The Very Best
2005 Bel Canto Red Blend 2003 Westport 2005 Octagon
Cadence Winery, Seattle, Wash. ($65) Rivers Brut
Barboursville
Cadence was the brainchild of Ben Smith and
Cuvee RJR
Vineyards,
Gayle McNutt, who journeyed to the Red Mountain
Westport River
appellation of Washington in the late 1990s to
Barboursville, Va.
start their winery. In addition to Bel Canto (a blend
Vineyards,
($45)
of 50 percent cabernet franc, 42 percent merlot,
Westport, Mass.
Thomas Jefferson
and 8 percent petit verdot), they make wine from ($25) designed the original estate,
the Tapteil, Klipsun, and Ciel du Cheval vineyards. Bob and Carol and his passion for wine
Beginning with the release of the 2006 vintage, Russell turned an old may well have inspired
they will start using fruit from their own Cara Mia dairy farm into the current owner Gianni Zonin
vineyard. Total case production is less than 2,000. largest estate winery in New England. when he purchased the
www.cadencewinery.com. Their two sons, Rob and Bill, have since property in 1976. Octagon is
joined them in turning out impeccable, Barboursville’s “reserve of
Alsace-styled riesling, pinot blanc, and reserves,” a blend of merlot,
pinot gris, as well as some notable cabernet franc and nebbiolo
2005 Musée
sparkling wine. Their signature sparkler, only produced in superior
Bedell Cellars, Cuvee RJR, is a blend of 73 percent pinot vintages. Tourists may dine
Cutchogue
noir and 27 percent chardonnay. Racy, at the Palladio Restaurant,
(Long Island), N.Y. ($75)
elegant, and toasty, it’s a delight either or luxuriate in one of the
Bedell has been transformed by
with food or by itself. Westport currently restored period suites at the
movie producer Michael Lynne, who
ships to 23 states. 1804 Inn.
has built a new facility that includes
www.westportrivers.com.
www.barboursvillewine.net.
a gravity-fl ow winery. The “2005” is
the debut for Musée, made from their
best vineyards and only bottled in top
vintages. Primarily merlot, the wine is
bolstered by small amounts of cabernet
sauvignon and petit verdot. Fewer
than 1,000 cases were made. Musée
can be purchased at the winery and in
Manhattan.
www.bedellcellars.com.
Viognier
Becker Vineyards, Stonewall, Texas ($15)
Something’s brewing in the Texas Hill Country, and it’s not sweet tea. Dr. Richard
Becker and his wife, Bunny, preside over 46 acres of vines, a lavender fi eld reminiscent
of Provence, and a log cabin B&B fi rst built in 1890. “One of the best Viogniers made in
America,” declares master sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson, host of Simply Wine
With Andrea Immer. Consumers may order through the winery, or from large retail
stores such as Specs in Houston.
www.beckervineyards.com.
2005 Evenstad
Reserve
2006 La Paulée Pinot Noir
Scott Paul Wines, Carlton
Pinot Noir
Domaine
(Willamette Valley), Ore. ($45)
Take a sip of La Paulée, and you’re
UL WINES
A Serene, Dayton
back in Burgundy. The wine is named for
T
T P
O
(Willamette the bacchanalian celebration marking
Valley), Ore. ($60)
the end of the harvest in Meursault,
Y OF SC
Grace and Evenstad
sometimes referred to as the world’s
TES
moved to Oregon in
greatest after-party. This tiny pinot noir
C
OUR
1989 to make pinot
producer is organic, biodynamic, and
ULÉE/ noir, and today own
sustainable. Not surprisingly, they also import wine from small burgundy domains
A
150 acres of vineyards.
such as Rene Leclerc, Lucien le Moine, and J.J.Confuron.
www.scottpaul.com.
The Evenstad Reserve
is their fl agship wine, made from low-yielding vines in
the Dundee and Eola Hills. Powerful and concentrated,
Mark Spivak’s commentary on wine appears in a variety of national publications. He
yet also graceful, this pinot will benefi t from years in the
hosts Uncorked! Radio, a weekly talk show on National Public Radio in Palm Beach, Fla.
S
/ISTOCKPHOTO / LA P
cellar.
www.domaineserene.com. His Web site,
www.spivakonwine.com, is a resource for the fi ne food and wine lifestyle.
C
ORK
68 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE / DECEMBER 2008
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