2005 Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley 96 points Chile Since its outstanding debut 1997 vintage, Casa Lapostolle's Clos Apalta bottling has helped to establish Chile as a premier red-wine region. Owner Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle and her team created a blend of Chile's distinctive Carmenère variety, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the estate's oldest vines in Colchagua's Apalta sub-valley, then kept refining: fermenting in smaller lots, hand-destemming berries and constructing a gravity-flow winery. All this came to fruition in the long, warm, dry 2005 vintage, easily Chile's modern best. Marnier and new winemaker Jacques Begarie blended in 4 percent Petit Verdot for the first time, adding aroma and color. Rich and velvety, the 2005 Clos Apalta should reward cellaring. The wine's price has remained relatively modest through the years. 2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 98 points France In the Southern Rhône's recent trio of great vintages starting with 2003, no other Châteauneuf-du-Pape domaine has produced better wines than Clos des Papes. Under Vincent Avril, quality has improved steadily, and the 2003 (97 points) was Wine Spectator's No. 2 wine in 2005. At 98 points, the 2005 is Avril's best wine yet, displaying an enormous core of fruit and minerality along with massive structure. The Clos des Papes red (the estate also produces a white) is a blend of 65 percent Grenache, 20 percent Mourvèdre, 10 percent Syrah and other grapes from 74 acres of vines around Châteauneuf. Avril keeps yields low, picks vineyard blocks separately for ideal ripeness and vinifies the destemmed grapes in ceramic-lined vats. The wine is aged in large wooden foudres for up to 12 months before the final blend is assembled. 2001 Casanova Di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova Tuscany This family-run winery is one of the best examples of the recent winemaking renaissance in Tuscany. Casanova di Neri has excelled with Brunello di Montalcino, the region's famous Sangiovese-based red, since its debut vintage in 1993. The 2001 is its best Tenuta Nuova ever, delivering the depth, richness, freshness and unique character expected of such a great vintage—at a price in the mid-range for 2001 Brunello. 2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley 96 Points Wine Spectator's 2005 Wine of the Year is one of California's greatest success stories. After 29 vintages, Insignia is recognized as one of Napa's signature red wines and routinely one of its finest. It's fascinating for its ever-changing varietal composition, remarkable consistency from year to year and ability to improve with age. The wine spent 26 months in a mix of new French oak barrels from coopers Taransaud, Nadalie and Demptos. As seductive as the 2002 Insignia is, don't be fooled by its plush layers of currant, mocha, berry, mineral and spice. This is classic Insignia with its precision, balance, concentration, power and finesse. With time, the best Insignias slowly soften yet retain their rich layers of fruit complexity. Expect the 2002 to reach its peak by age eight to 10, and to drink well for 15 to 20 years. |