| January 7th, 2009 - Happy New Year!! |
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| Find the hottest newly reviewed wines on WineZap! These are some of the highly regarded wine critics we listen to every week:
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| SF Chronicle - In Our Glasses: What we're drinking January 2nd, 2009 By Jon Bonne and Laura Compton 2007 Chalice Bridge Semillon Sauvignon BlancStarting at $16.99 "A perennial award-winner back home in Western Australia, this light-bodied blend of 65 percent Semillon and 35 percent Sauvignon Blanc exemplifies the best of both grapes. A slightly floral nose with a hint of petrol is followed by subtle melon and guava flavors balanced by lean minerality and a crisp finish. We enjoyed with sashimi and a radicchio-grapefruit salad; it would also be wonderful with shellfish." |
| LA Times - Wine of the Week Dec. 31st, 2009 By Stephen Osman 2006 Clos Saint Jean Chateauneuf-du-Pape 'Vieilles Vignes' Starting at $43.99 "The 2006 Clos Saint Jean "Vieilles Vignes," has everything a good Chateauneuf should have: seductive notes of licorice, dark plums and spices; soft, ripe tannins; and a finespun elegance. Full of character, the deep ruby 2006 is made up of 75% old-vine Grenache and 15% Syrah, with the balance made up of Mourvèdre, Cinsault and a few other grapes in minuscule quantities. That's oenologist Philippe Cambie working his magic with grapes from some of Chateauneuf's finest vineyards." |
Dec. 31st
The Wine Spectator has just released their semi-annual roundup of all the wines they featured in the insider during the second half of 2008. Of those, some are designated 'Hot Wines' in each issue. We have selected one of these 'Hot Wines' from each country/region for this weeks newsletter.
2005 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino: 95pts Starting at $113.99
"Ambitious, with lots of muscular, very toasty fig, blueberry, black currant and boysenberry flavors wound together by bittersweet cocoa and fruitcake notes. The long, powerful finish will need some time to stretch out fully."
2007 Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz: 96pts Starting at $175.00"Lithe, generous and beautifully proportioned, offering a seamless array of dark plum, blueberry and sandalwood flavors wrapped in a veil of fine-grained tannins. Finishes with an intriguing face-off of sweet fruit and spice that keeps on for quite a while"
2006 Lewis Alec's Blend: 95pts Starting at $53.95"Enormously rich and concentrated, offering a dense, full-blown mix of savory blueberry and blackberry fruit, mineral, sage and loamy earth notes, ending with a burst of complex flavors and an amazingly long, layered finish. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot"
2006 Bruno Clair Chambertin Clos de Beze: 94pts Starting at $188.95"Concentrated flavors of cherry, blackberry, licorice and mineral highlight this intense, refined red. It's integrated from start to finish, with fine tannins resonating on the finish. Puts it all together."
2007 JJ Prum Riesling Auslese GK Wehlener Sonnenuhr: 95pts Starting at $119.97
"Very concentrated, yet also very clean, refined and pure. Slate, honey and vanilla aromas and flavors prevail, with hints of peach and lime peeking through. It all culminates in a long, mercurial finish"
2005 Ornelaia Masseto: 96ptsStarting at $189.94
"Smells like chocolate mousse, with crushed raspberry and hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a rich, fruity finish. This is powerful and structured Merlot, with layers and layers of everything."
1998 Argyle Extended Tirage Brut: 95pts Starting at $57.99
"Haunting stuff, ethereal in texture, with amazingly delicate bubbles that carry wave after wave of rich toast, spice and baked apple flavors, persisting on the elegant finish. This has harmony, intensity and refinement"
2006 Betz La Serenne Syrah: 93pts Starting at $50.96
"Lithe, lean and vibrant with red berry accented plum and blueberry flavors. An elegant style that remains generous and welcoming with its open-textured finish."