Insurrection Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon South Eastern Australia 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeepest, darkest, ruby red color. The nose is packed full with ripe, sweet red and black berries with a dash of tart berries to add interest. The jammy fruit is supported by a generous dose of brown baking spices, dark chocolate, cigar, and hints of charred, sweet oak. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a lush but ideally balanced fruit core flanked by waves of spice, cigar box, and subtle oak notes. Full-bodied and certainly jammy with enough vibrant acidity to keep it fresh with structured but firm tannins. $17 – 4 Stars – 91 points
13 Celsius Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2015
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, pale straw color. The aromatics are ultra fresh and clean offering a clever marriage of citrus zest, grapefruit pulp, and vibrant tropical fruits with wild herbs, mineral, and orange peel. The palate faithfully follows the nose delivering a bright, citrus focus with layers of grass, herbs, and silky tropical fruits that become more generous as the wine slightly warms. Medium-bodied with perfect balance with subtle lingering citrus notes. Made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc. $17 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Helfrich Grand Cru Steinklotz Pinot Gris Alsace 2011
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewBeautiful pale golden color with dozens of legs streaming down the glass. The aromatics leap from the glass offering a complex melange ranging from wild flowers to citrus, tropical, and stone fruits with a brilliant mineral edge. Delivers waves of ripe and semi-tart tropical and orchard fruits with candied ginger, mint, and exotic Asian spice notes. Like all great Alsace Grand Cru wines this one offers seductive, rich flavors while never losing its vibrancy. $25 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Helfrich Grand Cru Steinklotz Riesling Alsace 2011
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewBeautiful pale golden color with dozens of legs streaming down the glass. The aromatics leap from the glass offering a complex melange ranging from wild flowers to citrus, tropical, and stone fruits with a brilliant mineral edge. Delivers waves of ripe and semi-tart tropical and orchard fruits with candied ginger, mint, and exotic Asian spice notes. Like all great Alsace Grand Cru wines this one offers seductive, rich flavors while never losing its vibrancy. $25 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Mount Veeder Reserve Napa Valley 2012
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeep garnet to maroon color. The nose is wonderfully complex — imagine Bordeaux meeting Napa hillsides. Scents of blackberry, blueberry, plum, and cassis take the lead supported by fresh herbs, toasted oak, allspice, nutmeg, and hints of dark chocolate, leather, and licorice. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush, fruit-driven core with a wildly complex mix of earth, cigar, brown baking spices, sweet herbs, and oak to add intrigue. It's certainly full-boded but this wine offers more nuance than heft as it's never brooding while constantly changing from sip to sip. $90 – 5 Stars – 98 points
Cornerstone Cellars Oakville Station Merlot Napa Valley 2012
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeep garnet to ruby red color. The aromatics are incredibly deep with layers of red and black cherry with hints of raspberry, blackberry, plum, cocoa nibs, allspice, anise, vanilla bean accented toasted oak, herbes de Provence, and black pepper. The palate is equal to the nose delivering an impossibly complex array of berry fruits with spice, earth, oak, and more subtle nuances than can be documented here. Full-bodied and wonderfully structured and silky with countless layers and perfectly integrated tannins. $75 – 5 Stars – 100 points
Cornerstone Cellars Michael's Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeepest, darkest ruby red color. The rich and dense fruit is the first thing that grabs your attention. Rich, concentrated black cherries take the lead followed by cassis, raspberry, black plum, and wild red berries are supported by a melange of brown spices, earth, and toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich, concentrated fruit core that is framed by spice, black pepper, leather, oak, and dusty tannins. It's simply gorgeous and what every Napa Cabernet lover is seeking. Full-bodied with deep, concentrated fruit and spice flavors displaying perfect balance and incredible length. The only down side is that this bold and wine drinks so well now that it won't be properly cellared allowing it to show its full character. $75 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Rocks! By Cornerstone Rosé California 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, ruby red color being one of the most deeply colored Rosé wines of the season. The nose explodes with the scents of ripe red raspberry, strawberry, and boysenberry with hints of cranberry and cherry, mineral, and rose petals. The palate echoes the nose delivering a complex marriage of ripe and tart berries with accents of dry cassis and rhubarb. This is a big and chewy Rosé with lots of gusto while being absolutely bone-dry and perfectly balanced with a generous dose of bright acidity. $15 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Cornerstone Cellars Corallina Rosé of Syrah Napa Valley 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant pale salmon color. The aromatics are decidedly floral with generous scents of wild strawberries, white peach, red cherry, lavender, heather, and orange zest with accents of mineral in support. The palate echoes the nose delivering a complex and vibrant core of red berries and cherry, fresh herbs, spring flowers, orange, and mineral. Ultra vibrant with crisp acidity while offering generous portions of fruit with perfect balance and great length. $25 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Lucas & Lewellen Rosé of Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant salmon color with hints of ruby. The nose is quite floral with waves of fresh, ripe berries and a hint of mineral and citrus zest. The palate confirms the nose delivering a lush, fruit-driven core with flavors of raspberry, strawberry, semi-tart red cherry, and plum with accents of mineral, citrus, and cranberry. It's perfectly balanced with a ripe, full center and vibrant acidty. Made with 100% Pinot Noir. $18 – 5 Stars – 97 points
