Wine Reviews
These highly rated wines are both classy and gift-worthy. As always, for the full list of current reviews, check out our wine ratings and reviews.
Chateau St. Jean Reserve Chardonnay
Aromas of cherry blossom, toasted nutmeg, and ripe pear rise out of the glass. Decadent textures of caramel and pear confiture are balanced with a mineral undercurrent. There is a joyful buoyancy in the underlying acidity, which starts as lemon curd and rises into high-toned guava.
A note of earthy praline shows a significant level of lees aging. The finish here is a delightful goodbye of jasmine, vanilla, and melon. This is a deeply layered wine of great elegance and pedigree.
Santa Julia “Magna” Red, Uco Valley
Firm structure and supple tannin underpin multiple layers of delight. Wildflowers, fresh cherry, tobacco, and vanilla are woven into a core of ripe dark fruits. A lush and beautiful wine that outperforms its price point by a wide margin.
92 Points (Keith Wallace)
Carodorum Seleccion Especial Toro Reserva
Aged for two years in new French barriques, the 2012 Carodorum Selección Especial is the best bottle of Toro on the market today. Aromas of jasmine, melted chocolate, and dark fruit. Full-bodied and massively tannic, this is the biggest bully in the pen. Serve with prime rib for an evening of hedonistic pleasure.
95 Points (Keith Wallace)
Rotie Cellars “Northern Blend” Red, Walla Walla
A full-throated experience, both aggressive and jubilant. Aromas of bouquet garni and Texas BBQ are layered with dark fruit and black pepper. On the palate, it’s a textural pleasure, full-bodied and lush. An attack of sauvage herbs, game, and blackberry coulis evolves into white pepper and tapenade. In the finish, an oaky sweetness and orange zest come through.
95 Points (Keith Wallace)
Bersano “Badarina” Barolo
A beautifully structured Barolo, with a core of tannins pushing against perfumed aromas and elegant acidity. Cigar box and rich dark fruit on the palate give way to oak spices.
93 Points (Keith Wallace)
Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
A sultry Cabernet from mountainside vineyards in Napa. Aromas of fresh flowers, blackberries, and oak spices. Full-bodied and melted tannins give way to toasted vanilla and fresh minerality.
94 Points (Keith Wallace)