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Wines
of the Week: A Mini World Tour - Under $20, 90
As
much as we love american wines, there's a great big world out
there, and one of the best things about wine is the incredible
variety. So our tasting panel has picked a handful of wines
from around the globe, which are easy to overlook, but are well
worth a try:
Click
on labels to enlarge |
Locations
"P" 4 Red Blend
Winery:
Locations
Grape(s): Touriga
Nacional, Trincadeira, and Touriga
Region: Portugal
Year:
n/a
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 15-20
Review:
Aromatics of cherries, boysenberries, and plums combine
with suggestions of pepper and wild flowers on the nose.
The palate comes forth with flavors of blackberry, cherry,
and boysenberry and flows into expressions of black pepper,
dark chocolate, and floral earth. Polished tannins frame
nice fruit, making this a good bottle to open when serving
chicken, lamb or streak kabobs.
Rating: 90 |
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Bodegas
Hijos de Juan Gil 2015 Jumilla Red Wine
Winery:
Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil
Grape(s): 100%
Monastrell
Region: Spain
Year:
2015
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 10-15
Review:
A lovely combination of raspberry, blackberry, and boysenberry
aromas meld with suggestions of smoky oak and balsamic
on the nose. That nice core of berry flavors takes center
stage on the palate, but highlights of cedar, herbs, and
balsamic play a part, too. Refined tannins and nuances
layers make this a fine choice to serve with a variety
of Spanish tapas.
Rating: 90 |
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Tarapaca
2015 "Gran Reserva" Carmenre
Winery:
Tarapaca
Grape(s): Carmenre
Region: Chile
Year:
2015
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 15-20
Review:
A bouquet of dark fruit, herbs, and spring flowers rises
up from a glass. There's nice fruit on the palate, with
blackberries, cherries, and figs leading the way, before
highlights of green chili, violets, and herbs come in.
Supple tannins combine with a solid complexity to make
this a good buy for fans of South American wines.
Rating: 90 |
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Locations
"NZ" 7 Sauvignon Blanc
Winery:
LLocations "NZ" 7
Grape(s): Sauvignon
Blanc
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Year:
n/a
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 15-20
Review:
Lots of lovely citrus fruits, along with whispers of wild
grass and passion fruit rise up from a glass. The palate
takes shape with flavors of grapefruit leading the way
and then some passion fruit, coming to a finish of minerals
and wild grass. Nice body and bright fruit make this a
compelling wine.
Rating: 90 |
By
Jason Barlow
Other
Related Links:
96
— 100 |
Spectacular |
92
— 95 |
Outstanding |
89
— 91 |
Great |
85
— 88 |
Good |
81
— 84 |
Solid |
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*Wines
rated with a "+" need
a bit more time to reach peak quality
but will
do so over the coming years
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