Wine & Spirits - February 2013 - (Page 72)

IMPORTED NEW RELEASES Our blind panels tasted 787 new-release imported wines for this issue. Our critics rated 81 as exceptional (90+) and 59 as Best Buys. Carson Demmond reviews South Africa; Joshua Greene reviews Australia; Patricio Tapia reviews Argentina, Chile and Spain; Tara Q. Thomas reviews Southern France. Find a complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com. A RGE N T I N A W HIT E Sauvignon Blanc 110469 2012 Tupungato Terroir Unico Gualtallary Sauvignon Blanc ^ Juan Pablo Michelini, winemaker at Zorzal, grows this fresh sauvignon in the high elevations and sandy limestone soils of Gualtallary. Distinctive in its blend of flavors, combining chalk, citrus and green apple, it would make a fine aperitif. § Brazos, NY; Delectatio Wines, Magnolia, TX caBerneT Sauvignon PinoT noir 110470 2012 Tupungato Terroir Unico Gualtallary Pinot Noir (Best Buy) ^ This pinot seems simple at first, with scents of strawberries and fresh flowers that flood the mouth, tasting of red fruits freshly crushed. Then earthy and spicy notes turn the wine toward greater complexity, while the firm tension of the structure surrounds all the juicy flavor. § Brazos, NY; Delectatio Wines, Magnolia, TX 110366 2011 Patagonia Barda Pinot Noir (Best Buy) ^ While it’s adorned with red raspberry scents and black pepper details, the heart of this wine is made of earth. That core becomes increasingly apparent as it takes on air, a complex expression of pinot noir from old vines in Río Negro’s Alto Valle. § Kobrand, Purchase, NY 90 | Zorzal $14 90 | Zorzal $14 TorronTeS 109637 2012 Cafayate Valley Don David Finca La Primavera #3 Torrontés ^ This presents a juicy duality, contrasting the sweet floral scents of torrontés with the taut line of acidity in mountain-grown whites from the north of Argentina. The combination is refreshing, with a silky texture that’s unusual for torrontés. Chill it for seafood au gratin. § Frederick Wildman and Sons, NY 110227 2012 Mendoza Torrontés (Best Buy) ^ Scents of citrus pith carry through to this wine’s tangy lime and orange flavors. Its mild sweetness will match pan-roasted trout. § Vino del Sol, Corralitos, CA 90 | Bodega Chacra $30 90 | Michel Torino 109925 $25 85 | Zolo 2010 Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon ^ If you’re looking for a bottle of cabernet that will be empty before you know it, right in the middle of grilling a steak, this is your red: rich, juicy fruit, subtle herbal scents and an acidity so electric that it almost requires you to take another sip. It’s rare to find a cabernet this lively. § Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena, CA 109787 2011 Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon (Best Buy) ^ Chocolate-smooth, this is a rich cabernet with fragrant herbal notes over the ripe black fruit. The flavors last, ready to meet a steak. § Winesellers, Niles, IL 90 | Doña Paula $16 red Blend 109883 91 | Benegas Lynch $26 $11 87 | Santa Julia $13 2007 Mendoza Libertad Vineyards Red Blend ^ Monumental in its concentration and size, this is a fiesta of sweet liqueur-like fruit ripeness, cinnamon and clove. It’s a powerful wine composed of cabernet franc (50 percent), cabernet sauvignon (30 percent), merlot and petit verdot. § Vias Imports, NY A RGE N T I N A RE D caBerneT Franc 110341 2010 Mendoza Las Divas Vineyard Gran Cabernet Franc ^ Generous scents of mocha, cinnamon and spice meld with a subtler herbal aroma in this cabernet franc grown in the heights of Gualtallary. The flavors have substantial depth, accented by dried fruit scents, the texture soft and rich. § Paul Hobbs Selections, Sebastopol, CA PeTiT verdoT 110468 Ta n n a T 110187 $35 90 | Decero $35 91 | Riglos 2010 Agrelo Remolinos Vineyard Petit Verdot ^ Although petit verdot can seem like a beast in Bordeaux’s cool climates, it is less difficult to domesticate under Mendoza’s sun, this one more like a kitten. It’s ripened to scents of chestnuts and cherries in a texture that feels suave, the tannic embrace sweet and voluptuous. § Vintus, Pleasantville, NY 2012 Cafayate Valley Vina Cornejo Costas Tannat (Best Buy) ^ From vines planted in 2000, this is a fresh style of tannat, aged for a year in stainless steel. The flavors come at you out of darkness, but it’s not black; just super tannic. And mouthwatering. There’s some minerality that emerges in the finish, along with a red note, like persimmon. Decant it for a thick-cut pork chop. § Cabernet Corp., Novato, CA 90 | Don Rodolfo $10 72 WINE & SPIRITS FEBRUARY 2013 http://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com http://www.donapaula.com/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - February 2013

Wine & Spirits - February 2013
Editor’s Note
Happenings
Contents
Fined & Filtered
Austral Spirits
Petite Conversion
Sydney’s Sommelier Hangouts
Pinot Noir at the 46th Parallel
Extreme Patagonia
W&S Centerfold – Kimchi & Red Wine
Extreme Values
Introduction
Rhône Valley Reds & Whites
US Syrah
US Zinfandel
Catalan Wines
Chilean Cabernet & Carmenère
Argentine Malbec & Blends
American New Releases
Imported New Releases
New Books

Wine & Spirits - February 2013