache, 27% Shiraz, 5% Mourvèdre.
93 Yangarra 2005 Grenache, High Sands, McLaren Vale ($25)
Stunning; bursting with black raspberry and cassis; racy, intense, long and delightful.
95 Yangarra 2005 Grenache, High Sands, McLaren Vale ($80)
An extraordinary wine; silky and rich with racy, jammy, spicy blackberry and blueberry fruit; pure, intense acidity and elegant flavors.