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France | Jaboulet's Condrieu program takes a huge step forward with this release, which artfully combines barrel fermentation and aging with just-ripe Viognier into a compelling and cohesive whole. The toast and baking-spice elements provide the right amount of restraint to the tropical fruit notes, which then finish with tremendous, mouthwatering length. Drink now–2020. | 93 | 100 | Rhône Valley | 27Viognier
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US | From high-elevation vineyards in both Knights Valley and Sonoma Mountain, this is a well-crafted, integrated and deal of a wine, the grapes grown in volcanic, rocky soils. Crisp red currant confronts a tension of firm tannin and medium-body, remaining bright and seamless on the palate. Stock up for regular consumption. | 91 | 30 | California | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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US | On the nose aromas of wet wool and nuts overlay the notes of white peaches and flowers. Medium in body and quite elegant, this has succulent acids that add liveliness to the vibrant tropical fruit flavors. | 87 | 22 | Virginia | 27Viognier
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US | This is a lovely, unadorned Chardonnay: no oak, no malo, just great fruit. The beauty and power of the Dijon clones is on full display, with penetrating citrus and apple fruit buoyed by punchy acidity that carries through a long finish. | 91 | 22 | Oregon | 5Chardonnay
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Portugal | The old vines do their work and produce a highly concentrated wine. It has a dusty tannic structure, the tannins held in suspension surrounded by ripe black plum flavors. The oak aging adds to the richness of this fine, balanced wine that will age for several years. Drink from 2018. | 92 | 20 | Douro | 15Portuguese Red
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France | On the dusty, earthy side of the Rhône spectrum, with hints of cordite accenting cherry fruit. It's undeniably fresh and vibrant, just lacks some of the richness characteristic of the 2007 vintage. | 86 | 25 | Rhône Valley | 18Rhône-style Red Blend
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France | This chateau deserved its promotion to Premier Grand Cru in 2006. Nicolas Thienpont has made a wonderfully firm, dense wine that piles rich fruit upon tannin upon rich fruit, while still preserving considerable elegance. The after effect is of a solid wine, powerful, long-lasting. | 94 | null | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | Sweet and simple, with sugary flavors of blackberry and cherry jam and smoky vanilla. Almost like a dessert wine. | 82 | 14 | California | 10Merlot
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US | Another of the producer's 100% varietal wines, this comes from two head-turning sites: Broken Rock Ranch at the foot of Atlas Peak, and Beckstoffer Las Piedras. The two marry well, offering sizable tannin and power atop complex layers of leather, cedar, pencil lead and coffee. Soft, integrated oak makes the wine enjoyable now, while its structure suggests further time in bottle, too. Drink now through 2021. | 92 | 80 | California | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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New Zealand | Like all the Fromm wines, this is a densely structured effort. It blends black cherries and spice with hints of pepper, cedar and bracken, finishing long. Probably best from 2010. | 88 | 64 | Marlborough | 14Pinot Noir
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Portugal | Big, dry and tannic wine, this is a dense and structured wine. Black chocolate and coffee flavors suggest extraction shows strongly in the tough texture. The wine will be filled out as the black fruits develop, so wait until 2018. | 88 | 40 | Alentejano | 15Portuguese Red
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US | Well made in large quantity, this wine offers fleshy tropical papaya around a structure of toasty oak and vanilla. Medium in body and length, it's balanced with a crisp finish. | 88 | 20 | California | 5Chardonnay
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US | All varietal coming from Heart of the Hill Vineyard, this brooding wine offers aromas of dark coffee, cherry, bittersweet chocolate, clove and assorted barrel spices (80% new French). It's classically styled with reserved, almost elegant fruit flavors, bright acid and firm tannins that need time in the cellar to soften. Best after 2020. | 91 | 65 | Washington | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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US | A little too sweet and syrupy, with canned peach and apricot flavors that finish soft and simple. | 81 | 9 | California | 28White Blend
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France | From the northernmost appellation of the Côte de Nuits, this firm and solidly tannic wine comes from one of the vineyards on the list to get Premier Cru approval in the near future. Its tannins are well balanced already with the red-berry fruit and bitter-cherry flavors that are shot through with acidity. Drink from 2018. | 92 | 50 | Burgundy | 14Pinot Noir
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US | A bit of a disappointment, given the excellence of the winery's 2010 vineyard designates. Tart cranberry fruit carries a whiff of saddle leather, and finishes with a fair amount of leafy herbal notes. It's sealed with screwcap, so decanting it would be a good idea if you plan to drink it soon. | 86 | 38 | Oregon | 14Pinot Noir
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Spain | Plum and cherry aromas seem a touch oxidized. The palate holds it together but doesn't offer much, while flavors of chunky berry and plum are hollow and show additional oxidation. Like many inexpensive 2011 rosés, this is past its prime. | 84 | 9 | Northern Spain | 20Rosé
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France | Still very young, this is a crisply fresh wine, all lemon zest and apple skin flavors. There is a young, green element here that needs to soften over the next few months. Screwcap. | 84 | 12 | Bordeaux | 1Bordeaux-style White Blend
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France | A structured wine that gives pleasure from its ripe blackberry fruits as well as from its firm, food-friendly, spicy tannins. It has vibrant, vivid acidity that lifts the dense structure and gives an elegant feel to the close. | 87 | 20 | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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France | This 900-foot-high vineyard produces wines that are flinty, mineral and tight. With its textured character and zesty lemon notes, this wine is fresh yet still developing. Plenty of fruitiness will explode in the next few months. Drink after 2016. | 88 | 30 | Loire Valley | 22Sauvignon Blanc
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France | A powerhouse of rich Merlot, big, ripe, with black plums, sweet figs and only light acidity. A wine for lovers of big Merlots, this rolls generously around the mouth. Because of this immediate richness, it seems likely to age quickly. | 91 | null | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | This proprietary blend combines 52% Cabernet Franc, 34% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, another in its line of Aaron Pott-made wines. It's lovable in its austerity and varietal suggestions of dried herb, cedar and green bean. Dusty, soft tannins support a full-bodied, straightforward structure. | 89 | 135 | California | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | This intriguing wine features herb, lemon twist, tobacco and spice aromas. The blue fruit flavors are lush in feel, with fine-grained tannins. | 89 | 40 | Washington | 26Tempranillo
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Germany | This wine is atypically fine and chiseled for this estate, combining bright, sweet fruity notes of lime and green apples with crushed stone and spring flowers. It's light in body, but impeccably balanced. | 91 | 30 | Mosel | 19Riesling
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US | Ripe flavors of blackberries, currants and leather mark this blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah. It's tannic and very dry, with alcohol providing fat, glyceriney richness. | 87 | 21 | California | 17Red Blend
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US | Hints of wet granite and tobacco lend a savory note to tart cranberry and cherry flavors in this earthy offering. Full bodied in style with layers of soft, fine-grained tannins, it has a bold earthy and leathery finish. | 86 | 29 | New York | 2Cabernet Franc
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US | A 100% varietal wine, this features big oak and dry tannins around a rustic core of full-bodied black cherry and dried plum. Savory tobacco and tea provide a sultry edge to the proceedings, before tartness comes to bear on the finish. Enjoy now through 2018. | 89 | 34 | California | 21Sangiovese
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Italy | Aromas of crushed blue flower, perfumed berry, exotic spice and a whiff of charcuterie emerge on this bold red. The concentrated palate offers dried black cherry, blackberry extract, licorice and ground pepper accompanied by firm, fine-grained tannins. | 90 | 69 | Veneto | 17Red Blend
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France | 92-94 Barrel sample. A shiny, ripe and fresh wine, its tannins neatly merged into the blackcurrant fruits. Delicious and fresh, but also sweet. | 93 | null | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | Confected but pleasant aromas of cotton candy and sour apple drops dominate the nose, while the palate unfolds nicely with layers of lemon and red apple. Soft and lush, it picks up an apricot accent on the medium finish. Try with Thai food. Drink now. | 84 | 16 | New York | 19Riesling
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Argentina | Roasted, savory, earthy berry ?aromas come with a spot of leafy green on this Malbec. The palate is saturated and a touch narrow in feel, while flavors of black cherry, cassis, baked blackberry and cured meat finish with creamy oak notes and a strong hint of bacon. Drink through 2018. | 90 | 30 | Mendoza Province | 9Malbec
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Italy | This pretty red has an alluring fragrance of iris, violet, brown spice and crushed berry. The easygoing palate offers juicy black cherry, white pepper and a hint of espresso while lithe tannins lend support. | 88 | 22 | Tuscany | 17Red Blend
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Germany | A whiff of lanolin is a harbinger of maturity adding depth and complexity to this penetrating, fruity wine. Sunny, but puckering pink grapefruit shines on the palate, but it's limned by a deep mineral vein that extends the finish dramatically. Delicious now, but sure to develop well through at least 2025. | 92 | 28 | Rheingau | 19Riesling
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France | This is a perfumed wine, dominated by Cabernet Franc. Black fruits are layered with wood, dry tannins and a beautiful aromatic quality. The wine is deep and complex, built for the long term with its power, density and considerable elegance. | 95 | 235 | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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Italy | Aged in oak, this blend of Chardonnay and Insolia offers bold aromas of white rose, honey and stone fruit, with a soft, round palate. The creamy finish would pair well with a crab cake or a spicy Thai mango salad. | 88 | null | Sicily & Sardinia | 28White Blend
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US | There's 5% Malbec in the blend, but the austere, scrapey tannins of the Franc still dominate the finish. The fruit is pretty, with blueberry character to burn. The wine hits the palate well in the beginning, but seems to sag a bit midpalate before heading into that astringent finish, enlivened by toasty new oak. If you like blueberries, you'll like this wine. | 87 | 39 | Washington | 2Cabernet Franc
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Germany | Puckering lime zest and lemon notes are softened by crisp yellow peach and nectarine in this dry, light-bodied Riesling. Racy and brisk, it finishes with an elegant crush of minerals. Drink now. | 89 | 45 | Mosel | 19Riesling
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US | Wild earth and forest floor surround elements of truffle, black tea and cardamom in this vineyard-designate, a savory and wholly compelling wine. Crisp orange blossom and orange peel buoy the minerality and sensation of crushed rocks and rose petals. | 91 | 55 | California | 14Pinot Noir
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US | From nearly 30-year-old vines planted at 1,700 feet, this very balanced wine begins with an excellent nose of citrus blossoms, lime rinds, salted cream and a touch of popcorn. The sharply focused palate rides a racy line of lime zest with flashes of tangerine and lemon and a creamy character on the edge, mouthwatering throughout the sip. | 92 | 30 | California | 5Chardonnay
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US | This unusual blend of Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo and Mourvèdre is the kind of red wine that needs spicy, salty beef or lamb to balance it. It's tannic, acidic and peppery, with a roasted meat edge to the blackberry fruit. Calls to mind Italian-style fare, rich in olive oil and cheeses. | 89 | 30 | California | 17Red Blend
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Spain | Start packing your cellar with 2010 Ribera gems like this wine, which is offering graphite and minerally plum and berry aromas in front of a full-bodied, hard-driving palate. Ripe, extracted blackberry and lightly herbal flavors finish with tons of residual weight and tannins. This is loud, burly and delicious; drink from 2016–2030. | 93 | 30 | Northern Spain | 26Tempranillo
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France | This is a new wine in this ever-expanding series. It reflects the structure and solid tannins of the appellation. It also brings out the juicy black-currant fruit of the vintage that will allow it to mature relatively quickly. Drink this attractive wine from 2019. | 89 | 23 | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | Intensely ripe and luscious aromas of black cherry and plum are shaded in anise and vanilla on the nose of this plush Cabernet Sauvignon. It's rich and round in mouthfeel with soft yielding acidity, but the boldly tannic finish lends structure. | 87 | 25 | New York | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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France | Made from a typical Gascon blend of Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Gros Manseng, this zesty wine is dry, herbaceous, fresh and crisp. Its full of citrus and green apple fruits, with a tangy finish. Screwcap. | 86 | 10 | France Other | 28White Blend
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Australia | This Chard offers a fair dose of oak (and the creamy-toasty goodness that goes with it), yet has tropical yellow fruit to back up the wood. Soft in the mouth; finishes dry and oaky. | 85 | 14 | South Australia | 5Chardonnay
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Italy | This is a fuller and creamier rendition of Pinot Grigio with pretty aromas of honey, peach blossom and melon that give the wine a fragrant aromatic lift. It leaves a lean but smooth impression in the mouth and ends with bright citrus flavors. Imported by MW Imports. | 87 | 19 | Northeastern Italy | 12Pinot Grigio
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Chile | Rubbery, tarry, herbal berry aromas lead to a fresh, lean, somewhat acidic palate. Flavors of plum, red currant and green herbs finish with zest and juicy acidity. | 84 | 10 | Central Valley | 10Merlot
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US | It's quite rare to find a wine in Washington where Counoise (48%) takes the lead, as on this blend that also includes Syrah and Mourvèdre. It brings notes of sagebrush and other herbs, seeming to show some oxygen exposure that overshadows the silky, generous feel. | 87 | 20 | Washington | 17Red Blend
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Austria | Rich aromas of late summer are here: the ripe peel of yellow pears, luscious peach and yellow Mirabelle plum plus some dried hayflower notes. There is power and depth, along with some alcoholic heat and balancing acidity—beautiful now but it will get even better. Drink until 2020. | 95 | 35 | Kremstal | 8Grüner Veltliner
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Greece | The lush nose of Viognier—fresh flowers, honey and spice—leads here. On the palate, the wine has an opulent, floral character—broad and inviting. Not terribly complex, but pretty and appealing. The viscous mouthfeel means it will handle richer dishes well—think lobster, cream dishes. | 86 | 45 | Epanomi | 27Viognier
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US | This is crystal clear, fleshy and ripe, yet still graceful and refined. Mixed stone fruits are cut with yellow apple, the acids are natural and perfectly integrated. The wine was barrel fermented in a 50/50 mix of new and neutral, and there is just a hint of caramel in the extended finish. | 90 | 28 | Washington | 5Chardonnay
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Austria | Streamlined, citric freshness dominates every delicious aspect of this wine: the fresh, zingy nose, the ripe and supremely juicy palate with its swirls of both ripe and tart apples, and the extended finish. This is mouth-watering stuff. It's cushioned but extremely sleek, apple-fruity, very moreish and so very pure. | 95 | 41 | Kamptal | 19Riesling
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Italy | The IGT appellation is Ravenna (in the Emilia-Romagna region). Il Beneficio opens with bitter fruit notes followed by sweet tones and dark spice. The wine is slightly disjointed and very intense overall (in terms of alcohol too). | 83 | 28 | Central Italy | 17Red Blend
|
Israel | This deep garnet-colored wine proffers fragrances of black cherry and dark plum with a flourish of green pepper. It is smooth on the palate, with silky tannins and flavors of black cherry, raspberry, Mediterranean herbs and licorice. A mélange of bright berries and smoky spice permeates the sleek finish. | 93 | 25 | Galilee | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
|
Germany | Aromas of sun-kissed grapefruit and berries waft from this concentrated mélange of fruit and flowers. Off dry on the palate, it's punchy and fresh, balancing bright, lemony acidity against a core of apple and pear flavors. The finish is marked by hints of exotic spice and tea tannins. | 89 | 20 | Mosel | 19Riesling
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Italy | Very in line with traditional Cerasuolo di Vittoria, this ruby-colored wine offers pretty berry nuances, with raspberry and blueberry followed by delicate almond flavors. The wine is lean and crisp and would pair well with fish couscous or eggplant caponata. | 87 | 27 | Sicily & Sardinia | 17Red Blend
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Argentina | Murky aromas of herbal black fruits and coffee grinds are funky. A scattered mouthfeel and herbal, spotty flavors of plum and currant finish briny. Overall, this is interesting and good but odd, with can't-miss herbal notes. | 87 | 29 | Mendoza Province | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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US | There's a bit of brown to the edges of this 100% new French-oak-aged wine, which shows kirsch, sasparilla, smoked pork and an almost cognac-like element on the aged nose. The flavors are rich and caramelized with seared cherries, woody oak and brown-fruit flavors. | 88 | 65 | California | 14Pinot Noir
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Germany | Earthy, smoky mineral tones extend from nose to finish here, accentuating flavors of fresh red apple, tangerine and lemon. The sharp, racy mouthfeel is softened by hints of honey and a long, salt and citrus finish. | 91 | 43 | Mosel | 19Riesling
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Italy | This opens with aromas of ripe black plum, scorched soil, toasted oak and roasted coffee bean. The dense ripe palate offers dried cherry, clove and espresso with chewy tannins. Drink through 2019 to catch the remaining fruit. | 88 | 90 | Tuscany | 21Sangiovese
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US | Starts off a bit green and stemmy in aroma, and in the mouth, tannins overwhelm the cherry-berry fruit. Good and dry, but a bit underripe and simple. Drink now. | 85 | 18 | California | 14Pinot Noir
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Australia | From a higher elevation—and hence cooler—region of Australia, this is a light to medium-bodied Cabernet that avoids excessive leanness, offering up a mélange of plump cassis, leather and tobacco. It's not the most powerful Cab, but offers elegance and length at an affordable price. | 88 | 13 | New South Wales | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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Argentina | Sweet and jammy on the nose, then clampy and grabby on the palate, with woody, tight-grained flavors of pepper and clove. Turns more narrow and even more clove-dominated on the finish. Has its merits and good structure, but the fruit is blanketed by forceful clove and hickory flavors. | 85 | 12 | Mendoza Province | 9Malbec
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US | Blended with a splash of Grenache Blanc, this white is floral, viscous and full of a nutty character. It's the first vintage in which the producer has included grapes from Catie's Corner. | 86 | 28 | California | 27Viognier
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US | This brilliant Pinot Noir exhibits the finest qualities of the great 2007 vintage. It's a big wine, filled with fruity flavor and sizable tannins, but so fresh and silky, it's drinkable now, with decanting. But give it 3–4 years to let the black cherries, anise, sweet sandalwood and dusty spice flavors mellow. | 93 | 50 | California | 14Pinot Noir
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US | Sourced from old-vine Wädenswil clones, this effort carries the new Elkton AVA designation. Pretty raspberry and strawberry fruit is set in lightly toasty tannins. This is a lovely everyday Pinot Noir with some density. | 88 | 23 | Oregon | 14Pinot Noir
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France | For a wine from this appellation, this is surprisingly soft. It has black fruits and tannins that are already softening. Spice and berry fruits are lifted by acidity. This fruity wine will be ready to drink from late 2017. | 87 | 92 | Burgundy | 14Pinot Noir
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Portugal | Even after five years, this wine still shows its primary fruit—black plums, sweet but structured. Callabriga, a Tinta Roriz based wine, goes light on the acidity, but the tannins and the hints of vanilla balance well with the blackberry jam fruits. | 88 | 30 | Douro | 15Portuguese Red
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France | With some attractive tannins and strawberry fruits, this wine has kept its light character. It is developing well into an attractively fruity wine that will be ready from the end of 2016. This is part of a larger estate, Château Haut Rocher, across the line from Castillon in Saint-Émilion. It has been in the family since the 17th century. Jérôme et Béatrice de Monteil took over both properties for the family in 2010. | 85 | 18 | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | Lots of exotic tropical papayas and guavas in this soft, honeyed Chard. It's rich and creamy, yet shows enough acidity to lend it balance. Great to drink with lobster, crab, scallops. | 89 | 25 | California | 5Chardonnay
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Argentina | This Malbec-led blend contains 20% Syrah, but it's the Malbec that drives it. Crisp, toasty aromas of graphite, lemony oak and blackberry are tight and not at all lazy. A massive palate is choppy, with rugged tannins. Baked black-fruit flavors of cassis, mocha, tobacco and chocolate end long and loamy, with unbroken concentration. Drink through 2025. | 94 | 50 | Mendoza Province | 17Red Blend
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Chile | Initial aromas of marshmallow and cherry candy give way to toasty, mineral berry scents, while the palate is alert, maybe a bit acidic, with cherry, raspberry and herbal flavors. Tight and peppery on the finish, with a juicy crispness and a slight taste of burnt toast. Imported by Ecovalley Quality Wine Group and National Refrescos Import Company, LLC. | 85 | 15 | Limarí Valley | 10Merlot
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France | A blend of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 80% Fer Servadou, this is the top cuvée from Domaine Laurens. It has a new wood richness and firm tannins, with an herbal character that blends into the blackberry fruit. Age for another year. | 87 | null | Southwest France | 17Red Blend
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Italy | Aromas of crushed berry, fragrant purple flower, dark spice and a balsamic note almost jump out of the glass. The full-bodied structured palate delivers dried black cherry, raspberry compote, licorice and a hint of clove set against a backbone of firm, refined tannins. Drink 2018–2030. | 92 | 80 | Tuscany | 21Sangiovese
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Portugal | Aged for six months in wood, this is a rich rosé. The wood aging shows in a toasty edge, although the wine is just as much about crisp red fruits. It has a tight texture and structure, a mineral edge and citrus fresh aftertaste. | 90 | null | Alentejano | 20Rosé
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US | Januik makes just four barrels of this 100% Walla Walla Cabernet. The usual plushness of the Seven Hills Vineyard comes with a harder, steelier edge—a hallmark of Januik's style. It's structured for aging, with black cherry fruit that's annotated with tobacco, coffee and baking spice. | 92 | 45 | Oregon | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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US | Dusty, chalky and thin, with little fruit. | 82 | 26 | Oregon | 26Tempranillo
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US | This fresh, spicy Merlot is easy to drink, and it deals jammy berry, cola and fruit punch flavors. It's a great wine to serve at parties. | 84 | 21 | California | 10Merlot
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France | A blend with 67% Cabernet Sauvignon produces this black currant and crisply fruity wine. The wood aging and the fruit tannins are integrating well, giving a wine that is bright, packed with fruit and likely to age well over the medium term. Drink from 2020. | 86 | 22 | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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Italy | Aromas of forest floor, tilled earth, black-skinned fruit and dark spice lead the way. On the elegantly structured palate, notes of star anise and clove accent a core of dried black cherry and prune. Polished tannins provide lithe support. Drink through 2021. | 90 | 22 | Central Italy | 17Red Blend
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Portugal | This wine has a dry, firm and dark character. It also offers acidity to go with the tannins, ripe black fruits and a dense, concentrated structure. The wine should be aged longer, so drink from 2016. | 92 | 35 | Alentejo | 15Portuguese Red
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France | This is an intense, dense Sauvignon Blanc, full of concentrated lemon zest and green herbs. It has a young, mineral texture, while possessing a nervy acidity. | 87 | 13 | Loire Valley | 22Sauvignon Blanc
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US | Complexity abounds on this spicy cedar-toned Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe red-plum and cherry flavors are juicy and plush yet balanced briskly by sharp edges of acidity and graphite. It's intensely earthy, studded with notes of bramble and autumn leaf. Fine feathery tannins lead a long lingering finish. | 91 | 30 | New York | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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US | Profoundly beautiful aroma on this Cab, a perfect union of oaky char and vanilla with ripe blackberries and cassis. Hard to exaggerate the beauty. Powerful, yet never pushy, with classic Napa balance. Rich, sweet, almost meaty, with massive tannins that are refined and smooth. Very great density and weight. Really defines the vineyard, and should age effortlessly for 20 years | 98 | 275 | California | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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US | Part of the winery's Terroir Series, this is aromatic with bright raspberry fruit dotted with peppery herbs. It displays the spicy herbaceousness of this AVA, with excellent penetration and balance. A strong finish hits a resonant note of minerality. | 92 | 39 | Oregon | 14Pinot Noir
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Spain | Jammy berry aromas are earthy but a little flat. In the mouth, this is plump, jammy and doesn't have a lot of spine. Flavors of baked black fruits and toast finish mellow, earthy and soft. Drink this ripe, warm-climate wine now. | 87 | 10 | Central Spain | 26Tempranillo
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US | The instantly recognizable label, sporting a bright green praying mantis on a plain brown background, is a quirky choice for a fine, estate-grown reserve. The fruit reaches blackberry concentration, with stiff, ripe tannins swathed in dark chocolate. Hints of earth and stem fade out through a lingering finish. It's already drinking well but could be cellared until 2019. | 91 | 30 | Oregon | 25Syrah
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US | This is cool-climate fruit, from a vintage the winery describes as “the coolest year we have ever seen.” Nonetheless they have made a good wine, with balanced scents and flavors. It's definitely herbal, but also brings some cured meat and tart, wild cherry flavors into play. | 86 | 35 | Oregon | 25Syrah
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US | Made in the California style, with very ripe pineapple and apple fruit, elaborated by French oak barrels, malolactic fermentation and sur lie aging. The result will appeal to many, even if it's a bit obvious and direct. | 86 | 25 | California | 5Chardonnay
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France | This is a very new-wood dominated wine, that will appeal to lovers of California Cabernet. Blackcurrant jelly fruits are there as well, very modern, very polished. It is a fine wine, but maybe not Bordeaux. | 91 | 50 | Bordeaux | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | This pure, single vineyard Viognier enters the mouth rather soft and silky, with well-structured flavors of cantaloupe melon, grapefruit and pineapple. It shows good concentration, focus and length, and will age nicely for another five or six years. | 90 | 31 | Washington | 27Viognier
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US | Ripe sweet tropical pineapple and guava mark this wine as does a sway of wild grass, the wine otherwise perfectly crisp and clean. | 85 | 16 | California | 22Sauvignon Blanc
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Portugal | Made to drink young, this fruity, softly structured wine is ripe with blackberry fruits. There is a touch of spice from the wood aging and a lining of attractive acidity. Drink now. | 87 | 13 | Tejo | 15Portuguese Red
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US | This is Terlato's ambitious entry into the cult Cabernet lottery. Based on Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it's an elaborate wine, deep and long in blackberry, cherry, currant, mocha and sandalwood flavors. The tannins are impressive, yet young, giving a tough, astringent mouthfeel. But ageability is brought into question by some superripeness, in the form of raisins. | 90 | 175 | California | 0Bordeaux-style Red Blend
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US | Made by a Nevada-based producer, this rosé from California-grown Grenache is very dark, exuding aromas of grenadine syrup and does follow through on the theme of sweet and viscous on the palate. | 80 | 18 | California | 20Rosé
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US | Harsh and hot, with chili pepper, mint and thinned-down blackberry and cherry flavors. | 82 | 12 | California | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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Italy | This velvety Vin Santo opens with intense maple syrup aromas that carry over to the palate along with apricot, orange peel, honey and spice. The dense, smooth texture is uplifted by fresh acidity that prevents it from being cloying. | 90 | null | Tuscany | 21Sangiovese
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US | The intriguing nose presents juicy grape candy, but in a serious way, with black licorice and maduro cigar notes. It's lighter than expected once sipped, but strong flavors of smoked meats and boysenberry fruit touch all parts of the palate. | 88 | 65 | California | 10Merlot
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South Africa | The 2011 Night Sky shows more earthy character than the 2012, as upfront aromas of soil, blackberry leaf and pepper are grounded by ripe fruit tones of black currant, plum and mulberry. Medium weight on the palate, with velvety tannins that grip through the long, spicy finish. The dense, tight mouthfeel, firm structure and overall balance suggest this wine will age well through 2022. | 92 | 50 | Coastal Region | 18Rhône-style Red Blend
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US | Sharp and rough in the mouth, this features tobacco, green bell pepper and modest berry flavors. | 81 | 15 | California | 3Cabernet Sauvignon
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