BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

88
Schramsberg 2007 Blanc de Blancs
(North Coast); $36. Appealing flavors
in this dry, tart bubbly. Flatters with vanilla bean,
lemon zest, tangerine and toast flavors, with a
nice edge of yeast. The bubbles could be a little
finer, though, as the wine is a little rough in the
mouth. —S.H.
87
Korbel NV Blanc de Noirs (California);
$12. Made from all red grapes,
including Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sangiovese and Zinfandel,
this is an elegant, delicious sipper that has
more elegance than you might expect at this
price. It’s dryish and crisply clean, with subtle
strawberry, raspberry and yeasty flavors. Best
Buy. —S.H.
86
Korbel NV Brut (California); $12.
Crisp and clean, this is a very nice
sparkling wine for everyday purposes at an everyday
price. It’s just a little sweet, with vanilla
cream, peach sorbet and citrus fruit vibrancy.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are among the constituent
grapes, along with Chenin Blanc and
French Columbard. —S.H.
85
Korbel 2008 Brut Made with
Organically Grown Grapes (California);
$16. Tastes a little sweet for a true
brut, with sugary flavors of strawberries, raspberries
and vanilla, and the finish is soft. The
blend is French Columbard, Chardonnay and
Sangiovese. —S.H.
84
Mirabelle NV Brut (North Coast);
$23. A little sweet and rough around the
edges, with the flavors of raspberry and cherry
brioche. The blend is 60% Chardonnay and 40%
Pinot Noir, and this is Schramsberg’s second
label. —S.H.
BRUT ROSÉ
94
Schramsberg 2007 Brut Rosé
(North Coast); $41. With a pretty
pink-salmon color, this Pinot Noir-based blush is
rich and full-bodied. It has considerable weight
for a bubbly, but the acidity and freshness and
yeasty tang lift it up to Champagne elegance.
Impossible not to fall in love with this raspberryscented
beauty, but why wouldn’t you want
to? —S.H.
90
Roederer Estate NV Brut Rosé
(Anderson Valley); $27. A beautiful
rosé bubbly, from the copper-salmon color to the
final finish. Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay,
it’s dry and refined, with complex orange,
raspberry, vanilla cream, mineral and brioche flavors.
Gains extra points for the smoothness of its
bubbles. —S.H.
90
Mirabelle NV Brut Rosé (North
Coast); $27. A beautiful rosé sparkling
wine, one that shows loads of finesse and elegance.
But the final word is its deliciousness.
Really captivates with subtle raspberry, toast,
vanilla and yeasty brioche flavors that finish so
crisp and clean. Editors’ Choice. —S.H.
87
Korbel NV Brut Rosé (California);
$12. A delightful rosé sparkler, rich in
raspberry, cherry and toasty, yeasty flavors, with a
smooth, creamy mouthfeel and a honey-sweet
finish. Made from Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Gamay
and Chenin Blanc, it’s a super value at this price.
Best Buy. —S.H.
87
Scharffenberger NV Brut Rosé
(Mendocino County); $23. Easy to
like this crisp, fruity bubbly. A classic blend of
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it has rich, candied
flavors of raspberries, cherries, tangerines, vanilla
and cinnamon spice, with the yeasty tang of a fine
sparkling wine. —S.H.
OTHER SPARKLING
WINES
88
Korbel NV Sweet Rosé (California);
$12. Even if you don’t like sweet
sparkling wine, it will be hard to turn down
another glass of this beauty. It’s so clean and delicious,
with a raspberry sorbet and vanilla richness.
One of the best sweet bubblies out there, at
a great price. Best Buy. —S.H.
87
Korbel 2008 Riesling (California);
$16. A rare California sparkler made
from the Riesling grape, and a pretty good one.
It’s slightly sweet, with very pretty flavors of
oranges, vanilla, buttered toast and creamy lees.
Good price for such a fancy sipper. Editors’
Choice. —S.H.
86
Korbel NV Extra Dry (California);
$12. Not really dry, but actually a little
sweet, with a honey-sugar edge to the strawberries,
raspberries, limes and vanilla. Feels clean
and crisp and fine in the mouth. The blend is
Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and
French Columbard. —S.H.
86
Schramsberg 2006 Crémant Demi-
Sec (North Coast); $38. Made in an
off-dry manner, with residual sugar of 3.5%, this
blend of the Flora grape and Chardonnay is rich
and fruity. It has flavors of golden mango, tangerine
tart, vanilla cookie and honey almond granola.
—S.H.
85
Korbel 2007 Natural (Russian
River Valley); $16. Feels rough in the
mouth, because the bubbles are big and scoury,
not small and fine. But the wine is nicely dry
and very clean, with pleasant orange and lime
flavors. —S.H.
84
Korbel NV Chardonnay (California);
$12. 100% Chardonnay in this
sparkler, and it shows in the fresh peach and
Meyer lemon flavors. The wine is a little softer
in acidity than Korbel’s other bubblies, and also
a little sweet, which makes it somewhat
cloying. —S.H.
WASHINGTON
RED WINES
CABERNET & BLENDS
95
Doubleback 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Walla Walla); $82. This
eagerly anticipated Drew Bledsoe/Chris Figgins
collaboration is a serious effort, dusty, dense, and
dark. To begin are whiffs of cinnamon, smoke,
cured meat and bacon; then come tight, dry,
stone-soaked flavors of cassis and sweet black
fruits. Floral highlights elevate the nose, and lead
into a finish with delicious accents of toasted nuts,
almond paste, and chalk. A dazzling debut. Editors’
Choice. —P.G.
94
Dumas Station 2006 Minnick Hills
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
(Walla Walla); $60. Rich, concentrated, and
loaded with smoky, dark, spicy fruit flavors, this is
a full-on Bordeaux blend, with Cabernet Franc,
Merlot and Petit Verdot. There’s plenty of barrel
influence, from 70% new French oak, but it’s welcome,
and appropriate, perfectly matched to the
power of the fruit. An underlayer of woodsy earth
and mushroom adds further complexity. Cellar
Selection. —P.G.
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