This week, your clients may be reading the latest issue of Wine Spectator (6/30/15). Here’s what they’ll find and what you might want to take advantage of in your social media. [level-members]
It’s all France, all the time this month in the Spectator, with cover stories about Burgundy’s Grande Dame, the 2012 reds from Burgundy, 2014 Bordeaux barrel tastings, and a wine lover’s guide to the Dordogne.
First, the front of the book, which includes a gift giving guide for dads and grads in the Things We Like column. I’m just not sure I need a $780 chef’s knife.
The Cheese column covers Sequatchie Cove, who are making great cheeses in Tennessee of all places.
The Perfect Match column pairs squid ink risotto with Oregon Gamay Noir. That sounds worth sharing with your customers and online audience.
The Savvy Shopper includes the Highly Recommended 95-point Kongsgaard Chardonnay Napa Valley The Judge 2012 for $175, the Collectibe Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2010 for $129 (96 points), the Smart Buy Bodegas Franco-Españolas Tempranillo Rioja Bordón Reserva 2009 for $15 (91 points) and the Best Value Jacob’s Creek Pinot Grigio South Eastern Australia Classic 2014 which sells for $8 and earned 87 points.
James Laube wants us to “give twist-offs their due,” which we’re absolutely fine with. (Though I still miss using a corkscrew.) He makes an interesting point about sommeliers and wine shop owners being the key to the success or failure of any new closure. They (meaning you) are the trusted professionals in the lives of most wine consumers. If you say it’s OK, the public will be fine with new closures. If not, cork will continue to reign.
James Molesworth devotes his column to surprises from 2014 Bordeaux with the idea that you can find really wonderful wines in less than wonderful vintages. Then again, a few pages later the 2014 gets pretty high marks overall – 91-94 for the Left Bank, 90-93 for the Right, and 93-96 for Barsac and Sauternes.
His list of top reds includes Latour, Haut Brion, Mouton-Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Leoville Las Cases, Margaux, Cheval Blanc, Le Pin, Petrus, and Trotanoy, among others.
Moving on to California Zinfandels, there are recommendations for Seghesio’s Zinfandel Sonoma County Sonoma, Bedrock Zinfandel California Old Vine – both from 2013 – and Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County 2012 at the top of the Top Values list. Limerick Lane, Seghesio and Williams Selyem top the overall list.
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