Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet 2011 wine review by Billy

Nose: charcoal, plum, strawberry, blueberry
Palate: Good balance and solid structure between acids and tannins.  Pleasing slate and stony notes combine with plush berry flavors.
Finish: soft finish that lingers with flavors of blueberry and slate
Overall: I paid between 10 and 15 for this bottle of wine at a local store.  It is a pleasant and soft California Cab.  It shows nice earthy notes and is a soft and accessible Cabernet.

Once Upon A Vine The Fairest Chardonnay 2011 wine review by Billy

Nose: grapefruit, vanilla and creme brulee
Palate: supple mouth feel with firm core and buttery tones
Finish: pears and honey on the finish
Overall: this is a fantastic California Chardonnay with rich feel and soft complexion.  It is sourced and crafted in Sonoma California. I paid about $15 for this bottle an it is a great deal at this pricsilhouetteed it up solely because we had not tried it before and I liked the label which features a Brother Grimm stylized font and an intreaguing silouhuette of trees wine and the moon. 

Raise a glass!

446 Chardonnay 2010 wine review by Billy

Nose: white flowers and a citrus zing

Palate: soft mouth feel that embraces with melon roundness, lime citrus around a steely core.

Finish: long and lingering cut grass and more lime.

Overall: I paid about $12 for this at a local wine store.  I bought it because of the QR code on the back label. The melon notes keep it round and refreshing rather than biting.  The acid keeps it firm and able to hold up during a meal.  This is a very nice and affordable California Chardonnay for under $15.  Raise a Glass!

Iron Horse Classic Vintage Brut 2005 wine review by Billy

Nose:yeasty bread with strong floral undertones, sweet lemon blossom
Palate: bubbles that prick rather than effervesce, dry but not parched, strong lemon citrus on the palate.
Finish: slightly grassy with more lemon and a touch of grapefruit citrus.
Overall: I purchased this from Woot Wine which has some great deals. This was purchased along with a bottle of the Iron Horse Russian Cuvee 2005 for a total of $40. Since this wine alone retails for about $30 a bottle it was a good deal. I enjoyed this California sparkling wine. It is a good quality sparkling that has a great acidity to let it go with anything (ANYTHING!) while remaining approachable and drinkable. The overabundance of lemon, the slightly-less-than-brut brutness and the lack of sophistication in the bubbles leave me wanting a touch of something more. But for a summer day and a family celebration this was a great selection.

If you find it for $20 definitely pick up a bottle. You won't be disappointed!

Raise a glass.

Clary ranch Grower's Reserve 2006 Shazzam! Syrah Sponsored Review by Billy

Nose: Earthy, Stony, and Vegetal. Jammy asparagus and wild mushroom nose. Interesting for a Syrah.
Palate: Pepper emerges on the palate. Good balance of smooth tannin and acid core for a lush mouth feel.
Finish: Long with jammy plum and pepper after time.
Overall: This wine was provided to The Wine Cask Blog free of charge by Clary Ranch. The usual syrah/shiraz flavor profiles are swapped in this 2006 Clary Ranch Shazzam! for more vegetal, earth centered flavors. The flavors of the land are much more prominent here than in other Syrah wines which makes this unique. The rich jammy character of this wine combined with good crafting yields a great mouth feel with an interesting nose and flavor profile. If you are looking for a Syrah that is unique while still well crafted, raise a glass of Clary Ranch Grower's Reserve 2006 Shazzam! Sonoma Coast Syrah.

Clary Ranch 2006 Pinot Noir Sponsored Wine Review by Billy

Nose:Earth and asparagus, juicy strawberry and cherry notes. Moist tobacco leaf Multilayered and fine.
Palate:Expertly balanced and crafted. Juicy feel, light flavors of strawberry flavors. WONDERFUL!
Finish:Short and complex. A movie finale that doesn't overdo the credits.
Overall:This wine was provided free of charge to us at The Wine Cask Blog for review. It is a lucid but mature brick red approaching brown at the edges. Showing age but drinking very well now. Though showing older, the wine has a youthfully spry taste and nose. Remarkable. This Clary Ranch 2006 Pinot Noir is a delight of a very approachable wine with complexity and crafting to satisfy the expert wine drinker while retaining a very drinkable flavor profile to invite the wine novice. While this wine was provided free to us, it retails online for $30-$40 a bottle.

Etoile Rose NV Cuvee by Moet & Chandon wine review by Billy

Nose: muted nose of crisp citric acid, cinnamon, fig paste and daisy flowers
Palate:very dry with good acidity. Uneven bubbles that dissipate quickly in the glass to spritzig but not a bubbly.
Finish: Grassy, citric acid comes back
Overall: In a trumpet it appears as a muted brickish rose. I paid about $35 for this bottle and am disappointed. It has all the character of a flat bottle of soda pop. Promising fizz on the pour but quickly evaporating sparkle leaves you with a mediocre cuvee wine in your glass that you wish had room for something else.

Raise a glass of something else for the money (white star by Chandon for instance). AVOID and don't waste your money.