Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/832383
june 2017 / the tasting panel / 77 Il Poggione 2016 Brancato Rosato di Toscana IGT, Italy ($19) From one of the founding families of Brunello is this 100% estate Sangiovese rosé that offers up a deep, strawberry pink hue;the must stays in contact with the skins for 24 hours. There's a viscosity that shows itself in the character of cherry skins, pit and juice, with a gleaming white pepper finish. Extremely food-friendly. 91 TERLATO WINES Château Minuty 2016 Rose et Or, Côtes de Provence, France ($40) A varietal composition of Grenache and Tibouren cre- ates a style of concentrated aromas of fresh peach and white roses. A hint of watermelon and pink grapefruit on the silken palate shows off an expected rose-petal dustiness from this superstar rosé. 93 TREASURY WINE ESTATES Plungerhead 2014 Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi ($12) From the inviting sour cherry nose of this Zin, with earthy, elegant compo- nents to its Old World acidity and ripe fruit, we feel that Lodi can showcase terroir as well as any place on earth. Cinnamon-pepper meshes well with brambly blue fruit on the finish. 90 3 BADGE BEVERAGE Noble Vines Collection 2014 337 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi ($15) Aromatic treasures of blackberry spice and espresso are accented by a dot of earthiness. The smooth, silky palate offers up plum compote and a touch of pep- pered saddle leather. Fruit-forward, it continues to open up with blueberries, green tea and a dusty tannin finish. Delicious. 93 DFV WINES Argento 2014 Cabernet Franc Reserva, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina ($18) This is a delightfully fresh and juicy red, with jubilantly ripe summer plums, bright and sweet raspberry and a violet dried petal note that is unleashed throughout. Tannins are grainy, while the palate is helped to portions of high acid, refreshing the wine with each sip. A delicate soul. 91 BLENDS Firestone Vineyard 2014 Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley ($25) An intense blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Grenache, aged 21 months in French, Hungarian and American oak. The nose greets with black pepper, spiced earth and plum. The wine is juicy with a texturally bold velvet mouthfeel. Notes of dark coffee, dark chocolate, cinnamon, blackberry and cedar address mild tannins. 92 FOLEY FAMILY ESTATES Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Merlot, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County ($26) A blend of all five Bordeaux varieties (78% Merlot), low vigor, gravelly, iron-rich soils influence concentration and minerality of this expressive red. Cherry- mocha-earth tones are scrumptious on the nose and translate to a juicy, opulent palate. Robust, with spiced black fruit as its anchor, blue flowers, ripe raspberry and red tea round out the complex finish. 93 Fattoria della Talosa 2014 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOC, Italy ($30) 90% Sangiovese with 10% Merlot blended in. We know dark chocolate doesn't grow in the ground here, but the nose would lead us to think otherwise. High acid and tart sour cherry lend an iconic profile, and meaty notes are "animale," with a blood-red hue to indicate its density. 90 CURIOUS CORK IMPORTS Villa San-Juliette 2014 Reserve Grenache, Paso Robles ($32) Savory accents of sage, red tea, white pepper and strawberry are the bouquet that makes up this passionate red. The tart mouthfeel soon expands to a fullness, but the spice—a mild jalapeño—lingers on the finish. 91 Rusack 2014 Ballard Canyon Estate Reserve Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley ($40) Rich velvet mouthfeel leads the way to blueberries on a seamless threshold. Mocha- coffee and plum liqueur are stirred into brambly white pepper, accenting the array of dark fruits. 92 Domaine Jessiaume 2014 Santenay 1er Cru Les Gravières, France ($42) From its deep purple-carmine hue to its expressive scents of rich cranberry and tomato leaf, this is a plush, savory, modern Bourgogne from the Côtes de Beaune. Tart dried cherry carries a weight while celery root and red beet notes are savory and satisfying. It finishes with a wash of earth-blessed blackberry. 94 TITAN WINE SELECTIONS Parrish Family Vineyard 2012 Reserve Silken, Paso Robles ($48) A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Petite Sirah—grown in the warmer Creston District of Paso Robles—allows for a masterful red. At first, the wine is chewy, but soon morphs into a silkiness across the palate. High acid lends a hand, and the Petite Sirah contributes its dark fruit, taking an adult approach to tannins—they're mature and restrained. Violets and licorice are dry components to a great finish. 97