Minerality, crispness mark panel’s choices
WHITE OF THE WEEK 2014 Domaine Laporte Le Grand Rochoy Sancerre
Overall score: 18.1 (9.1 for quality, 9 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with a high score of 9.5. “Classic grassy, gooseberry and grapefruit notes. Tart and elegant.” My score: 9.1. “Lively mouth-puckering minerality.”
Varietal/blend: 100 percent sauvignon blanc. Alcohol: 13 percent.
Winery/vineyards: Founded in 1850 in the French village of Saint-Satur, the certified-organic winery was owned by the Laporte family until 1986, when René Laporte sold it to another respected Sancerre winegrower, Henri Bourgeois. Today, Bourgeois’ two grandsons oversee the cellar and 75acre property, the centerpiece of which is the 25-acre Domaine du Rochoy vineyard. Its prized flinty soil, called silex, is responsible for the expressive minerality in the wine. Winemaking: René Laporte pioneered low-yield production and modern cellar techniques in the region, and the Bourgeois brothers have further refined every aspect of the process. Winemaker notes: “A fruity, juicy and lemon-flavored wine. There is a strong mineral element, giving a crisp texture. The perfumed character and the intense fruit set this wine apart.” Critical acclaim: 93 points from the Wine Enthusiast, which named it a “Cellar Selection.” Pairings: Salad greens with capers and tomatoes in a vinaigrette. Sautéed white fish, oysters, smoked salmon and lighter foods flavored with fresh herbs. The sauvignon blanc grape is classic with goat’s milk cheeses, such as Crottin de Chavignol.
Price: $36.79 at Spec’s
RED OF THE WEEK 2013 Sartori Amarone
Overall score: 18.5 (9 for quality, 9.5 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with a high score of 9.2. “Round, ripe red fruit with hints of cinnamon and tobacco. Nice herbal notes.” My score: 9.1. “Spot on. Everything you want from an Amarone.” Varietal/blend: corvina (50 percent), corvinone (30), rondinellla (15), cabernet sauvignon (5). Alcohol: 15 percent.
Winery/vineyards: In 1898, Pietro Sartori bought the Villa Maria vineyard in the heart of the Veneto’s Valpolicella appellation to provide fruit for wines he had made to serve in his hotel. Pietro’s great-grandson is in charge today with Veneto native Franco Bernabei, who has been the consulting winemaker since 2003. Winemaking: Hand-picked grapes are air-dried on wooden racks for 100 days. Traditional pressing and fermentation are followed by a minimum of three years in Slavonian oak casks. Winemaker notes: “Color: Shimmering ruby. Bouquet: Dried fruits, raisins, cherry compote with cocoa notes. Taste: Round and full-bodied; deep fruit flavors, and supple tannins; a cinnamon spice finish.” Pairings: Pork, veal and poultry. Traditional pairing dishes from the region include Pasta e Fasoi, a pasta and bean soup; calf’s liver; braised beef with Amarone risotto; and Bigoli col’Anara, a fresh pasta in a duck sauce. Also, intensely flavored cheeses. Price: $47.49 at Spec’s
ALSO RECOMMENDED 2015 Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc
Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value). Our tasters gave it a unanimous recommendation with two scores of 9 or higher. “Citrus with a lively, grassy finish.” My score: 9. “Delicious grapefruit. Fresh and crisp.”
Winemaking: The Mendocino Coast grapes are farmed organically. Alcohol: 13 percent. Price: $10.39 at Spec’s
2014 Shafer Merlot
Overall score: 17.4 (8.9 for quality, 8.5 for value). It didn’t work for one taster, but another awarded a score of 9.4. “Well-balanced. Age-worthy.” My score: 8.8. “Red cherry and plum flavors. Hint of licorice.” Winemaking: Shafer farms 200 acres in California’s Stags Leap District, Carneros and Oak Knoll. Alcohol: 15 percent. Price: $50.99 at Spec’s
AVAILABLE ONLINE
2015 Martin Ray Chardonnay Bald Mountain: 18 (9 for quality, 9 for value). Our tasters gave it a unanimous recommendation with a high score of 9.5. “Excellent minerality. Elegant. I really like this wine!” My score 9. “Well-integrated oak. Fresh and lively.” The winery is in Sonoma County, but Bald Mountain is in the Santa Cruz range south of San Francisco. Alcohol: 13.8 percent. $45 from store.nexternal.com/mrw. 2013 J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon: 17.7 (9.2 for quality, 8.5 for value). Our tasters gave it a unanimous recommendation with a high score of 9.4. “Beet root and black cherries. Well-structured with a long finish.” My score: 9.2. “Bright fruit and chocolate notes. Great mouth feel.” The blend includes 18 percent merlot plus a little petit verdot. Alcohol: 14.5 percent. $100 from winestore.jlohr.com. 2014 Canvasback Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: 18.6 (9.1 for quality, 9.5 for value). Our tasters gave it a unanimous recommendation with seven scores of 9 or higher. “Round, ripe black fruit. Touch of cinnamon.” My score: 9. “Big, layered and juicy.” Founding winemaker Brian Rudin calls Red Mountain, in Washington’s Yakima Valley, “one of the best places on earth to grow cabernet.” Alcohol: 14.5 percent. $39.99 from wine.com. 2015 Medlock Ames Sauvignon Blanc: 17.9 (8.8 for quality, 9 for value). Our tasters gave it a unanimous recommendation with two scores of 9. “Rich, well-balanced.” My score: 8.8. “Fresh and simple. Easy drinking. A spring sipper.” The California winery’s Bell Mountain Estate is known for its welldrained, gravelly clay soil with an underlying layer of volcanic ash. Alcohol: 14.1 percent. $29 from medlockames.com.