Category Archives: Varietals

#6 Wine of 2016: 2012 Marcassin Chardonnay ‘Marcassin Vineyard’

#6 wine Marcassin

OUR #6 Wine of 2016 2012 Marcassin ‘Marcassin Vineyard’ Chardonnay  |  Sonoma Coast |  Wine Spectrum 98 Robert Parker 100 POINTS: The 2012 Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard, which will probably be released in a few months, displays great minerality, notes of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, poached pear, and white flowers as well as a touch of quince. A wine […]

#5 Wine of 2016: 2013 Martinelli Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

#5 wine of the year Martinelli

OUR #5 Wine of 2016 2013 Martinelli Pinot Noir  |  Sonoma Coast |  Wine Spectrum 95 The 2013 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir has aromas of cherry cola, rhubarb, spiced plums and potpourri. On the palate, raspberries with cream and spicy blackberry jam flavors, with great balance and a lengthy finish.  Primarily Blue Slide Ridge Vineyard fruit (declassified.) 90% […]

#7 Wine of 2016: 2013 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

#7 wine of the year Perlieu

OUR #7 Wine of 2016 2013 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon  |  Napa Valley  |  Wine Spectrum 96+ Rich dark purple color. The nose is pure joy, black fruits, espresso, graphite, and cedar. Mouthfeel is concentrated and unctuous, rich and expressive, with smooth tannins leading to swirling flavors of dark berries, plum, chocolate and sweet spice. Purlieu […]

#9 Wine of 2016: 2007 Villa Le Prata Brunello di Montalcino DOGC

#9 wine of 2016 Villa Le Prata

OUR #9 Wine of 2016 2007 Villa Le Prata DOGC (Sold Out) Brunello di Montalcino  |  Tuscany | Wine Spectrum 96+ “The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino is an attractive, juicy wine laced with sweet red berries, flowers, spices and licorice, all wrapped in a soft approachable style that is quite appealing. This is an especially fleshy, […]

#8 Wine of 2016: 2013 Le Pich Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

#8 wine Le Pich

OUR #8 Wine of 2016 2013 Le Pich Cabernet Sauvignon  |  Napa Valley  |  Wine Spectrum 95 “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Le Pich has a deep ruby/purple color to the rim, sweet cassis and blackberry fruit, licorice, incense and well-disguised oak. The wine is medium to full-bodied, pure, ripe and impressive. It should age nicely […]

#10 Wine of 2016: 2010 Harris Estate ‘Lakeview Vineyard’ Cabernet

#10 2016 wine Harris Estate

OUR #10 Wine of 2016 2010 Harris Estate ‘Lakeview Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon  |  Napa Valley | Wine Spectrum 95+ Robert Parker Rated 95: The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Lakeview Vineyard is another standout. Here the fruit is so intense and textured that the tannins are virtually unnoticeable. Black cherries, tar, menthol, savory herbs and iron are some of […]

Wine Spectrum’s Top 100 Wines of 2016

top 100 wines of the year 2016. bottle opener and cork

Everyone Loves Lists Groceries, Honey-Do, Best Movies of All Time, are among the many lists that I have personally created. The wine world loves lists too. Every year people publish their Top Wine of the Year lists and Wine Spectrum is no exception, but we do ours a little differently. How We Taste As a company, […]

Tasting Notes: Word of the Week “Zesty”

Groom Adelaide Hills Sauv Blanc wine label

So we’ve arrived at the end of our wine vocabulary journey, the end of the alphabet that is, don’t worry though there are still plenty of wine words out there for you to discover! Zesty is a word used to describe wine with lively flavor characteristics, with noticeable acidity and citrus notes. We find this […]

Tasting Notes: Word of the Week “Powerful”

Today’s word is used to describe robust wines of great substance. Powerful wines can be a bit overwhelming to the palates of those who prefer their wines on the mellow side. Despite their potent nature, these wines never lack a sense of balance,  which is why this is viewed as a positive tasting descriptor. “Powerful” […]

Tasting Notes: Word of the Week “Elegant”

Beautiful, graceful, polished, and refined…. No we aren’t talking about the future Miss America, these are some of the accompanying words you’ll hear to describe an elegant wine. And like a pageant queen tottering across the stage on six inch heels, one of the defining characteristics of an elegant wine is their amazing sense of […]