Wine & Spirits - August 2019 - 81

US NEW RELEASES
88 | Davis Bynum

$25

2016 Russian River Valley River West
Vineyard Chardonnay (Best Buy) ^ Hightoned fruit from a river-bench site on
Westside Road meets oak-barrel flavors
in this wine (it was fermented and aged
in French and Eastern European oak, 21
percent new). For now, the smoky wood
notes dominate, but the wine's structure and
tension suggest the fruit will show itself more
completely with six months in bottle. -J.G.

PICPOUL
517024

89 | Bonny Doon

$18

2018 Arroyo Seco Beeswax Vineyard
Picpoul (Best Buy) ^ Scents of lemon-lime are
accented by this wine's salty mineral spray,
like a windy day at the beach. It's simple, pure
and citrusy, delightfully curt and mouthwatering. For barbecued oysters. -P.J.C.

PINOT BL ANC
517155

88 | Girasole

$14

2018 Mendocino County Pinot Blanc (Best
Buy) ^ This is a soft and musky pinot blanc,
the fruit a little tannic, like green pear skin,
the scent carrying the sweetness of lilies. It's
a white to chill for a summer picnic. (1,272
cases) -J.G.

a broad corn-syrup sweetness with air. It's
young, with a zippy texture. Give it a chill
for the patio. -P.J.C.

VERMENTINO
517099

90 | Tablas Creek

soils more clearly expressed in the wine's tannins, as they shape and detail the heady, rich
black-cherry fruit. A potent blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc,
this needs five or more years in the cellar to
show its best. (310 cases) -J.G.

$30

2018 Adelaida District Vermentino ^ It's
proper that the importer of vermentino cuttings into California should make one of the
more stylish wines from those vines. This
one offers scents of lemon and salted pineapple in a mildly tropical flavor, along with
a fresh, firm texture. It's supple enough for
roast clams. (1,140 cases) -P.J.C.
516609

92 | J. Lohr

VIOGNIER
516701

90 | Ampelos

$25

2018 Santa Barbara County Phi Viognier ^
A forward viognier with plenty of simple flavor, this one leads with a biscuit scent and
follows with bright, juicy, tropical notes of
pineapple and peach melba. Satisfyingly fruit
forward, for sipping in the golden hour. (388
cases) -P.J.C.

$50

2015 Paso Robles Cuvée St. E ^ The St. E
blend (as in St. Emilion) is 80 percent cabernet franc, the balance cabernet sauvignon.
It's pleasingly savory from the outset, with
scents of cedar frond and tomato leaf, all in
the service of plump cassis fruit, purple and
very concentrated, with a texture that's lean
enough for flank steak. (418 cases) -P.J.C.

WHITE BLEND

SAUVIGNON BLANC

517093
516753

90 | Andis

517176

91 | Rombauer Vineyards

$24

90 | Rodney Strong

$17

2018 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ^
Straight-on sauvignon, this has an earthiness
to counter all the bold and juicy passion-fruit
and pomelo flavors. It's perfumed, fresh and
zesty. -J.G.
517197
2018 Sonoma County Charlotte's Home
Sauvignon Blanc (Best Buy) ^ This generous sauvignon's lemon pith flavors cut its
passion-fruit sweetness. It's creamy enough
for chicken in a buttery caper sauce. -J.G.
516815

87 | Tangent

$17

2017 Edna Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Best
Buy) ^ Scents of scallion and apple take on

$25

2018 Sierra Foothills Painted Fields Cuvée
Blanc ^ A blend of semillon, sauvignon blanc,
chardonnay and a bit of arinto, this brisk
white leads with a tense interplay of apple,
pineapple and peach. It's nervy and tropical
at once, with a mouthwatering acidity reminiscent of a tart white peach, plus the grip of
its skin. (500 cases) -P.J.C.

CA L IFORNIA RED
CABERNET-FAMILY BLENDS
516874

92 | Bravante

$65

2014 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Trio ^
This is blunt at first, with a rose-petal scent
that belies its initially powerful stance. Forget
it in a decanter for an hour or two and when
you come back to it, you'll find the volcanic

91 | Shafer

$60

90 | Apriori

$36

2016 Napa Valley TD-9 ^ A selection from
three of Shafer's estate vineyards, this red
emphasizes merlot (58 percent), blended
with cabernet sauvignon and malbec. The
wine's tannins gained suppleness through 20
months in new French oak barrels while sustaining a bright, brisk note above the dark,
tobacco-scented richness. It's nuanced and
layered, a wine to pour with tender cuts of
beef. -J.G.
517124
2015 California Proprietary Red ^ A blend
of mostly cabernet and merlot, this wine has
a sleek evergreen line of savor to complement dark fruit notes of cherries and plums.
It's ripe and sleek, gentle and supple, an elegant red for grilled lamb. -P.J.C.

WINE & SPIRITS

AUGUST 2019

https://www.jlohr.com/wines/2015-cuv�e-st-e http://www.shafervineyards.com/wine/td9.php https://www.andiswines.com/Wines/All-Wines https://www.rombauer.com/wine/sauvignon-blanc/2018-napa-valley-sauvignon-blanc/

Wine & Spirits - August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - August 2019