Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/2622
60 / the tasting panel / september 2009 Blue Reviews In each issue THE TASTING PANEL's Publisher and Executive Editor, Meridith May, selects her favorite wines and spirits of the month. Check here for the latest arrivals in our offices, the hottest new brands on the market and an occasional revisited classic. wines 90 Firestone Vineyard 2007 Riesling, Central Coast ($11) Striking aromatics, succulent and ripe pears and melons glide on the palate: a crisp but volup- tuous nectar. FOLEY FAMILY WINES 89 Fortress Vineyards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, 100% Musqué Clone, Red Hills, Lake County ($15) Elegantly weighted with honeydew and kiwi, this high-elevation musqué clone white is reminiscent of Graves; honey and toast linger with a sheen of brine and vanilla. 91 Mas de Subirá 2003 Priorat, Spain ($20) Searingly bright acidity that dives deep into tobacco, coffee and sur- faces again with vanilla- strawberry creaminess. Tastes expensive. FREIXENET USA 88 Terras Gauda 2008 Albariño O Rosal, Rías Baixas, Spain ($24) Lean and stony, with underlying grass and pineapple; full-flavored yet citrusy tart. AVENÍU BRANDS 92 Pittacum 2006 Aurea Mencía, Bierzo, Spain ($52) Creamy and dense, from 100-year-old-vines; plush fruit up against grainy tannins; earthy and raisin-like. Decant for best results. AVENÍU BRANDS Picks 89 New Amsterdam Gin, USA ($15) Named after the first Dutch settlement in New York, New Amsterdam gin comes in a bottle resembling a Manhattan skyscraper; the ice sculpture at our Vodka vs. Gin Showdown in June captured that ef- fect beautifully. The gin is crafted in a refined style with subtle citrus flavors and a long, silky finish. The recipe blends botanicals with citrus elements and a light touch of juniper to create its smooth texture. The prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition gave New Amsterdam Gin its coveted Gold Medal in 2007 and again in 2008. E. & J. GALLO 96 Jose Cuervo 250 Ani- versario Tequila, Mexico ($2250) A fusion of culture, blended from reserva tequilas aged five to 20 years in American oak and sherry casks, plus 100-year-old blanco cel- lared in sealed glass barrels. Amber with copper spotlights; an immedi- ate cooked butterscotch nose with orange flowers leads to lime and surprisingly fresh agave; a hint of brine, dried fruit, chocolate and honey. Wow! DIAGEO Publisher's PHOTO: CATHY TWIGG-BLUMEL spirits