Wine News Review

Category: Feature Story

  • Experts’ weekend wine bargains: From ‘fantastic’ Chilean to ‘expressive’ Aussie

    Comparing the picks: A survey of recent selections from popular wine experts, spotlighting bargains and best values among other choices at their websites.

    2005 Viu Manent Reserva Chardonnay Casablanca Valley, Chile:
    Natalie MacLean — Winner of the Gold Medal at the 2006 Concours Catad’Or Grand Hyatt Wine Awards, it’s a “fantastic value” from Chile’s cool Casablanca Valley region … “with ample oak and aromas of ripe apples and pears.” Her best value white. $12.95

    Château Les Tuileries 2005 Bordeaux Rouge:
    Beverage Testing Institute — Sports a garnet violet color with “spicy plum pie, sandalwood, and floral talc aromas.” A best-buy selection. $10.99

    Cape Mentelle, Margaret River (Western Australia, Australia) Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot “Trinders” 2003:
    Michael Franz — You will not have expected to have paid $18 for this “very concentrated and intense” Australian. “Extremely expressive aromatics start with a big shot of eucalyptus up front.” $18

    2006 McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Shiraz, South Eastern Australia:
    Jerry Shriver — Another Australian, this one is a “pleasant, no-brainer burger wine that delivers spicy blackberry flavors and an earthy finish.” Though you might quibble with the body. About $12

    Göttelmann, Münsterer Pittersberg Riesling Kabinett trocken 2007 Nahe:
    Jancis Robinson — The low-price winner among three (non-Burgundian) 2006 Pinots. “… promises well for the crystalline qualities of the latest vintage.” £9.69

    López de Heredia’s Viña Gravonia (white):
    Edward Deitch — “Beautifully complex with aromas of cut flowers and butterscotch that are joined in the mouth by pear and lime, vanilla, honey and minerals.” $19

    Tip: Print out this list and bring it to your local wine shop — even if a specific favorite isn’t available, ask the salesperson to recommend something similar. Or try browsing the latest wine reports from this custom collection of hundreds of news websites — filtered for bargains, continuously updated, and quick and easy to scan:

    • Reds (from Beaujolais to Zinfandel)
    • Whites (from Chablis to Sauvignon Blanc)
    • Organic (red, white, in between)

    To hit closer to home, try WNR’s Smarter Wine Search tool and see what wine finds local columnists and wine experts may be writing about in your area. Once there, just type in your city and state (within quotation marks, as in, "Napa, California"), to get results ranked by relevance.

    Or scroll down to the bottom of this page and dig into top wine lists from a variety of sources. You’ll also find links to everything from a food-pairing database to websites for comparative wine ratings.

    The Web is about community. So take a moment to comment about your experience with a particular wine — to help steer others to or away from it. And of course, have a great weekend!

  • The Web’s latest wine buzz: Favorite bubblies, Zins and Oregon alternatives

    Tune in to what top wine bloggers and experts are decanting into cyberspace with handpicked highlights of their latest and greatest. This week’s episode brings us everything from favorite bubblies and alternative Oregonians to lovely Zins and expert wedding wine advice.

    The New Year’s festivities may be over, but the party ain’t — not by a long shot — if you follow the directions of Food & Wine‘s senior wine editor Ray Isle, who serves up his picks for best rosé Champagnes and sparkling wines.

    Strike anyone else as odd that we tend to reserve these wines for “special occassions”? Hey, not to get to touchy-feely about it, but any time can be a “special occasion” — depending on what you’re drinking, and who you’re with.

    Granted some of Isle’s Champagnes can be a little pricey ($43-$175), but you can still get bubbly on a budget with his sparkling selections, including a personal low-cost favorite: Freixenet Brut de Noirs NV ($10). Pop that cork!

    Speaking of New Year’s, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg came up with a fine resolution: “… devoting more time and space to the questions you ask us about wine and about what to eat with the wines you drink.”

    And they kick off the year with a wine Q&A that, among other things, tries to answer that age old question about what “fairly inexpensive (around $10 or under) smooth red wine and a crisp — not too oaky or buttery — white wine to serve” at a wedding.

    They provide some characteristically sage advice, but I’m personally leaning toward that Freixenet above … at least for the honeymoon.

    Zin lovers, this is for you.

    Wine Spectator‘s Tim Fish review the 2005s, and finds that year to be “one of the best vintages in ages.”

    A long, cool growing season produced wines that are generally well-structured, not overly ripe and have gentle tannins built for short-term aging.

    Fish cites his favorites among 16 wines in two blind flights.

    Catching up on Eric Asimov is always a treat, like, for example, this nice read on an alternative Oregon wine:

    European wine prices, already creeping higher, are likely to shoot up in the next couple of months. Inexpensive California wines are not hard to find, but they are rarely good buys. What is the value hunter to do?

    May I suggest an excellent alternative? Pinot gris, from Oregon.

    Oregon pinot gris is one of the least-talked-about, best-value wines on the market today. Certainly you won’t hear much about it from Oregon wine producers, who don’t want to talk about anything but their precious pinot noir, which they can sell for much more money and which brings much more luster.

    But don’t think Asimov has by any means given up on those Europeans.

    Far from it, he celebrates a batch of “extraordinary” Barolos. In fact: “It was the best gathering of Barolos that I’ve ever been a part of, and I was humbled to have the opportunity to taste the old wines.”

    He names names. (Think of all the money you saved on the Freixenet — here’s your chance to put it to good use!)

  • Experts’ weekend wine bargains: Fabulous ‘pizza wine’ to best-buy Bordeaux

    Comparing the picks: A survey of recent selections from popular wine experts, spotlighting bargains and best values among other choices at their websites.

    Banfi, Tuscany (Italy) “Colle Pino” 2005:
    Michael Franz — From a producer as adept at making a “stellar” $100-a-bottle Brunello as a “pizza wine” that’s sure to please. “A fabulous buy.” $9

    Château Au Grand Paris (Bordeaux Supérieur):
    Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher — The best buy among a selection of Bordeaux from the “acclaimed vintage of 2005” that’s just hitting the shelves. “Perennial favorite.” Around $10

    2005 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, La Valentina:
    Edward Deitch — A “big, dark, fruity” wine that may not have the charm of some Italian cousins but a perfect match for winter meals. “… delicious and interesting.” $13

    2006 Meridian Sauvignon Blanc, Central Coast:
    Jerry Shriver — A “steely, zesty, almost tart” wine from a producer that’s one of the market’s most reliable. $10

    2006 Hayman & Hill Reserve Selection Russian River Valley Chardonnay:
    Lynne Char Bennett — With “fresh apple, plus smoky mineral and herbal hints that extend to the palate,” it also offers some interesting aromas. “… good value.” $15

    Tip: Print out this list and bring it to your local wine shop — even if a specific favorite isn’t available, ask the salesperson to recommend something similar. Or try browsing the latest wine reports from this custom collection of hundreds of news websites — filtered for bargains, continuously updated, and quick and easy to scan:

    • Reds (from Beaujolais to Zinfandel)
    • Whites (from Chablis to Sauvignon Blanc)
    • Organic (red, white, in between)

    To hit closer to home, try WNR’s Smarter Wine Search tool and see what wine finds local columnists and wine experts may be writing about in your area. Once there, just type in your city and state (within quotation marks, as in, "Napa, California"), to get results ranked by relevance.

    Or scroll down to the bottom of this page and dig into top wine lists from a variety of sources. You’ll also find links to everything from a food-pairing database to websites for comparative wine ratings.

    The Web is about community. So take a moment to comment about your experience with a particular wine — to help steer others to or away from it. And of course, have a great weekend!

  • New and notable wine headlines, including top bargains and presidential matchups

    Handpicked wine stories from across the Web…

    Bargain wines: The list of 15 all-American bargains revealed
    “I’m not going to play favorites with this list: If it’s on here, it’s an outstanding bargain.” Nuff said.

    The top 10 wines of 2007: Edward Deitch names his top reds and whites of the year
    Five whites and five reds, and all but two are under $20, “which reinforces the point that you can find superb wines at modest prices.”

    A Low Profile, and a Price to Match
    Singing the praises of pinot gris, from Oregon, “a wine of character and interest.”

    Wine drinkers’ resolutions
    “Resolve to make 2008 the year you start a wine collection, even if you don’t have a cellar.” Amen.

    Wine Gone Bad
    Actually, bad means good when it comes to the fortified wines described (along with food pairings) in this breezy backgrounder.

    Pouring In: At a Raft of New Bars, the Wine Comes First
    Not quite as ubiquitous as Starbucks, but “wine bars are enjoying an urban boomlet that has surprised even some of their proprietors.”

    Red, white and blue wine: a wine lover’s guide to the presidential primaries
    A hoot, with photos to illustrate the selections.

    Thirsty for more news? Follow up by digging into continuously updated feeds from national and international news outlets: The focus is on red, white and organic wine bargains.

  • Experts’ weekend wine bargains: From a ‘vibrant’ Cab to a playful Tuscan

    Comparing the picks: A survey of recent selections from popular wine experts, spotlighting bargains and best values among other choices at their websites.

    2005 Markham Wines Glass Mountain Chardonnay Napa Valley, U.S.A. – California:
    Natalie MacLean — A promise of "good balance … with green apples and oak." Her best value white selection. $13.95

    Penfolds, South Eastern Australia (Australia) Shiraz “Koonunga Hill" 2005:
    Michael Franz — "Tasty and expressive, but not over-the-top, this delicious wine features fresh berry fruit with hints of both red and black fruits." One of several Penfolds reviewed. $11

    Fortant de France 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de Pays d’Oc:
    Beverage Testing Institute — A "supple, yet vibrant entry" that offers a "dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body of tangy cassis, crunchy red apple, and delicate cocoa-spice flavors." A best buy. $7

    2005 Screw Kappa Napa, Napa Valley Zinfandel:
    Lynne Char Bennett — A two-star pick among a long list of Napa Valley Zinfandels. "Smoked bacon and dried thyme wrap around its restrained purple fruit." $14

    2005 Cecchi "Bonizio” Sangiovese di Maremma, IGT, Tuscany, Italy:
    Jerry Shriver — Described as playful, meaning "full of pleasant dried-cherry and spice flavors, its light-to-medium texture dances on the tongue." About $9

    Mochel Torino Malbec Calchaquí Valley Rosé 2007:
    James Molesworth — Seen as very tasty and something to drink now … "really bright and juicy, with ebullient cherry and strawberry fruit." $12

    2004 Chateau La Grange Clinet:
    Edward Deitch — For a Bordeaux, this is a classic red that "won’t break the bank." It boasts "elegant fruit with notes of blackberry, cassis and black and red cherry, along with cedar and tobacco." $10

    Terre del Nero d’Avola (Rossetti) 2005:
    Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher — The best value among a group of Sicilian Nero d’Avola selections. "Nicely crisp, somewhat peppery and very interesting, with real life." $9.95

    Castello Banfi, Col di Sasso 2006:
    Dave McIntyre — This is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Sangiovese blend that "offers fruit and heft at a price rarely seen in a red from Tuscany." $10

    Tip: Print out this list and bring it to your local wine shop — even if a specific favorite isn’t available, ask the salesperson to recommend something similar. Or try browsing the latest wine reports from this custom collection of hundreds of news websites — filtered for bargains, continuously updated, and quick and easy to scan:

    • Reds (from Beaujolais to Zinfandel)
    • Whites (from Chablis to Sauvignon Blanc)
    • Organic (red, white, in between)

    To hit closer to home, try WNR’s Smarter Wine Search tool and see what wine finds local columnists and wine experts may be writing about in your area. Once there, just type in your city and state (within quotation marks, as in, "Napa, California"), to get results ranked by relevance.

    Or scroll down to the bottom of this page and dig into top wine lists from a variety of sources. You’ll also find links to everything from a food-pairing database to websites for comparative wine ratings.

    The Web is about community. So take a moment to comment about your experience with a particular wine — to help steer others to or away from it. And of course, have a great weekend!