Category: Wine

CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR: STEADY IMPROVEMENT YIELDS MANY FINE CHOICES

For decades in California, pinot noir frustrated even the best winemakers. With Burgundy as the benchmark and Oregon making great strides, in California it became known as the “heartbreak grape”. In recent years, though, California has begun to figure out pinot noir. Producers (growers and winemakers) are employing better clones and winemaking matched to more appropriate sites. Today, there are numerous appellations along a 500-mile stretch from Mendocino to Santa Barbara sourcing fine Pinot Noir.

The best sites are characterized by proximity to the Pacific Ocean and are impacted by the associated fog and cooling breezes leading to long growing seasons that encourage optimum ripeness with forceful, fresh acidity, yet notable elegance. The best reveal pure cherry (sometimes red berries or plum) fruit with integrated forest, earth and brown spice notes.

I tasted over 50 wines in the past year. Most were good but I did still find quality/price issues – some still didn’t deliver a level of quality to justify the increasingly high prices. The ones in this report (traveling from north to south) met that criterion comfortably.

California’s North Coast

Remote, rugged and sparsely populated, the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County is an unexpected source of fine Pinot Noir. The wines typically are concentrated, with noticeable tannin structure but deftly balance power and elegance. The 2015 Goldeneye ($55), with its smoky oak, dense fruit, and grace epitomizes this style. The delightful 2015 FEL ($38) also reveals enticing plum and forest notes.

The Russian River Valley in Sonoma County arguably is one of the top sources of Pinot Noir in the world. With the climate cooled by morning fog funneled through the valley from the Pacific Coast, the wines from this region are marked by fullness, complexity and balance. My favorites of this tasting were the large scaled, complex 2015 Sonoma-Loeb “Dutton Ranch” ($40) with lots of dark fruit, spice and oak, and the lively, intense 2015 Sonoma-Loeb “Bateman” ($60) for its pure fruit accented by forest notes. The 2014 Rodney Strong ($25), with solid fruit and tea notes, and the 2016 Raeburn ($25), with pure red fruit and fine acidity, are good values.

The Sonoma Coast is California’s newest “hot” region for Pinot Noir. But ironically that’s mainly because of its cool climate, similar to the Russian Valley heavily influenced by fog, rain and wind from the Pacific Ocean. I was particularly impressed with three wines from MacRostie, especially the 2014 Wildcat Mountain ($56) for its pure fruit, floral hints and aromatic herbs; and the 2014 Goldrock Ridge ($56) with its supple, savory nature; while the 2014 Sonoma Coast ($38) with its vibrant fruit and earth-tinged character was not far behind. For a good value, try the 2015 La Crema ($25) with its plum fruit, woodsy character and fine tannins.

Straddling the southern end of Sonoma and Napa counties, Carneros has transformed from sheep and dairy ranches to prime vineyard land over the last fifty years. Cooled by fog and winds from the bordering San Pablo Bay, the resulting wines typically display admirable delicacy, balance and freshness. The three wines from Carneros in my tasting all were outstanding. The 2015 Frank Family ($35) is quite earthy and spicy, while richly textured. The 2015 Clos du Val “Gran Val Vineyard” ($60) shows abundant juicy fruit, in a complex mix of floral, spice and earth qualities. The 2014 Bouchaine Estate ($35) is nearly as good with sweet but focused berries accented with baking spices.

California’s Central Coast

By Central Coast, I mean Monterey, San Louis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. As with the North Coast, most of the best sites are characterized by proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its influences.

In the northern part of Monterey County, certain microclimates enjoy a balance between the cold winds coming off the Monterey Bay and the heat of the Salinas Valley inland. From vineyards throughout the county, the 2015 La Crema Pinot Noir ($23) is a good value option.

Being very close to the ocean and those strong, cold winds, there are fewer such prime sites in Monterey’s Carmel Valley. Albatross Ridge has found a really good one with coveted limestone soils only seven miles from the ocean. The extreme conditions, including steep slopes, yield sophisticated expressions of pinot noir, such as the 2014 Estate Reserve ($60) with its complex mixture of bright fruit, forest and mineral qualities, and satiny texture.

The south facing slopes of the Santa Lucia Highlands inland from Carmel personify Monterey’s interplay between cooling ocean and inland heat. And the wines, known for deep berry fruit and enticing floral character, have rocketed to acclaim in the last few decades. Unfortunately, many are small production but these two are more available. The 2014 J. Lohr “Highlands Bench” ($35) is a fine example with its full, rich body and silky texture. Talbott Vineyards makes several fine wines from its Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, including the 2015 Kali Hart ($26), which I found to be a good value for its approachable, bright character.

The Arroyo Seco region to the south of the Santa Lucia Highlands also has emerged as a good source. From the Scheid family, one of Monterey’s largest growers, the 2015 Metz Road Riverview Vineyard ($35), nestled on a bench overlooking the Salinas River not far from Soledad, nicely balances bright red fruit with ample herbal notes. Carmel Road winery, part of the Kendall-Jackson stable, has fashioned three beautiful wines in the 2014 vintage from the Panorama Vineyard: “North Crest” ($55) – dark and full with intense spice, “South Crest” ($55) – tangy red fruit and firm but silky mouthfeel, and “First Row” ($55) – delightful floral and spice notes wrapped around deep red fruits.

Further south in San Louis Obispo County, the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley are relatively small in size but a handful of small, artisan producers have shown their promise in a big way. The 2015 Tolosa “1772” ($65) is a fine representative of Edna Valley, marked by textural lushness and beautiful balance. From Arroyo Grande, the 2014 Talley Estate Bottled ($36), which is just one of a long line of Talley bottlings, offers vibrant red fruit, with attractive mineral and spice.

Finally, a few miles farther south in Santa Barbara County (an hour and a half north of Los Angeles) two regions rival Sonoma as California’s best source of Pinot Noir. Typically, Santa Maria Valley wines tend toward elegance, bright fruit and precise structure. Though I had only one such wine in my tasting, I found the 2014 Cambria “Benchbreak” ($25), a selection from the estate’s Julia’s Vineyard to be a fine value. Not surprising, as it is estate grown, family-owned, and sustainably farmed.

Santa Rita Hills sub-appellation within the Santa Ynez Valley is distinctive as it runs in a west-to-east direction that efficiently funnels those cooling fog and winds from the Pacific Ocean. From Sanford, the pioneering winery of the region, the 2014 Santa Rita Hills ($35) delivers energetic red fruit with pleasant earthy and smoky notes. More recently, Sea Smoke has emerged as a benchmark winery of the area. Its 2014 Southing ($60) offers loads of fruit with intriguing savory notes, licorice and firm structure.

Up and down the California coast, Pinot Noir has emerged as a world-class wine. Take a tour for yourself.

So, maybe you got a gift card or some cash over the holidays and you decide to treat yourself to an exceptional wine, something for a special occasion or maybe just a bottle you’ve always wanted but couldn’t afford. These are the best wines I tasted this year that I haven’t already reviewed.

You first impulse may be to pick up a highly coveted Napa Valley “cult Cabernet”. I suggest instead a Napa Valley classic Cabernet Sauvignon: 2013 Montelena “The Montelena Estate” ($160). Montelena’s Calistoga estate vineyard has been the source of top Napa Cab for 45 years. This one continues the tradition with intense aromas, deep fruit, savory notes, and the ability to age well at least 15 yeas.

For another typical expression of Napa Cabernet, this one at one-third the price, buy a 2014 Frank Family Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($53). Blended from several vineyards, it offers precocious, ripe fruit, rich texture, some earth, and soft tannins that drink well now but will allow years of development.

Or venture vicariously to Chile and find Concha y Toro’s icon wine, the2014 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon “Puente Alto Vineyard” ($125). It is named after the winery’s founder who established the vineyard in 1890 with cuttings from Bordeaux in a subregion of the Maipo Valley. The grapes are sourced from the best lots from their 127 hectares of vineyards in the Puente Alto, located at the foot of the Andes Mountains at 2145 feet. it is balanced and fresh, mouth filling and sophisticated. Complexity is at the center with its aromas and flavors beautifully integrated.

For Merlot lovers (or anybody who loves red wine) your search should begin with Duckhorn Vineyards, considered California’s premier Merlot producer for most of the last 40 years. The 2014 Three Palms Vineyard ($98), from the storied vineyard on the Napa Valley floor, offers layers of luscious red fruit with hints of toastand spice. Like previous vintages, it has begun life firm and structured but will develop additional character and complexity with a few years. As it turns out, this wine was named the Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year, which means it may be hard to find. In that case, don’t hesitate to pick up its sibling, the enticing, minerally, 2014 Atlas Peak ($75).

For those of you who prefer the purity and elegance of Pinot Noir, I have several fine ones for you. The Cobb family is one of the pioneers of Sonoma Coast wine grape farming, today one of California’s finest pinot noir growing areas. These three wines are, dare I say, Burgundian in style (that’s a good thing).

• 2014 Coastlands Vineyard 1906 Block Pommard Clone ($80) rocky marine soils yield mineral, herbs, and earth
  2014 Emmaline Ann Vineyard ($75) high-toned fruit with herbs and spice
• 2014 Rice-Spivak Vineyard ($75) inland location yields succulent, savory fruit

Two more Pinot Noirs (both biodynamically farmed) worth the effort: the complex, yet seamless 2014 Sea Smoke Ten ($82), a selection of ten clones from the estate vineyard the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa, Barbara County and the 2014 de Coelo Quintus ($75), a cool, rainy single vineyard in the Sonoma Coast appellation that melds marine qualities with silky texture.

For you Chardonnay lovers, you can’t do much better than these three wines by Sonoma-Loeb, each a different expression of the highly regarded Sangiacomo Vineyard in Sonoma’s Carneros region: 2015 El Novillero ($42) – fine depth and complexity, 2015 Envoy ($38) – richly layered tropical and spice, 2015 Envoy ($38) – brisk citrus and tropical fruit.

Finally, from Fontanafredda, two fantastic Barolo values (two words that don’t often go together). From one of the oldest wineries in the Piedmont (founded by Italy’s first king in 1858), the single vineyard 2013 Barolo Serralunga d’Alba ($45) shows powerful, intense nebbiolo fruit with a firm structure and ageability. The regionally sourced 2013 Barolo ($30) is not as intense but is packed with lovely fruit and earthy notes. it is still plenty complex.

Spain and Portugal share a remarkable landscape that is home to some of the planet’s most interesting wine grapes and fascinating wines.

Tempranillo is Spain’s premier red grape and just about every region in the peninsula makes distinctive wines from local variants of the grape. Probably the best known of those regions among Americans is Riojain north central Spain. I recommended a number Rioja wines in an earlier post.

The next best-known region is the Ribera del Duero just southwest of Rioja. Here, the grape is known as tinto fino or tinta del país and produces several of Spain’s greatest, most expensive wines. From the Marqués de la Concordia comes a fine example in the mature, earthy, multifaceted 2009 Hacienda Zorita Abascal Vineyard Reserva ($30). It’s mature with earthy red and black fruit, oak, licorice, and coffee, harmonious and deep, nice structure, and plush texture.

Also in the Ebro Valley just to the northeast of Rioja, within the mountainous province of Aragón (shares a border with France), the vineyards of Cariñena date to the Roman occupation of the area possibly as early as the 3^rd century BCE.

Although the region is named after the cariñena grape (carignan in France), garnacha (grenache in France) is more common these days and often the two grapes are blended. Garnacha actually originated in Spain. It produces crowd pleaser wines with high-toned strawberry, raspberry, and black cherry, hints of spice and a fleshy texture. Not surprisingly, this region also is known for wines from cariñena.

Wines from Cariñena offer solid value and deserve more attention from consumers. Typically with intense flavors, they are packed with high-toned red berry fruit, smoke and baking spices, and a fleshy texture with approachable tannins. Taste this quality with the fleshy, oaky 2013 Corona de Aragón Special Selection ($16), a blend of old-vine garnacha and cariñena; and the jammy, 100 percent cariñena 2015 Bodegas San Valero “Particular” ($15).

In Spain and especially this part of Spain, many grower cooperatives dominate wine production. And they produce high quality wines at everyday prices, combatting the received “wisdom” in much of the wine world that co-ops are only interested in producing mass quantities of common bulk wine.

You will taste this quality in the 2013 Corona de Aragón Special Selection ($16) produced by Grandes Vinos y Viñedos, an enterprise established in 1997 of five cooperatives with roots in the region dating to 1950. Old-vine garnacha and cariñena yield ripe black fruit and good acidity, balanced with noticeable oak. The 100 percent cariñena 2015 Bodegas San Valero “Particular” ($15), from a cooperative of 700 growers created in 1944 is jammy, creamy, and woodsy, with a plush texture.

Garnacha also grows well about 37 miles west of Cariñena in neighboring Calatayud where the (Gallo affiliated) Bodegas San Alejandro cooperative has produced a 2014 Las Rocas Garnacha ($14) from old vines that yield red and black fruit, fresh acidity, with oak and earth accents, and a smooth palate.

In Navarra, near the border with France, the Chivite family’s Hacienda de Arínzano also produces notable tempranillo-based wines. Arinzano even has been awarded the rare Vino de Pago appellation (actually the first one in Spain) reserved for distinctive single-vineyard estates. Arínzanoqualifies for Pago status because it has a long history of winemaking (dating to the 11th century), a distinct terroir (higher elevation and drying breezes from nearby mountains, along with organic farming practices), and viticultural practices that facilitate wines reflecting the estate’s terroir.

The 2012 Tinto ($20) includes 10 percent cabernet sauvignon and 10 percent merlot and offers sweet dark plum, with dusty earth and light oak, and a smooth texture. The 2010 single-vineyard La Casona ($40), with 25 percent merlot, delivers intense dark berry fruit and notes of toast, chocolate and tobacco, with solid tannins. The 2016 Rosé Tempranillo ($20) offers delightful fresh red fruit.

And as you hunt for winter warmer and holiday wines, remember Sherry. “What’s that?” you say. I will forgive you if you have forgotten about Sherry or think it’s made in California. It seems the American wine market also has ignored (as evidenced by sales figures) this fortified wine made in the southern province of Andalucía near the Atlantic coast.

Sherry styles (none of which carry a vintage date) range from dry to sweet and from light to luscious but all are best served chilled.

The most food friendly is “fino”, the lightest, driest and lowest alcohol (15%, not much more than regular table wines). After fermentation, these wines age in partially filled casks under a layer of yeast (called “flor”) that apparently is unique to this part of the world and prevents oxidation. The resulting wine is fresh and light with immediate impact of saline and mineral notes followed by light nut, vanilla and apricot.

A special kind of fino called manzanilla is made only in the exceptionally humid and salty climate around the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Here producers such as the over 360 year old Bodega Delgado Zuleta produce particularly light, dry, especially delicate wines such as the “La Goya” Manzanilla (375 ml, $17) with its noticeable saline and mineral elements.

Other styles of Sherry are fortified more and exposed to more air during the solera aging process. This results in higher alcohol but also darker color and deeper, more complex character. One such is Oloroso, which is more heavily fortified and isaged oxidatively (with no influence from flor) for a longer time than a Fino or Amontillado. A fine example is the Williams & Humbert Collection Don Zoilo Oloroso 12 Years Old ($25) – a darker, richer, more complex wine, aromatic and spicy, with alcohol at 19 percent.

Between fino and oloroso is Palo Cortado, which is a fairly rare, distinctive and highly prized style. Palo Cortado begins life under flor, and then loses that cover (either accidentally or intentionally), similar to the amontillado style. Sometimes, though, the wine tracks more in the direction of an Oloroso. The exposure to a more air yields a wine like the multilayered Williams & Humbert Dos Cortados Aged 20 years Solera Especial Rare Old Solera (21.5% alcohol, $45) with its darker color, deeper aromas and flavors, and a balance of richness, freshness and elegance.

Of course, Spain shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal. Portugal also has long been a premier source of fine table wine values. These days, wineries are contending at premium levels, too.

I tasted three rather amazing wines recently from Quinta dos Murças located in the Douro Valley. The property dates to 1714 and now is owned by Herdade do Espoão, whose origins date to the thirteenth century and is now one of Portugal’s largest wineries company. Using indigenous grapes and native yeasts from the same Douro area that produces Port, these wines are top notch in their price ranges.

Each of the following wines benefit from organic and integrated production methods, foot treading to crush the grapes, concrete vats for fermentation, and previously used oak for a lighter wood imprint.

The entry level 2015 Minas ($25) is a blend of touriga nacional, touriga franca, tinta francisca, tinta roriz, and tinta cão. It has mouthwatering berry fruit with earthy notes and accents of licorice presented with structure and a touch of oak.

The next two come from the Douro’s oldest vertically planted vineyard (planted close to the Douro River in 1947). The 2015 Margem ($65), from touriga nacional and touriga franca vines situated close to the river with an average age of 33 years, is intense, with pure red fruit and graceful tannins but well structured with anise accents, cocoa and a spicy herbal note.

The 2012 “VV 47” ($100) is aptly named as it is intended to showcase those vertical vines at their best. This vineyard is a field blend of touriga nacional, touriga franca, sousão, tinta amarela, tinta barroca, tinta roriz. It is amazingly concentrated, lush, and complex. A mix of savory and sweet spice notes solidly structured and powerful, firm tannins and is still young. It will develop nicely with a few years.

Portugal, of course, is most famous for its Port wine, a fortified wine like Sherry but made only with red grapes. Also from Portugal’s Douro Valley, this sweet red wine is high alcohol (fortified with brandy) and bursting with red and black fruit flavors, it is a powerful wine, even in styles that manage to fashion a sense of elegance. The richness of intense dark fruits and natural sweetness balanced with refreshing tannin and finished with an alcoholic kick always warms my soul.

One of my favorite styles is Tawny Port. These wines marry several vintages and spend extensive time in casks, periods ranging form ten to forty years (the year on label refers to the average age of blended wine). Tawnies mellow in the barrel and are released when their peak of maturity is reached. 

 Tawny Port is known less for power and concentration than for complexity, purity of fruit and finesse. Also expect a distinctive nuttiness, admirable balance, elegance and a silky texture.

Graham’s “Tawny Porto Aged 10 Years” ($36) is smooth and delicate with pure cherry, brown spices, almonds, honey, and fig. Another outstanding example is Warre’s 10 Year Old “Otima” (500ml, $30), which is quite fine in its own right, offering an intriguing mix of fresh and dried cherry and orange, with hints of toffee, almonds and caramel.

A Twenty Old Tawny should provide more complexity and intensity but still taste fresh. For instance, the elegant Dow’s “Old Tawny Porto Aged 20 Years” ($60) has a complex nose of raisins, nuts, honey and date with an impressive purity of fruit.

A very special Porto (that also would make a fine gift) is the recently released Taylor Fladgate “325^thAnniverary Reserve Tawny” ($40). Packaged in a bottle in a shape common to the period of Taylor’s founding – with a bar-top cork and a wide bottomed bottle – it brings bright fruit, fine depth and spicy richness. While it includes percentages of 10, 20, 30 and 40 year old tawnies, overall the average age is eight years. It brings bright fresh fruit, great depth and spicy richness with precision and a youthful impression. It’s complex, with a touch of caramel and chocolate.

Finally, a little treat included in my tasting. Probably even more ignored than Sherry is Madeira, another fortified wine, which comes from the islands of the same name off the coast of Portugal. I suggest you check them out. For history buffs, Madeira was the wine of choice of the Founding Fathers and the colonies. Styles range from dry to sweet. Among the sweeter styles, Blandy’s Malmsey Aged 10 Years ($29) is a good introduction. From the grape also known as malvasia, this wine nicely balances natural sugar and fresh acidity, with fig and marmalade flavors.

Ancient grapes, centuries old producers, 2000-year history of wine growing, modern techniques, French identified grapes, modern architecture, that’s Italian wine today.

Le Marche in Central Italy is such a region. Still largely undiscovered by tourists and US wine drinkers, it has experienced notable improvements in quality and a great boom in organic viticulture. It’s not a region flooded with commercial tourism like its neighboring Tuscany, Umbria or even Abruzzo to the north.

Small estates like Ciù Ciù still maintain tradition emphasizing indigenous grapes like Sangiovese and Montepulciano in the reds and Verdicchio and Pecorino varieties in the whites. They also reflect a sort of “back to the future” trend throughout the region as the winery has a range of certified organic and vegan wines that feature indigenous grapes.

The result: 2014 “Gotico” Rosso Piceno Superiore ($20), a blend of 70 percent montepulciano and 30 percent sangiovese grown on the slopes of Ascoli Piceno territory. Its berry fruit is wrapped with vanilla and earthy tobacco notes and it drinks firm with chewy tannins. And the 2016 Lacrima di Morro D’Alba ($18) whose lacrima grapes are grown around the town of Morro D’Alba and vinified using modern techniques. It is closed with a recyclable synthetic cork.

And speaking of that neighbor Tuscany, the region also has been a center of innovation over the last several decades even as it preserves many of its winemaking traditions. Ever hear of a “Super Tuscan”?

Ornellaia is one of the original Super Tuscans from the Bolgheri region on the Tuscan coast, which has gained world renown over the years for Bordeaux-style blends. At $240 per bottle, it can be out of reach for many. However, its sibling, Le Volte, is an affordable alternative. Le Volte can be considered a first step into the world of Ornellaia. The 2015 Le Volte ($30), a blend of 67 percent merlot, 20 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent sangiovese, was aged partly in barrels used for Ornellaia and partly in cement tanks to preserve freshness. It offers bright aromas, sweet and juicy fruit, herbs, leather and earth. It is easy to drink but still presents noticeable tannins.

Also in Bolgheri, Aia Vecchia is the winery of a family of growers for several generations who decided to bottle some of their harvest about twenty-one years ago. The winery focuses on Bordeaux varietals to produce a portfolio of small-lot, high-quality Super Tuscan blends.

The 2015 Lagone ($15), a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc shows toasty, spicy oak, with earth, yet a succulent mouthfeel, structure. It is a very good value. The 2014 “Sor Ugo” Bolgheri Superiore ($35) is more formidable. It is a Bordeaux-style blend of 50 percent cabernet sauvignon, 30 percent merlot, 15 percent cabernet franc and 5 percent petite verdot. It is broadly fruitful with a sophisticated texture accented with spice, licorice and oak.

But it was in the heart of the Chianti region in the 1970s where the Super Tuscans came into being as a reaction to what some considered rigid traditional regulations for making Chianti wine. Many of these “modern” wines are quite expensive but there was a quite affordable one in my tasting, the 2014 Brancaia “TRE” ($23), named for the winery’s three estate vineyards (Brancaia Estate, Poppi Vineyard and Brancaia in Maremma) and for the wine’s three varieties, 80 percent sangiovese, 10 percent merlot and 10 percent cabernet sauvignon. Founded by a Swiss couple thirty years ago and now own by the Gallo family, it is balanced, with bright fruit, hints of spice, tobacco and leather, soft and round.

A more recent entry into this category showed well in my tasting – the 2015 Lucente ($30). Lucente is the second wine of Luce, which was first created in 1995 through a partnership with the Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi, and is produced from Frescobaldi’s vineyards in Montalcino. A blend of sangiovese and merlot, it has concentrated, juicy fruit, licorice and a hint of coffee. It is quite lively with tobacco, and toasty and spicy oak.

And how about the medieval hilltown of Montepulciano in southern Tuscany, not far from Siena? Best known for its famed namesake wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, it is one of the classic appellations for sangiovese (known locally as prugnolo gentile). And yet, two of the region’s leading producers today are only several decades old and they are building a reputation for making fine Merlot, both from vineyards in the nearby Cortona DOC, in addition to Vino Nobile.

Though its first vineyards were acquired in 1961, Poliziano winery began producing wine in the 1980s. While focused on the traditional sangiovese-based wines of Montepulciano, Poliziano becan producing a 100 percent merlot in 2006. The 2013 “In Violas” ($27) has focused fruit that is balanced broadening oak. It drinks elegant but finishes with strong tannins.

Avignonesi was established in 1974 and was purchased in 2009 by a Belgian woman who has converted the property to organic and biodynamic viticulture. The 2012 “Desiderio” ($58), which was first produced in 1988, is 85 percent merlot and 15 percent cabernet sauvignon. It is intense and concentrated, with a hint of smoky, spicy notes. It’s structured but has a luscious mouthfeel.

And in Chianti Classico itself, tradition and modernity have developed a mutually beneficial relationship. Consider Chianti Rufina, arguably the most reliable of the seven Chianti subzones after Chianti Classico and often a better value. Castello di Nipozzano, a property that dates to the 11th century and now is owned by the Frescobaldi family, has been producing wine in the Rufina subregion for 700 years. The primarily sangiovese 2015 Nipozzano Riserva ($19) follows the more traditional Tuscan winemaking approach, which is reflected in loads of cherry fruit finishing a bit of spice.

The 2013 “Vecchie Viti” Riserva (The 2013 “Vecchie Viti” Riserva ($30) is made with grapes from the oldest vines (hence the name) on the Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi’s Castello Nipozzano estate. It ironically is a tradition in the Frescobaldi family to dedicate thia wine to newborn babies. It is aromatic and drinks with elegance and brisk structure, offering bright berry fruits, herb, licorice and spice. An excellent value.

Another estate, Selvapiana has been owned by the same family for five generations but its wines show me fresh fruit and lush textures that seem more evocative of New World styles. Its 2015 Chianti Rufina ($17) offers lively cherry offset with hints of earth, a straightforward, satisfying drink. The 2013 Chianti Rufina Riserva “Bucerchiale” ($35) is much more serious and complex. A single vineyard wine produced only in the best vintages, it is fermented in stainless steel and aged in small French oak casks. Smooth with intense red fruits and savory notes, it also suggests leathery and licorice accents.

Just to the north of Tuscany, Tommasi, a 110-year old family winery based in Valpolicella in the Veneto is known for their Amarone, made using the ancient “appassimento” process. Because of the appassimento process (drying grapes to concentrate the juice) unique to Amarone production, its production yields a unique style of wine than better known red table wines. The 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico ($83) amply displays the power and opulence typical of this raisiny, complex wine. It tastes ripe and suggests sweet cherry, pepper, tobacco and mocha.

And then there is the young winery Tenuta Sant’Antonio founded in 1995 by four brothers whose family had tended vineyards in the Valpolicella area for years. Over those years, the winery has earned its reputation as a premium and progressive producer of 100 percent estate-grown, traditional Veneto DOC wines (Amarone, Ripasso, Valpolicella, and Soave, Passito, and Recioto della Valpolicella).

Being in tune with modern tastes, though, they created, Scaia a separate family estate that produces wines utilizing the traditional grapes of the area, as well as international varietals with higher acidity and bolder fruit characteristics intended to appeal to contemporary tastes. The 2013 Paradiso ($18) is a fruitful blend of corvina (60 percent), corvinone (15 percent), rondinella (15 percent) and cabernet sauvignon (10 percent). The 2014  Torre Mellotti ($15) comprised of 100% cabernet sauvignon, with half of the grapes dried for 1 month, that would rival any California Cab at that price.

In the far northeast corner of Italy, in the shadow of the Dolomites, Italy’s Alto Adige is largely known for producing crisp and aromatic white wines from a range of indigenous varietals. Red wines from the region’s native grapes, such as lagrein, are growing in recognition as well. And who better to make an enticing wine of this distinctive grape than Alois Lageder, a family owned winery with six generations of winemaking history in the region near Bolzano that has emerged as arguably the most influential producer in the region respecting traditional winemaking methods, while working to advance biodynamic farming. His 2014 Lagrein ($25) is dense and dark with spicy notes.

It has always impressed me that South America’s two best-known wine production regions – Argentina and Chile – are separated by just about 112 miles (and about one hour) by air. It’s worth noting, though, that straight line is over the majestic Andes Mountains, which is why the trip is 226 miles and 5+ hours by car.

While Argentina’s wine production is quite varied, Malbec has become its signature grape, especially those from the high altitude (roughly 3000 to 5000 feet) vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina’s most important wine region. Founded in 1902 in Mendoza, Bodeas Catena Zapata arguably is the most important winery in Argentina. They produce high quality and good value at every price level. The 2013 Catena Malbec ($24) is a beautiful wine at a fair price, with loads of fresh dark berries, spice, and mineral notes. This is precisely what makes Malbec so popular.

From the northern region of Salta, Bodega Colomédates even farther back to 1831. Owned since 2001by the Hess Family, who has several wineries in California, Coloméproduces wines in a pure, precisestyle from vineyards at 6,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. These are the highest vineyards in the world (Colorado’srange in elevation from 4,000 to 7,000 feet). The 2014 Malbec ($25) is another dandy with fresh, floral aromatics, lively red berries, minerality, and elegant tannins.

Amalaya, the sister winery of Colomé in Salta is focused on fruit forward wines with crisp acidity. The 2016 Amalaya Malbec ($16) is a good representative for its surprisingly intense character.

Bridging the mountainous divide, the Montes family of Chile produces fine wines using biodynamic production methods. Their 2015 Kaiken Malbec Ultra “Las Rocas” ($20) offers deep forest berries, a well structured but lush texture, and spice notes.

I also was impressed with the 2013 Antigal “Uno” ($18), from a property that dates to 1897, it is well-structured and refined with concentrated fruit, spice and a creamy mouthfeel.

California’s Gallo family also has interests in two Mendoza wineries. From the 133-year-old Gascón winery, the 2015 Reserva Malbec ($25) is savory with dark berries, tobacco, and woodsy notes. The 100-year-old Alamos winery produces accessible, softer wines that still deliver lots of flavor. The 2016 Malbec ($13) is a fine everyday wine, while the 2015 SelecciónMalbec ($20) as expected is more complex and intense.

Ruca Malen by comparison is a young winery as its first harvest was 1999. But they are making fine wines like the 2014 Malbec Reserva ($19), a plump, spicy wine with toasty notes and chocolate accents. Another reliable name for good values is Bodega Argento. The 2015 Malbec ($14) and 2014 Reserva Malbec ($18) are solid choices at their price points.

Argentina also produces distinctive white wines, most notably from the torrontés grape. My favorite in my tasting was the 2016 Colomé ($15) with its great freshness, lively grapefruit, touch of bitterness, and white pepper notes. If you prefer your wines with a hint of sweetness, you will enjoy the 2016 Alamos ($13).

I also really enjoyed two torrontés blends: the 2016 Trivento “White Orchid” Reserve ($11) with 15% Pinot Grigio shows crisp, juicy citrusand tangy herbal notes. The 2016 Amalaya Blanco ($12) with 15% riesling, shows juicy, racy lime fruit, floral notes and refreshing acidity.

Finally, I was surprised at how good the 2016 Kaiken “Terroir Series” Sauvignon Blanc ($15) was. But I probably should have been given the experience the Montes family has with the grape at their signature winery in Chile.

And, speaking of that, on the other side of the Andes in Chile, you can find some of the best Sauvignon Blanc values on the planet. I was really impressed with the 2017 Montes “Spring Harvest” Sauvignon Blanc ($15). That’s right, 2017, as the grapes were harvested in March. The epitome of freshness, delightfully juicy citrus and spicy herb notes dance on the palate.

Nearly as good is the 2015 Ritual Sauvignon Blanc ($18), from a winery part of the Veramonte portfolio of producers. Ritual wines use grapes grown organically and vinified using native yeasts and low impact practices in the cellar. This wine showed some richness on the palate to accompany concentrated grapefruit, tangy acidity, and a hint of white pepper.

But Chile, like Argentina, has built its reputation on its red wines. For instance, there are countless solid, everyday Cabernet Sauvignons, like the 2016 Casillero del Diablo ($11) from Concha y Toro, Chile’s largest wine company.

Also from Concha y Toro’s stable of wineries, Viña Maipo reaches high with the 2013 “Protegido” Cabernet Sauvignon ($50), a fine, concentrated, oaky, toasty wine with firm dark fruits, classic herbal notes, and hints of chocolate.

And, as I wrote in a column earlier this year, Carmenère is making a bid for the status as Chile’s signature wine. The 2015 Montes Alpha ($22) is a fine example with red and black fruits, chocolate, minerals, and toasty oak.

Finally, Chile also has shown it can produce tasty Pinot Noir, like the 2015 Ritual ($20). While it is quite light, it shows really tasty tart red fruit and lightly herbal notes but also some freshness and a supple finish.

Blended wines are hot. I’m not sure why but consumer surveys have identified a growing trend, especially for red wine blends. So, more and more producers are proudly proclaiming their blended status in ever more prominent marketing efforts. Whether you realize it or not most wines you drink are blends – of multiple grapes from different vineyards – even the wines varietally labeled.

For many, the Bordeaux formula of blending various percentages of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot is the template. For others, the “Super Tuscans” of Italy are the benchmark, though usually substituting zinfandel for sangiovese. Still others take southern France as their inspiration, blending grapes like syrah, grenache, mourvedre, and petite sirah. Finally, some mix and match various grapes to achieve a desired style.

Yes, certain grapes are popular for a reason, usually something to do with distinctive aromas, flavors or overall character. But just as cultural diversity be a societal strength, so winemakers of all stripes have found varietal diversity to have unique benefits. Try any of the wines below (reviewed in order of preference within each category) and you will taste the synergy in a product that embodies the classic sentiment of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Excellent

All these are variations on the classic Bordeaux-style blend. Each should improve and drink well for the next ten to fifteen years

2012 Duckhorn Howell Mountain ($95). Blending two high elevation vineyards and four of the five traditional Bordeaux varieties (dominated by cabernet sauvignon, with merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot)this wine has it all: Deep, intense, bold, ripe, dusty, firm tannins, power and richness.

2013 J. Lohr Cuvée St. E ($50). This Paso Robles beauty emulates Saint-Émilion with a majority cabernet franc, buttressed with merlot, cabernet sauvignon and malbec. It achieves layers of complexity built on a well-structured wine but soft palate.

2013 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner ($45). Navigating prime Dry Creek vineyards and the five Bordeaux varieties (mostly cabernet sauvignon, though), this is a really big wine with intense, dusty tannins but a lush texture.

2013 Rodney Strong Symmetry ($55). The name clues us in on this one’s goal of balancing those five Bordeaux varieties (again mostly cabernet sauvignon) creating a harmonious wine, supple yet firm, with concentrated fruit, yet elegant tannins.

Very Good

2014 Bootleg “Prequel” ($35). This one is an exception to my Bordeaux statement above in that it’s formula is 92 percent syrah and 8 percent petite sirah. From Kendall-Jackson’s Sonoma County vineyards, it is complex, spicy, silky, plush, and broad, with deep, nicely focused fruit.

2013 J. Lohr Cuvée Pau ($50). Fashioned after Pauillac, with cabernet sauvignon dominating, its inviting savory character and tight but smooth tannins are impressive.

2013 Duckhorn “The Discussion” ($135). This conversation among a majority cabernet sauvignon with merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot from the best lots of Duckhorn’s six best vineyards is rich and concentrated, with inviting oak and savory accents, though it needs time for this dialogue to resolve into a balanced conclusion. Time in the bottle will further resolve this discussion.

2013 Leviathan ($45). How about some syrah with your cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc? The addition makes for a bold, savory, earthy, brambly, tannic wine that needs a couple of years to come together.

Fine Values

These wines emphasize fresh fruit and approachable tannins making for immediate enjoyment.

2014 Purple Heart ($20). Made by a Vietnam War veteran and an Iraq War veteran and dedicated to the men and women in the military. Mostly merlot, it also happens to be a very good wine.

2013 Hess Select “Treo” Winemaker’s Red Blend ($19). At three-fifths petite sirah, syrah, and zinfandel (the rest cabernet franc and merlot) you get a ready to drink, fresh, spicy quaffer.

2015 Jamieson Ranch Whiplash ($15). With this one, petite sirah and sangiovese join malbec and cabernet sauvignon to deliver a surprisingly multifaceted, pleasantly juicy drink.

2015 Decoy Sonoma County ($25). Quite a hodgepodge here as zinfandel and petit sirah join those five Bordeaux varieties. But it works to yield an approachable but firmly structured wine.

Finally, a unique blend for your consideration. Right now, there are only a handful of bourbon-aged wines on the market. That’s right, the wine is aged in barrels once used to age whiskey. I guess if brewers can do it and if whiskey makers can use pre-owned wine barrels… Luckily, this doesn’t taste too much like whiskey, though it adds that layer to the flavor profile. The 2014 Cooper & Thief Cellarmaster Select($28) – three-fourths merlot and syrah, the rest other red blenders – offers up a deep jammy wine that, at 17 percent alcohol is assertive, big and bold but still drinks with a velvety texture, though with noticeable heat. While some critics think these wines are a stunt for the U.S. millennial market, I found this one to have a lot of appeal.