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com 1
Vol. 10, No. 32 | Aug. 27, 2014
Marvin R. Shanken Editor and Publisher
FRANCE
Northern Rhne
DOMAINE DE BONSERINE
Cte-Rtie La Viallire 2011
94 points | $100 | 350 cases made | Red
Warm cherry, damson plum and red currant pte de fruit notes
form the core, while oral, anise and rooibos tea accents line the
edges. Has weight and lovely perfume, with a long thread of iron
holding the nish. Best from 2016 through 2027.J.M.
DOMAINE LIONNET
Cornas Terre Brule 2011
94 points | $56 | 200 cases imported | Red
Rich and dense, featuring lots of plum, blackberry and black cur-
rant fruit allied to polished tannins. Reveals ample texture and
character, with a chalky underlay and smoldering tobacco and
charcoal notes creeping in on the nish. Powerfully rendered, pull-
ing equally from the modern and old-school sides of the spec-
trum. Best from 2016 through 2028.J.M.
ALAIN VOGE
Cornas Les Chailles 2011
94 points | $54 | 200 cases imported | Red
Offers a racy feel, with iron-bolted red currant, bitter cherry, bay,
pepper, violet and tobacco notes coursing along. Taut and tense
through the nish, where the pepper and sanguine accents leave
a mouthwatering feel. Should age wonderfully. Best from 2015
through 2027.J.M.
Insider
A FIRST LOOK AT OUR EDITORS MOST EXCITING NEW WINES
HEARTY NAPA CABERNETS, SUPER TUSCANS AND POWERHOUSE NORTHERN RHNE
REDS all bring something to the table in this weeks Wine Spectator Insider, a roundup of exciting
wines recently discovered by our editors in their tastings.
In Napa, Diamond Creek and Hall look impressive, while Italian names to seek out include the
latest Sassicaia, Castello di Ama, Bruno Giacosa and Frescobaldi. Cornas and Cte-Rtie are ably
crafted by Alain Voge, Domaine de Bonserine, Guillame Gilles and Clusel-Roch, with a total of five
wines here scoring a classic 95 points. Check out the six Hot Wines on page 4.
CALIFORNIA
HALL
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Kathryn Hall 2011
93 points | $135 | 3,888 cases made | Red
Beautifully orchestrated, rich and juicy, offering an opulent array
of deliciously ripe and layered red and black fruits, with blackber-
ry, currant and raspberry avors, shaded by mocha and toasty-
cedary oak nuances. Drink now through 2025.J.L.
TWENTYFOUR
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2010
93 points | $112 | 1,250 cases made | Red
Offering distinctive black licorice and wild berry aromas, this is
rich, dense and plush on the palate. Well-built and deftly balanced,
this gains depth, holding a tight focus on the long, vibrant nish.
The tannins are ripe and rm, giving the avors traction. Drink
now through 2023.J.L.
HALL
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2011
92 points | $50 | 30,000 cases made | Red
Fairly rich and concentrated, with excellent depth and a range
of avor built around dark berry, mocha, espresso, cedar and
tobacco notes, turning graceful midpalate and ending with a per-
sistent nish. Offers ripe, interwoven tannins. Drink now through
2024.J.L.
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ALAIN VOGE
Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes 2012
94 points | $85 | 250 cases imported | Red
Ripe, intense and very pure, with a gorgeously polished, sleek
beam of cassis, plum sauce and raspberry fruit lined with mouth-
watering iron, lavender and rosemary notes. The long nish has
serious cut. Best from 2015 through 2030.J.M.
DOMAINE DE BONSERINE
Cte-Rtie La Sarrasine 2011
93 points | $75 | 2,500 cases made | Red
This sports a lovely beam of red currant, blood orange and dam-
son plum fruit, framed by bright iron, white pepper and black olive
notes. Vivid and pure, with cut and persistence through the nish.
Best from 2015 through 2027.J.M.
DOMAINE CLUSEL-ROCH
Cte-Rtie Viallire 2011
93 points | $103 | 210 cases made | Red
Shows ample range, with a core of boysenberry, blackberry and
raspberry fruit surrounded by notes of fresh meat, pepper, bay
and singed tobacco leaf. A ash of anise ties up the nish won-
derfully. The latent grip bodes well for cellaring. Best from 2016
through 2027.J.M.
EQUIS
Cornas 2011
93 points | $53 | 275 cases made | Red
Mouthlling, with plum, g, licorice snap and sweet tapanade
notes pushed by briary structure through a bay leaf and olive-
tinged nish. On the modern side of the spectrum thanks to
the vivid fruit, boasting serious terroir. Best from 2015 through
2027.J.M.
NICOLAS SERRETTE
Cornas Patou 2011
93 points | $50 | 125 cases made | Red
A throwback style, teeming with pepper, sanguine and game
notes, with a core of steeped plum, melted licorice snap and
blackberry coulis waiting in reserve. Presents a simmering hint
of charcoal on the nish. For fans of old-school wines. Best from
2015 through 2027.J.M.
VIDAL-FLEURY
Cte-Rtie La Chatillonne Cte Blonde 2010
93 points | $110 | 26 cases imported | Red
Velvety edges of mocha and ganache guide the core of dark plum,
black currant and loganberry fruit, balanced by well-embedded
accents of iron, sanguine and dark olive, adding texture and length
on the nish. Best from 2016 through 2027.J.M.
LES VINS DE VIENNE
Cornas Les Barcillants 2012
93 points | $72 | 200 cases imported | Red
A piercing bay leaf note leads the way, followed by green olive,
tobacco, pepper and iron accents that eventually meld back into
the core of blackberry and plum fruit. Shows plenty of energy
through the nish, with the iron accent driving along. Best from
2015 through 2027.J.M.
LES VINS DE VIENNE
Cte-Rtie Les Archevques 2012
93 points | $120 | 30 cases imported | Red
Offers a eshy, velvety feel, with a core of steeped plum, g and
blackberry paste favors. Features subtle black tea and bergamot
notes as well, while ne-grained hints of singed alder and iron line
the long nish. Best from 2015 through 2027.J.M.
ALAIN VOGE
Cornas Les Chailles 2012
93 points | $54 | 960 cases made | Red
Shows lovely drive and energy from the start, with anise, plum, vi-
olet, white pepper, briar and iron notes seamlessly woven together
and stretching out through the long nish. A chalky undertow
adds contrast and tension. Best from 2015 through 2027.J.M.
ITALY
Piedmont / Barbaresco
BRUNO GIACOSA
Barbaresco Albesani Santo Stefano 2011
93 points | $200 | 200 cases imported | Red
Graphite, oral, cherry, licorice and tobacco aromas and avors
abound in this rm, muscular red. Stays bright and focused, with a
chewy, savory nish. The last vintage of Santo Stefano under the
Giacosa label. Best from 2016 through 2025.B.S.
SOTTIMANO
Barbaresco Curr 2010
93 points | $80 | 300 cases made | Red
Perfumed, with hints of rose, cinnamon and white pepper yield-
ing to avors of cherry, strawberry, leather and tobacco. Though
rmly structured, this has complexity, depth and a long aftertaste
of saline minerality. Best from 2017 through 2030.B.S.
MARCO & VITTORIO ADRIANO
Barbaresco Basarin 2010
92 points | $25 | 350 cases imported | Red
The cherry and plum avors are matched by savory, licorice and
mineral notes in this taut, sinewy version. Dense and concen-
trated, with lively acidity and energy on the nish. Presents a
ne aftertaste of fruit, spice and mineral. Best from 2017 through
2028.B.S.
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ITALY
Tuscany
CASTELLO DI AMA
Chianti Classico Vigneto La Casuccia Gran Selezione 2011
94 points | $220 | 60 cases imported | Red
Rich and modern, pure and expressive, with violet, black currant,
cherry and spice avors that ride the racy prole and dense tannic
structure to a long, lingering aftertaste of fruit and spice. Sangio-
vese and Merlot. Best from 2017 through 2030.B.S.
PETROLO
Sanpetrolo 2004
94 points | $60/375ml | 13 cases made | Dessert
Viscous like motor oil, this intensely sweet wine reveals layers of
molasses, salty caramel, licorice, dried apricot and quince paste
before settling into a smoky, mineral aftertaste. Features an
incredible amount of acidity to balance the sweetness. The nish
goes on forever. Drink now through 2020.B.S.
CASTELLO DI AMA
Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista Gran Selezione 2011
93 points | $220 | 60 cases imported | Red
Rich and elegant, with black cherry, black currant, violet and
boysenberry avors allied to a sleek frame. Dense and weightless
at once, with a lingering aftertaste of tobacco and tea. Presents
a ne balance and aftertaste. Sangiovese and Malvasia Nera. Best
from 2016 through 2028.B.S.
CASTELLO DI AMA
Toscana lApparita 2010
93 points | $220 | 90 cases imported | Red
Pure cherry underlies the spicy oak in this dense, focused red.
Bright and balanced, picking up cedar, oral and mineral ele-
ments on the lingering aftertaste. Merlot. Best from 2016 through
2025.B.S.
ARGENTIERA
Toscana Lavinia Maria 2011
93 points | $180 | 38 cases imported | Red
Dense, with black cherry, black currant, sweet spice and licorice
avors, this red is vibrant and harmonious. The tannins are thick-
set, yet civilized and integrated with the texture. Monolithic now,
so be patient. Cabernet Franc. Best from 2017 through 2027.B.S.
CARNASCIALE
Toscana Il Caberlot 2010
93 points | $295/1.5L | 500 cases made | Red
A fresh, racy style, with vibrant acidity driving the black cherry
and blackberry fruit. Spice, leather and mineral accents add
dimension as this cruises to a lingering, mouthwatering nish.
Shows ne integration and precision. Available in magnum only.
Best from 2016 through 2024.B.S.
CASTELLO DI AMA
Chianti Classico San Lorenzo Gran Selezione 2011
92 points | $52 | 1,300 cases imported | Red
Broad and intense, exhibiting oral, cherry, rhubarb, leather and
almond notes. Well-knit and vibrant, with a compact nish. Should
stretch out nicely. Best from 2016 through 2026.B.S.
CARNASCIALE
Toscana Il Caberlot 2011
92 points | $330/1.5L | 25 cases imported | Red
Velvety in texture, this red displays concentrated black cherry,
plum, tobacco and spice avors. Beautifully balanced and com-
plex, with dense yet rened tannins on the nish. Fresh and
approachable now. Available in magnum only. Drink now through
2023.B.S.
MARCHESI DE FRESCOBALDI
Chianti Runa Nipozzano Vecchie Viti Riserva 2011
92 points | $30 | 750 cases imported | Red
This is elegant, with perfumed aromas of rose, currant, cherry, lico-
rice and spice. Racy and rm, exhibiting ne harmony and a long,
spice- and mineral-tinged aftertaste. A bit austere on the nish.
Best from 2016 through 2024.B.S.
LA MASSA
Toscana Carla 6 2011
92 points | $90 | 50 cases imported | Red
Hints of vanilla, caramel and Bourbon mark this well-oaked red.
Bright black cherry and plum avors form the core, showing con-
centration and a grainy texture. Still compact and monolithic, yet
long. Needs time to integrate. Sangiovese. Best from 2016 through
2023.B.S.
MAZZEI
Chianti Classico Fonterutoli 2012
92 points | $32 | 30,833 cases made | Red
The violet, cherry and raspberry aromas and avors are pure,
meshing seamlessly with the silky texture. Harmonious and ap-
proachable now, but the light dusting of tannins on the nish
suggests this will develop nicely. Fine length. Drink now through
2020.B.S.
MAZZEI
Toscana Siepi 2011
92 points | $122 | 1,667 cases made | Red
A fresh, oaky style, offering a veneer of resin, vanilla, clove and
smoke to the black cherry, plum and tar notes. Concentrated
and extracted, but not for everyone. Best from 2017 through
2027.B.S.
POGGERINO
Chianti Classico Bugialla Riserva 2010
92 points | $48 | 100 cases imported | Red
Starts out round and fruity, turning more austere and tannic to-
ward the nish line. Cherry, strawberry, tar and underbrush avors
show substance midpalate, and the nish is fresh and long. Needs
patience. Best from 2016 through 2028.B.S.
Wine Spectators tasting staff includes 17 tasters and tast-
ing coordinators in two ofces. They work together to review
nearly 20,000 wines each year, more than any other publication.
Together, our nine senior tasters count more than 140 years of
tasting experience.
We always taste wine blind, in our ofces in Napa and New
York. This is your guarantee that our reviews are fair and objec-
tive, and that a wines reputation or price does not inuence its
score. Each editor specializes in the wines of specic regions;
initials appended to the review identify the taster of each wine.
We score wines using the 100-point scale (see green box).
James Laube Senior editor, Napa
Joined Wine Spectator in 1981. Tasting beat: California
Harvey Steiman Editor at large, San Francisco
Joined Wine Spectator in 1983. Tasting beat:
Australia, Oregon, Washington
Kim Marcus Managing editor, New York
Joined Wine Spectator in 1988. Tasting beat:
Argentina, Austria, Chile, Germany, Portugal
Thomas Matthews Executive editor, New York
Joined Wine Spectator in 1988. Tasting beat: Spain
Bruce Sanderson Tasting director, New York
Joined Wine Spectator in 1993. Tasting beat: Burgundy, Italy
James Molesworth Senior editor, New York
Joined Wine Spectator in 1997. Tasting beat: Bordeaux, Loire Val-
ley, Rhne Valley, South Africa
MaryAnn Worobiec Senior editor, Napa
Joined Wine Spectator in 1997. Tasting beat: California, New
Zealand
Alison Napjus Senior editor, New York
Joined Wine Spectator in 2000. Tasting beat: Alsace, Beaujolais,
Champagne, Italy
Tim Fish Senior editor, Napa
Joined Wine Spectator in 2001. Tasting beat:
California
Wine Spectators 100-Point Scale
95100 Classic
9094 Outstanding
8589 Very good
8084 Good
7579 Mediocre
5074 Not recommended
WINE SPECTATORS TASTERS
The Most Experienced Team of Wine Journalists in the World
Wine Spectator Insider Aug. 27, 2014 To subscribe, visit www.winespectator.com 4
HOT WINES
These are the most exciting discoveries from our editors most recent tastings,
published exclusively in Wine Spectator Insider. They are high-scoring wines from
around the world that may be difcult to nd, but are worth seeking out.
CASTELLO DI AMA
Chianti Classico San Lorenzo Gran Selezione 2010
95 points | $52 | 1,300 cases imported | Red
Offers a combination of power and elegance, with a racy feel. Wild
cherry, strawberry, rose and leafy, woodsy avors permeate this
driving red. The nish is long, but this needs time to shed the tan-
nins. Well-dened from start to nish. Sangiovese, Malvasia Nera
and Merlot. Best from 2017 through 2030. From Italy.B.S.
DOMAINE DE BONSERINE
Cte-Rtie La Garde 2010
95 points | $125 | 250 cases made | Red
Captivating, with mocha, warmed blueberry reduction and rasp-
berry ganache aromas leading the way for velvety plum paste, g
sauce and Turkish coffee notes. The broad nish smolders with
charcoal, supported by a graphite spine. Serious juice. Best from
2017 through 2030. From France.J.M.
GUILLAUME GILLES
Cornas 2011
95 points | $71 | 100 cases imported | Red
Shows loads of character, with singed bay leaf, smoldering
charcoal and Turkish coffee notes leading the way for a massive
core of steeped plum, black currant and g fruit. The long nish
ripples with graphite and roasted alder accents while the charcoal
element takes on the feeling of a cold replace. Brooding, loaded
and impressive. Best from 2016 through 2030. From France.J.M.
ALAIN VOGE
Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes 2011
95 points | $85 | 250 cases imported | Red
Vibrant, with terric, chiseled cut to the range of briar, an-
ise, blackberry compote, bay leaf, iron and sanguine notes, all
wrapped with singed alder and juniper accents on the nish. Pure
and driven. Best from 2016 through 2030. From France.J.M.
TENUTA SAN GUIDO
Bolgheri-Sassicaia Sassicaia 2011
95 points | $235 | 3,500 cases made | Red
Ripe black cherry and blackberry avors pick up accents of
rosemary, mineral and spice in this red. Concentrated and intense,
fresh and focused, leaning toward black currant and cedar notes
on the solid nish. Racy midpalate. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab-
ernet Franc. Best from 2017 through 2030. From Italy.B.S.
DIAMOND CREEK
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Red Rock Terrace 2011
94 points | $200 | 407 cases made | Red
A remarkably pure, ripe, sweet and juicy red, with vivid and silky
dark berry fruit, unfolding to black licorice, anise, cedar and loamy
earth avors, all the while keeping the fruit at the forefront. Drink
now through 2024. From California.J.L.