Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/17414
Publisher’s PICKS Wine Château Julien 2009 Barrel Selected Chardonnay, Monterey County ($12) Floral and bright: a sunny white that smacks of peaches and pansies. Mouthfilling and big-bodied, it dresses up like spring. 90 3.5 smooches Meridith May with Chef Guy Savoy. In each issue THE TASTING PANEL’s Publisher and Executive Editor, Meridith May, selects her favorite wines and spirits of the month. Check here for the latest arrivals in our offices, the hottest new brands on the market and an occasional revisited classic. Worthy of a smooch. French-style double bizou. Wildly infatuated. Seriously smitten. Head over heels in love. Tercero Wines 2007 Syrah, Larner Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley ($28) Round and Rhône-y, violets and blueberries mingle with a touch of pepper and spice. Truly noteworthy. 93 Spirits 2 smooches Corrido Cristalino Extra Añejo Tequila, Mexico ($75) Silky and smooth with nice, fresh herbaceous agave flavor; toasty and rich as far as it goes, but it loses strength on the finish; however, the roasted agave is charming throughout. 90 TRUE BLUE IMPORTS 3.5 smooches Dolin Vermouth Blanc de Chambéry, France ($15) Wonderfully fresh, with peach and violet complexity. Drinks on its own as pleasantly as it does mixed. 93 HAUS ALPENZ PHOTO: CATHY TWIGG-BLUMEL