Chateau Lassègue Les Cadrans de Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2012
Deep, dark ruby red color. The nose offers bright scents of black fruits with a generous dose of baking spices, dried herbs, earth, and mineral with accents of oak. The palate fully concurs with the nose offering a dry, black fruit, and earth core with flanking accents of spice, black pepper, and subtle oak notes. Medium to full-bodied with dry spice and mineral-soaked fruit that is framed by big but supple tannins. $35 – 3.5 Stars – 89 points
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
Gundlach Bundschu Mountain Cuvée Sonoma County 2013
Deep, ruby red color. The nose is filled with the scents of blackberry, raspberry, and plum with accents of cherry, black tea, vanilla bean, and soft oak notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich fruit-driven core with waves of brown baking spices, sweet oak, cocoa nibs, and vanilla with silky tannins. Medium-bodied with a lush fruit core and bright acidity that gives it shape. $20 – 4 Stars – 90 points
Rutherford Ranch Two Range Red Wine Napa Valley 2014
Deep, dark, ruby red color. The nose is filled with the scents of freshly crushed red and black berries with accents of vanilla, cassis, chocolate, and brown baking spices. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and silky fruit-driven core with a generous dose of sweet chocolate and vanilla with raspberry jam rising on the finish. Medium-bodied with sweet, jammy fruit and soft, silky tannins. $25 – 3.5 Stars – 88 points
HobNob Wicked Red Blend IGP Pays d'Oc, France 2015
Brilliant, ruby red color. The nose reveals a wonderful fruit offering scents of blackberry and blueberry with accents of mineral, black currant, and hints of oak. The palate confirms the nose delivering a lush and fruity berry-driven core with waves of subtle spice, mineral, and oak notes. Medium-bodied with ideal balance due to the bright acidity and subtle spice notes found in this cheerful red. $11.99 – 3.5 Stars – 88 points
Carlos Serres Crianza Rioja 2012
Brilliant, ruby red color. The nose is alluring with ripe black fruits and soft earth and spice notes seamlessly woven with hints of anise, allspice, and oak. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a fruit-driven core that explodes with sweet ripe berries supported by tart cherries and brown baking spices. Medium-bodied with an ideal acid balance and perfect proportions of fruit, spice, and oak. $12 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Carlos Serres Reserva Rioja 2010
Bright garnet red. The nose reveals a classic Rioja red in the best possible way offering scents of ripe and aged black fruits with accents of earth, brown baking spices, and oak. The palate fully confirms the nose delivering a rich and complex fruit core with flanking notes of earth, oak, and spice with hints of leather and cigar box. Medium-bodied with perfect balance and great length finishing with rounded tannins. $15 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Robert Oatley GSM McLaren Vale 2014
Deep ruby red color. The nose reveals a densely fruity wine with scents of concentrated red fruits, plum, cherry, and cassis with accents of mineral and oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a very lush and silky fruit-driven core with subtle notes of baking spice and oak on the flanks. Medium to full-bodied with rich, juicy fruit and enough bright acidity to keep it perfectly balanced. $20 – 3.5 Stars – 88 points
Troon MT Reserve Southern Oregon 2013
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeep, dark ruby red to purple. The nose is very complex and compelling with ripe, red berries in the lead supported by brown baking spices, cocoa nibs, coffee, and tart cranberries. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a rich and dense fruit-centric core with waves of spice, soft earth tones, and subtle oak notes. Medium to full-bodied with dense fruit and perfect balance with a bright dose of acidity and soft, structuring tannins. $50 – 4.5 Stars – 94 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
