2012 Educated Guess Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Nose: Vanilla and young fruity berries
Palate: strong interplay of tannin and acid. Not bad but not subtle.
Finish: Lovely finish of blueberry and cherry notes.
Overall: we tasted this at a friend's house. They paid $24 for it at a local wine store. It is overpriced at this price point.

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. 

Oberon Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2009 Sponsored Wine Review by Billy

Nose:Heavy tropical fruit on the nose (pineapple and apricot and lemon)
Palate: Dry with medium acids that make this a good pairing for buttery dishes and cream sauce meals.
Finish:lingering tropical fruit acid notes.
Overall: Thanks to Susanne Bergstrom from the Folio Fine Wine Partners group for providing the review samples. This wine can be found widely (if it is not at your local wine store ask the manager for it). It retails for anywhere from $12 - $16. Overall this is a nice example of fruity Sauvignon Blanc. The citussy acid character presents well and should be best served with a buttery complement. There are many different styles of Sauvignon Blanc wines from around the world. This Napa Valley white wine is a nice example of a tropical fruit style.

Raise a Glass!

Sawyer Cellars Bradford Meritage 2004 wine review by Billy

Nose: oaky, currants, black and blueberry notes muted under a layer of spice
Palate: even tannins and strong acids and a strong mouth feel. Neither plush nor sharp, simply strong. Stands up very well to our dark Guinness gravy this thanksgiving
Finish: berry burst on the finish.
Overall: mature red wine from Napa that works well with strong flavored meals. A nice centerpiece to a multi-faceted meal this vegetarian thanksgiving

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Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) Reserve Tapestry 2006 wine review by Billy

This is a classic Napa Valley red. You'll see it in stores referred to as "BV" and it is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, cabernet franc and malbec.

Nose: blueberry jam, smoke, cedar
Palate: soft and lush with delightfully smoky notes on the palate. Impressive but not overbearing Tannins, dark fleshy fruit notes (plums) and ever so slight peppery spice.

Finish: lighter berry hints on the finish, even some strawberry.

Overall: Wonderful new world style red. Complex and structured, evenly crafted and juicy. At $26 a steal. This wine typically is seen for $45 - 50. We had this wine at a family reunion with PB and NW and me all in the same place at the same time. These rare occasions always involve reviewing some really special wine and this was no exception. Be sure to see PB and NW's reviews as well.

Raise a Glass!

Bressler 2004 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon wine review by Billy

Nose:cocoa dust, tobacco leaves and casis with vanilla and oak nut notes.

Palate: elegant and unprepossessing mouth feel while remaining warm and full with a fine balance of firm acid and warm tannin core.

Finish: dark berry mash and pepper tones emerge over the top of more dusty cocoa.

Overall: Asking $200 for this wine which can retail and auction for typically less than $100 (though still in the $70-90 range) is plain thievery. And yet it was the second *lowest* priced option on the Cab wine list at Strip Steak in the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas. It is truly an obscene mark-up. Still, you cannot fault the wine maker for the sins of the seller (and, I suppose, the enablement by the buyer). This wine was wonderful. It is still tight and young and will benefit from continued cellaring.

Raise a Glass, but if you raise a glass of this, make sure you get a reasonable price from your restaurant, wine store or internet retailer.

Shafer "Red Shoulder Ranch" 2006 Napa (Carneros) Chardonnay wine review by Billy

Nose: lightly oaky, banana, apple and citrus flower spice. Pleasantly minerally and expertly layered.
Palate: Even and crisp and dry. Old world style chardonnay lacking the butter cream weight of a chard bomb but rather presenting a lovely and sophisticated elegance of steely feels, cleansing acids and crisp mouth play. An ever so slight spritzig adds a hint of playfulness and elegance to this even wine.
Finish: lingering and enjoyable. Lasting with hints of pear and summer grasses.
Overall: I paid about $35 for this bottle of wine which was a fair price though no bargain. its elegance and simplicity makes it almost understated. It is the supporting actor who steals the show. An enjoyable bottle with an unpresuming character. Write the name down or text "Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch 2006 Chard" to yourself lest you forget this wine after you drink it.

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.

2003 Twomey Napa Merlot wine review by Billy

Nose: coffee, cherry, blackberry, tobacco
Palate: smooth berry and tannic. Fine soft balance.
Finish: green finish with warm cherry and dry tobacco emerginglate.

Overall: a very finely crafted merlot.