Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/68310
Outstanding Releases from Around the Globe GERMANY AND AUSTRIA Joh. Jos. Prüm 2009 Riesling Spätlese Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Mosel, Germany ($37) Very ripe apple, pear and honeysuckle line the nose while marzipan and ripe yellow peach reinforce the salty wet fl int that screams German Riesling. RUDI WIEST SELECTIONS Laurenz und Sophie 2009 Singing Grüner Veltliner, Niederösterreich, Austria ($16) Sunfl ower seed and lemon balm on the nose join ginger, white fl owers, peach, pineapple and passion fruit on the intensely long fi nish. FOLIO FINE WINE PARTNERS Domäne Wachau 2011 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen, Niederösterreich, Austria ($16) This famous winery's current offering is light and juicy, beginning with a nose of vanilla and lemon zest and ending with fl avors of pineapple, guava, mango and banana. VINDIVINO Queen Esther 2009 Chardonnay Late Harvest Noble Sweet, Burgenland, Austria ($10) Both organic and kosher and brimming with sunfl ower, yellow apricot, yellow pear, musky orange and lychee. Only slightly sweet. MORANDELL ITALY Bolla 2010 Soave Tufaie, Soave, Italy ($17) Made in a very ripe style with loads of honey, apple pie and Creamsicle. Full- bodied, thick and rich yet pretty easy to drink. BANFI VINTNERS 86 / the tasting panel / june 2012 Lamarca NV Prosecco DOC, Veneto, Italy ($17) Sweet bubble gum and pink cotton candy line the nose while grapefruit, lime peel and ash dominate the high-toned, slightly sweet fi nish. E&J GALLO Castello Banfi 2011 Pinot Grigio San Angelo, Tuscany, Italy ($18) Crisp acidity and a rich texture allow white pepper, lime rind and grapefruit to peer past a dense mid-palate. BANFI VINTNERS FRANCE Domaine Louis Michel & Fils 2010 Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons, France ($26) Chalkiness starts everything, but hints of grapefruit and lime linger on the bright, citrus-laced, umami- drenched fi nish. BACCHUS IMPORTERS LTD. Josmeyer 2009 Gewürztraminer Alsace Les Folastries, Alsace, France ($32) Layers of dried apricot, papaya and orange mingle with hints of wax, salty toffee and jasmine. Refi ned yet spicy and racy. PATERNO WINES INTERNATIONAL PORTUGAL AND SPAIN Broadbent 2011 Vinho Verde, Portugal ($10) This is light, crisp and fresh-tasting, with good defi nition to the citrus and green pear fl avors and hints of savory herb that waft through the last portion of the palate. BROADBENT SELECTIONS Arca Nova 2011 Alvarinho, Minha, Portugal ($15) Orange melon, Indian spice and red apple all take their turns on the nose. The crisply defi ned fi nish features the peach essence for which this varietal is famous. FRONTIER WINE IMPORTS Parés Baltà 2010 Xarel·lo Calcari, Penedès, Spain ($25) This allows baked apple and tangerine to mix until a wall of acidity provides suffi cient structure to evaluate the wine. The fi nish allows just a bit of walnut skin to peek through. BROADBENT SELECTIONS ARGENTINA AND CHILE Graffi gna 2010 Pinot Grigio Reserve Centenario, Mendoza, Argentina ($15) Elegant, harmonious and just full of fresh fl owers and the peach and apricot that dominates the classic fi nish. PERNOD-RICARD USA Alamos 2011 Torrontés, Mendoza, Argentina ($12) Actually quite ripe for the style, this shows lines of red grapefruit and lemonade. A bit of honey- suckle lines the mineral- drenched endpoint. E&J GALLO Concha y Toro 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva, Central Valley, Chile ($16) Lemon peel and tarragon run through a zippy core of white peach, mint and basil. Some might think this too herbal but for me it was just right. BANFI VINTNERS