The Tasting Panel magazine

November 2015

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76  /  the tasting panel  /  november 2015 DOMESTIC 94 PreVail 2012 Back Forty Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley ($90) Another stunner from Don and Rhonda Carano's mountain vineyards project. Ripe berries and chocolate predominate in a tangy style; rich, supple and velvety. FERRARI-CARANO 93 Tablas Creek 2013 Esprit Blanc de Tablas, Paso Robles ($45) A mellow white Rhône with minerality, spice and soft acid structure; elegant, lush with floral notes; long and seamless. 71% Roussanne, 21% Grenache Blanc, 8% Picpoul Blanc. VINEYARD BRANDS 92 Stony Hill Vineyard 2013 Estate Chardonnay, Napa Valley ($45) Juicy and lush, rich and balanced with tangy pear and apple fruit; elegant and long with a consistently classic style. 92 Grgich Hills Estate 2013 Miljenko's Selection Estate Chardonnay, Carneros ($60) Crisp, racy acidity and ripe citrus and pear ; smooth with toasty oak and fruit-driven style; silky, balanced and long. 90 White Hart 2014 Pinot Noir, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands ($25) Suave and savory with lots of spice and ripe cherry; lush and deep with impressive depth and style for this price point. 90 Hedges Family Estate 2012 DLD Syrah, Cuvée Marcel Dupont, Les Gosses Vineyard, Red Mountain ($27) Smooth, dense and rich with earthy berry fruit and nice notes of spice; deep, lush and balanced. 94 Galerie Wines 2012 Pleinair Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($50) This label showcases the difference between Napa Valley and Knights Valley fruit.The supple, deep and intense Napa Cab shows ripe blackberry, plum and spice with seamless style. (Its Knights Valley sibling, called Latro and fermented in exactly the same way, rated 92 points in my tasting.) JACKSON FAMILY WINES 94 Chimney Rock 2012 Elevage, Stags Leap District ($96) Soft and velvety with lovely richness and firm acid structure; lush, blackberry, cassis and spice with notes of licorice and toasty oak; excellent length. 57% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot. TERLATO WINES 94 Tierra Roja 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley ($140) From grower Linda Neal; ripe black raspberry, plum and notes of vanilla, spice and soft, sweet oak; concentrated and elegant with supple texture and lovely, graceful style. OBSESSION WINE COMPANY In each issue, Editor-in-Chief Anthony Dias Blue selects a wide range of the best wines and spirits from among the more than 500 he samples over the course of a month. The reviews are subjective editorial evaluations, made without regard to advertising, and products are scored on a 100-point scale: 85-89: VERY GOOD 90-94: OUTSTANDING 95-100: CLASSIC Once products are selected for publication, producers and importers will be offered the option of having their review accompanied by an image (bottle photo or label art) for a nominal fee. There is no obligation to add an image, nor does the decision affect the review or score in any way. The "twisty" icon indicates wines sealed with a screwcap closure. For additional Blue Reviews, go to www.tastingpanelmag.com. Prices are for 750 ml. bottles unless otherwise noted. Anthony Dias BLUE REVIEWS BLUE REVIEWS

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