Wine & Spirits - August 2019 - 85

US NEW RELEASES
Z I N FA N D E L

It feels complete, a pleasurable zin with years
of development ahead. -J.G.

CALIFORNIA DESSERT

516594

90 | Benton-Lane

516998

93 | Robert Biale

$60

2017 Coombsville Napa Valley R.W. Moore
Vineyard Zinfandel ^ Bill Moore purchased
this property, east of the town of Napa, in
1983; it included a zinfandel vineyard planted
in 1905. The vines that Moore has been able
to sustain are now the oldest in Coombsville,
a relatively cool place for zinfandel, and the
source of this remarkable Napa red. Tilt the
glass and the color may shift from vibrant
garnet to purple ruby. Smell it and you might
find anise and fennel, hibiscus and nettles,
all intertwined with cool, formidably tight
claret-red fruit. It feels classical, destined
for long development in the cellar, or for
decanting with a charcuterie board. -J.G.

516995

92 | Williams Selyem

$40/375ml

2017 San Benito County Vista Verde
Vineyard Late Harvest Gewurztraminer ^
This late-harvest wine is more about energy
than power, with assertive acidity driving
its tangerine scents and luscious pineapple
flavors. It's golden hued and weighty, but
with persistent freshness to pair with soft
white cheeses. -P.J.C.

N E W YORK RED
516817

90 | Millbrook

$40

2016 Hudson River Region Proprietor's
Special Reserve Cabernet Franc ^ This stylish cool-weather cabernet franc has a dark
and smoky scent accented by modest carob
and black-plum flavors. The savory and sweet
fruit notes linger, thinned out by red-apple
acidity. (191 cases) -P.J.C.

516763

91 | Williams Selyem

$65

2017 Russian River Valley Fanucchi-Wood
Road Vineyard Zinfandel ^ Peter Fanucchi
farms seven acres of mixed blacks on Wood
Road, the vines planted in 1890, the census 90
percent zinfandel interspersed with alicante
bouchet and petite sirah. He carefully
times the tilling of the vineyard to sustain
the dry-farmed vines, working organically
and limiting his sulfur applications to two
or three times per year. This is the second
Williams Selyem release from this vineyard,
brought into the stable by winemaker Jeff
Mangahas, who worked with Fanucchi's
grapes at Hartford Family. His 2017 is ripe,
rich and smoky, supercharged with red fruit
and perked up by dusty spice in the tannins.

$60

2016 Eola-Amity Hills Elton Vineyard
Chardonnay ^ From a 1983 planting of two
clones of chardonnay, this savory white is
leesy, dense and structured, with scents of
roast almond and bread crust surrounding a
focused, tart pear core of fruit. It carries itself
with poise, tight and firm, with a dusty mineral texture that may remind you of Chablis.
(303 cases) -P.J.C.
516772

90 | Lavinea

516891

92 | Ovum

$45

2017 Rogue Valley Sinnerman Gerber
Vineyard Gewurztraminer ^ Same wine, different name: Last year, John House called
this gewurz "Since I Fell for You," and the
wine earned 95 points. This year's model,
Sinnerman, draws tension from its slightly
herbaceous rose and jasmine scents and rich,
creamy litchi-scented fruit. The phenolic bite
of the finish is satisfying and precise, but this
needs cellar time to integrate. -P.J.C.

WHITE BLEND

90 | Ovum

CHARDONNAY

93 | Lavinea

GEWURZTRAMINER

516890

OREG ON WHITE

516966

$45

2017 Willamette Valley First Class Chardonnay ^ Scents of cinnamon stick and golden
apple play into tart and juicy flavors. This has
a pleasing, nutty succulence, the textures
fresh and broad at once, mildly smoky, calling for grilled escolar. (140 cases) -P.J.C.

$45

2016 Yamhill-Carlton Lazy River Vineyard Chardonnay ^ Leading with scents of
roasted nuts and golden apple, this wine is
hemmed in by oak, though the sunniness
of the 2016 vintage bursts through that oak
frame with time in the glass. Unresolved for
now, this needs six months or more in the
cellar. (220 cases) -P.J.C.

$15

2017 Oregon Big Salt (Best Buy) ^ This is
mostly riesling and gewurztraminer, cofermented with a smattering of early muscat
and other varieties. It leads with scents of
rosewater and tuberose, its cidery fruit in
the distance. The flavors are herbal and citrusy, emphasizing gewurztraminer at the
moment, tasting of apple, salted lemon and
mint, with a tropical underpinning. Pour it
with burrata and peach slices. -P.J.C.

OREGON RED
MALBEC
516027

90 | Troon Vineyard

$35

2016 Applegate Valley Cuvée Côt Kubli
Bench Malbec ^ Scents of lilac and violets-
like Choward's violet candies-lend a purple-herbed top note to this pretty malbec. It's
light and bright, with a peppery finish that
demands barbecue. -P.J.C.

WINE & SPIRITS

AUGUST 2019

85
https://www.benton-lane.com/product/2017-first-class-chardonnay/ https://www.biale.com/wines/zinfandel/ https://www.williamsselyem.com/wine/2017-vista-verde-vineyard-late-harvest-gewurztraminer https://www.williamsselyem.com/wine/2017-fanucchi-wood-road-vineyard-zinfandel
Wine & Spirits - August 2019

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