Michael Schachner

Spanish and South American Editor

Michael Schachner is a New York-based journalist specializing in wine, food and travel. His articles appear regularly in Wine Enthusiast, for which he is a contributing editor and a member of the magazine’s tasting panel. In addition, he is a wine consultant and professional speaker. His areas of wine expertise include Spain and South America.

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Numanthia-Termes, S.L. 2009 Termanthia Tinta de Toro (Toro)

Price $200

This Toro wine is a mindblower. The nose is exemplary: it bursts with smooth, rooty aromas of licorice, kirsch and roasted black plum. The palate is huge and tannic but luxurious, and the flavors of tobacco, cedar, lemon peel, spice and black fruit set up a finish with espresso, black cherry and a wall of tannins. Drink now through 2018. — M.S. (5/1/2013)

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Viña Cobos 2010 Bramare Malbec (Luján de Cuyo)

Editors' Choice

Price $44

This lush, modern Malbec explodes with power then simmers with complexities. Opaque in color, the bouquet issues intense blackberry, lemon peel, graphite and toast aromas. In the mouth, it’s full but not flabby, and then comes an avalanche of black-fruit flavors matched by notes of spice cake, molasses, pepper and mocha. It’s warm, toasty and full of licorice on… — M.S. (5/1/2013)

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Astrales 2009 Tinto Fino (Ribera del Duero)

Editors' Choice
Online Exclusive

Price $70

Astrales, one of Ribera’s best wineries, bottled a structured, serious wine in 2009. Aromas of coconut, asphalt, cola and gritty black fruits set up a palate with oaky, dark, spicy flavors of blackberry, tire rubber and mild herbal accents. Oak and char define the finish on this potent, modern-style Tempranillo. Drink now through 2022. — M.S. (5/1/2013)

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Protos 2005 Gran Reserva Tempranillo (Ribera del Duero)

Editors' Choice
Online Exclusive

Price $100

This is the best Protos wine I’ve ever tasted. The nose offers up tobacco, moss and soft berry aromas. In the mouth, it’s intense, deep and still tannic, with baked, earthy flavors of blackberry, plum, tobacco and coconut. The finish is stuffed with chocolate, herb, spice and cola flavors along with undeniable density. An excellent wine to drink now through 2020. — M.S. (5/1/2013)

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Bodega Noemía de Patagonia 2010 Malbec (Río Negro Valley)

Editors' Choice

Price $130

Get prepared for another star wine from this Patagonian winery. Fresh berry, graphite, cola and toasty aromas lead to a big and smooth palate with supercharged black fruit, herb, toast and mocha flavors. It’s spicy, dry, balanced and not the least bit out of shape. No matter how you cut it, this is an excellent Argentine Malbec to drink now through 2020. — M.S. (5/1/2013)

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Riglos 2010 Gran Las Divas Vineyard Malbec (Tupungato)

Cellar Selection

Price $32

While Argentine Malbecs aren’t textbook cellaring wines, this one has enough spirit, tannin and structure to benefit from a few years on its side. Now, it’s lush on the nose, with ripe berry, pencil eraser, vanilla and marzipan aromas. The palate is chewy but well built, with dense blackberry, cassis, coconut and chocolate flavors. On the finish, things only… — M.S. (5/1/2013)

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Montevannos 2005 Reserva Red (Ribera del Duero)

Online Exclusive

Price $35

What’s great about this wine is how it blends modernity, meaning ripeness, with traditional aromas and flavors of tobacco, earth and oak. The nose is a symphony of marzipan, tobacco and dried fruit scents, while the palate is fresh, alert and houses flavors of baked cherry, plum, vanilla and mossy earth. Pure and smooth on the finish; drink now through 2018. — M.S. (5/1/2013)

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Numanthia-Termes, S.L. 2009 Numanthia Tinta de Toro (Toro)

Price $60

This modern wine is blocky, minty and dark as night on the bouquet. In the mouth, it’s lush but with some hardness to the tannins. Flavors of blackberry, lemon peel and coffee are sultry and dark, while the finish overflows with toast, licorice, spice and chewiness. Drink now–2018. — M.S. (5/1/2013)

2009 Russian River Vineyards Estate Grown

Rich flavors of cherries, persimmons, cola, anise and oak flood the…

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