Wine & Spirits - April 2020 - 131

Wine&Spirits

GRENACHE BLANC
519747

88 | Groundwork

$16

2018 Paso Robles Grenache Blanc (Best
Buy) ^ Tropical notes of peach blossom and
orange give way to broader apple flavors. It's
dry and lemony, a grenache blanc with nerve;
for linguini in clam sauce. (750 cases) -P.J.C. §

SAUVIGNON BLANC

519328

89 | Kunde

$18

2018 Sonoma Valley Chardonnay (Best
Buy) ^ A portion of this estate-grown chardonnay ferments and ages in barrel, with malolactic conversion; other lots ferment and age
in stainless steel, offering a fresh non-malolactic aspect to the blend. The wine is clean
and savory, with orange zest and orange oil
notes, a refreshing white to serve with stirfried Cantonese crab. -J.G. §
519851

89 | Lincourt

89 | Sketchbook

$18

A wine that speaks directly from
the earth, communicating the
flavors of its place with unequaled
complexity and intensity; it will
offer pleasure for decades.

96 to 99
Astonishing, Rare

519591

90 | Decoy

$20

2018 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc
(Best Buy) ^ This sauvignon smells like persimmon and tastes like ripe peach; it's a
clean, fresh, refined white to open this winter with crab. -J.G. §
519827

90 | Stag's Leap
Wine Cellars

2018 Mendocino County Chardonnay
(Best Buy) ^ There's a lovely, chamomilescented chardonnay here, waiting to come
up from behind the leesiness. At first it tastes
of peach skins and malt, but, with air, that
richness turns toward juicy golden apple,
fresh and bright. (824 cases) -J.G.
520078

2018 Napa Valley Aveta Sauvignon Blanc
(Best Buy) ^ A clean and gentle sauvignon
blanc with sweet passion fruit richness, this
has enough acidity to work with briny oysters. -J.G. §
519728

$15

$19

86 | Matchbook

2018 Dunnigan Hills Old Head Chardonnay (Best Buy) ^ With straightforward flavors
of apple and pineapple, this is an easy choice
for afternoon sipping. -P.J.C. §

CHENIN BLANC
518764

91 | Lang & Reed

$27

2018 Mendocino Chenin Blanc (Best Buy) ^
A chenin with bold floral spice, this is peppery and clean, lasting on scents of lilies and
mint over its nutty richness. It has a cool feel
to match crab, and the spiciness to pair with
Cantonese orange beef. (225 cases) -J.G. §
519126

90 | Little Frances

$21

2018 Clarksburg Chenin Blanc ^ This hits all
the right notes for chenin: scents of cracked
wheat and pear, a whiff of lime and a salty,
tangy aftertaste. Its texture is warm and caramelly; for pork. (160 cases) -P.J.C. §

W&S scores are based on
quality and distinctive regional
character, to help you find
delicious wines grown and
made with integrity.

100
Transcendent

$20

2016 Sta. Rita Hills Rancho Santa Rosa
Chardonnay (Best Buy) ^ All lees and smoke
when first poured, this develops nutty Parmesan-rind notes and a golden-apple sweetness. The combination is rich and generous.
(4,105 cases) -P.J.C. §
519220

Our Score
Definitions

88 | Santa Barbara Winery

$26

2018 Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc
(Best Buy) ^ This well-priced sauvignon blanc
is sourced from warm vineyard sites. That,
and a modest barrel-fermented component
(18 percent), accounts for the wine's round
texture and lemon-drop flavors. Chill it for
mussels. (3,256 cases) -P.J.C. §

VIOGNIER
519432

93 | Calera

$35

2017 Mt. Harlan Viognier ^ Ripened to
a warm yellow glow on Mount Harlan's
ridgetops, this viognier smells of peach nectar kissed with oak. The aromas suggest it
will be buxom, but the wine is pleasingly
restrained, with mineral detail-an ideal
match for shrimp scampi. (850 cases) -P.J.C. §

A wine that saturates the senses
with flavors that feel unique
and thrilling; a rare
landmark for its region.

93 to 95
Exciting, Distinctive
A wine that transcends simple
typicity to its region or variety-a
vivid, singular expression of place.

90 to 92
Delicious, Compelling
A compelling wine of its region;
a delicious, finessed
expression of a place.

88 to 89
Delicious, Representative
Well-made, pleasurable and
true to its region or variety.

85 to 87
Balanced, Crowd Pleasing
Identifiable in style and regional
character, and qualitatively solid.

80 to 84
Useful
Simple wine that will either
quench thirst or play a
useful role at the table.
https://www.kunde.com/product/2017-Chardonnay--Sonoma-Valley?pageID=2D151186-A4F0-2CC6-4664-68997E3EE250&sortBy=DisplayOrder&maxRows=28& https://www.decoywines.com/product/2018-decoy-sonoma-county-sauvignon-blanc?productListName=Sauvignon%20Blanc&position=1
Wine & Spirits - April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - April 2020
