Wine & Spirits - Summer 2023 - 96

US New Releases
shows a hint of banana yeastiness, the wine
remaining savory, homey, with a coolness
that lasts. -J.G. (48 cases) §
GRENACHE BLANC
90 | Alta Colina
$45
2021 Paso Robles Adelaida District Grenache
Blanc ^ This is fully developed in a
citrus mode, with scents of tangerine and
pear, mildly bitter pith notes, a deep core of
fruit and dusty, raspy acidity that's fi rm and
mouthfi lling. -P.J.C. §
SAUVIGNON BLANC
90 | Easton
$28
2021 Sierra Foothills Natoma Sauvignon
Blanc ^ Scents of grapefruit and wheatberries
have a mildly grassy, pea-shoot frame. It has
an appealing tang and grip for pea risotto.
-P.J.C. (500 cases) §
89 | Pedroncelli
$22
2022 Dry Creek Valley Giovanni & Giulia
Sauvignon Blanc (BEST BUY) ^ A creamy and
luscious sauvignon with fruit density and
freshness, this has a litchi sweetness and density,
with a prick of acidity at the edge. -J.G.
(4,200 cases) §
VIOGNIER
90 | Terre Rouge
$28
2020 Fiddletown Viognier ^ Fresh and forward,
this viognier is lively, with a peachy
core of fruit that's rich and emollient. It has
the body to pour for roast chicken. -P.J.C.
(400 cases) §
WHITE BLEND
90 | Union Sacré
91 | St. Francis
$22
2022 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc
(BEST BUY) ^ From its bold kumquat and litchi
ripeness, this wine lasts with structural integrity
and some pyrazine edges. Several trade
panelists in NYC found it classic and impressive.
-J.G. §
$42
2022 Central Coast Meli Melo ^ Fleshy and
bright, with scents of green apples and narcissus,
this wine's fl avors are balanced, lemony
and simple, ending with a mildly bitter
phenolic bite. This is a blend of pinots blanc
and gris, sylvaner, gewurztraminer, riesling
and muscat ottonel. For white sausages.
-P.J.C. (204 cases) §
CALIFORNIA RED
92 | E16
$45
2020 El Dorado Baby Rattlesnake Vineyard
Barbera ^ This has dusty scents of purple
plum and wild berries warmed in the sun.
It's satisfyingly ripe, but that ample fruit has
a mineral tinge that keeps the wine streamlined
and taut. For lamb. -P.J.C. (264 cases) §
91 | Boeger
90 | Ancient Peaks
$18
2022 Paso Robles Sauvignon Blanc ^ Sharp
and bright, this has a scent of cut grass and
pineapple candy, its fl avors more given to
lemon and apple. It's on the green side, for a
primavera pasta with ramps. -P.J.C. §
$30
2018 El Dorado Migliore ^ This blend leads
with charbono and refosco, with cabernet
franc, merlot and barbera bringing up the
rear. It channels the rustic charm of charbono
and refosco-leafy spices, chewy,
brambly black-cherry fruit, rustic and grippy
tannins. -P.J.C. (354 cases) §
91 | Donkey & Goat
$38
2021 San Benito Siletto Vineyard Cabernet
Pfeff er ^ A hybrid variety of mysterious
origin (it may be a cross between cabernet
sauvignon and trousseau), this leads
with dramatic pepper and pyrazine notes.
96
WINE & SPIR IT S
SUMMER 2023
91 | Lava Cap
$28
2021 El Dorado Sangiovese ^ With its scents
of brick dust and red cherry, this has a sunwarmed
varietal character that persists
through the fl avors. Tense in its texture, with
tannins fi ne fi rm and lasting, creating a resinous
frame. -P.J.C. (500 cases) §
90 | Bella Grace
$30
2018 Amador County 1646 Red Blend ^
A blend of barbera, zinfandel, primitivo
and petite sirah, this is plummy and dark,
the petite providing a core of fruit that the
91 | J. Lohr
$13
2022 Arroyo Seco Wildfl ower Valdiguié
(BEST BUY) ^ Electric-purple in the glass, this
has notes of licorice, clove and crushed berries.
It's spicy and dark, with lively blue fruit
fl avors and an irresistible crunchy energy,
wildly overdelivering for its price. -P.J.C. §
91 | Niner
$40
2019 Paso Robles Bootjack Red (BEST BUY) ^
Bootjack is a blend of cabernet franc, cabernet
sauvignon, merlot, malbec, grenache and
petit verdot, dark and caramel-scented, with
hints of root beer and violets. Its fl avors are
made suave by the bottle age, smoky and a
touch savory with fi ne tannins and a languorous
breadth. -P.J.C. (4,056 cases) §
It's a lean red with penetrating acidity coming
up through brambly wild-berry fruit fl avors.
There's a lingering scent of windborne
pine and rosemary that will meld into herbroasted
pork. -P.J.C. (183 cases) §
https://www.jlohr.com/wines/2022-wildflower-valdiguie https://www.stfranciswinery.com/collection/wines https://www.lavacap.com/shop/detail/2021-sangiovese/ https://ancientpeaks.com/
Wine & Spirits - Summer 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - Summer 2023
