Stephen Tanzer's Wines Subscribe to this Feed

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Deep ruby-red. Explosive, warm aromas of redcurrant, black plum, chestnut, tobacco and spice; mellow oak notes. Lush, dense and solidly structured; shows a distinctly more mineral character than the Valbuena and less pliant, drier flavors. Sound acidity contributes to the impression of backbone and thrust. Finishes with slightly dry tannins.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Very deep red. Plum, cassis, redcurrant, violet and spicy, smoky oak. Bright, spicy berry flavors are supported by a firm structure. Concentrated but not at all heavy. Rather refined wine. More tannic and freshly fruity in the new style of Rioja. "Un vin d'exception," notes Enrique Forner, adding that the objective here is power without loss of finesse.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Deep ruby-red. Mellow, deep aromas of dark berries and exotic wood tones, with a suggestion of Proven?oal herbs; not quite as lively or perfumed as the brighter '96. Shows the roasted, gamey ripeness that characterizes so many '95s from the region. Great sweetness and complexity in the mouth. Doesn't possess quite the sappy lift of the '96, but perhaps even more concentrated. Powerful underlying structure and palate-staining persistence. Has the thick, 3-D texture to buffer its huge, ripe tannins. I ultimately give the '96 a slight edge on sheer brightness, but this is compelling wine.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Deep, saturated, impressively youthful ruby-red color. Pungent, syrah-like aromas of cassis, black raspberry, roasted meat, flowers and tar. Dense and round in the mouth, with lovely sweet black fruit flavors complicated by a hint of bitter chocolate. Accessible already but capable of aging. Serious juice. Carolina considers '95 and '90 the best vintages since 1987, with the '95 offering considerable aging potential.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Dark red. Restrained aromas of red berries, cassis, rose petal and woodsmoke. Subtle and soft in the mouth, with rather polite red berry flavors, very even tannins and moderate thrust. Not a particularly sweet style of merlot but nicely understated.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Full ruby. Riper aromas of roasted red fruits and saddle leather; just short of pruney. Very sweet and very ripe in the mouth; shows a distinctly jammy, raisiny quality. Very ripe and a bit aggressive on the back end. Not for fans of French syrah.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Bright ruby-red. Quintessential Napa Valley aromas of cassis, tar, menthol, dried herbs, chocolate and Rutherford dust. Rather grapey flavors of cassis and spicy, cedary oak, complicated by an herbal note. Finishes rather tannic and a bit tough. Does this have enough flesh for its structure?

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Pale color. Knockout aromas of lime blossom, orange peel, minerals and cilantro. Almost painfully intense on entry, then rich and superconcentrated. Vibrant flavors of orange pith, lime and mint offer great thrust without any heaviness. Extraordinarily long for Champagne. A remarkable wine that may yet improve in bottle.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Complex nose combines high-pitched lemon drop and candied lime notes with lower-toned, toffeed suggestions of yeast autolysis. Very dry and assertive in the mouth, with a strong spicy character. Offers excellent flavor intensity with no excess weight. Youthfully fresh, minerally and still evolving. Would make a perfect accompaniment to raw shellfish. Also tasted: NV Brut Classic*.

Stephen Tanzer's Review:

Saturated deep ruby. Crystallized blackberry, black raspberry, violet and maple syrup on the superripe nose. Very ripe, thick, sweet black fruit flavors complicated by a deep core of spice. Distinctly sweeter and creamier than the '96 Allende, and longer on the palate. Tannins are substantial but ripe. Showed a strong element of smoky French oak with aeration.