Published in March 2001

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

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Penfolds 1996 Grange Shiraz

Cellar Selection

Price $185

As unevolved as they are, the dense and multilayered aromas and flavors are truly impressive here. Black currant, herb, tea, oak, vanilla, maple, anise, blueberries and more--it could be an excercise in overkill, if all the parts weren't in such fine harmony. Really big, but with excellent balance, this reveals much less now than the RWT. It is everything a… — W.E. (3/1/2001)

points

Penfolds 1998 RWT Shiraz (Barossa Valley)

Editors' Choice

Price $70

Seamless luxury from stem to stern, this ‘baby Grange’ is impressive juice. Blackberry, menthol and smoke play unusually elegantly on the nose, the texture is velvet on the tongue with dark berry, coffee, licorice and muted black pepper flavors. The superb, very long finish combines all the elements with wonderful finesse and a rare grace. Not inexpensive, but… — W.E. (3/1/2001)

points

Simonsig 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon (Stellenbosch)

Best Buy

Price $15

This big boy greets us with his deep ruby/black cloak. Loaded with cassis from start to finish, there is tremendous fruit depth here and a full, supple mouthfeel. Reminiscent of one of the successful large-scale ‘97 California Cabernets. Has tannins to resolve, best held for a year or two. — M.N. (3/1/2001)

points

Cline 1998 Big Break Vineyard Zinfandel (Contra Costa County)

Price $28

A blast of spice, mint, bramble and pepper explodes from the glass. The wine is dense, dark, deep and mysterious; the flavors pungent, penetrating and persistent. Tannic, layered with herbs and spices, powered with big, punchy fruit. This is classic Cline. — P.G. (3/1/2001)

points

Cline 1998 Live Oak Vineyard Zinfandel (Contra Costa County)

Price $28

There’s a lovely sweetness to the fruit, which tastes like ripe, just-picked blackberries. Old vines, 100+ years, deliver sweet, supple, sexy fruit. The wine has very dry tannins, and it might profit from some blending, but with a vineyard this special you have to admire the single-vineyard approach. — P.G. (3/1/2001)

points

Claudia Springs 1998 Rhodes Vineyard Zinfandel (Redwood Valley)

Price $24

A juicy, jammy, alcoholic style, tannic and young. This is gutsy, high-toned wine, with fat, extracted fruit. Very dry tannins, good balance. This wine needs time; it’s a very different style from the other Claudia Springs Zins. But it shows the same attention to detail, intense fruit, and stylish, sensitive winemaking. — P.G. (3/1/2001)

points

Claudia Springs 1998 Eagle Point Ranch Zinfandel (Mendocino)

Editors' Choice

Price $20

Zin with a Pinot sensibility; it’s bright, spicy and forward. Sweet, delicious fruit, with accents of cinnamon, cardamom and anise. This is an elegant and subtle wine, but unusually long and complex, with wonderful structure. Enticing, enchanting wine. — P.G. (3/1/2001)

points

Penfolds 1998 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon

Price $90

The rich blackberry, vanilla and toast nose sets you up for a lush, supple wine and this one does not disappoint. Full and dense, it offers rich black-cherry and cassis flavors on the palate, and a huge finish with fine-grained tannins. Very well poised for its size, it’s approachable now. Nevertheless, it will be much more nuanced and show more finesse in 5–8… — W.E. (3/1/2001)

2009 Russian River Vineyards Estate Grown

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

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