Featured Wines - February 2009

"A meditative wine" is how one sagacious member of the tasting panel described the 1994 Château Haut-Corbin St. Emilion Grand Cru to the nodding heads of the rest of the group. Indeed, there is nothing quite like a fine, aged red Bordeaux, and the 1994 Haut-Corbin fills that bill. It retains a deep ruby center and shows only the faintest lightening on the edges to mark its age. Its aromatic profile is deep and profound, displaying a good deal of ...

Petite Sirah has been a staple in Pedroncelli's vineyards since the early 1900's. Sourced from one of the family's vineyards, whose vines average more than 60 years of age, the 2005 Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Family Vineyards Petite Sirah is inky purple, deep, and aromatic. It possesses all the power and robust flavor inherent in the finest Petite Sirah, without searing tannins or a rustic edge. Juicy, smooth, and loaded with fruit, it is pure ...

The six-hectare Vignetto Masera provides nearly all of the grapes for Stefano Massone's hauntingly beautiful 2007 Masera Gavi. Wrapped in a pale, straw-colored robe, Massone's Gavi invites the eye as well as the palate. It offers the usual clean, refreshing flavors and overt charm for which Gavi is renowned, to which delicate aromas of peach, pineapple, and fresh-squeezed lime are added. Made from 100% Cortese grapes, this delicious Piedmontese s...

Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon remained one of Chile's best-kept secrets, until recently. Deemed by critics and consumers to be one of the best South American wineries, Viña Ventisquero has further solidified its position in the top echelon of Chilean wine producers with the release of the 2006 Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon. Unlike some South American Cabernets that provide plenty of flavor but not much charm and texture, the 2006 Root: 1 dazzles with i...

Root: 1 Sauvignon Blanc is a very fine Sauvignon Blanc, indeed. From its elegant bottle to its long smooth finish, the 2008 Root: 1 Sauvignon Blanc exudes both class and style. However, what lies within is the finest treat of all. Pale straw in color with a glint of green that recalls the first breath of spring, this fresh, lively herb-tinged Sauvignon Blanc reminds us of a hypothetical blend of the finest French Sancerre and a noble New Zealand ...

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona's 2006 Rosso di Montalcino is an exuberant, polished wine that exudes an abundance of charm in the form of lush, round fruit and concentrated flavor, which makes it easy to see why critics are already heralding the 2006 vintage in Montalcino and eagerly awaiting this estate's Brunello di Montalcino – a wine that will not be released until 2011. Deep ruby red in color and bursting with ripe red fruit flavors, spice, an...

: In the past two decades, New Zealand has completely transformed its winemaking practices and moved to the forefront of wine-producing nations. Furthermore, this island nation's wines are beginning to set the bar worldwide on quality as well as variety, especially when it comes to premium white wines. In particular, recent releases of New Zealand Chardonnay embody real purity of fruit and a refreshing vibrancy, but they also offer breed, eleganc...