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Wine Spectator Online Daily Wine Picks
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Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu 2006
Generous cedary oak folds gracefully into apricot, peach and lemony pastry cream flavors. Citrusy acidity keeps this fresh, with mineral, stone and floral tones accenting the lingering finish. Drink now through 2010. 6,000 cases made. |
Casa Lapostolle Merlot Rapel Valley 2006
Solid, with noticeable toast, but also a good core of plum and briar. The smoky finish has good flesh. Drink now. 25,000 cases imported. |
Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Kalimna Bin 28 2005
Firm in texture, with a peppery edge to the spicy blueberry and currant flavors, the fruit poking through a layer of chewy tannins on the long, expressive finish. Best after 2009. 10,000 cases imported. |
McWilliam's Shiraz South Eastern Australia Hanwood Estate 2006
Light and juicy, with a dark, plummy note most present. Finishes smooth. Drink now. 85,000 cases made. |
Markham Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2006
Bright citrus flavors--tangerine, Meyer lemon and lime--are effusive and fruity, with a hint of rose water, juicy acidity and a long, lingering finish. Drink now. 20,000 cases made. |
Columbia Crest Syrah Horse Heaven Hills Reserve 2005
Open-textured, silky and appealing for its cherry and plum flavors, shaded with coffee and bittersweet chocolate notes, which come up stronger on the finish. Drink now through 2012. 4,000 cases made. |
Bodegas Escorihuela Malbec Mendoza Don Miguel Gascón 2006
Quite forward, with blackberry jam, sweet spice and black licorice notes. Has a juicy, slightly raisined finish, but stays honest enough. Drink now. 40,000 cases made. |
Tasca d'Almerita Sicilia Leone 2006
Clean and fruity, with apple and toffee character and a hint of papaya. Full-bodied, with good fruit and a lively finish. Catarratto and Chardonnay. Drink now. 20,000 cases made. |
Amisfield Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006
Very good intensity to berry, black cherry and roast duck flavors, with plenty of cedary oak and stony notes extending through the taut, tannic finish. Needs time to show its best. Best from 2009 through 2012. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 3,500 cases imported. |
Château La Louvière Pessac-Léognan White 2004
Beautiful aromas of green apple, fennel and mineral follow through to a full body, with bright acidity and a clean, lively and refreshing finish. Drink now. 4,165 cases made. |
Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna Costamolino 2006
Light gold in color, with chamomile and lemon character on the nose. Full-bodied, with medium acidity and flavors of dried apple and pear. Drink now. 50,000 cases made. |
Descendientes de J. Palacios Bierzo Pétalos 2006
This balanced red offers bright cherry and cranberry fruit, with licorice and mineral accents. Not a big wine, but nervy and intense. Drink now through 2010. 3,500 cases imported. |
Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir Walker Bay 2006
Very elegant, with ripe, alluring red and black cherry fruit nicely layered with hints of sweet spice, mineral and mocha. The long, tangy finish lets the minerality play out and pulls you back for more. Shows better length and integration than previous vintages. This wine has good track record, and it's getting even better. Drink now through 2013. 5,380 cases made. |
Terredora Fiano di Avellino Terre di Dora 2006
Has subtle aromas of banana, cream and fresh pineapple, with some mineral. Full-bodied, with lots of white pepper, mineral and lemon. Long and lively. Drink now. 14,000 cases made. |
Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 White Washington 2006
A juicy, zippy style of white wine that has ripe pear and pineapple flavors, a polished texture and a tangy finish. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Viognier and others. Drink now. 30,000 cases made. |
L'Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2005
Lithe, elegant and refined, this silky-textured red shows layers of raspberry, red cherry and sweet red pepper flavors that linger gently on the polished finish. Drink now through 2013. 1,761 cases made. |
Conundrum California 2006
Floral and aromatic, with peach, nectarine and spicy melon flavors that are intense and vivid, lingering on the finish. Has a fleshy texture and refreshing acidity. Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Chardonnay and Viognier. Drink now. 86,000 cases made. |
Michel Torino Torrontés Cafayate Valley Cuma 2007
Fresh and bright, with tasty green almond, kiwifruit, clementine and floral notes. The lively finish shows nice definition. Drink now. 14,583 cases made. |
Francis Coppola Presents Rosso California 2006
Straightforward, showing cherry, cola and charred oak aromas and flavors, with rustic tannins. Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now. 70,000 cases made. |
Henry's Drive Shiraz Padthaway Reserve 2005
Bright and open-textured, with pretty raspberry and currant flavors at the core, lingering nicely against finely polished tannins. Has depth and focus, with a coffee note adding interest as the finish rolls on elegantly. Drink now through 2015. 2,100 cases made. |
Lavis Pinot Grigio Trentino Ritratti 2006
Mineral, apple and cream on the nose. Medium-bodied, with clean fruit and a crisp finish. Drink now. 65,000 cases made. |
MontGras Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Reserva 2006
This has nice focus, with dark cherry and currant fruit layered with some sweet toast. Shows dashes of vanilla and loam on the finish. Drink now. 50,000 cases made. |
Milbrandt Chardonnay Washington Legacy Sundance 2006
On the lighter side, with nicely focused pear and apple aromas and flavors shaded with hints of lime and spice, lingering gently. Drink now through 2010. 2,300 cases made. |
Tenimenti Angelini Brunello di Montalcino Val di Suga 2003
Offers pretty blackberry and raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh, floral, berry aftertaste. Best after 2009. 10,850 cases made. |
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2007
Fleshy, with very good concentration to yellow apple, quince and grass flavors wrapped in stony notes and grapefruit-lime acidity. Drink now. 1,000,000 cases made. |
A to Z Wineworks Night and Day Oregon 2005
Smooth, generous and nicely focused to show its cherry and dark spice flavors, lingering on the well-formed finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and others. Drink now. 5,976 cases made. |
Anwilka Stellenbosch 2006
This is very forward and easygoing, with a polished beam of raspberry and currant fruit backed by notes of cedar, coffee and vanilla on the finish. A shade less concentrated than the debut 2005. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot. Drink now. 4,500 cases made. |
Belisario Verdicchio di Matelica Terre di Valbona 2006
Good white pepper, lemon and pineapple skin character. Medium-bodied, with good fruit and a clean finish. Drink now. 25,000 cases made. |
Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2005
Tight and focused, with a firm band of dried currant, spice, cedary oak and floral notes that are complex and persistent. Drink now through 2012. 53,000 cases made. |
Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block Western Cape 2006
Forward and floral, with enticing violet and peach notes backed by a slightly soft but alluring palate of blackberry and plum fruit. A nice minerally twang keeps this honest on the finish and extends the length. Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier. Drink now through 2009. 7,900 cases made. |
Bonterra Chardonnay Mendocino County 2006
Clean and flinty, with fresh, spicy lime, green apple and honeydew melon nuances. Drink now. 120,000 cases made. |
DeLille D2 Columbia Valley 2005
Supple and generous, this seamless wine delivers a lithe mouthful of tobacco- and spice-accented black cherry and berry flavors, adding savory, minty notes as the finish sails on. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2013. 2,800 cases made. |
J. Faiveley Mercurey Domaine de la Croix Jacquelet 2005
There's purity to the violet and black currant aromas and flavors and this is balanced, with a solid structure that needs time to integrate. Nice length. Best from 2010 through 2017. 1,500 cases imported. |
Bodegas Berberana Tempranillo Viño de la Tierra de Castilla Dragón 2005
This plump red offers sweet cherry, spice, cedar, herbal and smoky flavors, with soft tannins. Generous and fresh, with a lip-smacking finish. Drink now through 2010. 417,000 cases made. |
Omaka Springs Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2007
This is fragrant, with very good intensity to passion fruit, jasmine and guava nuances. Grass, savory herb and fleshy peach flavors carry through the finish, with briny undertones. Drink now. 16,000 cases made. |
Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley The Ranch 2005
Dense, rich and concentrated, offering a firm core of dried currant, mocha-laced oak, sage, mineral and hazelnut notes, with a long, intense, focused and persistent finish. Best from 2010 through 2016. 1,620 cases made. |
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