Chateau Montelena 2007 Chardonnay wine review by Billy

Nose: strong green apple and citrus with a steely core.
Palate: firm acid at the center of a soft and slightly creamy outer mouth feel.  Very dry and crisp.
Finish: citrus and strong limes on the finish. Lasting.
Overall: this was our main course wine with Easter dinner.  We served it with a carmelized onion marmelade tarte, seitan, mashed potatos, cibatta bread and cranberry sauce.  It was a lovely accompanyment.  This winery gained noteriety in the movie "Bottle Shock" which remains the best movie about wine to this day.

Uppercut 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine review by Billy

Nose: resinous cedar, blueberry, cherry and black pepper notes
Palate: firm tannins, medium mouth feel, good food pairing wine,
Finish: fruity and short.
Overall: this wine was a gift from friends.  I have seen it online ranging anywhere from $23 -$30.  Overall the wine is a nice, meal-friendly cab.  It should be paired with food.  It will complement beef and hearty soups and stews.  As a vegetarian, I had it with cheeses, hearty minnestrone and a fantastic salad. 

Maryhill Winery 2007 Zinfandel Sponsored Wine Review by Billy

Nose: Warm black pepper and mashed blueberry/raspberry/cherry presents itself surrounded in a vanilla spicy oak.
Palate: Warm, bold and full on the palate. This is a delightfully crafted Zinfandel. In the mouth this Washington State red wine is layered and full.
Finish: Warm Vanilla and more fruit at the end.
Overall: This wine was sent to us at The Wine Cask Blog free for review. On initial tasting this 2007 Washington State, Columbia River Valley, Zinfandel presented quite tight so I decanted it. It is big fruity and accessible. A very nice Zinfandel. Decanting opened it up from its initial tightness and presented more nice berry forward flavors and smalls. Overall a very nice zinfandel from Mary Hill Winery in Washington State.

Raise a Glass!

Charamba Douro 2007 Sponsored Wine Review by Billy

Nose:A smooth and fruity nose reminiscent of the Spanish Tempranillo grape, some earth and oaky acorn notes are most dominant. Vibrant and enticing.
Palate:firm and youthful acids play about an understated tannin core. Very accessible but definitely young.
Finish: Acorn and Vanilla Cherry finish off very quickly leaving a green apple peel flavor at the very back of the tongue.
Overall: This delightfully youthful mix of grapes from the Douro region of Portugal still looks very young in the glass with a spry purple hue. The nose of the Charamba is wonderful and has enough facets to keep the wine lovers in your life enthusiastic. The palate is not complex which keeps this wine in the easy drinking and have a bottle on hand category. The finish is short but nice and keeps the Charamba balanced. A solid every day drinking wine for a very reasonable price. This wine was sent to The Wine Cask Blog for review by PortugalWines.Org. It retails for anywhere from $7-$12 online and you should ask your local wine store to get a case or two in stock. The 2007 Charamba is accessible and easy going. It is not a complex wine but that makes it easy to enjoy. It's youthful character and easy-on-the-wallet price point mean that it is pleasant to drink and pleasant to share. Raise a Glass to Portugal!

Jacob's Creek Reserve 2007 Chardonnay Sponsored Wine Review by Billy

Nose:Slightly off chardonnay nose. Lightly green and citrus.
Palate:thin and acidic, not quite crisp. Buttery on the back of the tongue.
Finish: Grape stem.
Overall:This wine was sent to The Wine Cask Blog free of charge to review. I have seen it retail for about $13. Meh. 2007 was not the best year in Australia overall and I have tasted much better Jacob's Creek wines at or below this price point. That they made something as good as this is testament to their drive for quality no matter what they have to work with. Still I would pass this year up.

Raise a Glass!

A Mano Primitivo 2007 Wine Review by Billy

Nose:earthy aromas with blueberries
Palate:warm spices and cedar with a smooth, even balance and tannins that warm and do not overwhelm.
Finish: short and tannic. more juicy berry notes.
Overall: I paid about $17 for this wine. A Mano Primitivo is the Italian version of the Zinfandel grape. The styles between this and American Zinfandels could not be more striking. The warm earth notes and soft tannins contrast with US Zin's typically fruit and hot black pepper explosion. While there are definite similarities, this Italian wine is milder and juicier with more earth notes than is typical for other Zins.

A nice take on a familiar varietal. For $17 not a bargain wine but not an unfair price for a new experience.

Raise a Glass!

Sean Minor 4 Bears 2007 Napa Pinot Noir Sponsored Review by Billy

Nose: Big strawberry and tart cherry with cedar notes.
Palate:Strong acids give a bigger than typical body and some bite. Big berry flavors. Fuller than your typically delicate Pinot Noir. Good meal accompanying wine.
Finish:fruity, grapey, accessible.
Overall: Happy Thanksgiving! We were sent this wine for free to review but it goes for about $17 a bottle. Overall not the best example of a classic pinot noir but still a well crafted and medium bodies fruity wine.

Raise a Glass and give thanks!

Jacob's Creek Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 Sponsored Wine Review by Billy

Nose:strawberry-rhubarb pie!
Palate:Very accessible and easy drinking. Good structure and evenly balanced. Not snobbish, friendly and inviting.
Finish: Short with a bit of strawberry jam that comes back.
Overall: This wine was sent to The Wine Cask Blog free of charge for a review. I have seen it online for about $10-12. While 2007 was not the best year for most Australian wines, this Jacob's Creek Reserve Pinot Noir from South Australia makes a strong case for exceptional value wine. If you are looking for an easy drinking Pinot Noir that comes in for under $15 (and possibly under $10 if you find a deal) pick up a couple of bottles and Raise A Glass!

Wiens Meritage 2007 Sponsored Wine Review by Billy

Nose: Beautiful cherry caramel, oaky, olives and basil notes with wild mushroom and even a touch of smoke.
Palate: Layered with sharp acids and a rich tannin layer for a lively mouth feel. A touch thin in the mouth but older world styling makes this a fun wine from Temecula in southern California.
Finish: cherries and cola on the finish with a very long and lingering taper.
Overall: This 2007 Wiens Family Cellars Meritage was provided to The Wine Cask Blog free of charge. The nose is beautiful and many-layered. In the mouth it is alive with an almost prickly acidity. The crafting is complex and the wine showcases the complexity well. Available on the Wiens Family website for about $40 a bottle. Raise a Glass to the resurgence of Temecula wines and Wiens Wines in particular!

4 Bears Sean Minor Central 2007 Coast Chardonnay wine review by Billy

This wine was provided free of charge to the Wine Cask Blog for Review.
Nose:Fresh and fruity tropical Apricot, Peach, and nutmeg on the nose.
Palate: soft but notable acids that blend seamlessly for a textured feel. Noticable tropocial pitted fruits. More of an old world elegance feel in the mouth with aluminum notes hinting of the central coast regions the grapes come from.
Finish: An unusually long and excitingly pleasant finish from this chardonnay. Elegant and subtle but lengthy in a way that reminds you that it is there but does not cloy or overwhelm.
Overall: An elegant and delicate chardonnay with fruity flavors but old world crafting. A wonderful California chardonnay with a unique, old world character and new world flavors

Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2007 wine review by Billy

Nose: Creamy Pear, butterscotch and nutmeg with an oaky vanilla spice. Lovely
Palate: tartly acidic that takes "crisp" a touch too far. Muted a bit as the wine warms to become steely. Needs strong food pairing to make it work otherwise unbalanced.
Finish: bitter at the sides with a dry feel to finish. Again, needs a good food pairing to mute the effect
Overall: I paid about $13 for this wine. The nose is delightful and with a meal this Sauvignon Blanc can be a nice complement. If you are wanting a decent Sauvignon Blanc or even just a dry white the Whitehall Lane 2007 Sauvignon Blanc is a solid choice. If you are serving something to stand on its own, make a different selection.

Either way, Raise a Glass!

2007 Orin Swift Cellars "The Prisoner" Napa Red wine review by Billy

Nose: Big jammy blackberry and bread, cedar spice upon opening. After time and decanting, warm cracked black pepper and cedar of the Syrah in the blend comes on strong. With even more time, delicate strawberry and blueberry scents tease.
Palate: Beautifully soft and supple on the palate with delicate acid/tannin balance and peppery warmth of spice throughout at the back of the palate.

Finish: Delightfully spry and tannic at the back, though sliding silkenly from delicate softness to the back with tannins that linger.

Overall: I paid $35 for this bottle. This is a teasing blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Syrah, charbono, and Grenache. Wonderful layers keep on emerging and teasing the nose and palate of this wine. A mishmash of berry and spice and woody flavors that is really quite wonderfully constructed and smooth. This will mature and calm as it settles and blends over 5 years or more.

Mommy's Time Out Rosso Primitivo 2007 wine review by Billy

Nose: jammy plum and raspberry with cedar tones
Palate: biting and acidic. unbalanced. unrefined. unpleasant
Finish: can't be over too quickly.
Overall: for $8 I couldn't pass up this bottle if only for the label. It is classic. The name "mommy's time out" and the picture of a chair and wine glass facing the corner is amusing and snarky. Unfortunately, the label is the best part about this wine.

It's funny but pass it by.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2007 Georges Duboeuf Review by Billy

Finally I got my hands on a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau. You'd think that, as much of the stuff floods the world the third Tuesday of November, that I'd have had a much easier time of it. Unfortunately I was in California for the two weeks surrounding this day and, restaurants and bars there simply didn't have the stuff on hand (at least where I was). So I'm a bit late to the game this year. Either way, I'm glad to have a chance to finally get at this bottle of early wine.

Nose: Petroleum tar with juicy raspberry.
Palate: chewy, balanced, unprepossessing.
Finish: present, quickly tapering.

All in all, Beaujolais Day is a great reason to have a glass of wine. While this wine is unremarkable, it is also unpretentious. It is a good drink. It will go with stuff. Have a bottle just to have a bottle but don't look to be blown away.

Raise a glass of Beaujolais to Beaujolais!