February 2017


February 2017
The Future is Mouvedre in the Sierra Foothills…


Editor’s Note
Forgotten Vines
Contributors
Fined & Filtered
South Africa’s Zoo Biscuits, by Rachel Signer
Happenings
Spirits: A Better Buttered Rum by Jordan Mackay
Books: Jamie Goode reviews Volcanic Wine
Last Sip: In Search of Mataro in California by Patrick J. Comiskey
Tastings
Year’s Best
US ZinfandelUS Syrah
Rhône
Chilean Cabernet & Carmenére
Argentine Malbec
Catalan
Best for $12 or Less
Focus On
New Releases
US New ReleasesImported New Releases
Editorial Features
Eat | Drink: Flagstaff, AZ


Once a stop on the way to the Grand Canyon, this southwestern mountain town has become a destination in its own right, says Elaine Chukan-Brown, dishing on the best new bars and restaurants.
Syrah Follies


Back in 1995, when Markus Goodfellow started buying syrah from a Yamhill vineyard, he dubbed the resulting wine “Fool’s Errand.” That pretty much summed up the prevailing feeling about the variety in Oregon’s cool climate. And yet, today, the state is turning out some of the most exciting examples in the US. David Schildknecht reports.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Mourvèdre on the Rise


Accelerated growing seasons are shifting the balance from grenache toward mourvèdre in some of the top vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Josh Raynolds reports from the Rhône.
The Rescue Paradox: Mourvedre in California


Amid concerns about drought and climate change, a few Sunshine State growers and winemakers are looking toward mourvedre, and revealing a completely different expression of the variety, says Luke Sykora.