daily wine picks

Less than $15

Feb. 04, 2013 VIÑA VENTISQUERO Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca Valley Root: 1 2012 (87 points, $12)

Lime, grapefruit and melon rind notes are framed by grace notes of sea salt, straw and flint. Fine-tuned, with a focused finish. Drink now. 16,600 cases made. —Nathan Wesley

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$15 to $30

Feb. 04, 2013 BECKMEN Syrah Santa Ynez Valley 2010 (88 points, $25)

Strikes a nice balance between rustic crushed rock and dried berry. This is chunky and chewy, losing a little velocity on the finish. Drink now through 2016. 2,000 cases made. —James Laube

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More than $30

Feb. 04, 2013 RUST EN VREDE 1694 Classification Stellenbosch 2008 (94 points, $125)

Very ripe but racy, with a strong dark cocoa and black licorice entry melding nicely into the core of blackberry paste and plum sauce flavors that take on a lip-smacking quality. Rosemary and iron are embedded on the dense, driven finish. Impressive. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2019. 300 cases imported. —James Molesworth

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