A mélange of all the Giant Steps sites fermented in clay eggs, then sealed for maturation, this has all the Giant Steps chardonnay character and precision with a chalky mineral overlay that adds complexity to nose and palate, lending an almost umami savoury feel to the citrus and cool stone fruit profile.

Rare Wines And Spirits To Gift This Holiday Season
The Gran Moraine Estate sits on the oldest marine soils sedimentary-based soils in the greater Willamette Valley, left behind by the receding glaciers of the last ice age. Its ripe and fresh with earthy bready aromas and tropical notes of Asian pear, dragon fruit and tangerine. The wine is vibrant and exceptionally clean with a precise finish.

Autumn in a glass. From organic pioneer Peter Fraser, a delicious, fresh, crunchy, herb-driven wine that underlines just how exciting Aussie Grenache can be.

A good-quality red with great flavour, colour and naturally high acidity. Try with duck, mushrooms and aubergines.

A big, opulent full-bodied Pinot with flavors of raspberry, Christmas spice, turned earth and iron shavings. It’s a wine built on the edge as the fruit, minerality and mouthfeel are engaged in a tense battle for attention. An exquisite effort that produced a wine jam-packed with flavor and spice.

Our Favorite Oaked Wines Right NowAged in Oak Barrels for 9 months this Pinot Noir exhibits aromas of black plum, cherry, rhubarb and hints of eart and loam. Flavors of red plum, raspberry and blood orange are underpinned by distinctive riverstone minerality and savory umami character. Plush and richly textured with juicy yet balanced acidity and integrated toasty barrel spice.

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

19 Delicious Bottles of Wine Under $50 to Uncork Right Now

Ten Top Champagnes And Sparklings For The Perfect New Year’s Eve If you like the La Crema wines, you’ll like this sparkling—it’s rich with a lovely mouse-like texture, aromas of strawberries and raspberries and a fine thread of citrus to keep things fresh.

The Ultimate Gift Guide 2019 21 Outstanding Wines Even Your Wine-Snob Friends Will Love From high-profile Pierre Seillan, who makes wine on Bordeaux’s Right Bank as well as in Sonoma (Vérité), comes a Tuscan project showcasing his favorite variety: Cabernet Franc (representing 73 percent of this wine). High-toned aromas of violets and red berries belie the power and density of the palate that follows, and yet there’s great balance and finesse here, with juicy acidity and rounded tannins.

The Ultimate Gift Guide 2019 21 Outstanding Wines Even Your Wine-Snob Friends Will Love The Wine Advocate and critic Jeb Dunnuck don’t often land on the same score for a wine, but in the case of this Merlot-driven blend, they concurred—a perfect 100. Savory tobacco leaf notes are layered with dark plum and black cherry liqueur on the nose, while a stunning, velvety palate delivers layers of cassis and wild herbs through a long, mineral-rich finish.

The Ultimate Gift Guide 2019 21 Outstanding Wines Even Your Wine-Snob Friends Will Love Dark and concentrated, this Cab unfolds with spicy anise, briary blackberry and fresh herbs over a crushed rock character. It’s satisfyingly juicy, with loads of dark cherry, plum and cassis spiked with delicious mocha.

Rich and soulful, this is an iconic example of the Russian River, with a heavy mineral and licorice note on the nose informing notes of dried cherries and a little currant. The palate shows some chocolate and some mulling spices, particularly on the finish. Rich but really lovely. A-

Initially a bit slight and on the thin side, this pinot sees iconic notes of cherry and some spice emerging, filtered through a grind or two of black pepper. The finish is all cola, tinged with spice, but surprisingly short. B+

As expected, here we have a more muscular expression of pinot noir, with a darker cherry core and stronger notes of cola and an edge of moderately dark chocolate. The wine’s brooding character feels all up front, however, and it surprisingly finishes on the thin side of things.

Drinking just as expected, with notes of cola and spice infusing the strong cherry notes at its core. Hints of licorice, a little dark chocolate, and a light herbal current all run through the wine, leading to a grippy, slightly pushy conclusion with a lengthy finish. Fairly textbook California pinot noir. A-

Wine Press – Wines Worth Splurging On This Holiday Season I’ve long been a fan of Freemark Abbey’s finely-made Cabernet Sauvignon wines. And the 2015 vintage from this old-school Napa Valley standard bearer illustrates why Freemark Abbey has been hailed as one of the better California wineries for decades. Give this big, voluptuous wine plenty of time to breathe. I really liked the wine the first day, but actually found its complex, dark blackberry flavors even more enchanting the second day. Drink now or wait for more fireworks in 3 to 5 years.

12 wines for December $23 and under Really well-balanced wine with citrus and oak playing nicely. Some clean-tasting lemon comes through, and we'd put the oak level around 5-6 on our 0-10 scale. Smooth and creamy, not "sawdusty" as one tasting pal said. The oak mellowed and rounded out this wine. Went well with chicken in cream sauce. Fair price, and the winery's offerings are common menu finds in Northeast Ohio.

Top 100 Wines of Chile 2019 - #66

6 Central Coast wines make Wine Spectator’s top 100 list for 2019 No. 61: Santa Maria’s Cambria Winery, 2017 Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay. Wine Spectator called the wine “well-structured” and said it has a “smoky richness and creamy texture.”

West Wines: Holiday Shopper’s Guide to West Coast Wines One of Oregon’s standout pinots, this multi-vineyard offering is quite floral on the nose with generous notes of red cherry, cedar, oak and even dried tobacco. The palate is savoury with subtle sweetness, dried fruits, earth and spice. A well-structured wine that will pair well with oven baked chicken and potatoes or with an equally contemplative book.

West Wines: Holiday Shopper’s Guide to West Coast Wines Here’s another fine expression of California merlot coming from one of the true leaders in this varietal space. It’s smooth, rich and complex with dark chocolate and cherry fruit notes that add to a spicy, pepper and earthy finish. I can’t think of any other merlot – at such a superb price point – with this kind of complexity. The depth of flavours will allow this to pair perfectly with a hearty beef stew or enjoy with dark chocolate while relaxing with your favourite tv show.

Top 100 Wines of Australia 2019 - #12