Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Fewer names are as closely associated with a wine region as Guigal with the Rhone, and their extensive experience in the area is evident in their perennially tasty Crozes-Hermitage red. This is French Syrah at its most accessible: fruity, lively, juicy, and peppery. Even better, it's also a wine that punches well above its price's weight class in terms of quality.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
In a warm growing year for Napa Valley, Montelena has here managed a Cabernet that is primarily defined by elegance. Yes, it's dense and fruity (we are talking about Napa here, after all), but the black fruits are kept aloft on enticing acidity. The complex notes of cocoa, coffee, vanilla bean, spice, and dried herbs are the icing on the cake.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
In the colder winter months, sometimes we want a wine robust enough to warm our bones. That's a good time to turn to the powerful wines of Amarone. Too often, however, Amarone wines provide power by sacrificing freshness and subtlety; not so in Acinum's 2012 release. Yes, this is a chewy, weighty, and spicy red, with powerful alcoholic strength and dried red berry and prune fruit flavors. But it also has a vivacity and liveliness that make it a more versatile food match than your typical Amarone, making it well worth its price tag.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
A sort of quiet revolution has taken place in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. Without much fanfare, the area's best producers have raised their Riesling chops to world-class levels, and more and more wine lovers are taking notice. A great example can be found in Fox Run's Dry Riesling. This Seneca Lake producer is one of the region's leaders, with their flagship Riesling evoking limes, white flowers, and wet slate.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Never count out Washington State. Just when you think it's going to get overshadowed by its glitzier vinous near-neighbor (California), it shows up with consistently excellent reds like this Cabernet from Cadaretta. This is a serious wine, drinkable now but meant for at least a couple of years in the cellar so that the oak notes tame and the dark fruits open up. It's meaty, spicy, and substantial, and would probably cost an additional $25 if the words Napa Valley appeared on the label instead.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Sometimes, the wine of the moment needs to be something that doesn't require a lot of thought, or a lot of dollars. Named after the caves made famous for their ancient paintings, what Chateau de Lascaux's Garrigue Rose (a blend of Cinsaut, Grenache, and Syrah) lacks in complexity it more than makes up for in tasty accessibility. This is a pink that wants to make friends, and for the price, it will almost certainly succeed.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
What happens when you bring high-end Burgundy prowess and techniques to the usually happy-go-lucky Gamay grape of Beaujolais? In this case, you get a serious, age-worthy take on Brouilly from Joseph Drouhin's Domaine des Hospices de Belleville label. Made from grapes harvested on a single, 11-acre site called Le Sigaud, at the foot of Mont Brouilly, this wine is peppery, accessible, and fruity, but harbors surprising depth and richness.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Leave it to the venerable Rioja producer R. Lopez de Heredia to create a "young" wine in the Crianza style that isn't actually ready for consumption until its tenth birthday. The 'Vina Cubillo' release is spicy, complex, savory, and lovely, and offers surprising liveliness and vivacity for its age. It's a great introduction to the sit-back-and-wait-patiently style favored by this iconic Spanish winemaking house.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
For those who like their Pinot Noir to rival their Cabernet Sauvignon in body, power, and complexity, check out this line from Sonoma's consistently excellent Rodney Strong. Probably best described as big, bold, but beautiful, this is a Pinot that will find itself equally at home with grilled salmon as it would with grilled flank steak.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Looking for a white that's a little different? Check out the "Felugan" Lugana from Cascina Feliciana. Lugana in general provides a deceptively accessible take on Verdicchio in its youth, and this tropical fruit-filled, zesty, mineral-driven white is no exception. As delicious as it is now, however, don't be afraid to lay down a bottle for a few years, during which Verdicchio's complex honey flavors and toasted nut aromas can develop.
