SAVVY SHOPPER
Kiwi Delights
One of the labels featured in this group—
Crowded House—could describe the New
Zealand category as a whole. There’s an
abundance of great values to be found from
this island nation, which continues to excel
with its one-two punch of Pinot Noir and
Sauvignon Blanc. This selection shows why,
with all of these wines costing less than $25.
MOHUA Pinot Noir Central Otago 2016 (92, $24)
Fleshy, firm; wild strawberry, cherry, raspberry,
thyme, sage, tobacco
MOUNT RILEY Pinot Noir Central Otago Limited
Release 2018 (92, $24) Maraschino cherry, clove,
vanilla bean, black tea; fresh, velvety
RAPAURA SPRINGS Sauvignon Blanc Marlbor-
ough Reserve 2018 (92, $17) Supple, complex;
peach, mango, orange, honeysuckle, lanolin, spice
CLOS HENRI Pinot Noir Marlborough Petit Clos
2018 (91, $20) Wild strawberry, raspberry, forest
floor, spice, clove, white pepper; fresh, gripping
FORREST Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Field
Of Stones 2018 (90, $17) Mouthwatering, savory;
lemon, saline, toasted herb
KIM CRAWFORD Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
2018 (90, $18) Citrus, melon, apricot, toasted
herb; savory, bright, expressive
ALLAN SCOTT Pinot Noir Marlborough 2017
(90, $20) Smooth, succulent; raspberry coulis,
black cherry, cedar, vanilla, roasted cumin seed
MATAHIWI Pinot Noir Wairarapa 2018 (90,
$20) Harmonious, crisp; red berry, cherry, herb,
loam, mineral
ASTROLABE Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough 2018 (90, $22)
Lemon, grated ginger, Key lime;
vibrant, juicy
CROWDED HOUSE Sauvignon
Blanc Marlborough 2018 (89,
$13) Lemongrass, citrus, mango,
fresh ginger; fragrant, refreshing
La République
If you can’t get all the way to
France, let these wines bring
a little French culture to you.
The reds offer a taste of the
south, while the whites are
pure Chardonnay in the
Burgundy tradition.
ALAIN JAUME Gigondas
Terrasses de Montmirail 2016
(93, $33) Black cherry, plum,
currant, chalky mineral, black
tea, juniper; fine-grained, long
MEURGEY-CROSES St.-Véran
2017 (91, $33) Lean, balanced;
spring blossom, ripe peach,
plum skin
CHÂTEAU D’AUSSIÈRES
Corbières 2016 (90, $20)
Blackberry, plum, dark cherry,
graphite, herb; peppery, fresh
FRANÇOIS LURTON Côtes du Roussillon-
Villages Mas Janeil Sans Soufre 2017 (90, $22)
Floral, red berry, pepper, mineral, tea; elegant
ALBERT BICHOT Bourgogne White Secret de
Famille 2017 (90, $25) Peach, apple, lemon cake,
citrus peel; harmonious
DOMAINE DE BEAURENARD Rasteau 2017
(90, $25) Dark raspberry, plum paste, singed
alder, vanilla, graphiteA Tale of Two Peninsulas
This selection spans the Iberian peninsula,
encompassing Spain and Portugal, and the
Apennine, or Italian, peninsula. Of special
note is the Txakolina, a rosé version of this
Spanish wine, whose brisk acidity and light
spritz make it an ideal summer tipple and a
great match for oysters.DEI Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015 (93,
$32) Complex, supple; ripe plum, blackberry,
woodsy funk, leather, mineral, tobacco
MAS IGNEUS Priorat White Renéixer 2017 (92,
$20) Pear, heather, lanolin, mineral; savory,
muscular, harmonious
QUINTA DO PASSADOURO Douro 2015 (91, $25)
Fresh boysenberry, crushed red plum, white
pepper, graphite, tea, licorice; well-crafted
BODEGAS PEÑALBA LÓPEZ Ribera del Duero
Rosado Finca Torremilanos Montecastrillo 2018
(90, $11) Cherry, leafy, ginger, earth; firm
CONTE FERDINANDO GUICCIARDINI Morellino
di Scansano Massi di Mandorlaia I Massi 2016
(90, $22) Vibrant, elegant; black cherry, tar,
leather, iron
ETXANIZ TXAKOLINA Getariako
Txakolina Rosado Txomin Etxaniz
2018 (90, $22) Refreshing, racy,
slight spritz; cherry, grapefruit
BODEGAS ALEJANDRO
FERNANDEZ Ribera del Duero
Condado de Haza Crianza 2016
(90, $24) Cherry, plum, leafy,
earth, vanilla; harmonious
ARGIOLAS Vermentino di
Sardegna Is Argiolas 2018 (90,
$25) Racy; nectarine, plum,
lemon thyme, white pepperOregon Duet
Oregon’s strength is Pinot
Noir, yet with most costing
upward of $30, this pair is a
steal for the quality.BIG TABLE FARM Chardonnay
Willamette Valley The Wild Bee
2017 (93, $28) Meyer lemon,
river stone, spice; expressive,
graceful, complex
IOTA Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills
Not One Pelos Sandberg Vine-
yard 2016 (92, $28) Raspberry,
orange peel, vanilla; refined
—Bruce Sanderson30 WINE SPECTATOR • SEPT. 30, 2019
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
COLLECTIBLE
SMART BUY
BEST VALUE
SPECTATOR
SELECTIONS95 AUBERT
Pinot Noir Sonoma
Coast UV-SL
Vineyard 2017
$85 CALIFORNIA
This rich and ex-
pressive version features boysenberry, plum
tart and dark cherry flavors that are flush with
crunchy acidity, with a long, plush finish.97 CHÂTEAU DE
BEAUCASTEL
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
2016 $107 FRANCE
Warm and polished,
offering a large core
of cassis, raspberry and cherry puree notes,
with threads of red licorice, warm stone, singed
mesquite and cedar. Concentrated yet precise.89 BODEGAS NAIA
Rueda Las Brisas 2018
$11 SPAIN
This white has a solid tex-
ture, built on firm acidity,
with Asian pear, blanched
almond and tarragon flavors
that are focused and clean.90 CHATEAU STE.
MICHELLE
Indian Wells Red Blend
Columbia Valley 2016$18 (^) WASHINGTON
A lively red, delivering
sleek, plump fruit, with
blackberry, licorice and
spice flavors that linger
toward polished tannins. Syrah blend.
IN THIS ISSUE’S BUYING GUIDE
You’ll find 18 classic wines and 350
outstanding wines from among reviews
of nearly 625 new releases. Tasting notes
and scores for those wines, along with
hundreds of additional wines reviewed
since our last issue, can be found at
WineSpectator.com using the Wine
Ratings search, a members-only service.
BODEGAS MARQUÉS DE
MURRIETA Rioja Finca
Ygay Reserva 2015 (92,
$29) SMART BUY Cedar,
dried cherry, spice; supple