Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/80298
93 Chalk Hill 2009 Syrah, Chalk Hill ($60) Dark, dense and creamy with lovely vanilla and rich black fruits; ripe, lush and balanced with depth, style and finesse; elegant and intense with notes of chocolate, spice box and licorice; stunning and generous. FOLEY FAMILY WINES 93 94 Sauvignon, Alexander Valley ($83) Smooth, lush and ripe with sweet plum, juicy acidity and great depth; rich, dense and spicy with intensity and balance. WILSON DANIELS Lancaster Estate 2009 Cabernet 90 Foxen Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir, Sea Smoke Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills ($85) Deep, intense and ripe with plum, cherry and tangy acid structure; silky, racy and stylish showing sweet oak and great style and power; long and quite exceptional. IMPORTS 90 90 93 Rama, Sherry-Jerez-Xerès, Spain ($25) A new "raw" (unfiltered) sherry from González Byass; toasty rancio nose; silky and bright with dry, tangy, elegant fruit mounted on a core of complex wood, rancio and spice; rich, classic and superbly balanced—the perfect aperitif wine. SAN FRANCISCO WINE EXCHANGE González Byass NV Tio Pepe Fino en Rihaku Shuzo 2010 Origin of Purity; Junmai Ginjo Saké, Shimane, Japan ($35) Silky and intense with ripe, spicy flavors; complex and rich, creamy and dry. VINE CONNECTIONS 91 Valley, Chile ($16) Herbal, grassy and clean with smooth, juicy acidity and firm acid structure; lively, long and balanced. AVENÍU BRANDS Carmen 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva, Leyda Blanc, Walker Bay, South Africa ($19) Silky and lush with ripe citrus, peach and crisp acidity; fresh, clean and balanced with style and focus. VINEYARD BRANDS Southern Right 2011 Sauvignon 93 Dorianne, France ($89) Juicy and aromatic with peach and white flowers, subtle minerals;100% new oak, balanced, complex and full. Guigal 2009 Condrieu La VINTUS september 2012 / the tasting panel / 61 93 91 92 ($48) Pale and elegant with classic Barbaresco breeding; bright berries and flowers, spice, mint and lovely complexity; smooth, lush and integrated with finesse, great style and charm. DALLA TERRA Marchesi di Gresy 2007 Barbaresco Martinenga, Italy Gundagai, Australia ($45) A stunning wine from a hot new winery; juicy and savory with lovely red fruit and precise acid structure; generous but completely in balance; bracing, vibrant and focused; long and superb. FRUIT OF THE VINES Eden Road Wines 2010 Shiraz, Frédéric Cossard 2008 Pommard, France ($55) Silky and pure with lovely cherry, bright acidity and a long, focused finish; complex and elegant with lovely balance and fine style. LANGDON SHIVERICK ($70) Deep, dark and luscious with blackberry, chocolate, licorice and great concentration; rich, jammy with a good acid structure; powerful and yet elegant and focused; long and savory. Speri 2007 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy EMPSON USA