Cline California Syrah 2005 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Ripe raspberry and pomegranate nose

Core of blueberry on the palate

Raspberry and chocolate finish

This wine should be pretty easy to find. A lot of people really enjoy the Zinfandel produced by Cline, but if you head to the next aisle you can also find their basic Syrah. It's a decent value wine, priced around $8 or so.

In the Syrah category, this wine is what I call a "red" Syrah. It has more of a red fruit taste than a dark, jammy taste. Check it out and raise a glass!

Spring Mountain Miravelle-La-Perla-Chevalier 1996 wine review by (PB)

If you visit this blog often you know we do not review a ton of expensive wines. We have to buy most all our wines and we figure the average person isn't going to spend over $20 for a bottle of wine with any regularity. But there are exceptions and this was one such wine.

I found it at a hole in the wall store that looked like a low rent liquor store in St. Charles, Illinois. This store has been a treasure trove of fine wines though in scant supply and really hit or miss. I bought and reviewed a Lynch-Bages from this same store not too long ago.

So I found this one and it intrigued me because I was not familiar with Spring Mountain and it had some age on it and seemed to me to be a decent price for a Napa Bordeaux blend.

It is made of Cabernet Sauvignon 83%, Merlot 10%, Cabernet Franc 5%, and Petite Verdot 2%.

I served it blind to (NW) just to see what he might say about it. He actually pegged it as a Napa Bordeaux like blend with some age on it.

It is an opaque, mature red wine with a mature Cab bouquet and fresh dark berry nose.
In the mouth the wine is balanced and still lively, even a little tight on opening. Dark berry flavors with a slight herbal quality and notes of green pepper but very finessed with sophisticated structure.

With some air time, the wine is a little jammy in the bouquet with ripe black cherry and plum notes. If I had been tasting this wine, I would have pegged it as a quality Bordeaux.

Anyway, I paid $57 for this and would have to say it was worth it. But once again I will also say, that unless you have a fairly experienced palate it doesn't pay to spend that much money on a bottle of wine. You just cannot appreciate the nuances in a more expensive wine so educate your palate before dumping a load on a bottle you will probably scratch your head over. And then raise a glass!

Domaine De Baumard Clos Du Papillion 2001 wine review by (PB)

This white is yellow in the glass with distinctive aromas that were defying (NW) and myself from beginning to end. The wine comes from the Savennieres which is a region within the Loire Valley and this is my first wine from there. It is made of Chenin Blanc which is another one of my favorite grapes but this was unlike anything in my experience.


After talking about the wine and trying to pin it down, I labeled the nose as canned mandarin oranges with cinnamon spice up front. Bold and mysterious!

In the mouth the wine is dry, dry and dry again! There is a strong citrus front palate and a floral blast that is fleeting but awesome immediately following the swallow. This wine is from the Domaine De Baumard and cost (NW) $21. Raise a glass if unique is what you seek.

Willm Gewurztraminer 2005 wine review by (PB)

Another Boston grab at $13 which is really cheap for a Alsatian Gewurz. Opened this (NW) up for the weekend and it is full of apricots in the nose with a wonderful spicy underlay.

The mouth is sweet which in my experience is a bit unusual for Alsace (pronounced All-sos) and has intriguing flavors and complexity. To heighten the wonder of this wine, is the smoky touch in the finish. If you are familiar with this blog, you know my affinity for Gewurztraminers and this one is a honey. At this price, raise several glasses

Columbia Crest Merlot/Cabernet Two Vines 2001 wine review by (PB)

This $7 wine is another super value--do I sound like a broken record? Don't blame me, it's the folks at Columbia Crest who make bazillions of cases of good wine so they can peddle it at a bargain price point. This blend has a nice bouquet that is actually varietal with spicy fruit and Cabernet herbal notes up front with a chocolate layer underneath.

The palate is loaded with fruit and a wonderful touch of licorice. Raise a glass of another bargain!

Columbia Crest Shiraz Two Vines 2004 wine review by (PB)

This wine is fairly heavily pigmented as you would expect of a Shiraz. There is pencil lead and ripe blackberries and plum in the nose.

The moth feel is heavy--even a bit much? but it is a big wine and if in the right mood you would like it. As always with these folks, it is well made so raise a glass because you can afford to do so at $6!

Columbia Crest Two Vines Chardonnay 2004 wine review by (PB)

I think I paid around $6 for this wine and a predictable, it is a value wine from the folks in Washington State. It has a citrus and vanilla cream bouquet with a palate that is lively with citrus and vanilla flavors that taste real rather than manufactured in a petri dish (somewhere in New Jersey...)

Anyway, this is another super value wine from CC so raise a glass.

Wiens Cellars Merlot 2002 wine review by Billy

Nose: tobacco, licorice, black currant, cherry and black pepper.

Palate: warm and well structured with a big mouth feel. Balanced with a pleasing tannins and some cranberry-esque peak at the back.

Finish: smooth finish with crushed cherry and cedar for a lingering velvety warmth.

I simply adore this wine. It is big, fruit forward but with more character and structure than is typical of many new world wines. I bought this from the winery which is located in Temecula California though the grapes came from the Lodi region (of jug fame). But do not be mistaken, this is no jug wine. This is a fantastically crafted work of mouth-pleasing art. Sadly the 2002 is sold out but if the Wiens family can continue this excellence they may well be responsible for bringing Temecula wines back in vogue.

If you have a bottle, it can continue to lay down for at least another year if not more. This bottle was youthful and bursting. With breathing it rounded and gained character. With cellaring,it will gain even more character and rounding without giving up the fruit.

I raise my glass to Wiens!

Quivira 2004 Zinfandel Wine Review by Billy

Nose: Classic zin nose of earthy cherry, tobacco and cracked pepper spice

Palate: on opening this is overbalanced and over acidic tending toward a bitter astringency.
Finish; meh. smoother than the palate feel would suggest. Eating olives (like I did while reviewing this wine) cuts the bitterness a bit

Overall I do not care for this wine. I shared a bottle with the fetching Mrs. Billy at a local restaurant (where I paid $40 for the bottle). After taking the remaining 1/2 bottle home and trying it the next day, the bitterness was still pronounced and the nose (the best part of the wine) had dulled.

The green-astringency and pronounced bitterness that hid the berry flavors and smoothness suggests that too many young grapes went into the creation of this wine. It is possible that the bottle would mellow and characterize with some cellaring but I would have hoped that it would be ready by now.

Others have enjoyed this wine (or at least the vineyard) more than I but Raise a Glass anyway!

Sandeman Tawny Oporto NV wine review by (PB)

It has been sometime since I have had a port so I grabbed and inexpensive one from a well known and old producer--Sandeman, one of the great port houses of the world. I should have paid more. this port is actually a light ruby in color with an awkward bouquet of fruity raisins and a nuttiness. The palate is hot, thin and there is more alcohol than flavor initially but nuts and raisins are trying to escape the clutches of ethanol imbalance.

This wine does open though and its "okay." This is not a wine to buy if you aren't familiar with ports and you are expecting this to be representative. I paid $12 for it and should have gone a few dollars more. You can some nice porto fro under $20. I'd pass on this one but if you know what you're drinking, well, what the heck--it meets a need. Raise a glass--or not.

Beringer Shiraz Stone Cellars 2004 wine review by (PB)

This production line of table wine is from the folks at Beringer who generally produce solid wines even at the low end. This wine cost me $4--count 'em, four measly dollars--if the wine is just potable for that price you can't really complain.

This wine is more than potable! It is a young purple wine with a grapey and slightly peppery bouquet with even a note of black cherry. The palate is tart at first but mellows out, it is hot and steely and thin with tannins that are a bit rough. But, this is a $4 wine! Give it a little air and voila! You still have a $4 wine but seriously, there is even a touch of chocolate and the palate is better balanced. For a $4 wine, it is drinkable and a good wine to serve to unappreciative guests. Serve it with out embarrassment and raise a glass.

Lamole Di Lamole Chianti Classico 2004 Blue Label wine review by (PB)

This Tuscan value wine is aged 9 months in barriques and on pouring is a very pretty purple wine with fresh, wild cherry aromas floating upward with a cherry candy element. It reminds me of the old Luden's wild cherry cough drops. With even five minutes of air, a licorice layer is evident; I am impressed.

In the mouth the wine is a little tight on opening but opens with a nice licorice note on wild cherry flavors. This was a really nice Chianti and brings great memories as we traveled through and ate in Lamole Italy a few years back. I think I paid a mere $12 for this wine on sale. I wish I had bought more! Raise a glass!

Hugel et Fils Gentil "Hugel" 2005 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose of pear and lychee
Apple on the palate, with little backbone
Note of grapefruit and pear on the finish

This is an "okay" wine. It's not exciting or interesting. Actually, it tastes a little flat like a tired Pinot Blanc. I was hoping it would have a little more zip- and it probably does most years. I'd be willing to say that maybe my bottle was somewhat tainted but I don't know for sure.

The wine cost $11 or so, and is widely available. I enjoy wines from Alsace and would be willing to give this another chance at that price. Raise a fresh glass!

Ternhaven Cellars Claret d'Alvah 1999 Wine Review (NW)

(Label pictured at left is the 2000 Vintage)

1999 Tasting Notes:

Nice nose of cherries, cedar, mushrooms, and dusty earth

Steely core of minerals and tobacco

Finishes with wild berries and eucalyptus

I was pleasantly surprised by this wine. It has a distinctive taste and is drinking beautifully. From the Eastern-most winery on the North Fork of Long Island, this wine is a wonderful red blend.

I bought it at the winery from the winemaker himself a year ago. I remember stopping in to taste a few wines, this one included. I was the only one in the tasting room that afternoon and had a nice conversation with the gentleman pouring my wines, only to find out he was the winemaker. I paid $18 for the bottle and zipped off to catch the ferry to Connecticut. Raise a glass!!

La Chablisienne "Petit Chablis" 2003 wine review by (PB)

If you thought you could never afford a white Burgundy think again. Chablis, which is a small village in Burgundy, France (it is NOT a cheap sugary white jug wine) produces four different levels of wine. They are--from the lowest to the highest, Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis Grand Cru. All the wines are made from Chardonnay and great pride is taken in making them all.

I bought this white Burgundy for $14. It is golden in the glass with a bouquet that has a couple things going on. Vanilla cream and citrus or mandarin orange notes with a little touch of spice to cap it off.

In the mouth it is full of wood, good acid, citrus fruit that's a little thin with a touch of cream in the aftertaste. This is a lot of wine for the money and a fine example of how little you have to pay for a wine with some real character. Look for these "Petit Chablis" or "Chablis" wines as they will not ruin your kid's college fund. Then raise a glass to inexpensive wine with real character.

Man Chenin Blanc 2005 wine review by (PB)

This South African Chenin--colloquially called "Steen" is a value wine at less than $7.

It is a light golden wine with citrus and big tropical fruit aromas with a touch of custard. In the mouth the wine is well made, a little tart showing good cleansing acid with mixed fruit flavors. A good food wine or aperitif and worth raising a glass!

Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer 2006 wine review by (PB)

The Gewurztraminer grape (pronounced Guh-VERTS-tra-MEE-ner) has to be just the best all time summer quaffer.

This one by Ste. Michelle is typical of the varietal (in the American style) where it is almost clear, bursting with big pear aromas in the nose with a fresh and crisp palate exhibiting peaches and pears all over. It is fairly simple but tasty and lingers with gentle fruit. All of the American Gewurz's tend to run in the $8-$10 range.

Raise a glass again and again.

Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 wine review by (PB)

In my previous entry I mentioned the wine hunt (NW) and I engaged in and found a bargain wine in a bin of markdowns. This was the other wine in the bin marked down to $7.99.

This wine is purple with a young dried cherry bouquet. The palate is soft with light red fruit which benefits from a little breathing.

Ripe plum emerges with a nice palate of new world structure and popular taste. At $7.99, this wine is a bargain as it generally runs around $13. We raised a glass of this as well and then bought several more bottles for our cellars.

Kendall Jackson Meritage 2003 wine review by (PB)

A "meritage" blend is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc; it is your typical Bordeaux blend if you can describe anything as typical in Bordeaux. This one (NW) and I found on a recent wine hunt Boston and did we ever find a bargain. This young wine is purple with a black cherry/berry bouquet. In the mouth there is a little spice front palate and generic fruit but it is tight and needs to breathe.

There is nice fruit with a layer of cocoa or milk chocolate with fresher black cherries; palate is still tight but this is a value wine fro what we paid for it.

We saw a bin with this and another wine in it. This was marked $6.99 yet we knew this wine sells fro around $14. So we grabbed a bottle, opened it and tasted it. We went back the next day and bought up everything they had which was another half case. This is what wine hunting is all about. It's the "garage saleing" for the wine enthusiast and we hit a real find and raised a glass or three. Nice!

Numanthia Termes Toro Termes 2002 wine review by (PB)

If my memory serves me, this wine was #3 of the Wine Spectator's annual top 100 a couple years back. At $24 or so, this wine was a steel but (NW) served up the last one. It has a brilliant garnet hue with fresh cherry/berry bouquet and ripe plum with black berries and a wonderful licorice layer all in the nose.

The mouth feel is luxurious with a big licorice layer with robust body and all this is before it has even had a chance to open up. It is made from the Tinto Del Douro grape which is a clone of Tempranillo.

This wine is just solid in every way, delicious and what wine is supposed to about. If you can find one raise a glass or buy whatever vintage you can. I recently saw a more recent year locally for $22. So, raise a glass and just say "Ahhhhhh...."

Bricco Allegro Moscato D'Asti 2003 wine review by (PB)

This hyper sweet dessert wine from Italy haw an amazing bouquet of lemon juice from one of those plastic yellow lemons in the grocery store and lemon grass. The wine is a light golden in color.

The palate is lacking acid which makes an otherwise nice wine a bit flabby. At 4.5% alcohol, you can drink up and not worry about a buzz. It was really tasty with an appetizer of figs with walnuts and blue cheese and honey. The wine was $11 for a 500ml bottle which makes it a bit pricey. It was nice but over priced. Raise a glass though chilled down well.

Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc 2005 wine review by (PB)

Pale clear with slight green touch on the pour with gentle but finessed bouquet that is extraordinary--some citrus and other fruit which is baffling.

The palate is fresh and rather classic Sauvignon Blanc though a tad weak in structure. Reading the label I realized why I was baffled by the bouquet. I thought this was 100% Sauvignon blanc but is blended with Semillion which explains the nice but out-of-character aromas. This is a tasty white from Sonoma and the always reliable Ch. St. Jean. It will run you about $13 so raise a glass!

Brancaia Tre 2004 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Bright Sangiovese nose of sour cherry and licorice
Steely core, with earthy tones on the palate
Moderately chalky tannins with red cherry, minerals, and traces of vanilla to finish

The wine never really opened up for us, but was developing more layers as it got some air. It has a lot of Sangiovese style, but is a "super-Tuscan" blend incorporating 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot with the Sangiovese base.

The fruit is sharp and the tannins are pronounced, but I'd be curious to taste this wine after a couple additional years of bottle ageing. My guess is that it would soften up, and hopefully become more harmonious too.

This was my first go-around with this wine. Dining out with PB and our wives, we figured we'd try something new from a wine list with very limited selections under $100. (Make sure to read his review forthcoming). We paid $50 for this bottle, and retail prices seem to be around $20. The restaurant markups make me cringe! Nevertheless, raise a glass of Tuscan juice!

O'Reilly Pinot Gris 2006 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Rich nose of pear and apple
Fairly thick texture on the palate
Finishes with layers of sweet peach and honey

For Oregon Pinot Gris, this is a very sweet wine. While somewhat out of character, it's a nice wine for summer drinking. I had to do a double take at the label just to make sure it really said Pinot Gris and not something else (like Riesling or Gewurztraminer).

The problem we ran in to at the dinner table was food pairing. I expected it to be lighter and more acidic, so I don't think it paired as well with our various seafood appetizers as it could have.

Overall, though, it drank nicely. And it better have! Because we were on Nantucket, we paid a handsome restaurant markup of $50. I've seen this wine selling in stores $16-$20. Raise a glass!

The Show 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon wine review by (PB)

This wine is made from sourced California grapes and is produced by the same folks who did such a decent job with the "Three Thieves" line of box wines.

The label is hokey but the wine is pretty good. On the pour it is a fine purple with some depth and has varietal aromas of green pepper and light fruit. It needs to be breathed.

With 15 minutes, the gentle bouquet turns into a full blown power house of Cabernet aromas with a touch of leather.

In the mouth it tastes a bit manufactured but it is a good example of the grape with a sweeter palate in the popular style with dark berries and chocolate with simple tannins and a powdery texture. It finishes with plenty of smoky oak.

Somewhat predictable but at the $15 price point it holds its own. All in all not bad and down right tasty. So, raise a glass!

Beaujolais Villages 2006 (G. Duboeuf) wine review by (PB)

Brilliant purple/cherry hue with lovely strawberry and chalky powdery bouquet.

Palate is fresh, with nice summery fruit and a touch of milk chocolate; it is lively, simple and a summer wine for guzzling with just about anything. We had it with fried chicken and it was delicious. I paid $8 for this which is well worth it but then found it at Sam's Club for $6.58.

I WILL be buying more--so raise a glass and obtain some of this super value, tasty wine.

El Coto Rioja 2003 wine review by (PB)

This Spanish red designated Crianza is 100% Tempranillo and medium garnet in hue on the pour. There is a touch of vegetal tones with some dried red fruit. There is a firm layer of black pepper in the nose.

This wine is surprisingly tasty with a bit sweetish palate but very tight on opening. With some air dried cherries abound with good structure. This is a pleasant old world wine and for $9 would pair well with all kinds of Italian foods. I made home made ravioli with Italian sausage and it was really good! Raise a glass.

Bogle Zinfandel Old Vine 2005 wine review by (PB)

We had this Zin after the Four Vines previously blogged--

It had a markedly diminished bouquet compared to the Four Vines with a palate that is on the sweeter side but with big flavors of dark fruit with some Zin character. After some air time, the wine opens to a peppery and somewhat shallow wine especially compared to the Four Vines.

Everyone liked this wine okay but preferred the Four Vines by far. Raise a glass of either but at $11.50 the Four Vines was not only a better tasting wine it was a better value!

Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee Zinfandel 2005 wine review by (PB)

I grabbed this for just under $10 because I wanted a Zin that I hadn't tried and another one of the Four Vines Zins that I had, had was pretty tasty.

It is a purple cherry hue with a black berry bouquet. A friend who doesn't exactly have a very discriminating palate even said, "Wow!" just upon smelling this wine. Yes it is a fruit bomb but a well made one and rather classic example of good though inexpensive Zinfandel.

In the mouth it is fruit filled, robust full of dark fruit and spicy cinnamon with decent structure. As it warmed up a bit--it was in a refrigerator before we drank it, raspberry and blueberry notes emerge with some milk chocolate. Hey for the price this is a good value and good Zin! So raise a glass!

Wolf Blass Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Yellow Label 2004 wine review by (PB)

This deep purple from down under is 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet. It shows lots of color with a fruit bomb bouquet.

In the mouth this wine is popularly made with loads of black cherry fruit galore and some lingering dark fruit and perhaps some espresso. Another BIG wine from the Aussies. This wine was a gift but I believe it runs around $12 and is one of the gazillions of wines at that price point that may lack character but are drinking really well. Raise a glass.

Barefoot Bubbly Chardonnay Premium Extra Dry N.V. wine review by (PB)

When you want a sparkler that you can just chill down and enjoy with a host of foods, you don't have to spend a fortune but you DO have to know what NOT to buy. The market has a bunch of really cheap (like $3-$6) "sparkling wines" that are really sugary, disgusting, and just plain nasty. Still, a lot of people buy them...

But for a couple more dollars you can actually get a bubbly with some character that will pair with foods and won't turn your stomach with sweetness.

This bubbly is one such sparkler. It is made from Chardonnay although granted, it doesn't taste very varietal but it isn't bad--really.

It is straw colored in the glass with fine but scant bubbles. The bouquet is thin but there is actually a hint of nuttiness and fruit.

In the mouth the wine is pleasantly dry with gentle citrus notes and again a hint of nutty tastes.

I chilled it well and served it with a seashore dinner of mussels and mahogany clams steamed in a garlic wine sauce. Really drinkable and for $8, why not? Raise a glass.

Clos de los Siete 2006 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Concentrated nose of dark berries, black currant, and coffee

Dark, rich core of fruit and herbs

Finishes with heavy tannins accenting dark chocolate and herbs

Just arrived! I stopped in for a bottle of the 2005 and the 2006 was already in the bin. After one glass, I've decided it's not as good as the prior year. It has deep, dark fruit, coffee, and herbs, but finishes with heavy tannins that are distracting and mouth-puckering.

Still, I enjoyed the wine because I was in the mood for a dark, rich South American red. In this case, it's a wine from Argentina put together by Michel Rolland and a group of others. I paid $14 on sale, marked down from $15. Raise a glass!

Caymus Cabernet Sauvingon 2004 wine review by (PB)

Every now and again a wine comes along that defines what wine should be. You can read the blogs and mags and they always seem to point to the classic Bordeaux or some extraordinary, and essentially unobtainable, California Cabernet like Screaming Eagle. But the other night (NW) brought up a bottle of this Napa Cabernet which was simply one of the very best Cabernets I have had from anywhere in the world.

Yes the wine will run you a pretty penny (around $70) but no where near the number of pretty pennies the over priced Bordeaux or the over priced Napa boutique Cabs will run you --if you can even get them...

It is a dark black cherry color with a room filling bouquet; great Cab nose and layers that unfold even as I swirl. Licorice and vegetal notes full of dark rich fruit abound.

In the mouth this wine is just plain tasty and approachable with great structure and educated tannins--delicious!

With time it opens to a fully sensual experience that is just juicy wine at its best. Absolutely wowing! Raise a glass if you have the means. Thanks (NW).

Chateau du Bousquet 2001 wine review by (PB)

This Grand Vin De Bordeaux from the Cotes De Bourg is a medium cherry color with some age showing in its presentation. The bouquet reveals some chocolate, berry and slightly herbal notes.

The palate is subtle--classic old world wine with a touch of bitterness. Fruit is tight and needs air.

With some breathing the bouquet opens up a bit to vegetal berries. It is a bit tannic with dried cherries as primary fruit. Actually this wine is pretty decent but again definitely "old world."

This wine is also peaked and needs to be consumed now! Raise a glass quickly.

Beringer Chenin Blanc 2006 wine review by (PB)

I'm sensing the need to buy some wine so I stop at this dumpy place I know to look for a bargain or two. I see this wine and I think I remember that Beringer made a real bargain wine except I thought it was the "Stone Cellars" variety. At the price of $4.50 I figure what the heck.

I put a chill on this wine and gee whiz--this is a treat to chill down and sip on a hot summer day on the porch or with a rain moving through.

It is pale straw with a really nice peach bouquet.

In the mouth it is sweeter than I might have hoped but is well made and carries the sweetness fine. More peach flavors and a little spice. For this price I am going back for more! Raise a glass.

Feudo Arancio Nero D'Avola 2002 wine review by (PB)

This oft reviewed wine by me of varying vintages continues to be a value favorite. I find it on special routinely at a place in suburban Boston for $6--unbeatable. This is the last of the 2002.

It is rather dark in the glass with dark fruit of black cherry and hint of something else I can't pin down--needs to breathe.

Palate is fairly austere prior to breathing and a bit biting. After even 15 minutes of breathing, the wine is changing. Bready flavor with dried cherries and dark fruit that is more pronounced. Black cherry flavors in the mouth with a touch of licorice after an hour. For the price you just can't do better! Raise a glass of any vintage of this wine. They're all good!

Snoqualmie Chenin Blanc 2001 wine review by (PB)

Straw colored with an odd bouquet for a Chenin; odd not meaning unpleasant but rather stupefying as to what fruit I am smelling. There seems to be a touch of guava like a Sauvignon Blanc.

It is sweet in the mouth, even too sweet. Yet it carries it off okay with a sufficient acid base to help the sweetness. This is a unique wine and honestly I can't decide if I like it or not which generally means I do not. Raise a glass of something else. (I don't remember what I paid for it but I think around $8.)

San Simeon Pinot Noir 2005 wine review by (PB)

In celebration of the 90th anniversary of the historic San Antonio winery in Los Angeles, they sent us this wine for our "tasting pleasure."

Remember Pinot Noir is a tough grape to grow and a complex wine to make well. Wine makers, Riboli and Debons have outdone themselves on this super value Pinot.

The wine is beautiful right from the first pour with a gorgeous wild cherry red hue. Strawberry and black cherry bouquet is surprisingly full.

In the mouth this wine is fairly intense with a first impression of milk chocolate with fruit notes. After breathing the wine for half hour or so, it opens to a complex wine with pepper and cinnamon notes. This wine is REALLY well made and in my notes I wrote, "VERY,VERY, NICE."

At $18, that's right $18, this is a super value Pinot Noir which if available in your area, definitely give it a try and raise a glass.

Red Guitar 2005 Wine review by (PB)

This Spanish old vine Navarra is a blend of Tempranillo (55%) and Garnacha (45%). The Garnacha carries the bouquet contained in this cranberry colored wine with a stellar rose colored rim. Elegant strawberry bouquet with a black cherry core. It is surprisingly sweet in the mouth with a chocolate center which seems unique for these grapes.

It is more new world than old in style and should be a very popular wine as it is made with the "modern" palate in mind. It makes me wonder if Michelle Roland is behind this creation.

At any rate, it is really pleasant in spite of less than attractive label and name. Raise a glass because this is a nice $11 wine.

Liberty Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) 2005 wine review by (PB)

Liberty tends to make solid, fruit forward wines at an attractive price point. This one is no exception with its young purple hue and big ripe plum and jammy blackberry aromas.

Palate is busting with rich, full bodied jammy, and bready fruit with a core of ripe dark berry fruit galore. The tannic structure of this wine borders on voluptuous. This wine is ready to drink now but expect another popular tasting and well made fruit bomb that almost tastes "manufactured." At the $10 price point, if you don't mind petri dish wine as (NW) is fond of saying, this one is enjoyable and easy to raise a glass!

Salvalai Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2003 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Cherry, red berries, and spices on the nose- which opened slowly
Tight core of fruit on the palate
Finishes with moderate tannins, raisins, and brown sugar

After deciding this wine was a little tight- and probably too young to drink- I decanted it for an hour or so. The wine slowly opened up to show nice layers and continued to evolve in the glass as the evening went on.

I didn't know much about this wine, as it's not readily available in the United States. As a result, I decided not to get my hopes up even though I really like Amarone. They can be very special wines when done well.

At first, I wasn't impressed. But after considerable air, the wine began to show its stuff. Still, I think we drank it too young as good Amarone can age for extended periods of time. Because of this, I've decided to go back for a couple more bottles to stash away for longer-term cellaring.

I paid $30 for the wine, which isn't much by Amarone standards. If it does continue to evolve in the bottle and improve with age, this will prove to be a tremendous bargain price. Raise a glass!

Trapiche Oak Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose of blackberry, currant, and herbs
Herbal core on the palate
Chewy tannins on finish, with softer fruit and dark chocolate accents

I like this Cab from Argentina better than many of the Chileans right now at the same price point. For $10, you get a wine that tastes like real Cabernet, has a nice blend of fruit and herbal layers, and is easy to drink. Raise a glass!

Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana 2003 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose opens slowly to reveal dark berries and tobacco

Well-structured core of fruit on the palate

Finshes with moderately chewy tannins, ripe fruit, cocoa, and subtle spice notes

I've enjoyed a number of super-Tuscans lately that have rich fruit while maintaining a solid backbone. This one is solid and well-structured, but lacks the additional richness. While I wouldn't put this one in the upper-echelon, it's a solid performer. It tastes young and will probably improve with age.

A bottle normally runs about $32 in the store. I paid $35 for a half bottle recently at a nice Italian restaurant, with the full bottle listed at $70 on the wine menu. Hey, this is at the low end of the price spectrum for super-Tuscan red blends. Raise a glass!

Gavi Di Gavi "La Caplana" 2005 wine review by (PB)

Reading Gaiter and Brecher in the Wall Street Journal prompted me to try this wine. It is an Italian white that sits pale straw in the glass with a musty bouquet of fruit and light melon.

The palate is textured yet pleasantly sour with piercing, citrus notes and plenty of acid to cut through the richest sauces. The end is fleeting finishing with a tartness as well.

The mustiness dissipates within a few minutes and it was paired with grilled Tuna which had a fruit salsa on top. The wine pushes forth a vanilla cream bouquet later in the meal.

Another great food wine that scrapes your mouth clean with every sip. I paid $15 for this wine--the first of the region for me. Raise a glass to grilled seafood and sturdy whites.

Neirano Barolo 2001 wine review by (PB)

I bought this at Sam's Club for $22. That's a dirt cheap price for a Barolo but I have purchased other Barolos at Sam's--although not that cheap--and have been pleasantly surprised.

For a Barolo--made from the Nebbiolo grape, this wine is light in color and a bouquet which is understated. Fruit is non-descript and fairly tight. This is not a good example of Barolo but then I didn't pay a classic price for it either. I decanted it and let it breathe.

In the mouth this wine is rather tart and tannic with a bready, toasty front. A dried cherry nose opens but it is still tart but it is better than it was on opening. However, at the two hour mark for breathing, it improves substantially.

There are rasiny notes and even the tartness resolves quite a bit. It was a good steak wine and okay for the price. I wouldn't buy another but I'm glad I bought the one. Raise a glass.

Domaine Bott-Geyl Muscat 2002 wine review by (PB)

This Alsatian varietal is made by the same folks who made the stellar Gewurztraminer I raved about in an earlier post. This wine--like the Gewurz--was bought on close out for $7.

It has a lovely light gold color and is a little musty on opening with sweet aromas of honey and something else I can't peg.

In the mouth this wine is surprisingly crisp where I had expected a dessert wine. Muscats are often made as aperitifs or dessert wines but this Alsatian Muscat was definitely a food wine.

Another bargain found on closeout and as I bought the only two remaining, I have one left which I'll open in a few months or maybe another year just for kicks. Raise a glass to bargain closeouts.

Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2001 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Gorgeous dark purple color

Intense nose of wild dark berries, spice, and dusty earth

Rich fruit on the palate with anise notes

Endless finish with chewy tannins and long layers of dark fruit, anise, and dark chocolate

A great wine can be rich, powerful, and elegant all in one. It's quite an accomplisment, and is something I rarely get to experience. I taste a lot of good wine, but not a lot of great wine. On this ocassion, I have a great wine to recommend.

Mostly Carmenere, this wine is a blend of other international grape varieties as well. It is the flagship wine of Casa Lapostolle in Chile, a winery that has accomplished a lot over the years. Three years ago, I paid about $55 for this bottle. I've seen more recent vintages priced a bit higher.

Drink this wine slowly over the course of the evening because it will evolve in the glass given time. Enjoy with good food and good company! Raise a glass!

Pio Cesare Barbera D'Alba 2004 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nice nose of berries, cherry, spice, and vanilla

Fruity on the palate, with a backbone of acidity

Pleasant finish with more berries

This wine is more modern in style than I expected. In fact, it's well within the current international style that has created some homogeneity across borders and varietals with ripe berries and heavy oak characteristics.

With that said, it tastes good. I happen to like Pio Cesare wines, having now tried quite a few. They tend to have a more modern style to their wines across the lineup, even the flagship Barolo. For a reasonably-priced Barbera from the Piedmont, grab a bottle of this wine for $14 or so. Raise a glass!

Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Sannio 2004 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Lemons and minerals on the nose
Floral tones on the palate
Finishes with sweet citrus and more minerals

I recommend this wine for a nice change of pace. There's an aweful lot of Italian Pinot Grigio being consumed lately, and this wine is something different in the $10 price range.

This was on the wine-by-the-glass list at a nice Italian restaurant I went to recently. It paired well with several appetizers shared by the table. Raise a glass of interesting Italian white wine!

Columbia Crest "Two Vines" Merlot 2002 wine review by (PB)

How many times do I have to say it? Columbia Crest just makes good wine and great wine values.
This varietal has ruby hue with a nice blackberry nose and really ripe plum.

In the mouth this wine defies its $7 price tag. There is plenty of tasty fruit with currant notes and plenty of blackberries. It is peaked right now so drink away! How can you do better at this price point? Wine Spectator gives it an honest 88 points. Here, here! and Raise a case.

Kung Fu Girl Riseling 2006 wine review by (PB)

Another one of Charles Smith's AKA-K Vintners- bizarre wines. Don't let the goofy label and silly name steer you away. This is one of the best Rieslings I have had in years from any country including Germany! And this one comes from Washington state.

It is a pale straw colored with beautiful peach, apple and pear aromas. The palate is crisp--very crisp--tasty and juicy with flavors of fresh green and yellow fruit. This wine is just really well made and finishes with crisp pears. At the $14 price tag, buy them up and just say WOW! Raise a glass.

Columbia Crest "Grand Estates" Merlot 2003 wine review by (PB)

Columbia Crest's step above their production level table wine is Grand Estates. It always runs around $10-$11 and is always really good. This is no exception.

It is an intense deep purple with a cranberry colored rim on the pour and tilt. The bouquet is typically rich in varietal aromas with a nice accent of dill and licorice.

In the mouth this wine is just a full flavored fruit forward wine that goes down easily. It is a little bold so pair it with something robust. At this price, you should be buying a case for your everyday drinking pleasure. After all, "Life is too short to drink bad wine!"

Three Thieves Pinot Noir 2004 Wine Review by Billy

Sure it's a jug, but it's a cute jug. And at about $7- 10 for 1 Liter, who can complain.

First, this should be evaluated in its price class and not necessarily against a world class Pinot. But up against something like the 2005 Pinot Evil (click for review below) it is positively a delight.

Nose: thick pinot nose of strawberry and pinot stank.
Palate: a decent attempt at balance though missing the mark in favor of tannins. This still hold up well with foods like pizza with tobasco on it.
Finish: dry, but there is a finish. Hints at early season (not quite ripe) strawberries.

I had a glass of this side by side with the 2005 Pinot Evil from Romania and the Three Thieves 2004 Pinot Noir from California wins hands down. Not only is it better crafted, it even tastes like a pinot noir. Add in the fact that you get more for about the same price and, woo-hoo pardner, you're a-drinkin' wine!

Buy this for a cheap meal accompaniment for you and your old frat buddies. Don't get it to impress the girls.

Pinot Evil Pinot Noir 2005 wine review by Billy

Reviewing the keywords that often lead folks here yields interesting results. Among the wines folks type in to get here is one that we've not reviewed until just recently: Pinot Evil (see PB's review HERE). This is a sourced wine (meaning the winery gets the grapes from other places (Mark West winery from California is similar). The 2005 pinot noir hails from (get this) Romania (DOC Recas).

The clever naming and cute monkey pictures aside, this is not the world best Pinot Noir. It's not even really a good example of a Pinot Noir. In the opinion of this blogger, it's plonk. Here's the review anyway:

Nose: bigger thicker redberry, some licorice. Where is the pinot smell?
Palate: thin. biting. the kind of wine that makes non wine drinkers stay away from wine. the kind of palate that makes wine drinkers go, "I paid what for this?"
Finish: finish? All I have left in my mouth is some green tree - leaf stems.

Take the $7 and buy some Three Thieves Pinot Noir instead.

Domaine Bott-Geyl Gewruztraminer 2002 wine review by (PB)

From the Beblenheim of Alsace is a blow you away, slap me upside the head wine that blows my socks off. I bought it for $6 on close out. I bought it merely because that price for any kind of Alsatian Gewurz. is unheard of. Five years old could be a bit of a stretch as well for such a wine and since it was so cheap you tend to think--"That's why!" But hey, for the price, what do you have to lose?

This wine is incredible! It is a deep golden in the glass and with the bouquet and color I would have sworn it was a Cru Sauternes! Aromas of sweet honey with orange blossoms. Shut up! The mouth is surprisingly sweet; I mean like desert wine sweet-- with solid acid and honey fruit compote that linger on a lovely base. This wine should cost ten times what I paid for it. You better believe I raised a glass--several times.

Rueff-Rochling Riseling 2003 wine review by (PB)

German wines contain a lot of information on their label that will help you buy the right wine if you know what you are reading. There are basically six levels of quality and the label tells you which you are considering. The first level is a Q.B. A. wine which stand for a German phrase that essentially means it meets the level of quality set by the particular region in which it is made and bottled. The word "Qualitatswein" or just the initials (above) will let you know this.

From there the quality levels rise with their attendant "title" on the label. The "titles" in ascending order as as follows:
Kabinett; Spatlese; (pronounced--Shpayt-Laysuh) Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese,
each having an ascending sweetness (and price) as well.

This wine reviewed is a simple Q.B.A. wine which should be a basic table wine. What it is, is fantastic! From the Mosel region, it is pale straw in color with an intense bouquet of citrus and light guava with sweet vanilla.

In the mouth it is a little creamy with citrus and nice structure, dry and fruity. This wine is much better than the normal Q.B. A. wine. (NW) paid $15 for this wine on sale which is quite high actually for a typical Qualitatswein German wine, but then this is no typical German Q.B. A. wine so raise a glass@

J. Lohr Chardonnay Arroyo Seco 2005 wine review by (PB)

Pale yellow in the glass with banana bouquet and a rear of burnt wood.
Palate is citrusy with good structure with a gentle bitterness that is attractive highlighted by a hint of vanilla cream. This $13 wine is tasty so raise a glass.

Rosenblum Zinfandel Rock Pile Road 2003 wine review by (PB)

(NW) treated at his suburban Boston pad bringing out this Wine Spectator top pick Zin for the year it came out garnering a big 94 points. This Zin is gargantuan with anise, ripe blackberry and plum aromas that are wonderful. (check his review below)

The palate is rich, ripe intense with espresso mocha notes and enormous black cherry flavor with cedar at the back. This wine just keeps going with awesome wine flavors. How much for a such a special wine? Forget the outrageous prices of impossible to find boutique wines or classified Bordeaux. This sizzling Zin was $32 but forget about finding it now. If you don't have one, you won't find one. But raise a glass of any of the many Rosenblum single vineyard Zins. I haven't had a marginal one yet.

Pindar Chardonnay Reserve 2002 wihne review by (PB)

Nice golden hued wine from New York with a bouquet of pineapple, lemon, and mandarin oranges with a touch of cream.

This wine is bond dry in the mouth with vibrant acidity and citrus flavors with a lingering creamy finish. This is a very nice Chard and would be a great food wine with all that acid. New York can do some things well; this is a good example. At $20 it is better than expected.

Rosenblum Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel 2003 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Beautiful dark color
Big nose of ripe berries, cinnamon, and anise
Rich flavor and texture of blackberries on the palate
Endless finish of berries, mocha, dill, and anise goes on and on

Huge, rich Zinfandels are in a category of their own, and this one is king! Not only is it a massive wine with a long, long finish- it's also a fairly balanced wine with interest layers. I wonder if a little extra cellar time has helped transform this from a fruit bomb into a better intergrated wine.

Don't pair this with delicate or sophisticated food, though. Rather, enjoy it with a steak or something hearty. The flavors are still tremendous and will overwhelm almost anything.

I remember seeing a case of this in a store in Florida two years ago for $27 a bottle. It was a Wine Spectator top pick, scoring 94 points and ending up as the number 3 wine on the top 100 for 2005. I bought just one bottle at the time and finally got around to opening it. I had to wait for PB of this blog because he's tasted most of Rosenblum's single-vineyard Zinfandels and would be able to draw comparisons. Don't miss his review to be posted in the near future.

Raise a glass!