Featured Wines - January 2009

An outstanding example of what South Africa does best, the 2007 Heron's Nest Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) Pinotage (35%) is a unique blend of red varietals that captures the beauty of the Cape of South Africa as well as the overt charm of South Africa's two finest red varietals. The nose immediately grabs you with its earthy charm and abundance, revealing both dark fruits and a subtle undertone of eucalyptus. The wine's blue-black robe r...

The 2007 Casa Lapostolle Casablanca Chardonnay is a soft, smooth, natural-tasting Chardonnay that pleases with inherent charm rather than a preponderance of oak. It provides a great quaff and much, much more. Lovely tropical fruit scents dominate the bouquet and happily reappear in the pure, stony fruit that lay at the core of this easy-drinking Chardonnay. From start to finish, the 2007 Casa Lapostolle Casablanca Chardonnay offers plenty of vari...

A deep, saturated purple that appears sunk into the marrow of the 2004 Silvio Grasso Barbera d'Alba Fontanile provides the first indication of the hedonistic side of this cru Barbera, but that's just for starters. Stick your nose near the glass and just wait for the aromatic fireworks. Deep cherry fruit, cedar, plum, and anise come to fore. On the palate the wine is broad and expansive, even without extensive aeration. A lush, velvety texture car...

We have followed this estate for more than a dozen years, happily consuming its beautiful Rioja wines; but we can state unequivocally that the 2004 Loriñon Crianza is the finest young Crianza we have ever tasted from this estate. It is imbued with everything it needs to succeed in life, including a deep ruby robe, an amplifying aroma, supreme extract, a delightfully sumptuous mid palate, and the requisite tannin to allow further improvement in bo...

Scents of apricot and dried pineapple dominate the tantalizing nose of the 2007 Dry Creek Vineyards Chenin Blanc, and these are just for starters. Dry Creek's Chenin Blanc is both beguiling in the nose and fresh and supple on the palate. It offers ample but nicely restrained Chenin Blanc fruit, excellent minerality, and an exuberant freshness that defies the wine's California upbringing. In fact, this Chenin Blanc combines the best of California ...

Although normally available exclusively at the winery's new tasting room in Malibu and at a handful of world-renowned restaurants and wine shops, we are pleased to offer the 2004 Rosenthal The Malibu Estate Cabernet Sauvignon to our Collector Series members. As one would expect, the 2004 Rosenthal The Malibu Estate Cabernet Sauvignon follows in the footsteps of its illustrious predecessors. "A bodacious wine" is how one panel member aptly describ...

Prager's Steinriegl Riesling is not your ordinary Riesling, and the 2007 Prager Steinriegl is no exception, so before you taste this wine throw out all preconceived notions and past experiences of sugary sweet, cloying wines, which all too often haunt this great varietal. First and foremost, Austrian Rieslings are nothing like their German counterparts. In the Prager Steinriegl Riesling, an enthralling bouquet of apple blossoms and almonds marks ...