Pacifico Sur Rose 2007 wine review by (PB)

This $8 rose is a nice light cherry hued drink with clean candy like aromas of cherry and raspberry. This is a Chilean rose made from Cabernet Sauvignon.

The first impression in the mouth is an immediate sense of spice but it goes as quickly as it comes. This wine has solid fresh flavors though a bit alcoholic but chilled down drinks very easy.

This is a nice summer quaff for sitting in the sun on a warm day but it paired quite well with our Cajun grilled shrimp. Cajun spices can be tough to put wine with but this works. So take note, and raise a glass.

La Veille Ferme 2006 (White) wine review by (PB)

These value wines both red and white always tend to be good values. This Cotes De Luberon Blanc is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc and Roussanne which combine to show case a bouquet that is sweet and spicy with peach and apricot nuances with fleeting "circus peanut" aroma with strawberry notes. Weird and wonderful!

In the mouth this $8 wine is hard to pin down with fruity and well structured flavors. For the price, you really should give it a try! Raise a glass.

Lafite Reserva Speciale 2005 wine review by (PB)

Another of the 05 Bordeaux that has a cranberry hue with an interesting bouquet of gentle cherry/black cherry notes and cedar. After breathing clean cherry aromas with an almost flowery bouquet laced with pomegranate and bread.

The bouquet is the best part of this wine which is a little disappointing. It gives a nice first impression with a popular sweet palate, balanced fruit and clean flavors. It's decent enough but at $17 I have found better values in this hallmark year. Raise a glass!

Old Moon (Old Vine) Zinfandel 2006

This wine was found at Trader Joes and sells for $6. It is purple with a raspberry bouquet and a sweet palate with raspberry fruit.

It is made in the very popular style that will appeal to most Americans. It is actually a pleasant guzzling kind of wine but don't get it thinking you're getting a Zin. It's just a fun, haphazard quaffer to enjoy a little on the kind side sitting on the porch waiting for dinner. Raise a glass.

Mouton Cadet (White) 2006 wine review by (PB)

This lightly golden Bordeaux smells like a wonderful Riesling or Gewürztraminer on first sniff and then evolves quickly to a Sauvignon Blanc blend. Peaches and grassy notes are very nice on the swirl with flowery bouquet.

This wine is 40% S. Blanc 50% Semillion and 10% Muscadelle and it tastes precisely like what it is. This wine comes in at $7.50 and is food friendly, and okay as an aperitif. Raise a glass to be sure.

Chateau Guiraud-Cheval Blanc 2005 wine review by (PB)

This Bordeaux Cotes De Bourg wine is another 05 value. It has a black cherry hue with tight fruit of black cherry and some raspberry notes with minerals and steel.

In the mouth this wine is sweet with some tannic structure, bready notes but needs to open. With breathing it is a tad hot but nice flavors and body with good structure and a good food wine. Buy this wine and two more to lay down for another year and reap the rewards. All this for only $14 so raise a glass to a great vintage!

Marquis De Chasse 2005

Remember I said to buy any 05 Bordeaux and give it s shot; there will be some real bargains to be found from this supreme vintage. This blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon is a cranberry jelly colored wine with a bouquet of fruity wood, and chocolate covered cherries. Nice.

In the mouth it is steely, a little tart tightly wound on opening and full of mineral flavors. BREATHE!

Really nice bouquet of ripe plum and a touch of cinnamon and pipe tobacco.

The palate is a bit tannic but this is a solid wine; give it two hours to air out and buy a couple for the under $10 price and put another year of age on it.

LeCheteau Vouvray Brut (NV) wine review by (PB)

This $10 sparkling wine from Vouvray France is really very nice! Made from Chenin Blanc, it is pale straw in color with a lemony melon bouquet that is understated. It is somewhat thin on flavor but is crisply made and refreshing.

Somewhat non-descript but I tell you this is a "best buy" sparkler and worth seeking out! I'll buy more if given the chance. Raise a glass!

Note--LeCheteau is spelled properly!

Domaine Tempier Bandol 2004 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Fruity nose of blueberry and mulberry

Dense core

Dark berry finish with dry herbs and cassis

This wine is wild and untamed! It has an exotic taste of berries and herbs, and is still quite tannic. After decanting, the wine softened a bit but continued to be chewy and dense. It also has a striking dark purple color, that looked beautiful in the decanter.

From a tiny region in Southern France, Bandol is made primarily from Mourvedre. The grapes are extremely ripe, but there's an underlying herbal tone that makes some of these wine taste almost wild and this is no exception.

I paid $32 for the bottle, and have seen it for as much as $40. If you're ready to do some exploring in France's lesser-known regions, look for a Bandol. And raise a glass!

Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc 2005 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Bright nose of peach and lemon

Nicely textured on the palate; fruity and acidic

Finish of citrus, melon, and lingering vanilla

This South African beauty is a steal at just $6! Well, that was the sale price. Regardless, the regular price is more like $10 which is still a good deal for a fruity, elegant, and nicely textured wine.

I could see this pairing well with a variety of dishes, and it also was delicious to drink on its own. I encourage you to seek out South African Chenin Blanc. Some wineries use the grape name Steen, however, it seems more of them are reverting back to the French name for the grape on the label. Either way, it's often great stuff at a modest price. Raise a glass!

Valle Reale Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2005 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Rich nose of crushed blackberry, spice, and a layer of dusty earth

Dense, fruity core

Moderate tannins on finish with raspberry, cocoa, spice, and pepper

Very nice wine! This wine costs $20 and is a step up from the delicious and simple "Vigne Nuove" label that prices in around $12. It's slightly more dense and structured, showing darker fruit flavors and more spice.

I rarely see this wine and should have grabbed more. The Montepulciano D'Abruzzo wines are common now, but almost exclusively just the entry level bottlings. It's unusual to see the next step up, such as this. Hope you find one. And raise a glass!