Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1036886
october 2018 / the tasting panel / 55 94 Black Kite Cellars 2016 Gap's Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($60) Rich cherry nose and smooth, velvety texture with concentrated notes of berry fruit. Juicy, intense, and long, it's a standout from a vineyard located at the base of Sonoma Mountain. 94 Résonance 2015 Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton ($70) Luscious and refreshing, this tangy, satisfying, and balanced wine possesses an elegant and opulent style. It's quite Burgundian, which is unsurprising considering winemaking is overseen by famed Jadot veteran Jacques Lardière. KOBRAND WINE AND SPIRITS IMPORTED 92 Frankland Estate 2015 Shiraz, Frankland River, Australia ($40) Super-smooth, rich, and bright; spicy, dense, and long. This appellation is known to produce refined, classic Shiraz, and this bottling confirms it. QUINTESSENTIAL WINES 97 Taylor Fladgate 2016 Vintage Port, Douro, Portugal ($120) Dark and polished; mildly sweet with spicy, suave flavor ; elegant, balanced, and built to last; a remarkable release, as to be expected from this house. KOBRAND WINE AND SPIRITS 91 Or Haganuz Winery 2016 Marom Series Merlot, Galilee, Israel ($30) Lush, spicy, and dry with balance and heft; juicy and fresh with a lengthy finish. A kosher wine from a boutique-inspired winery founded in 2005. ROYAL WINE CORP. 92 Campo alle Comete 2015 Bolgheri Superiore DOC, Italy ($57) Smooth, plum-tinged nose; sumptuous and complex with a tangy, generous, and rich approach. Graceful, balanced, and long, this represents a new voice emerging from Bolgheri. VIAS IMPORTS LTD. VALUE 90 Tenuta di Salviano 2017 Orvieto Classico Superiore DOCG, Italy ($20) Juicy and rich with slight minerality; ripe, racy, and lush. It's good to see a quality wine from this underrepresented appellation. 60% Trebbiano Toscano, 15% Grechetto, 10% Verdello, and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. KOBRAND WINE AND SPIRITS 91 Masi Agricola 2015 Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese IGT, Italy ($20) Earth and spice on the nose; a smooth and fresh blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara with flavorful black- raspberry notes. Enduring and rich, it's a mainstay from a proven Veneto star. KOBRAND WINE AND SPIRITS 91 Alta Vista 2016 Estate Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina ($20) Smooth and concentrated with bright cherry notes; tangy, fresh, and long with intense flavors and great balance from experienced winemaker Didier Debono. KOBRAND WINE AND SPIRITS 92 Tenuta di Salviano 2015 Turlo Lago di Corbara DOC, Italy ($20) Rich, spicy, and deep with ripe plum and cherry; a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, it's a lovely Folonari-like take on an obscure appellation. KOBRAND WINE AND SPIRITS 92 Steele Wines 2015 Shooting Star Zinfandel, Mendocino ($20) Silky and richly fruity; toasty and juicy with enduring threads of blackberry. Overseeing this hand- harvested release, Jed Steele is really a Zin master. 91 Bodegas Muriel 2013 Fincas de la Villa Tempranillo Reserva, Rioja DOC, Spain ($20) Invigorating and creamy yet zesty; rich and complex with spice, a silky texture, and a lengthy finish. QUINTESSENTIAL WINES 90 Viña Eguía 2014 Reserva Tempranillo, Rioja DOC, Spain ($19) Bright and smooth with abundant, crisp black raspberry; a tangy, fresh, and long expression of this variety, which the winery describes as the "undisputed queen of the Rioja Alavesa." FINE ESTATES FROM SPAIN 92 Spoken Barrel 2015 Meritage Red Blend, Columbia Valley ($20) Intense ruby hue with a rich nose dominated by plum; a lush, nuanced, Malbec-dominant blend of four Bordeaux varieties. It's full-bodied, spicy, and polished while possessing the depth of wines ten times the price. CONSTELLATION BRANDS 90 Blazon 2017 Chardonnay, California ($18) Bright, golden color; creamy and luscious with juicy flair and subtle elements of toasty oak and vanilla. Rich and dense, it's surprisingly complex for such a reasonably priced wine. 91 Rutherford Ranch 2015 Chardonnay, Napa Valley ($25) Complex, dense, bright, and crisp with vanilla and new oak; silky and racy with depth, balance, and creamy texture. Aged sur lie in stainless steel and French oak.