89 POINTS SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA de FAMILIA Valle del Maipo, Chile 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
85 POINTS SANTA CAROLINA
Valle de Leyda, Chile 2010 Sauvignon Blanc
85 POINTS SANTA CAROLINA
Valle de Colchagua, Chile 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
85 POINTS SANTA CAROLINA
Valle de Casablanca, Chile 2010 Chardonnay
. . .
90 POINTS CLOS DE NOUYS 2009 Vouvray Sec "…a dry version with driven green apple. fig and green almond notes and a long bracing finish." Wine Spectator, June 15, 2011
TOP VALUES of the Loire Valley CLOS DE NOUYS 2009 Vouvray Demi Sec "Plum and off-dry, with up-front quince, green melon and fig notes." Wine Spectator, June 15, 2011
TOP VALUES of the Loire Valley ROC DE CHÂTEAUVIEUX 2008 Vouvray "Quite open, offering a core of
green almond and apple character." Wine Spectator, June 15, 2011
. . .
CALIFORNIA'S BEST WINES $15 and Under Quarterly Review of Wines, Summer 2011 Download Article
91 POINTS MONTPELLIER
Lodi 2009 Shiraz
91 POINTS NAPA RIDGE
Napa Valley 2007 Syrah
90 POINTS FAT CAT California 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
90 POINTS FORESTVILLE
California 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
90 POINTS FOREST GLEN
California 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
90 POINTS MASKED RIDER
California 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
WINE OF THE WEEK | TOP PICK *** ½ Stars FORESTVILLE
California
2009 Sauvignon Blanc
"A tasty sauvignon blanc with some unique flavors. Notes of peach, nectarine,
herbs and spice. Creamy texture. Nice acid. Good lift. A surprisingly good value." The Press Democrat, April 6, 2011 Read "ForestVille another good deal from Franzia" Article
. . .
91 POINTS MONTRESOR Amarone della Valpolicella Fondatore 2006
"Complex aromas of fresh porcini and dark fruits follow through to a full body, with superpolished, velvety tannins and a long finish. There's lovely refinement and richness to this wine. Best from 2011 through 2015." Wine Spectator Insider, May 26, 2010 Sell Sheet
. . .
87 POINTS ROC DE CHÂTEAUVIEUX Loire Valley 2009 Malbec "Quite forward, with lots of grapey, plummy fruit laced with spice and savory herb notes. The tangy, lively finish has a streak of iron."
Wine Spectator, April 30, 2011
* * * * * LES HOSPICES 2010 SANCERRE "Fresh,
young and typical Sancerre with notes of gooseberries, black currant
leaves and a hint of citrus in the aromas. Slim and acidic with green
notes in the taste as well, good length and crisp light citrusy finish." Vinforum.no, March 8, 2011
89 POINTS CLOS DE NOUYS 2009 Vouvray Demi Sec Wine Spectator, May 2011
88 POINTS ROC DE CHÂTEAUVIEUX
Loire Valley 2008 Vouvray Wine Spectator, February 2011
. . .
"We drove to Domaine Chainier just outside Amboise. Pierre Chainier and his son Philippe had set up a tasting for us in their Château de la Roche. In the dining room we tasted a series of Domaine Chainier's well priced wines." Tony Aspler, The Wine Guy A Wine Lover's Diary, part 329 February 7, 2011
THE CHRONICLE RECOMMENDS California Cabernet $20 and under ESTRELLA California
Proprietor's Reserve 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon San Francisco Chronicle, March 13, 2011 Shelf Talker
. . .
100 TOP VALUES OF THE YEAR Wine & Spirits, June 2011
94 POINTS | OUTSTANDING "Best priced Pinot Noir in California." PICKET FENCE
Russian River Valley 2009 Pinot Noir Quarterly Review of Wines, Spring 2011 Shelf TalkerDisplay
94 POINTS | OUTSTANDING "Underpriced for the value it offers."
PICKET FENCE
Russian River Valley 2009 Chardonnay
Quarterly Review of Wines, Spring 2011 Shelf TalkerDisplay
94 POINTS | OUTSTANDING "Best Spanish wine buy in the market today."
EVOHE
Bajo Aragon 2009 Garnacha
Quarterly Review of Wines, Spring 2011 Shelf TalkerDisplay
. . .
89 POINTS
9 California Values HARASZTHY
Sonoma County
2008 Zinfandel
"Zesty and full of bright smoky cherry aromas and lively raspberry, cracked pepper and toasty dill flavors that race toward appealingly rustic but ripe tannins." Wine Spectator, February 7, 2011
88 POINTS FILUS
Valle de Uco, Mendoza 2008 Malbec Reserve
"Oaky
up front, with more than a dash of mocha, caramel and sweet berry fruit
aromas. The palate is zesty and honest, with juicy, bright black cherry
and berry flavors. Finishes toasty and perky, with one last shot of
firm acidity to keep it running long and late." Wine Enthusiast, March 2011
90 POINTS | BEST VALUE
FILUS
Valle de Uco, Mendoza 2008 Malbec Reserve
Color purple/black; expressive nose of exotic spices, incense, and black fruits; easygoing and forward." Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate
GROWTH BRANDS 2011 RISING STARS DOWN UNDER CELLARS and COASTAL VINES ESTABLISHED BRANDS SALMON CREEK and CRANE LAKE Beverage Dynamics/Cheers 2011
. . .
IMPACT HOT BRAND AWARD WINNERS
Douglass Hill and Coastal Vines
M. Shanken Communications Impact and Market Watch, 2011
92 POINTS CAPRICHO DE LANDALUCE
2005 Rioja Alavesa "Saturated ruby. Sexy red berry and cherry aromas are complemented by cola, underbrush and incense. Fleshy and deeply concentrated, offering precise raspberry, blackcurrant and bitter cherry flavors, plus a suave undercurrent of vanilla. The oak is completely absorbed by the sweet fruit on the clean, spicy, long finish. I'd like to see this with a few years of age but it would be no crime to drink it now, with a little air."
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
* * * THREE STARS
CAPRICHO DE LANDALUCE 2005 Rioja Alavesa Decanter
90 POINTS
FINCAS DE LANDALUCE
2006 Crianza Peñin Guide to the Wines of Spain 2011
92 POINTS
CAPRICHO DE LANDALUCE 2005 Rioja Alavesa "Landaluce,
located in Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, was founded in 2000. The
Landaluce family farms 30 hectares of vines, predominantly Tempranillo.
The 2005 Capricho de Landaluce was sourced from 80+-year-old
Tempranillo vines and fermented and aged for 18 months in 500-liter
French oak before bottling without filtration. Purple-colored, it offers
up an expressive bouquet of wood smoke, earth notes, spice box, black
cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it has layers of ripe black fruit,
excellent depth and grip, enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years, and
a lengthy finish. It will profit from several additional years of
cellaring and will offer prime drinking from 2012 to 2020."
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
AWARD WINNING WINES OF ARGENTINA, FRANCE, SPAIN, SOUTH AFRICA AND CALIFORNIA
. . . 89 POINTS PATIANNA
2004 Fairbairn Ranch Mendocino Syrah This
attractive 2004 Syrah Fairbairn Ranch exhibits a dark ruby/purple color
as well as an interesting nose of damp earth, truffles, and broodingly
dark fruits. In the mouth, Syrah's meaty/underbrush character emerges
from this European-styled red. With medium to full body, soft tannin,
and good acidity as well as purity, this is a lovely wine to drink over
the next 3-4 years.
Robert M. Parker, Jr's The Wine Advocate Issue 177
AMERICAN NEW RELEASES 90 POINTS | BEST BUY LAURIER
Los Carneros 2007 Pinot Noir
"A cherry-red Carneros pinot, this wine's fruit edges toward raspberry and red apple-skin. The texture is gentle, the lean tannins warm and transparent. For a salad of duck confit."
Wine & Spirits Magazine, December 2010
YEAR'S BEST CABERNET & BLENDS 84 POINTS | BEST BUY DOMAINE LAURIER
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County Reserve
"Dark tones of cola bean and green olive give this cabernet a gentle smokiness. Sweet strawberry flavors last in the finish. Serve it cool, with grilled pork loin." Wine & Spirits Magazine, December 2010
[EXTREME] VALUES The Wine & Spirits Critics Pick FORESTVILLE
California
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon "Green herbs and soft fruit for burgers."
Wine & Spirits Magazine, December 2010
"Yum! I’ve been back on a Pinot Noir binge after drowning myself in the stuff a couple year ago, and love this bottle – and especially its price. To the nose, it pangs of raspberry-cherry pie, which then transfers to the palate with some earthiness. Sip with duck or pork."
FOREST VILLE California 2008 Shiraz
"Lovely little wine. One of our favorites. Nice richness, balanced spice and fruit, with nutty and blackberry notes. Short but good finish."
100 TOP VALUES OF THE YEAR
CRANE LAKE 2008 Pinot Grigio Good Value NAPA RIDGE 2007 Sauvignon Blanc 86 Points MONTPELLIER 2007 Syrah 83 Points WILD HARE NV Pinot Noir Good Value
Wine & Spirits, June 2010
FAST TRACK FOX BROOK & SALMON CREEK ESTABLISHED GROWTH BRANDS COASTAL VINES & DOWN UNDER RISING STARS 2010
GROWTH BRANDS Beverage Dynamics, March/April 2010 . . .
