Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/898117
68 / the tasting panel / november 2017 90 Calcu 2014 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile ($25) Bright ruby color ; juicy and fresh with an edgy, tangy, and spicy style; racy with medium body and a long, lively finish. GLOBAL VINEYARD 94 Shaw + Smith 2015 Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, Australia ($35) Lush, smooth, and bright with finesse, spice, and depth; vibrant, rich, and elegant; a complete package and a gorgeous selection from one of Australia's best wineries. THE WINEBOW GROUP 91 Terra di Seta 2012 Assai Gran Selezione Sangiovese, Chianti Classico, Italy ($45) Deep crimson color from a winery incorporated into a family-run organic farm; sumptuous and mellow with bright berry fruit; notes of earth, spice, and oak; long and balanced. Kosher. ROYAL WINE CORP. 94 Domus Aurea 2013 Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley, Chile ($70) Rich ruby hue; minty nose; smooth with concentrated plum and cassis; intense and complex with depth and style; elegant with a lengthy finish; one of the four or five very best Chilean wines. GLOBAL VINEYARD IMPORTERS 93 Craggy Range Vineyards 2015 Gimblett Gravels Sophia, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand ($73) Soft and sleek with ripe plum; toasty oak and a refined, intricate style; lush, deep, and long with excellent balance; another well-crafted wine from one of the very best Kiwi producers. KOBRAND WINE & SPIRITS 93 Apaltagua 2015 Grial Carmenère, Apalta Valley, Chile ($75) Deep ruby color ; herbal nose; juicy, silky, and earthy; smooth and tangy with a lively, edgy style; toasty with notes of coffee and spice. GLOBAL VINEYARD IMPORTERS 92 Checkmate Artisanal Winery 2014 Queen Taken Chardonnay, Dekleva Vineyard, Golden Mile Bench – DVA, BC VQA, Canada ($100) Creamy and lush with minerals and spice; well-balanced and succulent with ripe fruit and good depth; long and lush; an amazing Canadian wine. MARK ANTHONY WINE & SPIRITS SPIRITS 91 Laughing Glass All-Natural Margarita, USA ($16) Bright, fresh, and juicy with clean lime, triple sec, and blanco tequila; tangy and delicious with depth and an all-natural impression; delightful and low calorie! MOMS ON THE ROCKS 92 Ogden's Own Distillery Madam Pattirini Small Batch Gin, USA ($20) Made from juniper, bergamot, coriander, cardamom, Nigerian ginger, and Sicilian lemon from a distillery based in Ogden, Utah; smooth juniper nose; silky texture and dry, peppery flavors; notes of sleek herbs with a clean, long finish. 92 Dulce Vida Blanco Organic Tequila, Mexico ($25) Soft, earthy nose; silky smooth with bright agave flavors; lively with a smoky, juicy style; rich, balanced, and intense; handcrafted in small batches from 100% blue agave. DULCE VIDA SPIRITS (MILESTONE BRANDS) 90 Gorki List The Bitter Leaf Herbal Liqueur, Serbia ($30) Dark caramel color ; very bitter with dense herbal notes and sweetness underneath; mellow yet with intense botanicals; this is the Serbian version of Italian Amaro. LAV IMPORTS 92 RE:FIND Vodka, USA ($38) A brandy-vodka crossover derived from the free-run juice of ripe, red wine grapes distilled to just below 95% ABV; smooth and silky with vanilla and dry, creamy texture; lush and balanced; long and fresh. 92 Los Nahuales Blanco (Joven) Mezcal, Mexico ($62) Smoky, earthy nose from the Destileria Los Danzantes near Oaxaca; silken and intense with off-dry, smoky flavors; dense and earthy with balance and good length. CRAFT DISTILLERS 94 Sutcliffe & Son The Exceptional Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, Scotland ($120) Smooth, elegant, and toasty nose that shows multiple fruits and vanilla; refined and rich with smoke and depth; ripe and lush; blended from whiskies of various ages, then held in first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks. CRAFT DISTILLERS 96 Angel's Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels, USA ($200) Deep, rich amber color ; toasty and mellow (once it's cut with water); sweet grain and dried fruits with creamy texture; lovely with notes of leather and spice; long and intense. BACARDI BLUE REVIEWS