Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 85

US NEW RELEASES
92 | Keenan

$98

91 | Murphy-Goode

$24

2013 Napa Valley Mernet Reserve ^ This is
a rich, sleek 50-50 blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, most of it from Michael
Keenan's vineyards high up Spring Mountain (this year, half of the merlot is purchased
from Carneros). It's red-fruited in 2013, clean
and plummy, with enough fat in its tannins
to complement seared duck breast. There's
a slightly reductive note, complicit with its
savory character, suggesting this needs bottle
age to show its best. (300 cases)
448345
2013 Alexander Valley All In Claret (Best
Buy) ^ Based on cabernet from the Terra A
Lago vineyard in the Mayacamas foothills
and merlot from the Geyserville bench, this
is a chewy yet sophisticated red, carrying a
black earthen flavor in its tannins, even as
they're smoothed by oak. It feels properly
ripe, its sails full of red fruit, hinting at highertoned floral aromas and a woodsy savor that
speaks to hillside fruit. (1,017 cases)

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
449170

96 | Corison

$165

2013 Napa Valley Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ^ Napa Valley cabernet is
often formidable, but it's rare to find one
that's both formidable and fresh. Kronos is
racy in 2013, lean and lithe with the energy
and dynamism of the vintage. Kronos is
Cathy Corison's estate vineyard, eight acres
surrounding her winery on the west side of
Highway 29 in southern St. Helena. The
cabernet was planted in 1971 on St. George
rootstock, which has the benefit of naturally limiting yields; it also helped the vines
survive the region's most recent bout with
phylloxera. The freshness of this wine's acidity is unusual in contemporary Napa Valley
(especially in the up-valley reaches of St. Helena); it lends a tart, fruit-skin crunch to the
red cherry and darker plum flavors, and lifts
the scent with violet notes. Brilliant cabernet, this is rooted in the best aspects of Napa
Valley's past. Cellar a case and it will provide
exceptional drinking for years to come.
449261

94 | Silverado

$125

2013 Stags Leap District Napa Valley Solo
Cabernet Sauvignon ^ The Millers purchased
their Silverado Vineyard in 1978; originally
planted in 1884, it was one of the first vineyards in what would become the Stags Leap
District. Cabernet grows to luxurious textures and gentle tannins in these gravelly
loam and clay soils, particularly in 2013,
the vintage that produced this powerful and

gracious wine. As Senior Editor Luke Sykora
pointed out, "It's a luxury wine that's delicious rather than aggressive-it's smooth,
sweet and inviting." As ripe as it is, the fruit
feels healthy, the tannins layering rich earthiness into the flavor. (2,476 cases)

this wine has a contrasting dynamic that
brings scents of clover and flowers, pomegranate and peach in waves of ripeness. The
tannins are refined, warm and smoky, and
even though the fruit has some superripe
aspects, the tannins feel energized, creating
a harmonic layering of flavor. Some of our
tasters found this clumsy, one describing it as
"a skinny kid in huge running shoes;" I could
understand the challenges but still found it
to be a fascinating play on the vintage.
448319

90 | Beaulieu Vineyard

448946

94 | Keenan

$102

2013 Spring Mountain District Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon ^ Like many growers in
Napa Valley, Michael Keenan considers the
maturity of the vines one key to the success
of his 2013s. With 16 years in the ground,
Keenan's replanted vineyards grew a formidable cabernet in the vintage, a mountain
wine that feels formal in its power, without
any excesses in extract or alcohol. Keenan
describes it as 'professional' power, like the
powerful swings of a pro golfer that look
breathtakingly easy. The tannins are in alignment from the moment it's first poured, their
firm coffee and cocoa notes hiding some of
the fruit expression. A day later, the darker
tones of mushrooms and tree bark have
opened and lightened to scents of sage and
madrone, a fragrance that embeds the Spring
Mountain forest in the saturation of the fruit.
Bold and supple, this is structured for long
aging, but its beauty is accessible now with
enough time in a decanter. (500 cases)
449260

93 | Silverado

$75

2013 Coombsville Napa Valley Geo Cabernet Sauvignon ^ Ron and Diane Disney Miller
purchased part of the Cedar Knolls vineyard
in Coombsville in 1987, a site first planted
in 1868. They renamed the vineyard Mt.
George, after the volcano that contributed to
the deep, gravelly loam soils on these southern Napa hills. The cabernet sauvignon they
planted there in 1990 grew a supple 2013, the
fruit fresh and savory, completely saturating the velvet texture of the tannins. There's
earthen power in those tannins, carrying substantial extract, yet the wine feels clean and
gracious. Lovely now, this will likely be best
ten years from the vintage. (2,200 cases)
449265

92 | Storybook Mountain

$60

2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ^
With all the richness and intensity of 2013,

$141

2013 Rutherford Napa Valley Georges
de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ^ A superrich vintage of this classic
Rutherford cabernet, this is concentrated
with gentle power. The fruit is youthfully
blunt in its primary grape flavor, the tannins
brash with their oak extract. But there's a floral buzz and some tension to the structure
that predicts a long life ahead.

448282

90 | Freemark Abbey

$150

2013 Rutherford Napa Valley Bosché
Cabernet Sauvignon ^ This has the richness
of Rutherford tannins, from vines grown in
the benchlands at the base of the Mayacamas mountains. It also has energy in its red
fruit, a zesty edge of bay laurel and herbal
tension. There's a lot of oak getting in the
way for now, shellacking the fruit with its
toast and tannic extract. Cellar this to let
the fruit absorb some of those oak tannins.
(1,215 cases)

448346

90 | Mossback

$25

2014 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (Best
Buy) ^ Floral and soft, this feels as much like
merlot as cabernet, but its fruit is fresh and
WINE & SPIRITS

JUNE 2017

85


https://www.keenanwinery.com/details/ee3d442d-f52c-4278-9910-6f7019095226 http://www.freemarkabbey.com/wine/rutherford-cabernet-bosche http://www.matchbookwinestore.com/?method=storeproducts.showdrilldown&productid=D6397ABB-5619-4A61-9FD0-52A6A6124C5F&ProductCategoryID=53ED604C-EF52-B208-3A81-A37D26BADFD4&WineryID=1fa9ba22-bfce-8218-f2ad-c1e8b5afa7cb&WineTypeID=&ProductType=&wineVarietalID=&wineRegionID=&vintage=&lowprice=&highPrice=&WineBrandID=&WineAppellationID=&lowletter=&highletter=&OrderBy=PXPC.DisplayOrder%2520Asc%2C%2520P.ProductName%2520ASC&ShippingState=CA

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - June 2017

Contents
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - Cover1
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - Cover2
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 1
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 2
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 3
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 4
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - Contents
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 6
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 7
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 8
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 9
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 10
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 11
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 12
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 13
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 14
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 15
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 16
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 17
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 18
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 19
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 20
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 21
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 22
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 23
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 24
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 25
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 26
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 27
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 28
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 29
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 30
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 31
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 32
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 33
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 34
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 35
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 36
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 37
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 38
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 39
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 40
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 41
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 42
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 43
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 44
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 45
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 46
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 47
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 48
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 49
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 50
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 51
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 52
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 53
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 54
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 55
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 56
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 57
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 58
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 59
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 60
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 61
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 62
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 63
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 64
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 65
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 66
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 67
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 68
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 69
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 70
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 71
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 72
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 73
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 74
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 75
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 76
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 77
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 78
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 79
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 80
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 81
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 82
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 83
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 84
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 85
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 86
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 87
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 88
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 89
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 90
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 91
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 92
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 93
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 94
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 95
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - 96
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - Cover3
Wine & Spirits - June 2017 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2022fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2022summer
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202112
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2016winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201606
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2015winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201510
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2014winter
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201404
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2013winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201308
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2012winter
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/drm_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201112
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