Showing the varietal’s tell-tale hint of green, weedy herbaceousness, this Carmenère also offers plenty of...
La Crema, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2008
This wine, released only a year or so after the grapes had been harvested, tastes so young that its disparate parts...
Pierre Henri, Vin de Pays d’Oc (Languedoc, France) Pinot Noir 2008
This is a bizarre wine. It comes in a round-shouldered Bordeaux-type bottle rather than a sloped Burgundy one like...
Paul Lukacs’ Picks for 2009 Producer and Wine of the Year
[We'll be running our contributors' picks for the best wine performances for 2009 on a dialy basis through the end of the year,...
PKNT, Maule Valley (Chile) Carmenère 2008
This Carmenere tastes riper than many renditions of the Chilean varietal, with no noticeable green or herbal edge to it. ...
Coltibuono, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) 2008
A blend of Sangiovese (70%) and Syrah (30%), this fairly light-bodied IGT red offers dusty Tuscan character in addition to sweet...
Vini, Thracian Valley (Bulgaria) Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Light in both color and body, this wine does not taste particularly true to the varietal, or at least to the varietal in...
Paul Lukacs’ Wine Picks for Thanksgiving 2009
[WRO Readers: We'll be publishing Thanksgiving wine recommendations from our WRO contributors in this space almost every...
Mohua, Central Otago (New Zealand) Pinot Noir 2008
Youthful so fresh but also not yet evolved, this is a delicious Pinot Noir, praiseworthy especially for its excellent balance...
Vignaioli di S. Stefano, Moscato d’Asti (Piedmont, Italy) 2008
A cooperative venture involving the Ceretto family of Barolo fame, Vignaioli di S. Stefano aims to produce high-quality Moscato...
Maison Bouachon, Tavel (Rhône Valley, France) 2008
Clean and crisp, with red berry fruit flavors, this wine lacks the nuanced subtlety that distinguishes the best Tavel...
Trivento, Mendoza (Argentina) Torrontés 2008
A bright, almost bouncy rendition of Argentina's signature white grape, with a floral perfume that fairly leaps out of the...