Good-value bottles highlight Chronicle tasting panel’s recommendations.
PICK OF THE WEEK
2015 Canvasback Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Overall score: 19.1 (9.1 for quality, 10 for value)
Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with a high score of 9.4. “Ripe blackberries and fine tannins. Smooth finish.” My score: 9.1. “Elegant with distinct layers of flavor.” Varietal/blend: Cabernet sauvignon (81 percent) merlot (11), petit verdot (3), malbec (2) and cabernet franc (2)
Alcohol: 14.5 percent Winery/vineyards/winemaking: Washington native Brian Rudin took over as winemaker in 2014 for this Duckhorn property after gaining extensive experience with Red Mountain terroir, which he considers “among the finest in the world for growing epic cabernet.” The vintage will be remembered for the earliest harvest on record in the region, but the fruit quality was excellent. The wine spent 20 months in mostly French oak barrels, about 40 percent new. Winemaker notes: “On the palate, the wine has notable presence and depth. The entry is creamy and fine-grained, and a voluminous midpalate displays gorgeous flavors of black plum, marionberry and grenadine with notes of nutmeg and hazelnut adding complexity to the juicy fruit.”
Critical acclaim: Robert Parker and James Suckling both awarded a score of 92.
Pairings: Steak with blue cheese butter. Roasted lamb with herbs. Price: $39.99 at Spec’s
ALSO RECOMMENDED
Little James Basket Press Blanc NV Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)
Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of 9. “Nice acidity and minerality. Zesty.” My score: 8.9. “Grassy, flowery and brightly flavored.” This nonvintage bargain from Château St. Cosme’s ever-brilliant Louis Barruol, the leading winemaker in Gigondas in France’s Southern Rhone, is an unusual blend of wellsourced sauvignon blanc and viognier. The former brings nice acidity to the blend, while the latter offers freshness and notes of stone fruit and flowers. Pairs brilliantly with green salads, ceviche and grilled fish. Alcohol: 13.5 percent.
Price: $12.29 at Spec’s Little James Basket Press Rouge NV Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)
Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of 9. “Big jammy nose with a tannic finish. A fun quaff.” My score: 8.9. “Rustic and simple. Tasty fruit flavors.” A négociant wine that’s 100 percent grenache and legally a “Vin de France” because of how Barruol goes about producing it. It is a blend of vintages all fermented in concrete tanks going back as far as 1999. Pair it with dark fish and tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille. Alcohol: 13.5 percent.
Price: $9.95 at Spec’s 2017 Chateau Vignelaure La Source Rosé Overall score: 18.4 (8.9 for quality, 9.5 for value)
Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of at least 9. “Juicy, round and ripe. Luscious.” My score: 9. “Flavorful peach and citrus notes, despite the pale pink hue.” From France’s Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, it’s a direct-press blend of grenache (40 percent), cinsault (30), syrah (20) and cabernet sauvignon (10) that was fermented in stainless steel, spending three months on the lees. Try with paella, grilled shrimp or dishes featuring anchovies. Alcohol: 12.5 percent.
Winemaker notes: “Intense nose with red currant, raspberry and grapefruit notes. In the mouth, it’s both fresh and fullbodied. Yellow peach flavors on the finish.”
Price: $17.69 at Spec’s Nearly 140 wines in this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition earned double-gold status, signifying that every judge on the tasting panel deemed them worthy of a gold medal. Many also earned Class Championships. We’ll be featuring one bi-weekly for the rest of the year. 2016 Cupcake Vineyards Pinot Grigio Class Champion (Pinot Gris/ Pinot Grigio Old World $9-$15) Winery/vineyards/winemaker: The grapes for this wine are sourced from the foothills of the Italian Alps. Winemaker Jessica Tomei, working with growers around the world, has overseen production of the well-made, excellent value Cupcake wines for more than a decade.
Winemaker notes: “Refreshing fruit flavors of fresh pear, cantaloupe, apple and pineapple lead to a crisp finish with subtle notes of honey and lemon zest. Pair with Caesar salad, chicken fettuccine alfredo or a poolside cabana.”
Price: $7.99 at Total Wine