Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/960891
92 / the tasting panel / april 2018 Tenuta di Biserno 2015 Il Pino di Biserno, Toscana IGT, Italy ($75) This blend of 20% Petit Verdot, 20% Cab Franc, 30% Merlot, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the hilly, stony terroir of Bibbona, a coastal municipality in Alta Maremma. Owner Lodovico Antinori describes the Biserno winemaking project, produced in partnership with his brother Piero, as his last. Aged for 12 months in new and used French oak, the wine exhibits soft tannins that guide the liquid on a lush stream of cherry-oak, violets, and a hint of graphite. Royal elegance from start to finish. 95 KOBRAND WINE & SPIRITS Our Superstars of the Month for Quality and Value: Edna Valley Vineyard Chardonnay, Central Coast ($15) Savory notes of chamomile and lemon verbena spark an inter- est on the nose. The palate offers a plethora of flavors, including ripe pineapple, a rare appearance of apricot nectar, and toasty-creamy oak on the finish. Texture plays an important role in showcasing a wine that significantly overdelivers with finesse and quality for the price. 93 E. & J. GALLO Bass Note Peach Tarragon Artisanal Sangria, California ($15) This ready-to-serve fruit-and-herb blend is imaginative and adventurous. At just 11% ABV, this light-hearted, cocktail-inspired concoction offers authentic peach flavors with that just-right touch of tarragon, which works wonders as an accompaniment to grilled shrimp (I tried it!) or with a seafood or chicken salad. Retailers take note—additional flavors include Blackberry Sage and Cherry Lime Almond. 90 ELEVATE BEVERAGE INC. Kim Crawford 2017 Rosé, New Zealand ($18) Composed of 99% Merlot and 1% Syrah, this Hawkes Bay–appellated wine shows off a vibrant prom-dress- pink hue, even though it spends little time on the skins. Crisp, clean, and bright with starfruit, raspber- ries, and a charming mineral finish. 90 CONSTELLATION BRANDS Simple Life 2017 Rosé, California ($13) An understated yet international style and taste profile makes this an "overdeliverer" in our book. A blend of 77% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 7% Zinfandel, and 6% Barbera presents a dusted rose and high-toned floral nose and pal- ate. The undercore of minerality and delicate pear adds texture to a wine with fine acidity. What a find. 90 DON SEBASTIANI & SONS Day Owl 2017 Rosé, California ($15) This pretty rosé is made from Barbera grapes sourced from Madera County, the Central Coast, and Paso Robles. Orange rind and crème fraîche meld with strawberry to create a bright and citrus-driven pink. Melon and dried apricot splash in mid-palate and lively acidity makes this wine quite food-friendly. 90 O'NEILL VINTNERS & DISTILLERS SPIRITS New Amsterdam Grapefruit- Flavored Vodka, USA ($15) Distinctive aromas of pink grapefruit would charm anyone who's as infatuated with this citrus as I am. As a stalwart fan of the fruit, however, I'm a stern critic of its variations when applied to spirits. This new entry in the flavored vodka lineup for New Amsterdam gets a strong nod: It tastes just-squeezed, has a marvelously fresh palate feel, and marks the mouth with quality through to the crisp finish. 93 E. & J. GALLO Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey, USA ($50) The oatmeal and maple nose is sincerely fragrant with bright accents of sweet peach. On the palate, this blend of malted barley (with four times more of this ingredient than conventional bourbon recipes), rye and corn is evenly peppered and fruity in this balanced, 88-proof sipper. Charred oak, vanilla bean, and walnut linger on the finish. 93 OLD ELK DISTILLERY Dancing Goat Distillery Limousin Rye, USA ($45) Dancing Goat Distillery officially opened in Cambridge, Wisconsin with the debut of this 92-proof rye. The spirit's base distillate ages over time in vintage oak before new wood is added with a proprietary process (it finishes aging in a Solera system featuring Limousin oak barrels). The nose is particularly fragrant with honeyed white floral notes, deep caramel-cocoa, and green tea. The flavors bring out some lovely stone fruit, including peach and apricot, while honeysuckle shapes up and almost sweetens the fruit even more. A dash of oatmeal and a hint of caraway linger on the finish. Exquisite! 94 Guest Reviewer: Mara Marski, Spirits Editor, The Tasting Panel Skip Rock Distillers Nocino Walnut Liqueur, USA ($45) This liqueur is the poster-child spirit for a Pacific Nor thwest distillery that evolved out of the local food movement and a passion for great drinks. The nose is basically a camping trip in Snohomish, Washington: a savory combination of burnt sugar, pinewood, and cola. The juice is made from fresh, local walnuts harvested while still green and soaked with a spice infusion to impar t flavors of marzipan, roasted marshmallow, honeycomb, blackstrap molasses, and orange peel to the liqueur's signature toasted-walnut base. Bar tender tip: Try it in a fall-themed Gold Rush or a Nocino-washed Old Fashioned. 91 Publisher's PICKS