Wine & Spirits - December 2013 - (Page 1)

EDITOR'S note Pure Vintage T in a short three decades, the region has emerged he steep, rocky schist canyon leading through as a source of distinctive cabernet sauvignon, a the Douro Valley into Porto has produced some savory style that falls between the bold ripeness of the most collectible wines in the world for of Napa Valley and the more restrained elegance centuries. That is, until the disruptions of the of the Médoc. Patrick J. Comiskey, our senior 20th century, with world wars, new technologies correspondent covering Washington state, and the manpower that once trod the grapes in has been fascinated by the transformation of granite lagars now comfortably settled in front of a football game on their television set in Vila Nova Walla Walla cabernet as the range of vineyards expands. He gives an overview of the region's de Gaia. meteoric rise on page 42. The growers and And then there's winemakers in Douro, Champagne, a region famed however, have been more for the bubbles in busy trying to recapture its wine than the terroir that excitement over the expression of its soils. last decade, and their Growers-and large houses work, combined with the acting as growers-have cooperation of the weather, begun to change that has created a watershed impression, and many of us vintage in 2011. It's a year who love to drink their ever that brings new knowledge more vinous creations are and technical expertise to opting for wine glasses rather the production of an ancient than ﬂutes. Some producers, wine, a vintage that's Senior Correspondent and a few sommeliers, are delicious enough across the Patrick J. Comiskey writes decanting their Champagne, board to turn some heads, on Walla Walla cabernet. a controversial approach, with wines more expressive as Peter Liem reports on of Douro than ever. That page 28. We didn't decant any of the wines for is not meant as hyperbole, but as a measure our house-by-house assessment of Champagne of the wines' distinction across a wide range of (p. 50), but we did ﬁnd the best of the wines vineyards. I've provided tasting notes on page 83 developed beautifully with air. And we did not and a report on page 38 that considers why this taste them out of ﬂutes. might be the case. Whatever wine you choose to open for your Though formed by a river on its way west to holiday feasts, and however you choose to pour the sea, the long ﬂat plain of eastern Washington and the hills rising out of Walla Walla could not be it, we wish you a great celebration and lots of good cheer. more different than Portugal's Douro Valley. Yet JOSHUA GREENE http://www.yalumba.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - December 2013

Wine & Spirits - December 2013
Editor’s Note
Happenings
Contents
Fined & Filtered
Acid Trips
The Great Whiskey Shortage of 2013
Spirits
Gadgets and Gi
New Destinations
Where to Eat & Drink in Seattle
Turning Champagne into Wine
Barolo & Formaggio
Douro, No Apologies
Walla Walla Cabernet
The Best for $10 or Less
Overview
Champagne
US Sparkling Wine
US Cabernet Sauvignon
Alsace
German Riesling
2011 Vintage Port
Barolo & Barbaresco
Rioja
US New Releases
International New Releases
Wine & Spirits Top 100

Wine & Spirits - December 2013