Featured Wines - December 2007

With the release of Casa Silva's 2005 Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenère there is no doubt as to Mario Geisse's reputation as the "King of Carmenère." The 2005 Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenère is simply the most stunning example of Chilean Carmenère available. As good as this estate's regular 2005 Reserva Carmenère was, the 2005 Los Lingues Gran Reserva is even better. It is knockout stuff upon which legends are made. Truly, aficiona...

Unlike its New World counterparts, the pleasure of white Burgundy lies neither in power nor in the judicious use of new oak. Instead, one finds in good Bourgogne Blanc a wine of blithe spirit, a potion imbued with ethereal charm, finesse, purity, and subtlety of flavor. The 2006 Vignerons Réunis de Buxy Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Réserve possesses all of those characteristics as well as plenty of flavor and an eminent drinkability. Visually appealing,...

The 2005 Joseph Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune is a tour de force in winemaking and perhaps the finest Chorey-les-Beaune ever made. From Drouhin's own holdings, this dandy exudes the essence of Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir. It is bright, pure, and packed with juicy fruit. Cherry and almond tones caress the nose and mingle in the wine's pinpoint center, while for added pleasure the 2005 Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune is further endowed with the scent of Orient...

Bright and sunny in the glass, the 2005 Domaine Alfred Chamisal Vineyard Chardonnay caresses the eye as well as the palate. It reminds us (at least those of us who are old enough) of the great California Chardonnays of yesteryear, those special Napa Valley offerings from the early 1970's that set the quality bar for New World Chardonnay and blew away more than a few French Burgundies in the process. If you are wondering where those wines went, th...

A blend of Shiraz (95%) and Viognier (5%), the 2005 Big Mouth Red mirrors the traditional cépage of Côte Rôtie, the Rhône's greatest and most hedonistic red wine. Big Mouth Red is deep in color, rich in aroma, and supremely soft, savory, and oh … so seductive in flavor. From the predominance of Shiraz comes the scent of black fruits and crushed mulberries, while the Viognier adds a waft of exotica – a faint scent of mimosa and tropical flowers. A...

Angel Rodriguez has for a decade or more fashioned one of Spain's finest dry white wines. However, each successive vintage of his Martinsancho continues to push the envelope on quality. Clearly, the 2006 Martinsancho is a tour de force in winemaking and perhaps the most profound dry Verdejo we have ever tasted. The 2006 Martinsancho displays an amplifying aroma of apricot, fresh citrus, spring flowers, minerals, and liquid stones – all of which s...

A powerful but sophisticated wine with plenty of hedonistic appeal, the 2005 Domaine du Grand Tinel Cuvée Alexis Establet captures the very essence of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is both deep in color and highly aromatic. Its enchanting perfume, redolent with pure berry fruit, cinnamon, and garrigue, soars from the glass. Moreover, its savor fills the mouth with the taste of lush black fruits, oriental spice, and Provençal herbs, before gracefully ex...