wine enthusiast top 100 2013

7/22/2019 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 2013

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WineMag.com | 4342 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | BEST OF YEAR 2013 T

his year,Wine Enthusiast s global tasting panel reviewedmore than 16,500 wines, in every style and at everyprice point imaginable. In our November issue, wepublished our Top 100 Best Buys, the years top winesfor $15 or less. In our December issue, we publishedour Top 100 Cellar Selections, the years most age- worthy and collectible wines. Now, the big one is here.

The Enthusiast 100 is the pinnacle of our yearly roundupswines wethink are remarkable for a multitude of reasons. The wines featured hereare all top-scoring wines, but beyond numerical ratings, they are wines

that boast exceptional quality-to-price ratios, drinkability and availability.They represent the incredible diversity available in the market todaythe best wines in an array of styles, made from a wide range of grape varieties, and from wine regions all around the world.

These are the standout wines we value for their uniqueness, theirbalance and individuality, their unquestionable appeal and the sheerdelight we experienced in tasting them.

In essence, The Enthusiast 100 is a carefully culled selection of2013s must-drink wines that we cant wait for you to discover and enjoy with us. Cheers!

Our Annual List of Must-Have Wines.By the Editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

C H A R L E S S C H I L L E R


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44 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | BEST OF YEAR 2013

THE ENTHUSIAST 100

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94 Luis Caas 2006 Reserva Seleccin dela Familia Red Wine (Rioja).Black-fruit aro-mas come with all the savory, smoky, coconutty accents

one could ask for. In the mouth, expect saturation, bigtannins, structure galore and layering. Flavors of bal-samic black fruits, prune, toast and char nish long,minty, dark and delicious. Residual tannins suggest thatthis can last another 10 years. Henriot Inc. EditorsChoice . M.S.abv: 14.5% Price: $40

993 Castellinuzza e Piuca 2010 Chianti Clas-sico. This gorgeous Chianti Classico boastslively cherry, strawberry and violet aromas. The mouth- watering palate shows concentrated wild-cherry avorlayered with mint, white pepper and clove. It has freshacidity and rm tannins that will develop complexi-ty with more bottle age. A textbook Chianti Classico.Moonlight Wine Co. K.O.abv: NA Price: $16

1093 Kilikanoon 2009 Blocks Road CabernetSauvignon (Clare Valley).This is a dark,chocolaty Cabernet. Its full bodied and richly textured, with plenty of rm structure to support the layers of cas-sis, plum pudding and mocha avors, then shows amplelength to its velvety nish. Drink from 20152025. OldBridge Cellars. Editors Choice . J.C.abv: 14% Price: $30

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97 Williams Selyem 2010 Allen VineyardChardonnay (Russian River Valley).This wine shows real rst-growth quality in its intensity andconcentration, with orange nectar, golden mango, pear,peach pie, buttercream, vanilla, buttered toast and spiceavors. The balance is exquisite, and the way the acidsdance along the palate make the wine clean and lively.

Editors Choice . S.H.abv: 14.6% Price: $50

1293 Chteau Vincens 2011 Origine (Cahors).Almost black in color, this is a dark-hued, blackplum and chocolate avored wine. It is powerful and very concentrated, densely tannic as well as fruity.There is a dusty texture, a ne stratum of acidity andstrong wood-spice avors. The wine is for long-termaging. Drink from 2017. European Cellars. EditorsChoice . R.V.abv: 15% Price: $22

1395 Moucho 2007 Alentejano.A powerful anddense wine, showing some rustic character, bigred fruit and dark tannins. This superb wine has weightand concentration, balanced acidity and a growing senseof maturity. This wine from the legendary Moucho es-tate needs considerable aging; drink from 2018. Vi-num Wine Importing and Distributing LLC. EditorsChoice . R.V.abv: 14% Price: $36

1496 Au Bon Climat 2010 Historic VineyardsCollection Bien Nacido Vineyard PinotNoir (Santa Maria Valley).This Pinot Noir is in-sanely delicious. The wine is dry, tart and moderatein alcohol, giving it the smooth silkiness you want in ane Pinot. The avors are something else, striking theperfect balance between ripe raspberries, earthy cola,red licorice and mushrooms, with all kinds of spicycomplexities. The acid-tannin balance is impecca-ble. Its drinking beautifully now and should hold andchange in the bottle over the next eight years. Edi-

tors Choice . S.H.abv: 13.5% Price: $40

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94 Chteau Lilian Ladouys 2010 Saint-Estphe. Obviously wood-aged, with a smokytoast avor, this is a wine that shows the power of

Saint-Estphe tannins in full force. At the same time,there is a blackberry character that adds richness and juiciness, which cuts through the dry core. Age for atleast 78 years. Misa Imports. R.V.abv: 14% Price: $35

1694 Contucci 2009 Vino Nobile di Montepul-ciano. This is a classically crafted wine made byone of Montepulcianos most historic estates. It has an al-luring bouquet of violet, rose petal, cassis and nutmeg.The palate delivers an intense wild-cherry avor layered with white pepper and cinnamon, all impeccably bal-anced by rm tannins and vibrant acidity. Caffo Beverag-es Inc, Kiwi Distributing. Editors Choice . K.O.abv: 14% Price: $29

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97 Roederer Estate 2004 LErmitage Brut(Anderson Valley).This is an exquisite spar-kling wine made from 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pi-

not Noir, concocted into a special blend and aged foralmost six years in oak cask. After disgorgement it wasgiven another ve months to sit in bottle before re-lease. It has such freshness on the palate, such envi-able acidity, that its hard to believe the grapes werepicked so long ago. Crisp apple dominates, with just atrace of yeastiness on the nose and palate. This is a de-licious wine. V.B.abv: 12% Price: $47

294 Luis Duarte 2010 Rubrica (Alentejano).Mint aromas and avors lead to an intense wine that is powered at this young stage by rm, seri-ous tannins. It has great richness from the black plumfruits, and a spicy, herbal character that adds complex-ity. From consultant Luis Duarte, this is a wine forlong-term aging; hold for 67 years or more. Laurel

Importers. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 14% Price: $25

395 Jean-Luc Balds 2010 Clos Triguedi-na Les Galets (Cahors). From the sun-drenched third terrace of vines above the river Lot,this magnicent wine is the star of the three single-par-cel wines from Jean-Luc Balds. It has the densest tex-ture, very rm, concentrated and dark. Spice, coffeeand blackberry avors are all nely integrated; this wine will age for at least a decade. Cynthia Hurley Wine Imports. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 14.5% Price: $33

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94 Trisaetum 2012 Ribbon Ridge EstateDry Riesling (Ribbon Ridge).The Rib-bon Ridge estate delivers beautifully ripened fruitsoripe, in fact, that the rst impression is of sweet treefruits, although the wine is actually quite dry. Peach-es, citrus and nectarines are in the mix, and whenthe tangy acidity kicks in, a long, mineral-driven rideacross the palate ensues. Luscious, long and detailed,this is a spectacular Riesling. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 12% Price: $24

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94 Villa Cafaggio 2009 Riserva (ChiantiClassico). Heres a beautiful Chianti Classicofrom Panzanos Conca dOro, or Golden Basin, one ofthe best areas in the denomination. It has compellingaromas of pipe tobacco, crushed cherry, smoke andleather. The palate delivers juicy black-cherry, plum,clove, carob and mineral avors. This wine has a beau-tiful structure, elegance and mesmerizing depth. Eth-ica Wines. Editors Choice . K.O.abv: 14.5% Price: $30

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98 Cayuse 2010 En Cerise Vineyard Syrah(Walla Walla Valley).The purity and potent,almost mystical aromas of the En Cerise Syrah conjureup ying carpet visions of purple and black fruits. Theenticing aromatics have a citrusy lift, with orange peeland incense, like drinking a Persian rug. Amazinglycomplex, seamless, dense, and elegant, its a wine thatnever stops, as new avors keep emerging the longer itbreathes. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 14.8% Price: $80

796 Donkey & Goat 2012 Grenache Noir (ElDorado).Spicy in aroma and mouthfeel, thisis a wondrous wine, gorgeous in lovely ripe cherry andstrawberry notes that are completely enveloped inthrills of white pepper. Those who love cool climateRhnes will nd much to ponder and celebrate. Racy,it is fragrant and lean, made without ning or ltering.Seek this one out. V.B.abv: 14.2% Price: $27

California (18),Oregon (3),Washington (9)

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How The Wines Break Down


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THE ENTHUSIAST 100

1797 Failla 2010 Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir(Sonoma Coast). This shows the trifectaof winemaker Ehren Jordans deft hand, the fabulousHirsch Vineyard and the wonderful 2010 vintage. Evenif you knew nothing of the wines pedigree, youd bedazzled by its sheer richness of raspberry, cherry, colaand herb avors, plus the rm, stone-driven mineral-ity, the dryness, the feral mountain hints, the acidityand the overall dazzling structure. The alcohol level iscomparatively restrained, providing just the right touchof warmth. New oak clocks in at only 30%, imbuing the wine with a nice seasoning of smoke. Denitely worthsearching for, but only 375 cases were produced. Drink

this wine now2022. Editors Choice

. S.H.abv: 13.9% Price: $70

1891 Jean-Maurice Raffault 2010 Les Picass-es (Chinon). From the plateau that lies be-tween the Loire and Vienne rivers, this is a rm, mineralstructured wine. It has power and juicy red fruits that alsoshow dark, dry tannins. Its a concentrated and dense winefor medium-term aging. VOS Selections. R.V.abv: 13.5% Price: $20

1994 Adriano Marco & Vittorio 2010 Sanadaive(Barbaresco). This Barbaresco offers quint-essential Nebbiolo aromas of red rose, leather and ber-ry along with succulent cherry and raspberry avors lay-

ered with spice, sage and Alpine herbs. Its wonderfullybalanced, with bracing but ne tannins and fresh acid-ity, and will develop additional complexity with morebottle age. Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd. EditorsChoice . K.O.abv: 13.5% Price: $28

2093

Companhia das Quintas 2010 Quinta doCardo Seleco do Enlogo (Beira Interi-

or). This is an impressive wine, full of rich fruits and adense and rm structure. The wine, with its black berryand plum avors, is dry and concentrated, with a pow-erful and complex texture that suggests a ne mineral-ity. It denitely needs aging, so drink from 2016. WineIn-Motion. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 13.5% Price: $16

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92 Hannes Reeh 2012 Unplugged Chardon-nay (Burgenland). This is a rich Chardon-nay thats very creamy and smooth. Wood aging showsstrongly, adding ripeness and spice to the yellow fruits.

Richly structured and concentrated, this wine will needat least least three years to develop. Screwcap. Acid IncSelections. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 13.5% Price: $18

2294 Domaine Jean-Luc Mader 2011 RosackerGrand Cru Riesling (Alsace).A rich Ries-ling, just off dry, balancing intense acidity with whitecurrant, hedgerow fruits and a concentrated texture.The wine is full-bodied, very ripe and superbly struc-tured. Very fruity now, this is a wine to show how wellRiesling can agegive it 68 years. Elite Wines Im-port. R.V.abv: 14% Price: $39

2396 Clos Mogador 2010 Priorat. Gorgeous,amplied aromas of wild berry, plum and neherbs are crystal clear and magnetic. This beautiful Pri-orat is layered, smooth as glass and exemplary in ev-ery way. Flavors of mixed black fruits, cocoa, toast andschisty mineral nish in a swirl of chocolate, blackenedtoast, licorice and peppercorn. Best from 20152018.Europvin. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: 15% Price: $90

2495 Gigi Rosso 2009 Arione (Barolo).Arioneshows its Serralunga dAlba pedigree via classicaromas of black cherry, leather, trufe and rose petal.The palate delivers lush wild-cherry avors and hintsof trufe, mint and the vineyards hallmark licorice. Itsbeautifully balanced, with rm but ripe tannins and just enough freshness, and is simply a gorgeous Barolo. Wine 4 All. Editors Choice . K.O.abv: 14.5% Price: $49

2593 La Bastide Blanche 2010 Bandol. This isan opulent, rich wine that is full of black plums,powerful tannins and spice. Mourvdre dominates thepalate with its power and exotic aroma, but bright acidi-ty guides a long nish. Still young, it needs several yearsto develop, so drink from 2016. Weygandt-Metzler. Ed-

itors Choice . R.V.abv: 14.5% Price: $26

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93 Wines & Winemakers 2009 guia Mouraem Vinhas Velhas Reserva (Douro).This isa smooth, impressively rich wine powered by silky tan-nins and ripe black fruits. The palate is intensely con-centrated with a big, bold structure and a solid feel. Itdoes need some aging, so drink from 2016. Best BrandsIncorporated. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 14% Price: $18

2794 De Toren 2009 Fusion V (Stellenbosch).A layered and complex wine, the 2009 Fusion V is one remarkable selection thats delicious now, al-though it certainly shows the stufng to age well for an-other three to ve years, at least. Forward sweet-oaknotes marry harmoniously with black-fruit aromas onthe nose. The robust, dense palate offers ripe avorsof cassis, blackberry and plum, with accents of leath-er, tobacco and licorice that linger long into the n-ish. Chewy, gripping tannins provide a rm structure,framing the full fruit avors. Cape Classics. EditorsChoice . L.B.abv: 14.5% Price: $50


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THE ENTHUSIAST 100

2893 Antico Colle 2010 Vino Nobile di Mon-tepulciano. Heres a classically crafted selec-tion, with a lovely oral and earthy fragrance. The pal-ate shows dark-plum and black-cherry avors laced with white pepper, mint and balsamic accents. While it hastame acidity, its still tightly wound and needs just a few years to soften and develop additional complexity; drinkafter 2015. Vi Wines, J & J Importers. K.O.abv: 14% Price: $22

2995 Andr Brunel 2009 Les Cailloux (Ch-teauneuf-du-Pape). The 2009 Les Caillouxis a classically built Chteauneuf that should age wellthrough at least 2025. The blend of 65% Grenache, 20%Mourvdre, 12% Syrah and 3% Cinsault starts off withlovely notes of wild thyme and dark fruit, then adds herb-al complexity and chocolaty richness. Its full bodied yetrm, with some dusty but elegant tannins on the nish.Its excellent now, but will be even better in 2016 and beyond. Robert Kacher Selections. Editors Choice . J.C.abv: 14% Price: $60

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96 W.H. Smith 2010 Hellenthal Vineyard Pi-not Noir (Sonoma Coast). From a vineyardin the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation, this is clearly oneof the best wines of the vintage. The mouthfeel is lightand silky, with rened tannins that give it a slight astrin-gency. The avors are vast and complex with raspber-ries, cherries and cola, but also forest notes of mush-rooms, balsam and herbs. The acidity is fresh and ap-pealing. Its gorgeous now, and should evolve over thenext 15 years. Editors Choice . S.H.abv: 14.2% Price: $48

3194 Alta Vista 2010 Temis Single VineyardMalbec (Mendoza). The Alta Vista single- vineyard wines are among the best in Argentina. Thisoffers a soft, deep, alluring nose with plum, berry, min-erality and a hint of rubber and bacon. Its rich, pureand a bit jammy in feel, with saturated blueberry, black-berry, molasses and caramel avors. A cuddly, long n-ish conrms this Malbecs outstanding status. Drinkthrough 2018. Kobrand. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: 15.5% Price: $50

3292 Chteau Blaignan 2010 Mdoc. Aromat-ic hints of new wood translate onto the smoothpalate. It has smoke and black currant avors, with tan-nins that are already well integrated. Attractive aciditygives this a nal lift. Keep it for 56 years. Aquitaine Wine Company. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 13.5% Price: $16

3394 Torbreck 2010 The Struie Shiraz (Baros-sa).

This is a terrically full-bodied, lush Shi-raz that nevertheless retains a sense of balance andfreshness. Vaguely minty, herbal notes make a briefappearance, then give way to raspberry and blueberryfruit. Savory hints creep in on the palate, further in-creasing its appeal. This blend of fruit from the Barossaand Eden valleys should drink well through at least2020. Wine Creek. Editors Choice . J.C.abv: 15% Price: $50

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95 Pacic Rim 2010 Wallula Vineyard Bio-dynamic Riesling (Columbia Valley).Made from grapes sourced from a biodynamicallyfarmed vineyard, this wine puts on an almost-magicaldisplay of ower and citrus scents. Deep and concen-trated, this has harmonious and potent avors, and it isamazing how the delicate oral aspect cuts across the juicy, citrusy taste. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 13.9% Price: $32

3594 Domaine Cauhap 2010 Symphonie deNovembre (Juranon). Concentrated andluscious, this has notes of dried apricot and g, with adense texture reminiscent of honey and orange marma-lade. It has a strong mineral structure that melds withthe ripe generosity. Savor this intense wine alone at theend of a meal or with blue cheese. Planet Wine. R.V.

abv: 14% Price: $24/375 ml

3694 Aia Vecchia 2009 Sorugo (Bolgheri Su-periore). Soft and velvety, this blend of Caber-net Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Ver-dot releases intense notes of blackberry, cherry, choco-late, spice and leather. It shows plush layers of dark fruitand tangy tobacco that build the palates momentum.Dalla Terra Winery Direct. Editors Choice . M.L.abv: 15% Price: $35

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95Robert Mondavi 2011 Fum Blanc(Oakville).This isnt Mondavis most expensive

Fum (Sauvignon) Blanc. But it is one of their best ever.In fact, its so classic, you could use it in a winemaking classto teach future vintners about how great Napa SauvignonBlanc should taste. Its bone dry, brilliantly crisp with acid-ity and gently touched by oak. The main notes are of lees, which give a sourdough tang, and layers of lemons, limes,pink grapefruits, gooseberries and rich tropical fruits. Anunbelievable value at this price, but only 1,975 cases wereproduced. Editors Choice . S.H.abv: 14.5% Price: $32

3894 Lelarge-Pugeot 2004 Quintessence Pre-mier Cru Brut Millsime (Champagne).Made from 50-year-old vines, this is a ne wine witha steely minerality. Partial fermentation in oak gives itcomplexity without detracting from its elegant fruiti-ness. Floral notes and white and yellow fruits are bal-anced by a hint of toast. Its ready to drink now, but willimprove over the next few years. Vintage Imports, Inc.

Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 12% Price: $50

3995 Maison Bleue 2010 Boushey Vineyard LeMidi Grenache (Yakima Valley).As excel-lent as this was was in 2009, the 2010 has reached analmost-ethereal level. The aromatics alone are trans-portive, with the concentrated essence of raspberriesand blueberries at optimal ripeness. The avors aredeep and long, elegant and powerful, and they lead into


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THE ENTHUSIAST 100

a nish thats anchored in notes of mineral and darkchocolate. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 14.5% Price: $35

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96 Quinta do Vale Meo 2011 Vintage Port.This is a very dry, rm wine thats solidly tan-nic but never harsh. The wine combines weight andripe black fruit in a powerful expression of dense vin-tage Port from this estate in the Upper Douro. Acidityshines through the density on the nish. Age for manydecades. Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. R.V.abv: 20% Price: $66

4197 Cavallotto 2007 Vignolo Riserva (Baro-lo). This is a stunning and vibrant Barolo thatdees the heat of the vintage thanks to 47-year-old vines, amazing terroir and noninvasive winemaking.It shows oral aromas of violet layered with spice andtrufe, while the palate delivers rich wild cherry, mintand cinnamon. This already shows excellent complexity,but its still young. Drink after 2022. Michael Skurnik

Wines. Editors Choice . K.O.abv: 14.5% Price: $98

4293 Easton 2010 Estate Bottled Zinfandel(Shenandoah Valley). Edgy with mountain-ous berry avor, Eastons 2010 Shenandoah Valley Zinis full-bodied, generous in savory spices and blackberryavor and intoxicatingly aromatic with a peppery, leath-ery nish. Its structurally able to withstand many more years in bottle, so enjoy it now or give it some time.Either way, itll shine poured alongside peppery meat.V.B.abv: 15.1% Price: $32

4395

Bergstrm 2010 Sigrid Chardonnay (Wil-lamette Valley).Bergstrms Sigrid is one ofthe nest Chardonnays made in Oregon. Racy and re-

ned, it shows Burgundian nesse, toast and acidity. Asin other top tier wines from the Northwest, the fruit has

a certain vibrancy that shouts New World. Peach, ap-ple and pear avors abound. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 14.1% Price: $80

4493 Grard Bertrand 2011 Tautavel Hom-mage aux Vignerons (Ctes du Roussil-lon Villages Tautavel).This is a dense, concentratedand expressive wine, although its still young and prom-ises more beauty and elegance with age. Aromas of Af-rican violets and cocoa nibs marry harmoniously withthe eshy black-fruit core. Jammy, ripe plum and cherryavors lead the lush and slightly creamy palate, transi-tioning into notes of roasted coffee and chocolate, andnally ending on a sweet toasted-oak and baking-spiceaccent. Its richly delicious now, but patience will alsobe rewarded; try after 2016. Gerard Bertrand USA. Ed-

itors Choice . L.B.abv: 15% Price: $35

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92 Carlos Serres 2005 Gran Reserva (Rio-ja). This oral, somewhat light-bodied wine isa traditional blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Ma-zuelo. Its elegant in its delivery of cherry and raspber-ry aromas, and the palate is crisp and pure, with pulse.Cherry, cassis, vanilla and molasses avors nish longand smooth. What a great upper-end value; drink nowthrough 2018. Testa Wines Of The World. EditorsChoice . M.S.abv: 13.5% Price: $30

4695 Cascina delle Rose 2010 Tre Stelle (Bar-baresco). This gorgeous, single-vineyard Bar-baresco has an enticing Nebbiolo perfume of forestoor, Alpine herbs, ripe berry, trufe and a hint of leath-er. The palate delivers cherry notes sprinkled with spice,and shows great depth and balance. Its elegant and al-ready shows mesmerizing complexity. Multiple U.S. im-

porters. Editors Choice . K.O.abv: 14% Price: $60

4797 Sanguis 2009 Six White Horses Syrah(California). Winemaker Matthias Pippigbrings Syrah to a whole new level with this stunninglydramatic bottling. Dont worry about the California ap-pellation, a peculiarity of the winerys ownership. Itsmade entirely from Santa Barbara grapes, namely from Watch Hill in Los Alamos and Bien Nacido in SantaMaria Valley. The intensity of fruit dees description. Itsuggests enormous blackberry and creamy-sweet choc-olate, larded with bacon and sprinkled with black pep-perand that doesnt even begin to describe the toastysweetness of the 100% new oak barrels. This is the bestCalifornia Syrah of the vintage, and one of the great-

est Syrahs the state has ever produced. This opulencecomes at a cost, however: The alcohol is high. S.H.abv: 15.6% Price: $75

4894 Kevin White 2011 La Fraternit (Yakima Valley).A blend of Grenache, Mourvdre andSyrah, this is right up there with the best of Maison Bleuefor a southern-Rhne-style blend from Washington.Lovely aromatics introduce a forward, fruit-powered wine loaded with scents and avors of ripe cherries andplums. The red fruits are enhanced with hints of tobac-co and mineral, but the lollipop fruit core is what cap-tivates through a long nish. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 14.2% Price: $20

4992 Pascal Aufranc 2012 Vignes de 1939 (Chnas). A full, rich and rounded wine thatbrings out the concentration from the low yielding old vines. It has rich black cherry and spice avors that go with the delicious acidity and solid structure. This couldbe a wine to age, but its so good now. If you want, drinkuntil 2018. Zancanella Importing Co. Editors Choice .R.V.abv: 12.5% Price: $35

5093 Joh. Jos. Prm 2011 Wehlener Son-nenuhr Riesling Kabinett (Mosel). Headyaromas of rose petal, red berry and tropical fruit lend anunusual expressiveness to this delicately framed kabi-nett. Dainty and dancing, the texture is almost ethereal,nishing long, with a lacy swath of berries and blossoms. Valckenberg International, Inc. A.I.abv: 9% Price: $37


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THE ENTHUSIAST 100

5193 Le Macchiole 2010 Bolgheri. A blend ofMerlot, Cabernet and Syrah, this shows out-standing intensity and length. It has long-lasting avorsof chocolate, bright cherry, spice and leather. DomaineSelect Wine Estates. Editors Choice . M.L.abv: 14% Price: $30

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93 Bokisch 2010 Tempranillo (Lodi).Bokischhas made a Tempranillo thats relatively light inbody, bursting with an earthy tobacco tone, with a back-bone of leather. The palate feels velvety, with soft butstructured tannins, bearing black cherry and dark choc-olate avors. This has to be one of Californias best Tem-pranillos. V.B.abv: 14.5% Price: $21

5392 Lucien Lardy 2011 Les Thorins (Moulin--Vent). A densely tannic wine, showing theinuence of Beaujolaiss granite soil, this is currentlydominated by minerality and structure rather than fruit.Considering the weight of the wine, the fruitiness islikely to develop over the next 23 years. Cru Wines.

Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 12.5% Price: $20

5494 Poets Leap 2012 Riesling (Columbia Val-ley). Half of this years Poets Leap Riesling issourced from The Benches, one quarter from old-vineplantings at Dionysus, and the rest from Yakimas PhilChurch vineyard. Marvelous concentration and a pan-oply of lush orange, apricot, peach and papaya avorscarry this beautifully balanced wine through a long and

satisfying nish. Delicious young, it could also be cel-lared for a decade or longer. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 12.9% Price: $20

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97 Goldschmidt 2009 Game Ranch Single Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon(Oakville).This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is aged in85% new oak, and it shows the essence of Oakville inits dry, tannic, ripe and complex identity. It would behard to exaggerate the excellence of the blackberries,black currants, black cherries, dark chocolate and oakavors, which have a Christmas-pudding-like headiness.A hint of raisin suggests it approaches overripeness, yetit maintains superb control. The tannins and overall bal-ance should help this age for many years, but it can alsobe consumed now. S.H.abv: 14.9% Price: $85

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97 Ferreira 2011 Vintage Port.This hugely rich yet approachable wine shows power and bold-ness. All the elements are there, linked by rm tanninsand freshness from berry acidity. Broadbent Selections,Inc. R.V.abv: 20% Price: $90

5793 Rocca di Montemassi 2010 MaremmaToscana. Bordeaux consultant Denis Du-bourdieu and winemaker Stefano Ferrante crafted this

blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Its a bottle that raises the bar for the dozens of wines created by the Zonin family, the owners of thisrelatively new estate in Maremma. The result is rich

and enticing, and it offers intense avors of dark berry,leather, tobacco and bright cherry. Zonin USA. M.L.abv: 14% Price: $30

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94 Marqus de Riscal 2006 Baron de ChirelReserva (Rioja). Riscal has outdone itself with this outstanding seven-year-old wine that leansmodern but holds onto classic Rioja DNA. The noseis full of tobacco, balsamic accents and core black-fruitavors. A rich, pure, lightly baked tasting nish is ex-cellent, like the rest of the wine. Drink through 2022.Shaw-Ross International Importers. Editors Choice .M.S.abv: 14.5% Price: $60

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96Zaca Mesa 2009 Black Bear Block EstateGrown and Bottled Syrah (Santa Ynez

Valley). If the rst duty of a wine is to be delicious,this tiny production bottling succeeds beyond all mea-sure. The Black Bear Block is almost always Zaca Mesasbest Syrah among its many releases, and so it is again in2009. Take one sip and youre dazzled by the renedtannins, dryness and complexity of avors: blackberry,cassis, plum sauce, mocha, bacon, smoky oak, whitepepper, chamomile tea and licorice. Whats harder toexpress is the sheer pleasure of the mouthfeel. This isan exciting Syrah, and may just be at the beginning of a

long journey. Drink now and for many years as it slowlychanges. S.H.abv: 14.5% Price: $60


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THE ENTHUSIAST 100

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92 Chteau Moncontour 2011 Cuve Prdi-lection Brut (Vouvray).One of the best spar-kling wines to come from the Loire, this is a classical-ly driven wine, packed with tingling acidity along withsome toastiness and apple fruits. The wine is still freshand could age a few more months in bottle. USA Wine West. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 12% Price: $20

6193 Tua Rita 2010 Perlato del Bosco (Tos-cana). An oak-aged blend of Sangiovese andCabernet Sauvignon, this wine shows bold nuances ofblackberry and cherry, backed by tangy freshness andintegrated oak spice. The wine is tangy and fresh, and itdelivers silky tannins, plus drying notes of tobacco andcrushed granite. Winebow. M.L.

abv: 14% Price: $30

6295 Testarossa 2010 Rincon Vineyard Char-donnay (Arroyo Grande Valley).A gor-geous Chardonnay, amboyant in tropical fruit, honey,cream and buttered toast, but so balanced in acids andminerals, so clean and pure, that it ventures into trulyclassic territory. The vineyard long has been a specialone for Talley. Now, Testarossa gets to dip in, with fan-tastic results. One of the best Chardonnays Testarossahas ever produced. S.H.abv: 14.4% Price: $39

63

95 Marqus de Murrieta 2005 Castillo YgayGran Reserva Especial (Rioja).Superb atevery checkpoint, this is a world-class wine. Cherry, cas-sis and earth aromas are spicy and mellow, not bullish orloud. This feels creamy but with enough textural grit tokeep things lively, while avors of vanilla, tobacco andplum are nicely integrated. A mild, medium-long nishepitomizes elegance. Drink now through 2025. MaisonsMarques & Domaines USA. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: 14% Price: $89

64

94 Guardian Cellars 2012 Angel SauvignonBlanc (Red Mountain).This is as good asSauvignon Blanc gets in Washingtona dense, pun-gent, intensely aromatic and gloriously avorful winesourced entirely from the Klipsun Vineyard. Inauguralscents suggest wet hay, new-mown grass, g and citrus.Following are avors of pineapple, more citrus, beeswaxand a suggestion of bee pollen. This is one of those bot-tles that empties much faster than youd like. EditorsChoice . P.G.abv: 14.1% Price: $20

6594 Molino di SantAntimo 2007 Riserva(Brunello di Montalcino).This riserva showsbright cherry fruit and enough natural freshness toguarantee successful cellar aging. Prune, plum, spice

and leather give way to dark concentration and richness.On the close, the wine delivers loads of cherry, licoriceand menthol nuances. Massanois Imports. M.L.abv: 14% Price: $55

6694 Chteau de la Font du Loup 2010 Le PuyRolland (Chteauneuf-du-Pape). This100% Grenache cuve displays charming and complexaromas of garrigue and ripe cherries and raspberries.Its lush and creamy in texture despite being viniedand aged in concrete. Its a touch warm on the nish,but delicious nonetheless. Drink now2020. AHD Vint-ners. J.C.abv: 14.5% Price: $57

6793 Vinos de Finca 2009 Altos de Losada(Bierzo).Losada wines are dark, dense, headycreatures. This high-end version is pumping deep min-eral and lead aromas alongside cassis, berry and toastednotes. The palate is upright like a good cadet, with livelyacidity and blackberry and spice avors. This is big andmodern but not extreme. Drink through 2023. Classical Wines. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: 13.5% Price: $40

6892 Markus Huber 2012 Engelberg Riesling(Traisental). An intensely crisp and aromatic wine, this boasts great acidity along with bright fruiti-ness and a tight, mineral texture. A bright wine with agood depth of avor, packed with lemon and gooseberrynotes. Screwcap. Circo Vino. R.V.abv: 12.5% Price: $23

6992 Carrick 2011 Pinot Gris (Central Otago).This is slightly smoky on the nose, offering scentsof toasted almonds that neatly accent pear and kumquataromas. Its richly textured on the palate, where the pearand almond notes pick up zesty citrus overtones that al-low them to nish clean and fresh. Drink now. PacicPrime Wines. Editors Choice . J.C.abv: 13% Price: $23

7094 Dunham 2011 Lewis Estate VineyardRiesling (Columbia Valley).As consistentas ever, this is sleek and stylish, with complex, layeredavors of citrus rind, citrus esh and delicate tropicalfruits. There are further highlights of honeycomb anddried apricot, and mouth-pleasing, underlying mineral-

ity. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 12.5% Price: $20


8/10


THE ENTHUSIAST 100

71

92 Markus Molitor 2010 Haus KlosterbergRiesling Sptlese (Mosel). Honey, orangepeel and spice notes mark the nose of this remark-ably rich, yet sprightly Sptlese. The palate is honeyedin sweetness, even slightly caramelized, yet freshened with piercing orange acidity that stretches out the nish.Schmitt-Sohne Inc. A.I.abv: 7.5% Price: $23

7292 Estampa 2009 Gold Carmnre-CabernetSauvignon-Cabernet Franc-Petit Verdot(Colchagua Valley).This smooth and inviting blendis impressive for the price. With mildly herbal Car-menre-driven aromas of olive and peppery spice, andthen a deep and structured palate feel, Gold is golden.Look for a ton of ripe plum and berry avor touched upby oak, chocolate and pepper accents. On the nish, its

spicy, peppery, smooth and complete. Drink now2016.American Estates Wines, Inc. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: 14.5% Price: $24

73

93 Tenuta dei Pianali 2008 Coronato (Bol-gheri). Formerly Tenuta di Biserno, Tenutadei Pianali produces Coronato specically for the U.S.

market. This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon andCabernet Franc opens with bold and eshy cherry fruitbacked by savory tones of pipe tobacco, leather, choco-

late and exotic spice. The wine is full, soft and generouson the palate. Drink now or hold ve more years. Wil-son Daniels Ltd. Editors Choice . M.L.abv: 14% Price: $45

7492 Chteau Vignelaure 2012 Ros (CoteauxdAix-en-Provence).A complex, rich andripe wine. It shows both a tannic edge and full red fruitavors. With acidity cutting through, this is nely bal-anced, a delicious and serious wine that would benetfrom a few more months in bottle. Blue Coast Interna-tional. Editors Choice . R.V.abv: 13.5% Price: $22

7594 Foundry Vineyards 2011 Stainless Char-donnay (Columbia Gorge). This Char-donnay includes a small amount of Maria Gomesanobscure white grape from Portugalin the mix. The ad-dition of Maria Gomes works magic. It eshes out thepalate, and it brings lush avors of melon, banana, appleand lemon. This needs to breathe, but once it opens, it will thrill you until the last drop. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 12.6% Price: $24

7692 Michel Torino 2011 Don David Finca laMaravilla #6 Malbec (Cafayate). After years of tasting Don David Malbecs, heres one that

rises above the rest. This is jammy and stacked withbrawny black-fruit aromas. The mouth is bulky andbullish, but balanced, with blackberry avors that arecoated with copious oak and end in a tornado of cof-fee, mocha, mint and oak. Drink now2016. Frederick Wildman & Sons, Ltd. M.S.abv: 13.9% Price: $25

7792 Alaverdi Monastery Cellar 2010 QvevriTraditional Kakhuri Dry Unltered Am-ber Wine Rkatsiteli (Kakheti).From its musky, per-fumed to nose to its intensely honeyed, dried-peach-and apricot-avored palate, everything about this wineis mysterious and ethereal. Crafted by monks in anancient Georgian monastery, this amber-hued wine ismade from white grapes that were fermented and agedin clay vessels (qvevri) and that underwent extendedskin contact, which resulted in a wine with puckeringtannins and a richly textural mouthfeel. Terrell Wines.

Editors Choice . A.I.abv: 13% Price: $25

7893 Navarro 2011 Cuvee 128 SauvignonBlanc (Mendocino).Full of vitality from startto nish, this wine has bright avors of pear and melon. Well balanced and refreshing, pair it with Asian fare andspicy seafood, or enjoy it on its own. V.B.abv: 12.4% Price: $18

79

92 Teso La Monja 2010 Almirez (Toro). Withits inky black color and intense, dense aromas ofblack fruits, leather, spice and herbs, Almirez is a post-er child for Toro. The palate is rm but offers cushion, while avors of toast, wood, roasted berry, cassis and lic-orice nish long, wild and leathery. Drink through 2019.Jorge Ordoez Selections. M.S.abv: 14.5% Price: $25

8093 Fratelli Berlucchi 2009 Pas Dos Vintage(Franciacorta). This lovely sparkling wine ismade with no dosage or added sugar. It offers scentsof warm, just baked bread, citrus and roasted almond.The palate offers peach, apple, citrus and a hint of wal-nut along with crisp, clean acidity. Its smooth, with nebubbles and a creamy texture. Selected Estates of Eu-rope Ltd. Editors Choice . K.O.abv: 12.5% Price: $40

8193 Louis Sipp 2008 Osterberg Grand CruGewurztraminer (Alsace).Mango aromasdrive this rich wine, full of honey as well as spicy fruits.It is not so much weighty as intense, with a sense of warmth. Now mature and ready to drink, it still retainsa youthful fruit character. R.V.

abv: 12.5% Price: $40


9/10


THE ENTHUSIAST 100

8292 The Crater Rim 2011 Bendigo TerracePinot Noir (Central Otago).Bendigo is a warm subregion of Central Otago, and this wine showsthe plush, creamy texture of superripe fruit. The wineis smoky and briary, marrying black cherry and mochanotes in harmonious complexity, and ending lush andlong. Drink it now and over the next few years. Epicu-rean Wines. Editors Choice . J.C.abv: 14% Price: $25

8395 Gorman 2009 The Bully Cabernet Sauvi-gnon (Red Mountain).The 2009 Bully in-cludes 10% Petit Verdot. Its seamless and complete, arm, muscular, dark, smoky and earthy Cabernet, withsubstantial tannins. The deeply powerful black fruitshave a vivid presence and a slightly roasted character.This is a big bruiser, but beautifully proportioned. Edi-

tors Choice . P.G.abv: 14.8% Price: $45

8493 Trapiche 2010 Finca Fausto Orellana deEscobar Terroir Series Single VineyardMalbec (La Consulta).This Malbec is deep, darkand sultry, what top-ight Argentinean wine is all about.Aromas of balsam wood, black fruits and marzipan leadto a smooth, elegant palate with avors of baked berryfruits, cassis, licorice and toast. Those big four avorscarry onto the nish, which is smooth as a train running

on well-oiled tracks. Drink through 2018. The WineGroup. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: NA Price: $50

8595 Dutton-Goldeld 2011 Dutton RanchRued Vineyard Chardonnay (Green Val-ley). Rued Ranch consistently is the winerys top bot-tling. The 2011, like its predecessors, is modest in al-cohol but vast in citrus, tropical fruit, honeysuckle andmineral avors, and enriched with smoky oak and but-tery notes. It has a delicate mouthfeel that makes it a joyto savor. S.H.abv: 13.5% Price: $50

8693

Chehalem 2011 Ridgecrest Vineyards

Wind Ridge Block Pinot Noir (RibbonRidge). This block selection really works, showingmore muscle and meat on its bones than the excellent vineyard-designated bottling. Black fruits, cassis and

clean earth are ecked with cinnamon. The wine hasauthority and power, yet retains a sculpted, ne-tunedprecision. Editors Choice . P.G.abv: 12.9% Price: $50

8792 Numanthia-Termes, S.L. 2010 Termes(Toro). This is a ripe, dark but balanced Toro with pastry, prune, blackberry and vanilla aromas. Thepalate is ercely tannic on the surface but not overly hardat the foundation. Flavors of burnt toast, blackberry,spice, licorice and chocolate nish warm, toasty anddark, with echoes of ripeness and hard tannins. Drinknow through 2018. Mot Hennessy USA. M.S.abv: 15% Price: $28

88

95 Nickel & Nickel 2010 Harris VineyardMerlot (Oakville).This is a great Merlot thatsintensely concentrated and dazzlingly richeverything

you want a Merlot to be. Its power packed with blackcherries, cherry liqueur, cocoa and sweet oak, with rm,hard tannins. That is, of course, the Nickel & Nickelstyle. It shows classic Oakville structure and a hard-to-dene elegance, making it one of the best Merlots of the vintage. S.H.abv: 14.3% Price: $53

89

95Roche de Bellene 2010 Champeaux Pre-

mier Cru (Gevrey-Chambertin).New woodaromas dominate this powerful wine, which shows howmuch time it needs to age. It also has concentrated, juicyblack-cherry and plum avors and lovely acidity. This wine

is made from fruit sourced from a two-acre parcel in theChampeaux Premier Cru. Loosen Bros. USA. R.V.abv: 14% Price: $92

90

92 Castello di Verrazzano 2010 ChiantiClassico. This vibrant Chianti Classico hasripe strawberry and raspberry aromas with hints of vio-let. The palate shows delicious red cherry layered with white pepper and a hint of chocolate, all in a fresh andsupple style. Palm Bay International. K.O.abv: 13.5% Price: $24

9192 Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier 2007 LieuDit Malakoff Shiraz (Pyrenees).This part-nership continues to turn out marvelously complex wines from inland Victoria. Savory, herbal and intrigu-ing on the nose, with hints of raspberry, mushroomand smoked meat, this is a medium-bodied, supple

wine. Dusty tannins impart a silky quality to the nish.Drink now2018. Terlato Wines International. EditorsChoice . J.C.abv: 14.5% Price: $30

9292 Pillitteri 2012 Reserve Icewine Vidal (Ni-agara-On-The-Lake).An aromatic knockout with notes of peach, papaya, lychee and brown sugar.At 250 g/L of residual sugar, its dense and rich withcarmelized sugar avors and a lengthy nish. European Wine Imports. Editors Choice . S.S.abv: 10.5% Price: $30/200 ml

9392 Matetic 2010 Corralillo WinemakersBlend (San Antonio). Blackberry, cassisand earthy accents dene the bouquet on this blend ofSyrah, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. The palate is as sol-id as a boulder, but not overtly hard. Prune, berry, toastand cocoa avors set up an elegant, rich and round n-


10/10


THE ENTHUSIAST 100

ish with nice residual avors and mouthfeel. Drink now2016. Quintessential Wines. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: 14.5% Price: $30

94

96 Iron Horse 2004 Brut LD (Green Valley).A stunning wine, exactly 50-50 Chardonnay andPinot Noir. The vintage was a successful one for IronHorse, and now, theyve released this LD, after agingon the lees for nine years. Its hard to describe how goodit is. The mouthfeel is soft and creamy, with a renedmousse. The fruit avors of raspberries and limes are

beginning to dry out but are still rich and savory. TheseLate Disgorged wines are not meant for further aging,so drink up, with the most incredible foods you can nd.S.H.abv: 13.5% Price: $89

95

93 Chteau Lagrzette 2009 Malbec (Ca-hors). Wood and fruit tannins push throughstrongly in this powerful wine. It has weight and plushfruit texture, and behind the tannins, dark chocolateand licorice avors. Its dense and concentrated, need-ing several years, at least 56, to shine. The Other Wine& Spirits. R.V.abv: 14.5% Price: $46

96

92 Barkan 2010 Reichan Assemblage (Galil).Dense and dark, this heady red is a blend of67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 13% Syrah.Powerful aromas and avors of wild blackberry, cassis,cigar-box spice and licorice root abound on the nose andin the mouth, and carry on through the long nish. Thestructure is rm and gripping, but perfectly matched tothe intense fruit avors. This wine is balanced and at-tractive now, but greater nuance and complexity shoulddevelop with time; try from 20162020. Kosher. Royal Wine Corporation. Editors Choice . L.B.abv: 13.5% Price: $35

97

94 La Poderina 2007 Poggio Abate Riserva(Brunello di Montalcino).Riserva La Pod-erina presents an impenetrable wall of aromatic inten-sity with dark concentration and lovely density in themouth. Youll recognize dark fruit, polished mineral,leather, tobacco and powdered spice notes. The wine

lasts long on the palate, driven by its bold structure. ViasImports. M.L.abv: 14% Price: $79

98

91 Kingston Family 2012 Cariblanco Sau-vignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley).Thissmall-production Sauvignon Blanc (700 cases) overde-livers on its price by a factor of two or three times. Itgets going with crisp, crystalline aromas of passion fruitand briny grapefruit. A pure, juicy, ripped palate offerslime, grapefruit, tangerine and herb avors, while thenish is minerally and clean. Kingston Family Vine- yards. Editors Choice . M.S.abv: 14% Price: $16

9996

Worlds End 2009 Good Times, Bad

Times Beckstoffer To Kalon VineyardCabernet Sauvignon (Oakville).Structurally, this isnear perfect, with sturdy yet supple tannins and brightacids that perk up the avors of blackberry jam, milkchocolate, red currants and crme de cassis. This is clas-sic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon; its great to drink now,but it will also slowly evolve in the bottle over the nextdecade. S.H.abv: 14.8% Price: $100

10091 Painted Wolf 2010 Guillermo Pinotage(Swartland). Aromas of dark forest berry,smoke, cigar-box spice and tobacco leaf immediately waft from the glass of this forward and robust Pinotage.The wines boldness continues to shine on the full pal-ate, loaded with gripping tannins and layers of black-berry, boysenberry, roasted cocoa nib, pepper and toast-ed oak avors. Drinkable now, but should benet fromsome time in the cellar; try after 2015. Southern Starz,Inc. Editors Choice . L.B.abv: 14.5% Price: $19

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