Wine & Spirits - Summer 2023 - 60

Summer Sparklers
Our blind panels tasted 238 sparkling wines
for this issue (Champagne comes in Winter).
Our critics recommended 44 as exceptional,
and 20 as Best Buys. Joshua Greene covers
California's North Coast, Alsace, Burgundy
and Spain; Patrick J. Comiskey covers the rest
of California and the US; Stephanie Johnson
covers Italy. Find a complete list of wines
tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.
CALIFORNIA
93
| Scar of the Sea
strawberry on the palate. It's well-built and
youthfully cheery, with a sumptuous texture
framed by brisk acidity. -P.J.C. (242 cases)
$34
2022 San Luis Obispo County Topotero
Vineyard Méthode Ancestrale Rosé of
Pinot Noir ^ Grown a mile from the Pacifi c
Ocean, near Avila Beach, this wine is barrelfermented
using indigenous yeasts and bottled
just before the fermentation's complete,
providing its natural eff ervescence. In the
glass, it off ers a pleasing pink haze, slightly
cloudy, with scents of pink fl owers, rhubarb
and watermelon. Tangy and chewy at once,
the mineral savor belies a kombucha-like grip
of strawberry fl avor, both mouthfi lling and
refreshing. -P.J.C. (380 cases) §
92 | Donkey & Goat
$45
2022 Mendocino Fizzy Izzy ^ This pét-nat
from grenache gris deliverz bright fruit with
an herbal edge. It's a fl oral, natty wine in
the brisk and refreshing mode of Donkey &
Goat. Orangey-red in color, pale and dry in
its citrus acidity and pithy fruit, this fi nishes
clean. For pâté. -J.G. (130 cases) §
91 | Gloria Ferrer
$72
2015 Carneros Royal Cuvée ^ Austere in its
pear and pear-blossom scents, refi ned in its
bubbles, this is a brashly dry sparkler that
lasts on pear-skin fl avors, fi nishing clean.
-J.G. (2,720 cases) §
91 | Iron Horse
$75
2018 Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Brut Rosé ^ The color is coppery fi zz, the
fl avors berry and pink grapefruit, bringing
some bitterness to the fi nish in balance with
the savor of the fruit and CO2 of the bubbles.
The lasting impression is of refreshingly
sweet citrus. It will add elegance to grilled
fi sh this summer. -J.G. (550 cases) §
MICHIGAN
91 | Mawby
$65
2017 Leelanau Peninsula Mille Brut ^
Some bottle age has mellowed this wine to a
creamy autolytic scent and fl avors to match.
It's surprisingly rich, with brown butter and
caramel lining a soft, toasty, pear-scented fi nish.
-P.J.C. §
90 | Big Little
$31
Leelanau Peninsula C-3-Pinot Brut ^ This is
a brisk blend of pinots blanc, noir and gris.
It's fi rm and angular, and still manages to
express a toasty lees note, with a lean freshness
and mineral thrust that gives the wine
a riesling-like grip. -P.J.C. §
90 | Mawby
91 | Roederer Estate
92 | Fesstivity
60
WINE & SPIR IT S
$49
2020 Sta. Rita Hills Blanc de Noirs ^ A
sturdy blanc de noirs, this leads with scents
of vine bark and pear, yielding a hint of white
$35
Anderson Valley Brut ^ A purely California
sparkler with rich fl avors of Rainier cherries,
ripe apricots and peaches, all held in a savory
structure. It's markedly clean, with clarity to
the cherry-skin fl avor that lasts. -J.G. §
$35
Leelanau Peninsula 50 ^ This anniversary
cuvée leads with smoky, nutty lees notes. It
starts off rich as an apple crostata, layering
caramelized juice fl avors over a rich texture.
A big and fl avorful wine for sipping. -P.J.C. §
90 | Etude
$60
2018 Carneros Blanc de Noirs Grace Benoist
Ranch ^ A steely sparkler with green notes
edging its soft peach fl avors, this is earthy,
dusty and pleasantly sweet in the end. It fi nishes
clean, lovely with fi sh and chips. -J.G. §
90 | Fesstivity
$49
2019 Sta. Rita Hills Blanc de Blancs ^ Scents
of apples and lees come off rich and powerful
from the fi rst pour. This has honeyed-apple
fl avor, the maple-like chardonnay notes girt
by sumptuous nutty lees. -P.J.C. (217 cases) §
90 | Trail Marker
$30
2021 Lodi Kid Sister ^ A pét-nat of zweigelt,
this has a pretty, pale-salmon color. It starts
off a bit sharp but softens with air toward
sweet apple-blossom scents as apple fl avors
fi ll in the texture, fl eshy and bright. The zweigelt's
mildly pithy tannins make this a pour
for charcuterie. -P.J.C. (75 cases) §
90 | V. Sattui
$50
2018 Napa Valley Brut Rosé Prestige
Cuvée ^ Predominantly pinot noir, with 16
percent chardonnay, this off ers gentle redapple,
red-cherry and red-currant fl avors,
feeling as ample as sweet whipped cream
while remaining completely dry. -J.G.
(1,100 cases) §
SUMMER 2023
https://www.gloriaferrer.com/premium-sonoma-wines/release/2015-royal-cuv-e http://www.azine.com https://roedererestate.com/ https://www.fessparkerwineshop.com/product/2020-Fesstivity-Blanc-De-Noirs
Wine & Spirits - Summer 2023

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