Attributes:

Chateau d'Yquem

Sauternes, France

Sauternes Blend

750 ML

2001: WineAdvocate Rating: 100

full-bodied, light

marmalade, orange, pineapple

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 100

bright, lively

full-bodied

powerful

apricot, honey, maple, pineapple, spices

sweet

1998: Tanzer Rating: 95

complex

coconut, honey, orange peel, vanilla

sweet

1998: WineAdvocate Rating: 95

white flowers

medium to full-bodied

complex

elegant

creamy, silky

1997: WineSpectator Rating: 95

full-bodied

honey, lemon, orange peel, spices

concentrated, fruity

1997: WineAdvocate Rating: 96

full-bodied, light

apricot, caramel, honeysuckle, new oak, peach, smoky

thick

1996: WineAdvocate Rating: 95

light, medium to full-bodied

honey, marmalade, new oak, orange, vanilla

1996: Tastings Rating: 90-95

clean

full-bodied

deep, rich

elegant

grapefruit, pineapple

Food Matches:

This famous French appellation produces some of the most outstanding sweet wines in the world. Situated within the Graves district of Bordeaux, the area includes the five communes of Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac, and Sauternes. The dominant grape in Sauternes is Sémillon, although the final blend generally includes some Sauvignon Blanc and, occasionally, small amounts of Muscadelle. In good vintages, this appellation is the lucky recipient of the right climatic conditions to infect the grapes with botrytis cinerea (noble rot). This beneficial mold causes the grapes to shrivel, leaving sugar-laden fruit full of rich, concentrated flavors. The best Sauternes wines come from low-yielding vines that have been hand-picked to ensure that the grapes are not culled before reaching the perfect degree of required ripeness. The resulting classic Sauternes wine is rich and sweet—the botrytis cinerea contributes a desirable honeyed and complex nature to both the aroma and flavor.

Attributes:

Candidato

Spain

Tempranillo

750 ML

Food Matches:

This mountainous country possesses more vineyard land than any other country on earth, and ranks third in wine production after France and Italy. Spain is best known for its red Riojas and its Sherries, however other wines and regions are quickly gaining notoriety. Like France, Spain divides wine into categories; table wine at the bottom level and quality wine at the top, with a large emphasis on geographical origin. VdM (Vino de Mesa) is a basic table wine. VC (Vino Comarcal) wines are a level up. VdlT (Vino de la Tierra) refers to one of the country’s 25 distinct regions, and each wine possesses a local character. At the top level, only about fifty wines are considered DO (Denominacion de Origen). These wines come from the best-known regions and are the equivalent of France’s Appellation Contrôlée. DOC (Denominacion de Origen Calificada) is reserved for wines that adhere to the most stringent regulations. So far, Rioja is the only wine to gain the Calificada classification.

This Spanish grape gives wines deep color, low acidity and only moderate alcohol content. In recent years the Ribera del Duero region has been producing wonderful wines featuring this grape; in older, more traditional regions such as Rioja, the grape is blended with others.

Attributes:

Masia L'Hereu

Penedès, Spain

Cabernet Sauvignon

750 ML

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 90

crisp, snappy

cherry, raspberry

sweet

Food Matches:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.

Penedès is a wine-making region of Catalonia in Northeast Spain. The area is surrounded by coastal hills and mountains from inland. Considered one of the country's best wine-producing regions, it is also one of the most ancient in Europe dating back to the 6th century. Known for its production of sparkling wine (Cava), the region also produces some highly-regarded red wines. On the hot humid coastal plains red varieties such as Grenache, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown. Meanwhile on higher inland terrain Macebo, Xarel Lo and the white grape varieties dominate. (Muscat, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling)