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Merlot
A signature cool climate Pinot Noir from California that is elegant and rich with intense flavors of fruit, spice and earth. A beautiful marriage of ripe cherry, bright strawberry, spice and herb flavors wrapped in a velvety, lush package. A special occasion wine
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Lively, ripe and dense red berry aromas and flavors are complemented by a touch of spice, leather and cedar notes. Flavors linger through a lush, elegant finish.
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A benchmark wine and testament to the art of blending where plum, cherry and violet aromas are joined by flavors of ripe black fruit, spice and a hint of minerality. Finesse is the word that comes to mind when drinking this wine … understated elegance from first sip through the finish.
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Savor the flavors of sunny, romantic Tuscany, home to the Fratelli Nistry winery since 1865, in this classic wine.
The vintner, Fratelli Nistri, is operated by fourth and fifth generation family members in the winery’s new premises in Greve en Chianti. It’s here, in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone of Italy, leading Tuscan and Umbrian wines are produced in the winery’s state-of-the-art cellars.
With just one sip of Prodo Cavaliere, the captivating aromas of cherry, blackberry, violet and sweet tobacco, and elegant flavors of fresh, ripe black and red fruit, cedar and spice, evoke images of a moonlit dinner on the piazza in Greve en Chianti.
The wine’s exquisite balance makes it a good choice with a wide variety of foods, especially roast pork, grilled beef, and simple meat, mushroom or tomato sauced pastas. See for yourself. At this price, you’ll want to stock up for the month’s ahead. (Read our panel’s notes)
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We invite you to discover this truly exceptional wine from Priorat, located southwest of Catalonia, one of only two wine regions in Spain to qualify as a DOC, the highest level for wine. Priorat is known for its powerful red wines (primarily Garnarcha and Tempranillo), with production dating back to the 12th century.
Zeta Z. is produced by Bodegas Espana Autentica, a winery founded in 2005 whose goal is to combine New World techniques and varieties with heritage grapes from this historic wine-producing region. The wine is 90% Garnacha and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, hand—harvested from vineyards 50 years and older, aged for 9 months in French and American oak barrels, then bottled and aged for an additional year.
The result is a powerful wine with layers of deep flavors and a long, lush finish. Its dried cherry and cranberry flavors are completed by hints of vanilla and coconut. Intense and full-bodied, Zeta Z. is considered to be a “rock star” of Spanish wine production.
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Both Zinfandel and Merlot are popular grapes on their own and this marriage proves that the sum can be greater than its parts. Concentrated blackberry and cherry aromas are joined by notes of black currant, plum, spice and violet. Fruit forward flavors are accented with a touch of sweet tobacco and spice. A smooth texture and ripe tannins make this wine very food friendly.
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A wine with attitude. It’s big and bold and unabashedly lip-smackingly delicious – ripe fruit flavors float over a fine structure of ripe tannins and natural fruit acidity. “Keep pouring, I’ll tell you when to stop”.
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A classic Malbec with aromas of ripe plum, violet and a hint of vanilla. It is rich and weighty on the palate yet soft and silky in texture with flavors that echo the lovely aromas.
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Fill up your cart with this deliciously smooth, robust red. Sweet, ripe black fruit aromas and layers of ripe black cherry and plum flavors reflect a heavenly marriage of Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Merlot. Forward fruit flavors and a velvety texture make this a go-to red wine for everyday enjoyment.
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Deeply colored wine with intense aromas of ripe berry and spice. Flavors of blackberry and raspberry with a hint of toasty oak and vanilla are carried through a refreshing finish by soft tannins.
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One sip of this wine and you’ll know it’s something special. A memorable vacation along the wine roads in France with guide Peter Bellchambers, celebrated landscape architect, artist and bon vivant, inspired this unabashedly bold Bellchambers Petite Sirah.
Petite Sirah (also known as Durif) is a variety with a noble French heritage that has found its true voice in the vineyards of California. Made available by PS I Love You, an organization of 57 wineries dedicated to producing this popular varietal, the wine is the second release and debut red wine in the Bellchamber series.
Our Wine Insiders panel of experts gives a big thumbs up to this inky, brawny, blackberry/cherry, jammy, spicy/peppery, red wine. Enjoy with the equally bold flavors of braised short ribs, lamb or pork with rich, robust sauces, Mexican cuisine, or even a hamburger with the works. (Read our panel’s notes)
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Take a close look at this selection. It was produced by Bodega Vega del Castillo, located in Olite, an ancient walled town with a magnificent gothic style palace in the Navarra region, one of the Spain’s most important wine areas.
It is believed that the famed Grenache grape of southern France had its origins in Spain as the kingdom of Navarra once ruled that portion of France. This Vina Ansorena is a 50/50 blend of 80-year-old vine Garnacha (the Spanish word for “Grenache”) and Tempranillo, the two most important red wine grapes of Spain.
From this time-tested heritage comes a combination of these two powerful red wine grapes. Tempting aromas and flavors of violet, cherry and wild berry from the Garnacha, and the smooth, well-structured texture of Tempranillo, highlight each bottle. Discover for yourself how nicely it partners with roast or barbecued red meats, chicken, sausages, and roast root veggies. (Read our panel’s notes)
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Take a “taste trip” to sunny South America with this rich, red wonder.
The first Malbec vines arrived in Argentina in the middle of the 19th century creating a perfect marriage of grape variety to climate and soil. In its native somewhat damp and cool Bordeaux, Malbec is is considered one grape in a blend. But in the sunnier, drier high desert vineyards of Mendoza, Malbec came into its own and is now one of the most popular red wines in the world.
The winery Gaucho, named for the cowboy of the ranches of South America, focuses only on the two emblematic wines of Argentina: the white Torrontes and Malbec.
The Gaucho Andino is a vibrant, flavor-packed, rustic young red with aromas and flavors of sweet-tart plum, blackberry and licorice. Its tannins are firm and earthy, framing the jammy fruit through a food-friendly finish that pairs nicely with red meat, spicy barbecue, Mexican, Indian or Cajun dishes, and most tomato-based pasta sauces.
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Here’s an opportunity to indulge in the rich, “old vine” flavors of a classic wine by a truly top-notch winemaker – at a surprisingly affordable price.
California Zinfandel dates to the 1850’s when European immigrants brought their heritage of grape growing and winemaking to America. Canwood Zinfandel, from an Amador County winery known for handcrafted award-winning wines, is produced from 40-year-old, head-pruned vines growing in one of the original Gold Rush era vineyards.
Bold, ripe, concentrated aromas of sweet berry jam are echoed in the distinctive, old vine Zinfandel flavors of blackberry, raspberry, sweet spice and cedar. Aging in American oak adds a note of vanilla and an overall flavor that perfectly suits grilled beef, pork or chicken, spicy Mexican dishes, aged cheeses or hearty pastas. (Read our panel’s notes)
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A bold, powerful, juicy and intensely flavorful Zinfandel. Full of blackberry, cassis, cherry and spice with smoky oak and black pepper accents. A ripe, supple texture carries berry fruit flavors through a long, full finish – you can’t do better than this!
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After two solid days tasting Zinfandels at the annual ZAP festival in San Francisco (the largest gathering of Zinfandel winemakers and enthusiasts in the world), this wine captured our attention immediately – unpretentious, understated and easy drinking.
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?Aromas of bright currant and berry are accented by a thread of black pepper. This is a rich wine with delicious flavors of juicy cherry, black currant and raspberry balanced by notes of vanilla and toasty oak for a soft, easy-drinking finish.
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Harmonious and balanced with velvety tannins and ripe black fruit flavors of blackberry and cassi. Licorice and cedar add complexity to a smooth finish.
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Big, ripe blackberry aromas are joined by concentrated flavors of plum, currant, and berry with just a hint of toasty oak – all signatures of this winery’s stylish Cabernet Sauvignon. Gentle tannins carry fruit flavors through a clean, crisp finish.
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A fruit-forward wine with layers of generous dark berry and cherry aromas. Flavors emphasize cassis, raspberry and cherry with a hint of cedar. An easy-to-enjoy wine and example of what makes Cabernet Sauvignon so popular all around the world.
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Great news…the cool climate, stellar California Syrahs are back! And Wine Insiders invites you to celebrate their return with one of the best.
The cherished California Syrah first showed up along California’s foggy Central Coast thanks to the “Rhone Rangers,” pioneers of delicious Rhone-style red wines. Early vintages were so loved that a decade ago, Syrah was reputed to be the heir apparent to California’s red wine crown. But its popularity led to over-planting in warmer vineyards and fruit with little character, tarnishing Syrah’s then bright star.
Now high quality California Syrahs have returned. Grapes for this selection were sourced from cool climate vineyards along California’s Central Coast near Monterey and from Lodi, along the San Francisco Bay. Luscious fruit aromas lead the way to flavors of ripe blackberry, plum and notes of smoke, cinnamon, white pepper and licorice.
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Here is a truly impressive wine, stunningly elegant, from a limited production of just 1,900 cases, the result of a collaborative effort between winemaker Jason Goeltz and winegrower Stephen Dorcich. The philosophy of their winery is simple: produce the best wines from select vineyards with unique attributes.
This Merlot was produced from grapes grown on their estate vineyard using California Sustainable Winegrowing and winemaking practices in the Santa Clara Valley.
Deep ruby black in color with aromas of plum and cedar, the wine has a supple texture, balanced and dry yet fruity, with flavors of berry, spice and mint tied together by a thread of rich vanilla. As the wine’s velvety tannins fade, a delightfully smooth finish lingers on the palate.
An uncommonly table-friendly wine that pairs beautifully with roast chicken, pork or duck, full-flavored cheese, grilled mushrooms.
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Wine offers rich blackberry and cherry aromas and ripe fruit flavors complemented by hints of spice and vanilla from integrated oak.
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Bold and rich with aromas of ripe fruit and the gentle spice from partial oak aging. Ripe fruit flavors include bright plum and berry. Soft tannins provide structure and length.
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