Wine & Spirits - Winter 2017 - 119

100 BEST BUYS OF THE YEAR

119056

93 | Yalumba

$20

2013 Eden Valley Triangle Block Shiraz-
Viognier ^ A modern take on an old-fashioned style of Eden Valley shiraz, this is bold
in flavor but not at all massive-more about
stamina and grace than density and weight.
Its flavors of red currants, jasmine and tar
have forthright power, a zesty blast of shiraz spice that leaves a clean, fresh taste in
its wake. This performs far above its price, a
wine to buy by the case and enjoy this winter into spring. (W&S 2/17) § Negociants USA,
Napa, CA

and large casks. This cuvée, named for his
grandfathers, combines blaufränkisch off
both iron-rich clay and green slate. It's super
youthful, almost over the top in the density
of its black berry flavors, but with time in the
glass it reveals a more elegant line, in notes
of foresty spice and a fresh, bright streak of
red fruit. Decant it while the steak is cooking.
(W&S 4/17) § David Bowler Wines, NY

SAUVIGNON BLANC

DESSERT

120042

92 | Boya

218689

94 | Winzerkeller Andau

$18

A UST RI A

2015 Burgenland a Beerenauslese Scheu-
rebe ^ Wolfgang Peck works with local winemaking star Josef Umathum at this co-op
in far-eastern Austria. Made entirely of
scheurebe, it bursts with flavor, the energy
of the acidity sending the green herb, spice
and pink grapefruit flavors through the
mouth like fireworks. It's sweet but refreshing at the same time, balanced for a cheese
plate. (W&S 4/17) § Winemonger Imports, San
Anselmo, CA

2016 Leyda Valley Familia Garcés Silva
Sauvignon Blanc ^ As a stylistic decision,
Garcés Silva opts for ripe and unctuous sauvignons. However, for this wine, they turn to
a more familiar Leyda-like face of the grape,
growing in the cool San Antonio Valley. Here
the acidity is a thin firm line revealing rich
salty minerality, citrus and herbal flavors.
The texture is both light and tight, with a
refreshing finish reminiscent of the juice
of freshly squeezed limes. Ideal for oysters.
(W&S 6/17) § Vine Connections, Sausalito, CA

RIESLING

CHILE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

CHARDONNAY

94 | Viña Chocalan

$16

94 | Viña Santa Carolina

$20

94 | Andes Plateau

$20

218916

88 | Josef Ehmoser

$12

2013 Wagram Vom Gelben Löss Riesling ^
Rose and white pepper give detail to this rich,
ripe riesling grown in yellow loess. It's built
for a charcuterie spread. (W&S 4/17) § David
Bowler Wines, NY

$23

119333

Z I E R FA N D L E R
218600

93 | Stadlmann

$17

2015 Thermenregion Anninger Zier-
fandler ^ It's not often you'll find a white this
elegant and detailed for just $17. Made from
a rare grape that excels in Thermenregion,
just south of Vienna, it's a quiet pleasure,
satin smooth and tightly packed with savory
orange, honey and spice notes, with a touch
of that sagey herbal funk that makes zierfandler so compelling and unique. Acidity
moves through the wine with stealthy power,
holding the flavors in a chord that seems to
have no end. Try this with dumplings filled
with pork-Asian or Austrian. (W&S 4/17) §
Monika Caha Selections/Frederick Wildman
& Sons, NY

BLAUFRANKISCH
218682

93 | Wachter-Wiesler

$21

2013 Eisenberg Béla-Jóska Blaufränkisch ^
Christoph Wachter took over his family's
estate in 2010, and immediately moved to
organic farming and ambient yeast fermentations, using a portion of whole bunches

120105

93 | Viña Tabalí

$18

2014 Limarí Valley Reserva Especial Vetas
Blancas Viñedos Espinal y Talinay Char-
donnay ^ Vines grown in the chalky soils of
Limarí tend to give a salty flavor in their
wines, especially in chardonnay. The Tabalí
vineyards, close to the coast, are rich in chalk
and you can notice that, not only in the tight,
firm structure of this white, but also in that
rich, Fino-like saltiness that it offers. A complex, refreshing Limarí white to pair with
roast prawns. (W&S 6/17) § Biagio Cru and
Estate Wines, Roslyn Heights, NY

2014 Maipo Valley Gran Reserva Origen
Cabernet Sauvignon ^ One of the best values from Maipo, this comes from a vineyard
21 miles off the Pacific Coast. It's a subtle,
refined example of Maipo Costa, as Chileans
call the area. It's filled with the scents of fresh
herbs and generous layers of red lush fruit.
The tannins are soft and gentle, making it a
soft-spoken kind of wine, ready for venison.
(W&S 2/17) § Chocalan USA, Manhasset, NY
118768
2014 Maipo Valley Reserva de Familia
Cabernet Sauvignon ^ The structure of this
wine is unusual for Maipo, where it's rare to
find such a stony, intense and powerful cabernet. This has an herbal side, and it is filled
with minty and red fruits, but its main aspect
is its verticality. It comes from the alluvial
soils of Mariscal, on the northern bank of the
Maipo River, one of the prime growing areas
in the Maipo Alto zone. A wine to lay down
for five years, this should evolve well. (W&S
2/17) § Carolina Wine Brands, Charleston, SC
121114
2015 Maipo Valley Cota 500 ^ Felipe Uribe
and his wife, Maite Hojas, focus on vineyards in the cool heights of the Andes. The
Cota 500 comes from a cabernet vineyard
in Pirque, at about 500 meters (1,640 feet)
in altitude, and offers all the precision and
purity of the best cabernet in Chile. The fruit

WINE & SPIRITS

BUYING GUIDE 2018

119

http://www.negociantsusa.com/default.asp http://www.vineconnections.com/chilean-wine/boya/sauvignon-blanc/2016/ http://www.biagiocru.com/index.html

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