The Tasting Panel magazine

December 2016

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december 2016  /  the tasting panel  /  61 93 Ca' del Bosco 2004 Cuvée Annamaria Clementi, Franciacorta Riserva, Italy ($90) Fraciacorta is Italy's answer to Champagne. Elegant with toasty notes and ripe, complex fruit; rich, deep and balanced with a long, intense finish. 55% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Bianco, 20% Pinot Nero. BANVILLE WINE MERCHANTS 93 Viña Casablanca 2014 Neblus Syrah, Casablanca Valley, Chile ($50) Dark, dense and loaded with spice and ripe, juicy berry fruit; silky and balanced with concentrated flavors and fine balance; long and impressive. CAROLINA WINE BRANDS USA 91 Agly Brothers 2010 Côtes du Roussillon Rouge, France ($38) The "brothers" are Michel Chapoutier and Aussie winemaker Ron Laughton, who collaborate along Roussillon's Agly River. Silky texture and ripe blackberry fruit; balanced and dense with a long finish. 33% Carignan, 33% Syrah, 33% Grenache. HB WINE MERCHANTS 93 Luigi Bosca 2014 Gala 2 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Argentina ($38) One of Argentina's top wineries, owned by the founding Arizu family for 114 years; this elegant wine is smooth and lush with ripe plum and blackberry fruit; lovely mouthfeel and silky texture; supple and expansive. 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot. FREDERICK WILDMAN AND SONS 92 Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes 2014 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France ($55) The historic label alone is gift-worthy— then there's the wine. Silky- textured and meaty fruit with spice, earth and complexity. A wonderful Châteauneuf. VINUM INTERNATIONAL 92 Wakefield Wines 2014 St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley, Australia ($60) The venerable South Australian winery, founded in 1969, was originally inspired by Bordeaux. Their signature Cabernet is spicy and rich with lovely ripe plum and soft herbs. SEAVIEW IMPORTS 93 Tenuta degli Dei 2012 Cavalli, Tuscany IGT, Italy ($60) Purchased by the famed Cavalli textile family in the 1970s, this estate raises trotter horses as well as wine grapes; this Bordeaux blend is smooth and lush with elegant flavors and juicy plum and berry fruit; supple and rich, balanced and long. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Franc. HP SELECTIONS 96 Viña Cobos 2013 Bramare Malbec, Rebon Vineyard, La Consulta, Valle de Uco, Argentina ($105) Another stunning Malbec from Paul Hobbs. Toasty notes of oak; spicy and rich, smooth and dense with ripe blackberry and cassis; concentrated and balanced with juicy, tangy style. PAUL HOBBS WINES SPIRITS 92 Hanson of Sonoma Habanero Vodka, USA ($30) This spirits startup in Sonoma wine country is making lovely spirits from grapes. Soft capsicum nose; silky and clean with green pepper notes and some heat on the finish; gluten-free. HANSON SPIRITS 95 Christian Drouin Calvados 1990, Pays d'Auge, France ($183) Calvados is back in style. This well-aged expression has medium amber color and a toasty apple nose; smooth, lush and mellow with silky texture and lovely roasted apple; silky and layered with sweet oak. ANCHOR DISTILLERS 93 Tequila Honor del Castillo Reflexión Blanco Tequila, Mexico ($50) Ripe, earthy agave nose; creamy texture and exotic spicy, earthy agave flavors with smooth hints of vanilla oak; bright and generous. GLOBAL QUALITY IMPORTS 94 Angel's Envy Bourbon Whiskey, Cask Strength, Finished in Port Barrels, USA ($180) Deep amber color ; spicy, toasted nose; smooth and complex with deep, toasty, mellow flavors; intense and nuanced. LOUISVILLE DISTILLING CO. 94 Hennessy Master Blender's Selection No.1, Cognac, France ($80) The lovely spirit nose is floral and aromatic with notes of toasted oak and vanilla; incredibly smooth and fruity; deep, elegant and modern; a stunning new entry that would be equally at home in a cocktail or in a snifter. A triumph for Master Blender Yann Fillioux. MOET-HENNESSY USA 92 Th. Kramers Aromatique Feinstser Gewürz- Bitter, Germany ($33) A spice liqueur from Germany's Thuringia region. Spicy, medicinal nose with mint, herbs and spices on the palate; mellow and tangy with a long, complex but with a quite soft finish. Serve neat as a digestif or explore in cocktails. HPS EPIC UREAN FREDERICK WILDMAN 92 Clos de des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France ($55) label alone is then there's textured and spice, earth spice, earth spice, A wonderful VINUM 2013 Malbec, Uco, Another Paul oak; and blackberry and tangy style. tangy style. tangy HOBBS WINES 94 Hennessy Blender's No.1, Cognac, ($80) The nose is floral with notes oak and oak and oak vanilla; smooth and elegant and stunning new would be in a cocktail A triumph Blender Yann Blender Yann Blender 96 Rebon

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