A great picnic, burger, or pizza wine, this red hails from the western Languedoc in southern France, and offers delicious...
Foppiano, Sonoma County (California) Petite Sirah 2009
One of the best Petites I’ve tasted in the past couple of years, this wine offers deep, dark flavors, firm tannins,...
Damilano, Barbera d’Asti (Piedmont, Italy) 2010
A classic-tasting Piedmontese Barbera, meaning marked by vivid plum and dark cherry fruit enhanced by deep earthy...
Henry Fessey, Beaujolais-Villages (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) 2009
The 2009 vintage produced wines in Beaujolais marked by deeper than usual flavors, with none of the irritating tropical or...
Santa Ema, Maipo Valley (Chile) Merlot 2008
There’s a lot of Merlot in Chile. In good hands, the grape produces, supple, fleshy, but full-flavored red...
Montjardin, Navarra (Spain) 2010
A juicy, lively red, this wine tastes fresh and bright. It should pair well with everything from burgers to pizza,...
Sierra Cantabria, Rioja (Spain) 2009
A medium-weight Rioja, with earthy undertones that give it intriguing complexity, but at the same time plenty of...
Roth, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2009
A pretty, though fairly one-dimensional California Pinot Noir, with bright cherry fruit that dominates the sensory...
Penolds, South Australia (Australia) Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
A forceful but not over-the-top Cabernet, with the varietal’s tell-tale cassis fruit flavor, secondary notes that...
Faustino VII, Rioja (Spain) 2009
A very traditionally-styled Rioja (with an appropriately traditional-looking label), this is a light-bodied red that...
Paul Lukacs’ Winery and Wine of the Year for 2011
WINERY OF THE YEAR: Herdade do Esporão (Alentejo, Portugal) Alentejo (sometimes called the Alentejo) lies south and...
Chateau Ste Michelle, Columbia Valley (Washington) Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
A good example of Washington State Cabernet, this wine suffers slightly in comparison to the very best renditions because...