Wine & Spirits - February 2020 - 10

Top-scoring Wines
Februar y 2020
WHITE

96 | Dr. Lippold

96 | Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva

2013 Mosel Urziger Würzgarten Alte Reben
Riesling Auslese $30
(reviewed by Tara Q. Thomas on page 54)

2006 Colares Chitas Reserva Branco $65
(reviewed by Joshua Greene on page 60)

RED

99 | Marchesi Antinori

96 | W.T. Vintners

2016 Toscana Solaia $340

2016 Walla Walla Valley Les Collines Vineyard
Damavian Blocks 30 & 31 Syrah $49
(reviewed by Patrick J. Comiskey on page 38)

97 | Le Macchiole
2015 Toscana Messorio $235
(reviewed by Stephanie Johnson on page 70)

RANCIO SEC

97 | Domaine Fontanel
2007 Côtes Catalanes L'Ancêtre Rancio Sec $25

96 | Georges Puig
Vin de France Pyror $30
(reviewed by Tara Q. Thomas on page 58)

NEWS IN BRIEF
E. & J. Gallo Winery has purchased Pahlmeyer
Winery in Napa Valley. The deal includes two
brands, Pahlmeyer and Jayson by Pahlmeyer,
but does not include Wayfarer, which will continue to be run by founder Jayson Pahlmeyer's
daughter, Cleo Pahlmeyer.
Bodegas Valdemar, based in the Rioja Alavesa
town of Oyon, has opened Valdemar Estates, a
winery in Walla Walla. They have planted syrah,
cabernet sauvignon and grenache.
Jim Caudill, a career diplomat in the North Coast
California wine community, passed away in
December 2019. Born in
Michigan and trained as a
newspaper writer, Caudill spent three decades
working in public relations for companies such
as Kendall-Jackson, Hess Collection and Treasury Wine Estates, and for organizations such
as SIP (Sustainability In Practice). He also ran a
horse rescue with his wife, Char Banach, at their
Sonoma County home, Windborne Farm.
Acclaimed bartender and drinks writer Gary
"Gaz" Regan passed away on November 15,
2019 from complications of cancer. He was 68.
Second-generation family member Mari Jones
has been named President of Emeritus Vineyards after seven years as the winery's COO. Her
10

WINE & SPIRITS

FEBRUARY 2020

father, Emeritus founder Brice Cutrer Jones, will
transition from President to Chairman.
Andy Beckstoffer of Beckstoffer Vineyards, in
partnership with UC Davis and Duarte Nursery,
has launched a decade-long trial to assess growing conditions for cabernet sauvignon in relation
to climate change.
Matt Revelette will take over winemaking at
Siduri Wines as founder Adam Lee transitions
into a consultancy role at Jackson Family Wines.
Burt Williams, a founder
of Williams Selyem and,
most recently, the proprietor of Morning Dew
Ranch in Anderson Valley,
passed away on December
11, 2019. He was 79 years
old. Williams was a seminal figure in the development of pinot noir in Sonoma County. David
Hirsch, who worked closely with Williams in the
1990s, has written a remembrance on
wineandspiritsmagazine.com.
Founder of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Warren
Winiarski has been awarded the James Smithson
Bicentennial Medal by the Smithsonian National
Museum of American History. The award is in
recognition of his contributions to American
winemaking and the museum's American Food
& Wine History Project, which he helped establish in 1996. Winiarski is the 71st recipient and
first winemaker to be honored.
LVMH has acquired a majority stake (55 percent) in Château d'Esclans, the leading exporter

of Provençal rosé to the US. Sacha Lichine had
acquired the 610-acre property in 2006 and will
continue to manage the estate.
Jérôme Philippon, ex-President of Bollinger,
has stepped down as COO of the house's holding company, Société Jacques Bollinger (SJB). SJB
chairman Etienne Bizot has taken over the role.
Randall Grahm of Bonny
Doon Vineyard in Santa
Cruz has been awarded
the American Wine Society Award of Merit, which
highlights leaders in the
wine industry and their
contributions to American wine appreciation. The honor recognizes
Grahm's pioneering work with Rhône grape varieties and innovative wine marketing.
Julie Cavil has been promoted to cellermaster
at Champagne Krug. She takes over from Eric
Lebel, Krug's cellarmaster for 21 years.
Rueda has approved two new classifications
for its DO: Gran Vino de Rueda specifies wines
sourced from vines at least 30 years old and held
to strict yield limits; Rueda Palido designates a
biologically aged wine aged at least three years
in oak barrels. The DO is also expanding the permitted grape varieties to include syrah, viognier
and chardonnay.
CORRECTION
The Managing Editor of The World Atlas of Wine,
8th Edition (reviewed in W&S 12/19) is Gill Pitt;
Denise Bates is the publisher.

glass photo by Ricky Rhodes

Marcus Rafanelli has taken over as winemaker
for L'Ecole No 41. Rafanelli worked the 2007
harvest at L'Ecole for Mike Sharon, who is stepping down.

http://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com

Wine & Spirits - February 2020

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