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12 Spicy West Coast Chardonnay Wines (Wine Spectator)

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

Originally from France, Chardonnay is now grown in every major winemaking country, and is the most famous white wine on the planet. Because the grape itself is fairly neutral, the resulting wine’s style is defined by where and how it’s made.

California is well-known for full-bodied, oaky Chardonnays, but has also developed more restrained styles, notably from cooler-climate areas. The grape has reached new qualitative heights up and down the West Coast: Today’s selection from Washington, Oregon and California represents the breadth of flavor that Chardonnay has to offer, with both classic and atypical characteristics.

Starting up north in Washington, the Browne and Sagelands Chardonnays are both from Columbia Valley, the state’s largest AVA. The region is between the same latitudes as those of France’s Burgundy region, which is famed for Chardonnay. Both wines are easy-drinking and exhibit spice notes.

The Argyle, Brick House and A to Z Wineworks versions hail from Oregon. The first two come from Willamette Valley, in the northwest of the state, and show a little more elegance and complexity. All three display classic Chardonnay characteristics, notably orchard fruit and spice.

Last but not least, we have an array of California Chardonnays, all from northern appellations, like Carneros, Mendocino and Napa Valley. They show an assortment of fruit, from the typical apple and pear to less common gooseberry and mango flavors. Some have California Chardonnay’s quintessential buttery note, but the most prominent common thread is spice.

ARGYLE Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills Nuthouse Master Series 2016 Score: 91 | $40
Vibrant and graceful with crisp pear and lemon flavors accented by apricot and spice flavors that linger. Drink now through 2021. 250 cases made.—Tim Fish

GLORIA FERRER Chardonnay Carneros José S. Ferrer Selection Reserve 2016 Score: 91 | $40
Concentrated Gala apple, Bosc pear and dried apricot flavors are well-structured. Light and buttery midpalate, with an elegantly spiced and focused finish, featuring some savory hints. Drink now through 2022. 770 cases made.—Kim Marcus

BRICK HOUSE Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge 2016 Score: 90 | $26
Refined and harmonious with pretty pear and toasty spice flavors that glide on a long elegant finish. Drink now through 2022. 340 cases made.—T.F.

BUENA VISTA Chardonnay Carneros 2016 Score: 89 | $25
Juicy white, with opulent flavors of mango, peach cobbler and apple pastry that are swathed with plenty of spiciness. Luscious finish. Drink now through 2021. 2,074 cases made.—K.M.

A TO Z WINEWORKS Chardonnay Oregon 2017 Score: 88 | $15
Easygoing and snappy with floral apple and spice flavors. Drink now through 2019. 25,041 cases made.—T.F.

BROWNE Chardonnay Columbia Valley Heritage 2016 Score: 88 | $19
Easygoing and delicately plush with pear and toasty spice flavors. Drink now through 2020. 6,000 cases made.—T.F.

BRUTOCAO Chardonnay Mendocino Bliss Vineyard 2016 Score: 88 | $18
Plenty of rich, spicy overtones accent the baked apple and pear tart flavors, with dried mango notes on the structured finish. Drink now. 2,200 cases made.—K.M.

THE HESS COLLECTION Chardonnay Napa Valley 2016 Score: 88 | $22
Aromatic spiciness dominates this lively white which is reminiscent of a dry Riesling. Gooseberry and dried savory flavors linger into the finish. Drink now. 21,700 cases made.—K.M.

HOOPLA Chardonnay Yountville 2016 Score: 88 | $20
A lively and fruity style, with amply spiced flavors of lemon bar and green apple. Green nectarine notes show on the finish. Drink now. 1,800 cases made.—K.M.

LLOYD Chardonnay Clarksburg Prescription 2016 Score: 88 | $20
Rich smoky and buttery notes accent the ripe white fruit flavors, with luscious tropical fruit and spice notes on the finish. Drink now. 8,000 cases made.—K.M.

ROUTESTOCK Chardonnay Carneros 121 2017 Score: 88 | $19
Spicy white, with some seductive smoky notes to the apple, ripe pear and melon flavors. Toasty accents on the finish. Drink now. 2,750 cases made.—K.M.

SAGELANDS Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2016 Score: 87 | $11
Easygoing and mildly zesty, with hints of tropical fruit and spice. Drink now. 2,063 cases made.—T.F.

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10 Shades of Rosé Wine from Around the World (Wine Spectator)

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

There’s nothing quite like a chilled glass of rosé to beat the heat. These wines are refreshingly light and ready for drinking. Today’s selection features an array of countries, grapes and styles, showing that rosé is not as homogeneous as one might think. Get ’em while it’s hot!

Starting with the home turf, Brooks and Roco Willamette Valley rosés show fresh and fruity flavors from Oregon’s top grape, Pinot Noir.

Crossing over to Europe, the two top-scoring wines here are Italian rosatos from Sicily. Both made from Nerello Mascalese, a native grape to the island, they show nice minerality, which is often attributed to Etna’s volcanic soils. From the Iberian Peninsula, we have rosés from Bodegas Beronia and Global Wines, from Spain and Portugal, respectively. They are both juicy, with bright berry, citrus and floral notes.

France is, unsurprisingly, the most represented country in this selection. The Château du Seuil and Commanderie de Peyrassol bottlings hail from Provence. They are focused in style, with a shared white cherry flavor. Our other two French rosés are from farther north, with Maison L’Envoyé from Beaujolais and Louis Jadot from Burgundy. They show two different expressions of the local Gamay grape.


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ROMEO DEL CASTELLO Etna Rosato Vigorosa 2017 Score: 91 | $32
Hints of woodsy spice and graphite lace this harmonious rosé, which offers a fresh mix of dried white cherry, orange peel and almond skin underscored by a subtle streak of smoke. Drink now through 2020. 220 cases imported.—Alison Napjus

GIROLAMO RUSSO Etna Rosato 2016 Score: 90 | $32
Mouthwatering acidity frames this creamy rosé, which offers a minerally overtone and a lively mix of white raspberry, grated ginger and dried thyme flavors. Drink now. 300 cases imported.—A.N.

BROOKS Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Rosé 2017 Score: 89 | $20
Vibrant and zesty, with lively strawberry and peach flavors. Drink now. 3,000 cases made.—Tim Fish

MAISON L’ENVOYÉ Gamay Beaujolais Rosé Le St.-Pâle 2017 Score: 88 | $15
Bright and tangy, this rosé has a minerally undertone that highlights the currant, melon and dried herb flavors, with a crisp, floral-tinged finish. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported.—Gillian Sciaretta

ROCO Rosé Gravel Road Willamette Valley 2017 Score: 88 | $20
Fresh and pretty, with floral peach and watermelon notes. Drink now. 480 cases made.—T.F.

CHÂTEAU DU SEUIL Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé La Chapelle du Seuil 2017 Score: 88 | $19
A fresh, focused style, with a mineral edge underneath the racy white cherry, tea, bergamot and herb notes. Sneaky length. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported.—James Molesworth

BODEGAS BERONIA Rioja Rosé 2017 Score: 87 | $13
This pale, dry rosé offers light berry and watermelon flavors, with citrusy acidity supporting the silky texture. Fresh and balanced. Drink now. 100 cases imported.—Thomas Matthews

COMMANDERIE DE PEYRASSOL Côtes de Provence Rosé La Bernarde Les Hauts du Luc 2017 Score: 87 | $16
Focused, with good zing through the middle, keeping the white cherry, strawberry and peach notes moving along. Offers a dry, refreshing finish. Drink now. 2,000 cases imported.—J.M.

GLOBAL WINES Dão Rosé Cabriz Colheita Selecionada 2017 Score: 86 | $10
Delicate but juicy flavors of cherry and raspberry are interwoven with spice and floral details in this rosé. Hints of tangerine linger on the creamy finish. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported.—G.S.

LOUIS JADOT Côteaux Bourguignons Rosé 2017 Score: 86 | $14
Crunchy acidity highlights the bright red berry, strawberry and white pepper notes in this rosé, with hints of herb on the crisp finish. Gamay. Drink now. 29,000 cases imported.—G.S.