Wine & Spirits - June 2021 - 42

Top 100 Values
Castle Rock

$17

2018 Russian River Valley Reserve Pinot
Noir (California, 90 points) ^ This straightahead pinot hits all the right notes in its
smoky, pine-scented aroma and sleek caramel and cherry flavors. It's all presented with
good tension and balance, over-delivering
for the price. -P.J.C. (W&S 4/21) §
524780

Murgo

$20

2019 Etna Rosso (Italy, 90 points) ^ Murgo
makes a reliably bright and lively wine from
Mount Etna, and the 2019 is no exception.
Mouthwatering acidity infuses tangy red
berry flavors that are balanced by hints of
tar and dried herbs. Serve it lightly chilled
with antipasti. -S.J. § Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY/North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA
523001

Erath

$19

Marchesi di Grésy

$19

plum, this is a four-square Sonoma zin, balanced and well made, with the restraint for
duck. -P.J.C. §
125871

Suter

$10

2019 Mendoza Lujuria Malbec (Argentina, 88 points) ^ From an old winery now
part of the Peñaflor group, this is a quiet,
juicy malbec. It smells of roses and strawberry-rhubarb jam, and has a graphite note
that gives it a savory, firm edge. -T.Q.T.
(W&S 10/20) § Pampa Beverages, Miami, FL

Avalon

$11

2018 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon (California, 89 points) ^ There's loads of crunchy
flavor in this red-fruited cabernet, with its
scents of red plum and evergreen spice. What
it lacks in structure it makes up for in clean,
lush flavor. It's a steal at $11. -P.J.C. (W&S
12/20) §
520797

J. Lohr

$10

2018 Monterey Wildflower Valdiguié (California, 88 points) ^ You'd be hard-pressed to
find another California wine with this much
moxie for ten bucks. Steve Peck makes it
from valdiguié vines planted in Monterey
in 1974. It's full of nerve and rustic character, the fruit a cross of briary blackberry and
black plum, with peppercorn spice and lean,
edgy tannins. -P.J.C. (W&S 8/20) §
524905

Kirkland Signature

$10

2018 Sonoma County Zinfandel (California, 88 points) ^ Dark, smoky and dense, with
scents of ground chocolate, brown sugar and

42

WINE & SPIRITS

JUNE 2021

$15

Owl Ridge

$15

Badia a Coltibuono

$16

2016 Puglia Primitivo Siniscalco (Italy, 88
points) ^ Scents of garden herbs and orange
zest brighten this wine's juicy raspberry flavors. Vinified entirely in stainless steel, it
shows good purity of fruit and lively flavors
that make for a great by-the-glass selection.
-S.J. § Import Inc., Chicago, IL
525149
2019 Lodi Rowdy Bush Petite Sirah (California, 88 points) ^ Equally black in its fruit
and tannins, there's an easy richness that
takes this wines flavors toward beef broth
and black tea. It's full and supple, for a beef
and carrot braise. -J.G. (222 cases) §
522580
2018 Chianti Classico Cultusboni RS
(Italy, 88 points) ^ This is Badia a Coltibuono's entry-level Chianti Classico, made with
purchased fruit, and it provides excellent
value with plenty of sangiovese character.
The 2018 is bright and bouncy, reflective of
the moderate growing season, with flavors
of sour cherry and pomegranate and hints
of green herbs. -S.J. (W&S 4/21) § Dalla Terra
Winery Direct, Napa, CA

2018 Oregon Pinot Noir (Oregon, 90
points) ^ A steal for the price, this well-made
red is broad and lush, with a red cherry sweetness adorned by earthy, caramelly oak, and
just enough dusty tannins to put up against
plank-roasted salmon. -P.J.C. (W&S 4/21) §
280654
2018 Barbera d'Asti (Italy, 90 points) ^ This
is a lithe and lively barbera, with snappy flavors of cherry, raspberry and pomegranate
edged in notes of orange peel and subtle
spice. Its moderate alcohol and lifted acidity would match well with duck confit. -S.J.
(W&S 2/21) § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
521792

Coppi

126142

Paringa

$12

Louis Jadot

$13

Feudi di Santa Tresa

$13

Sea Stack

$14

2019 South Australia Shiraz (Australia, 88
points) ^ Order a case of this bright and spicy
shiraz and you'll get a brash young red with
clean cherry flavors, light tannins and a hint
of road tar on a summer's day at the beach.
-J.G. (W&S 2/21) § Quintessential, Napa, CA
277984
2019 Beaujolais (France, 88 points) ^ Clean
and jammy, with sweet scents of raspberry
pie, this wine has brisk edges of gamey grapeskin tannins to balance its sweetness; for
shepherd's pie. -J.G. (W&S 10/20) § Kobrand,
Purchase, NY
278202
2019 Terre Siciliane Rina Russa Frappato
(Italy, 88 points) ^ This is a terrific, valuepriced introduction to frappato, lively and
bursting with red-berry flavor, with light tannins and fresh acidity. -S.J. (W&S 10/20) §
Vias Imports, NY
523127
2016 Monterey Pinot Noir (California, 88
points) ^ Warm and surprisingly forward for
a 2016, this has a burst of red-cherry sweetness and scents of cut tobacco. It's loosely
structured, an easy pour to chill and serve.
-P.J.C. (W&S 4/21) §
524874

522594

San Felice

$18

AVA Grace

$9

2018 Chianti Classico (Italy, 88 points) ^
Flavors of red and black cherry take on an
earthy cherry-pit bitterness in this wine's
rounded tannins while bright acidity makes
it versatile at dinner. -S.J. (W&S 4/21) §
Vision Wine & Spirits, Taunton, MA
521791
2018 California Cabernet Sauvignon (California, 87 points) ^ All cocoa powder, plum
and India ink, this dark cabernet is thick
and tannic; for ribs slathered in spicy sauce.
-P.J.C. (W&S 12/20) § ●
https://www.quintessentialwines.com/Paringa-shiraz https://www.wine.com/product/san-felice-chianti-classico-2018/605989
Wine & Spirits - June 2021

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