Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/674905
90 / the tasting panel / may 2016 BLUE REVIEWS 96 Domaine Armand Rousseau 2014 Chambertin Grand Cru, France ($450) Domaine Armand Rousseau is the largest proprietor in the Chambertin vineyard, with a total of 5.3 acres. Luscious, dense, complex, elegant— and very scarce. FREDERICK WILDMAN AND SONS VALUE AND BY-THE-GLASS RECOMMENDATIONS 88 Boschendal 2015 The Rose Garden Rosé, Coastal Region, South Africa ($14) The historic rose garden at Boschendal houses one of the oldest collections of roses in the Cape. Crisp, fresh and juicy with lovely raspberry flavors. From unspecified red varieties. PACIFIC HIGHWAY WINES & SPIRITS 88 Murdoch James 2014 Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, New Zealand ($14) A traditional take on this popular variety from the North Island; fresh, crisp and showing citrus and minerals. WINESELLERS, LTD. 88 A to Z Wineworks 2014 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley ($14) From the owners of Rex Hill. Lush and ripe with deep peach and smooth texture; round and long. 88 Loft Wines 2014 Chardonnay, Monterey ($25/3L) Silky and bright with crisp acidity and smooth texture (20% barrel-fermented). A great box-wine value for everyday drinking. VALTELLINA, NEAR THE SWISS BORDER IN LOMBARDY, is one of Italy's northernmost grape-growing regions. The heart of this Alpine region, Valtellina Superiore, was granted DOCG status in 1998. Nino Negri, the premier estate producer in Valtellina (where co-ops are the norm), has made major investments in its vineyards; 11 of the estate's 31 hectares (27 of 76 acres) have been replanted with new clonal selections of the region's trademark Nebbiolo grape—locally called Chiavennasca—following new contour planting systems. Winemaker Casimiro Maule has worked at the estate since 1971, devoting his entire professional life to these wines. In 2007, he was named "Winemaker of the Year" by prestigious Italian food and wine publication Gambero Rosso. I recently tasted through the Nino Negri lineup and came away impressed. The sfusat (sforzato, or "forced") wines are made from dried grapes and are similar in style to amarone. Unless otherwise noted, the reds are 100% Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo). 90 Nino Negri 2014 Ca'Brione, Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio IGT, Italy ($37) Fresh, juicy and generous with bright peach, stone fruits; tangy, crisp and lush; long and clean, bright and lovely. 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Chiavennasca, 15% Incrocio Manzoni. 88 Nino Negri 2011 Quadrio, Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Italy ($20) Silky and fresh with juicy acidity and spice with hints of leather and earth; bright, balanced and a great value. 90% Chiavennasca, 10% Merlot. 91 Nino Negri 2011 Inferno, Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Italy ($25) Harvested by helicopter. Bright, juicy and crisp; tangy and lush; silky, elegant finish. 90 Nino Negri 2011 Le Tense Sassella, Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Italy ($37) Smooth, earthy and rich; silky, bright and juicy; generous, elegant and complex with depth and balance. 92 Nino Negri 2011 Valtellina Superiore DOCG Vigneto Fracia, Italy ($45) Dense, earthy, spicy; smooth and juicy with notes of wood and vanilla; lush, deep and balanced. 94 Nino Negri 2011 Sfursat, Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Italy ($52) From grapes dried for three months before vinification. Deep, lush and rich with spice, ripe berries, dense flavors; elegant and complex; supple, softly juicy and long. 95 Nino Negri 2011 5 Stelle Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG, Italy ($80) Dried grapes, hand-picked and aged in small barriques; dense, earthy, intense and rich with spice, oak and deep flavors of mature fruit. FREDERICK WILDMAN AND SONS Pride of Valtellina: Nino Negri