Published in February 2001

Wines, Spirits and Beers published in the February 2001 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

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Beringer 1996 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Price $100

This wine is still young and precocious, but don’t judge it too quickly. Let it air in your glass, and watch how it changes. One minute it’s all cherries and smoke; the next it heaves up a great draught of currants, cocoa and cedar. It’s a big wine but deceptive; the tannins are airy and lilting, there’s charm and underneath, enormous complexity. It’s best left… — S.H. (2/1/2001)

points

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1997 Merlot (Napa Valley)

Price $35

Great vineyards, great winery, great vintage: There’s lots to like about this big, bold, fruity wine that manages to be complex and elegant at the same time. Masses of blackberry, black currant and violets, with smoke and vanilla from oak aging. What’s hard to convey is the balance, richness, harmony and depth of flavor, which are really stunning. Age it for a few… — S.H. (2/1/2001)

points

Almaviva 1998 Red (Puente Alto)

Cellar Selection

Price $87

A dense bouquet of dark cherries, plum, earth, meat and subtle tobacco pulls you in. It is big in the mouth, yet never brutish, with lovely depth of fruit flavor, earthy accents and great texture. The fine, long finish has even, dry tannins. Seductively accessible, this world class wine will age well for 6–12 years or longer. — M.M. (2/1/2001)

points

Dolce 1998 White (Napa Valley)

Price $75

Ripe hay, vanilla, and apricot mark the nose; deep orange flavors with cinnamon spice notes and a very smooth mouthfeel are the already promising attributes of this infant. All the right elements are there, and in good balance. Best cellared for three to five years. — W.E. (2/1/2001)

points

Schug 1998 Heritage Reserve Pinot Noir (Carneros)

Price $30

Specially selected lots account for this top-of-the-line bottling. It’s really very good. The fruit tends toward raspberries and cherries, and it’s smooth as silk in the mouth. The nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and peppery notes last for a long time on the finish. The difference between this and the typical Carneros bottling is intensity; the fruit is more focused. It’s… — S.H. (2/1/2001)

points

Castello Banfi 1995 Sangiovese (Brunello di Montalcino)

Cellar Selection

Price $54

Dense aromatics with black plum, game, leather, menthol, oak and anise notes open this full-throttle red. The plate shows impressive depth of flavor with tart plum and bitter chocolate notes, as well as fine fruit to acid balance. The long, dry, even finish wraps it up beautifully with black fruit and bitter chocolate notes. — W.E. (2/1/2001)

points

Kenwood 1997 Massara Vineyard Merlot (Sonoma Valley)

Price $25

Dark, oaky, and fine in every respect. Sonoma Valley, often underrated as Merlot country, lends the fruit a very deep and satisfying blackberry component, which is highlighted, in this case, by toasty oak. The tannins are soft and finely etched. Gorgeous stuff, quite lovely now, but the solid core of fruit indicates mid-term aging potential. — S.H. (2/1/2001)

points

Stonegate 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Price $25

Somehow, this fine winery gets left off a lot of “best of” lists, which makes it a great value, especially from a super vintage like ‘97. This is serious Napa Cabernet, filled with fancy black currant, cassis and mocha, and complex with toasty oak. It’s very dry and elegant, one of those wines that fills the palate with the most sumptuous flavors and textures. It’s… — S.H. (2/1/2001)

2009 Mira Hyde Vineyard

The esteemed Hyde Vineyard is in Carneros, and is the source for some…

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