Previous issue: Oct. 31, 2008

 

Cover Story

California Cabernet's Win-Win Vintage Mild weather and diligent vineyard management brought high quality to a big 2005 harvest, with Napa Valley leading the way

• WineSpectator.com BONUS VIDEO:  California Cabernets are the most collectible wines made in the United States. But how familiar are you with the best new Cabernets on the block? Join senior editor James Laube as he talks with the winemakers that make these new Cabs shine.

Newcomers in Cabernet Country   Eight Napa Valley wineries that are fast out the gate with quality

Napa’s Changing of the Guard   Marquee Cabernet producers face challenges, as others sell for tens of millions

Alphabetical Guide to California Cabernet

Features

Tasting Reports

A Break in Alsace's Sunny Streak Two weeks of wet weather during harvest result in a less-than-stellar vintage for 2006

• WineSpectator.com:  An alphabetical chart of all wines tasted for this report is available.

Travel

Treasures North of the Golden Gate   A fertile region at the edge of wine country offers culinary delights in a spectacular setting

• WineSpectator.com:  Get information on hotels, restaurants and wineries in major wine regions around the world with WineSpectator.com's Dining & Travel section.

Wine

The New California Tasting Room   Genteel salons, gourmet wine-and-food matches and pours from older vintages bring a touch of luxury to winery visits

Mendocino’s Many Faces   A generation of independent winemakers is changing the face of this Northern California region

In Deepest Patagonia   Pioneering vintners explore the frontier of grapegrowing in southern Argentina

People

Feeding a Need   Chef Wolfgang Puck has always made sure to give as he gets, earning him Wine Spectator's 2008 Distinguished Service Award

Diving In   Chef Laurent Gras dares to open a seafood restaurant in beef-loving Chicago

Passionate Pouring   Andréa Fulton-Higgins’ mission: Empty an 8,000-bottle cellar in three days

Departments

This Issue

This Issue Marvin R. Shanken

Upfront

  

Amazon.com to start selling wine; a chemical in red wine may cut flu risk; the fight against counterfeiting is going atomic; Didier Dagueneau Dies in Aircraft Crash at 52; Champagne Looks to Lighten Its Bottles; "Wine and the City" Wins 2008 Wine Spectator Video Contest; GrapeVine

• WineSpectator.com  Keep up with breaking news as well as the people, places and happenings that wine lovers are talking about.

Tastes

  

Delicious apple pies; virtual wine lists; overcoming politics with coffee; Taming the Truffle; Safe Keeping

• WineSpectator.com:  Members can find other recipes for pies and more desserts in our online Recipe Search.

Savvy Shopper

The Savvy Shopper   German Riesling, Argentine Malbec and other reds

Columns

James Laube   Sonoma Cabernet’s chance

• WineSpectator.com  In recent blog posts, James Laube discusses the possible impact of Amazon's entrance into wine sales, explains why he sometimes has to retaste wines and tries to define the difference between ripe and overripe wines.

Matt Kramer   Wine truths

Bruce Sanderson   Reinventing Champagne

Letters

Letters

Inside Wine

Rot

Collecting

  

Designers Lee and Amanda Zinser's portfolio includes 100 cellars; Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Raises $1.57 Million

• WineSpectator.com:  Website members can search our complete Auction Price Database, which tracks prices and performance for more than 12,000 collectible and cellar-worthy wines recently sold at commercial auctions. Also available are analyses of the latest auction results and a calendar of upcoming auctions.

Wine Talk

Wine Talk   Quarterback-turned-winemaker Drew Bledsoe

The Buying Guide

View a list of all tasting notes from this issue. Or for more than 206,000 tasting notes, use WineSpectator.com's Wine Ratings Search, where you can sort by region, variety, vintage, price, score and tasting date.

WINE SPECTATOR MOBILE:  We're launching a version of our Website that's optimized for Internet-enabled smartphones, PDAs and other devices. For anyone who has wished for help selecting a wine at a shop or restaurant, the information is now at your fingertips: Check wine scores and tasting notes using our Wine Ratings Search, which accesses our complete database of more than 200,000 reviews. Consult our vintage charts to determine the best years in the world's major wine regions. Use your Personal Wine List to update your shopping list. Review your My Cellar tool to check how many bottles of a special wine are left in your collection or how you much you originally paid for a wine. HARVEST BLOGS:  We've got winemakers from California, Oregon, Washington, France and Italy reporting from the field about the quality of their 2008 crops and answering your questions about harvest. CALIFORNIA TASTING HIGHLIGHTS:  Senior editor James Laube and our other California editors frequently post highlights of their latest tastings. Check in often to get scores and notes for hot new Cabernets, Pinot Noirs, Syrahs and more.

TOP 100 COUNTDOWN:  On Nov. 10, we'll begin unveiling the Top 10 wines of 2008, followed by the complete Top 100 list. The names of the wines will be available to all our readers, but you must be a subscriber to get the tasting notes. Visit WineSpectator.com for a full schedule of the countdown and don't miss out on this exciting event! CALIFORNIA WINE EXPERIENCE:  Can't join us for this year's great lineup of tastings and seminars? Our full event coverage of the Wine Experience in San Francisco will bring the world's best winemakers and chefs to you with photos, articles and videos. VIDEOS:  We now have hundreds of free videos on our Web site. Here are some of the latest: Age-worthy Australians:  Editor at large Harvey Steiman recently tasted 22 wines from Australia's 1996 vintage. Find out how the wines held up, which ones were his favorites and why. Burgundy tour:  Vosne-Romanée has six grand cru vineyards, each of which makes distinctive Pinot Noirs. Learn all about them with senior editor Bruce Sanderson. California Cabernets:  These are the most collectible wines made in the United States—but which are the best new Cabernets on the block? Watch senior editor James Laube talk with the California winemakers who make these new Cabernets shine. Gigondas:  Join senior editor James Molesworth as he tastes a pair of wines from two distinct areas within the Southern Rhône's Gigondas appellation. HALLOWEEN:  Trick or treat! Celebrate the holiday the adult way, with sweet wines and sophisticated desserts.