The SOMM Journal

February / March 2018

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48 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 In each issue, the editorial team at The SOMM Journal will deliberate through wine submissions and release final judgment on select wines that garnered scores of at least 90 points. The "joury" will also feature an esteemed guest sommelier. Zacharias 2015 Nemea DO, Greece ($13) This 100% Agiorgitiko from the region's major agriculturist, Elias Zacharias, is a feminine beauty with blue floral notes, blueberries, and lean acidity. Strawberry and walnut combine with ripe, soft tannins for a curi - ous duo mid-palate, with a hint of vanilla and chocolate on the lithe finish. Nemea has become the top growing region for Agiorgitiko, and this winery's first plantings date back to 1960. 90 STELLAR IMPORTING COMPANY Brancaia 2012 Ilatraia IGT Ros- so Maremma, Toscana, Italy ($70) Ilatraia—a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Petit Verdot, and 20% Cab Franc—is named for a rugged hillside in Maremma, which is located a few miles from the Mediterra - nean coastline on sandy, clay soil at the foothills of the Uccellina Mountains. The wine estate was founded more than 30 years ago by Swiss couple Brigitte and Bruno Widmer, and they brought a modern touch to a traditional wine region with their Super Tuscan wine. With its perfumed dense fruit of black cherry, plum, and spiced blackberry, the wine stays bold on the palate, though its tannins are round and sensuous. Savory tones of coffee, dark choco - late, and licorice linger on the tongue as the ripe, concentrated fruit encircles the heavy notes, soothing the character of the wine as it lingers on the finish. 95 BRANCAIA WINERY AND WINES Brancaia Winemaker Barbara Widmer. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRANCAIA USA Brancaia's vineyards in Maremma on the Tuscan coast. IMAGES COURTESY OF STELLAR IMPORTING COMPANY Ponzi Vineyards 2015 Abetina Pinot Noir, Che - halem Mountains AVA, Oregon ($105) Chehalem Mountains AVA is exclusively Laurel - wood soil composed of a basalt base with Ice Age windblown sedimentary soils. Winemaker Luisa Ponzi plants all Pinot Noir clonal massale to define the planting of several dozen clones in a single block. These clones are selected specifically for the site and are planted in a random style rather than an organized fashion. The nose ranges from high-toned red fruit of rhubarb and cranberry to hot cinnamon candy, sweet to - bacco, and blue flowers. The violets and jasmine translate to the palate, where they converge with spiced raspberry, tangerine, and hints of caramel. Big and lusty. 95

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