The Tasting Panel magazine

September 2011

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BLUE REVIEWS Anthony Dias BLUE REVIEWS n each issue, Editor-in-Chief Anthony Dias Blue selects a wide range of the best wines and spirits from among the more than 500 he samples over the course of a month. The reviews are subjective editorial evaluations, made without regard to advertising, and products are scored on a 100-point scale: I 85-89: VERY GOOD 90-94: OUTSTANDING 95-100: CLASSIC Once products are selected for publication, producers and importers will be offered the option of having their review accompanied by an image (bottle photo or label art) for a nominal fee. There is no obligation to add an image, nor does the decision affect the review or score in any way. The "twisty" icon indicates wines sealed with a screwcap closure. For additional Blue Reviews, go to www.tastingpanelmag.com. Sonoma County ($22) Smooth, bright and juicy with tangy acidity and lush oak nuance; seamless and rich with balance, length and style. Valley ($18) Bright, fresh and fruit- driven with tangy acidity and ripe creamy apple and citrus fruit; lush and rich, rounded and balanced; long finish. 90 CREW WINE CO. 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley ($22) Smooth and mellow with juicy 90 Valley ($50) Bright and juicy with lovely plum and tangy black raspberry with hints of vanilla oak; silky, beautifully structured and elegant; long and lovely; made by Gilles Nicault, another triumph from Allan Shoup's Long Shadows project. LONG SHADOWS VINTNERS 93 Chester-Kidder 2006 Columbia fruit, minerals and tangy acidity; fresh and bracing with lovely flavors and good length. Westerly Vineyards DOMESTIC 90 St. Francis 2009 Chardonnay, Block, Napa Valley, Oakville ($40) Dense, lush and juicy with ripe tropical fruit and bright acidity; creamy textured and rich with a long finish. 90 KOBRAND CORP. Mossback 2009 Chardonnay, Russian River Patz & Hall 2009 Chardonnay, Hudson Vineyard, Carneros ($55) Silky and fresh with lovely fruit showing stone fruit and white flowers; elegant, long and vibrant with subtle oak and fine style. 91 92 ($36) Lush, woody, feral nose; violets, plum, spice, velvety texture, earthy; very idiosyncratic, rustic, complex and interesting, eh? 90 ($40) Spicy and smooth; juicy and rich but nicely structured and balanced; earthy ripe fruit and complex with good length and bright structure. 90 95 58 / the tasting panel / september 201 1 HOPE FAMILY WINES Ramey Wine Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Pedregal Vineyard, Oakville ($165) Powerful and intense but still very much in balance; ripe blackberry, cassis with elegant toasted oak and firm acid structure; complex, long and exquisite now, but a few more years will up the ante. Austin Hope 2009 Grenache, Central Coast Whitehall Lane 2008 Merlot, Napa Valley ($28) Smooth, ripe and luscious with tangy plum and bright acidity; lovely, fresh and juicy with a long finish and style. Berthoud 2004, Ursus Vineyard, Sonoma Valley Oakville Ranch 2008 Chardonnay, Plateau

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