Chateau Lassègue, Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewDeep, dark ruby red color. The aromatics are quite expressive offering waves of black fruits both ripe and dried with generous accents of cassis, black plum, evergreen shrubs, brown baking spices, forest floor, and toasted oak. The palate brilliantly echoes the nose delivering a dense black fruit core with flanking notes of earth, clove, black pepper, nutmeg, and oak with a silky minerality rising on the finish. This young Bordeaux is wonderfully intense with lush fruit and spice showing incredible depth offering flashes of maturity while the bright youthful fruit still dominates. $90 – 5 Stars – 98 points
Troon Blue Label Sangiovese Rogue Valley 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crimson color. The nose presents the aromas of Tuscany offering scents of ripe and tart red fruits with supporting notes of black currant, earth, herbs, and subtle brown spice notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering a vibrant fruit core with generous flanking notes of dried herbs, black tea, and subtle earth tones finishing with medium, well-integrated tannins. Medium-bodied with the prefect balance of fruit, earth, spice, and bright acid. $29 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas Paso Robles 2013
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewDeep, dark, garnet red color. The nose reveals an incredibly dense and concentrated wine with layers of black fruits, earth, meaty mushrooms, black currants, brown baking spices, and leather, with hints of smoke and oak. The palate concurs with the nose delivering a potent punch of juicy fruit with dried black and red fruits as well. The spice and earth signature of this wine is truly remarkable as it seamlessly marries with the fruit lingering on and on for minutes. Full-bodied with an incredible deep core of fruit and spice that is unrelenting in its youth while maintaining perfect balance with bright, fresh acidity. $55 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Falesco Montiano Merlot Lazio IGP 2012
Deep ruby to garnet red color. The nose is complex and expressive with dense black cherry and black berry notes supported by an exotic brown baking spice mélange, dark chocolate, and sexy oak accents. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a lush and dense fruit core with spice, oak, and subtle earth notes perfectly woven into the fabric. Full-bodied with the kind of power, grace, and balance found only in top class wines. Made with 100% Merlot. $50 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Kynsi Winery Precious Stone Pinot Noir Edna Valley 2012
Bright ruby red color. The nose is simply beautiful offering waves of ripe and semi-tart red berries with supporting notes of purple flowers, jasmine, raspberry compote, cranberry, and mineral with hints of vanilla soaked oak. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a very sophisticated fruit core with an abundance of spice, oak, and floral notes with long trailing tart cherry notes and sexy oak tones. Medium to full-bodied with perfect balance due to a fresh vein of bright acidity that greets you on the first sip and carries through to the finish. $62 – 5 Stars – 97 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
Barlow Barrouge Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga, Napa Valley 2012
Deep, garnet red with a good dose of purple as well. The nose is ever so charming with waves of cassis, blackberry, and plum with generous accents of leather, cigar box, allspice, clove, oak, and forest floor. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a silky, complex entry with a dense fruit-driven core that lingers on and on with vibrant notes of sweet oak and elegant brown baking spices on the finish. Full-bodied and ideally balanced with great length and depth that best reveals itself with an hour of aeration. $50 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Gundlach Bundschu Estate Gewürztraminer Sonoma Coast 2014
Beautiful pale straw color. The nose reveals a classic Gewürztraminer showcasing lovely orchard fruits with accents of jasmine, rose water, honeysuckle, lemon curd, and ginger. The palate echoes the nose delivering a complex fruit melange with white peach, apple, and pear in the lead supporting by generous spice, rose water, ginger, and jasmine with mineral and subtle citrus accents. Medium-bodied and incredibly delicate while filling the palate with waves of fruit and spice. Made with 100% Gewürztraminer. $22 – 5 Stars – 97 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
