Cycles Gladiator Syrah 2006 review by (PB)

Deep black cherry hue with Zinfandel-like berry aromas with big fragrant, cigar box heft.

Palate--*"Sweet" foundation of plum and a front with ample berry flavors and black pepper at the rear.

This is a big wine, with big flavors and at $5 on closeout, it is a bargain! (Normally runs at the ubiquitous $10 price point) Raise a glass to close out wines that pan out!

*"Sweet" in this instance does not mean "SWEET" like you might expect. But some red wines, from Cabernets to Zinfandels that a dry as dust give a sweet" impression.

Rosenblum Black Muscat "Gallagher Reserve" 2006 review by (PB)

Light aged looking red with yellow hints at the rim. The bouquet yields stewed apricots and prune on a light, sweet foundation; after some time there is an amazing sweet basil aroma that saves this otherwise unremarkable wine.

Palate--full, thicker texture with some heft, and sweet acid frame. Fruit hints at a very light bodied port like wine as this is another fortified dessert wine.

It was pleasant enough and I raise a glass to (NW) of this blog from whom this wine came as a gift. But I suggest Rosenblum stick to what they do best which is Zinfandel!

Quartz Reef Sparkling Wine Review by Billy

Nose: Big apple explodes from the bottle even before pouring a glass. In my glass the green apple is more subtle and nicely blended with warm bread dough notes and a mineral oil foundation. More character here than I was expecting. A pleasant surprise!
Palate: Strong mineral and lime flavors in the mouth. Very dry. Bubbles are extremely small and lazy. They ooze around rather than dance.
Finish: Lemon grass on the long finish.
Overall: The nose is intriguing and the finish delightful. The bubbles and mouth feel are small which means you can pair this with almost anything you would a non-sparkling table Chardonnay. For the price you can find something that dances. I paid $16 for this sparkling wine at the local store. This New Zealand sparkling wine is made in the traditional Champagne way. It is a blend of 76% Pinot Noir and 24% Chardonnay from Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand. The Kiwis definitely know their way around wine. It is no surprise that a sparkling wine from there has made its way up here. This is a non-vintage, as many sparkling wines are. This means you will not see a year on the bottle. Rather it is a blend of wine from several years.
Raise a glass!

Numanthia Termes "Toro Termes" 2006 reivew by (PB)

Deep dark black cherry hue with a bouquet of coarse dark berry aromas with blueberries, a little bottle stink, yellow mustard--Hey I just review them as they come!

Palate--a bit harsh, tight; first impression is there's not much there but I know better. This IS Numanthia...with air it mellows out with black pepper hints, blueberries, some rugged spice, and more dark fruit with a smokey finish.

The folks at Numanthia are some of the world's experts in Tempranillo colloquially known as Tinta De Toro. I have been under treatment for some allergy things so my palate may be off a bit; the good folks at the Wine Spectator gave this wine a 93!

I have been cellaring this bottle for 3 years having paid $24 for it. It is solid but honestly I am not impressed; still like I said my palate may be off! I am pairing this with grilled burgers on a real charcoal grill for the 4th of July. It will be great! How I thank God for our brave predecessors who gave their lives for my freedom and lifestyle. Raise a glass to all who fight for right!

Van Ruiten Old Vine Zinfandel 2007 review by (PB)

Garnet, blackberry jam, tar, Tobacco, Sweet profile, a bit harsh, flat flavor; I'll let it open and see what happens.

I'm in my Marechal Foch vineyard and working with my grapes; I had to open a wine. It's just one of those days with the sun shining gloriously, something that has been in short supply this season, so it is worthy of celebration.

We had this wine at a wine bar recently in Ogunquit, Maine and my wife decided to buy it for me. It was $30 a bottle at the wine bar, $18 in the store associated with the wine bar...

It is pleasant enough for $17. At $30 it would have been a rip off. No matter--today is glorious, life is grand and we are blessed. Raise a glass!

J.W. Morris Gewurztraminer 2009 reivew by (PB)

Pale golden hue with a bouquet of gentle nectarine, with light spicing of apple pie and tropical fruit.

Palate: Round flavors of citrus, orange, peach and a tropical fruit compote on a fairly lively foundation. Short lived but a value summer quaff chilled and served up with appetizers that are hard to pair with other wines or just enjoy all by itself.

This is a Trader Joe's value around the $6 price point so raise a glass and on this day of July 4th give thanks for the sacrifices of our brave predecessors who gave us the foundations for the lives we are blessed to live!

Laguna Canyon "Wyland" Super Tuscan 2005 review by (PB)

Deep garnet hue with very slight bricking; bouquet is awesome with "thick" smells of intense, black cherry and fudge with dark green herbs, and licorice.

Palate--Dark fudge first impression with smoke, charcoal, thick texture, and with loads of ripe new world fruit jam on a smokey finish that goes on and on.

(NW) served this to me blind and I thought it was a Sonoma Zinfandel perhaps Rosenblum; obviously I was a bit off...

We previously reviewed this about 2 years ago when, coincidentally, I thought it might be a Zinfandel then as well. But in those two years, this is a "different" wine and clearly shows how much a wine "may" change and improve over time. The first time around I remember it was "good." This time around it was Super!

Coincidentally,it is a California "super Tuscan" blend meaning Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It isn't cheap at $35 but it's a nice splurge so raise a glass!

Ramey Napa Valley Claret 2007 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Harmonious layers of black cherry, raspberry, cedar, and anise

Full bodied on the palate

Smooth, integrated finish of black cherry, dark fruit, and cigar box

Summary:

This wine from David Ramey is smooth and harmonious. It has nicely integrated flavors and is full bodied but not huge. In fact, it has a bit of the subtle restrain more common with Bordeaux than Napa Valley.

Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, it should drink nicely for a long time. This will also be more versatile with food than an explosive Napa Valley Cabernet. For $32 or so, raise a glass!

Emilio Moro Finca Resalso Ribera del Duero 2008 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Fresh raspberry, violet, and some clove on the nose

Full bodied

Puckering tannins with wild dark berries, violets, and cocoa on the finish

Summary:

Here's a wine that has good depth and density, but is a bit too savory and mouth-puckering. Maybe it will flesh out given some time, but it's not coming together right now.

Made from Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), this wine is from Ribera del Duero in Spain which is a region that can produce some rustic and charming wines. I paid $13 for the bottle, but you'd do better to grab something else.

Yellow Tail Reserve Shiraz 2010 review by (PB)

Intense dark plum hue with an equally intense bouquet of plush fragrant sweet, nearly floral smelling fruit full of dark berry and rose petals! Later it's cranberries or dried cherries. Very nice!

Bitter front with a bite, sweeter presence of big, ripe dark blackberries; rear full of more berries, and a finish that is decent.

This is a BIG wine from down under AND one I purchased reluctantly due to the ubiquitous "kangaroo" wines from Yellow Tail which, while popular, are wearisome in their drab mediocrity.

This Reserve Shiraz is worth a try and at the $10 price point I paid for it, it' s a solid value that will improve with a couple more years on it so raise a glass!

4 Bears Vin Gris 2010 sponsored review by (PB)

Light watermelon hue with fragrant, floral, strawberry juice with tropical fruit undertones and sweet spice.

Palate--structured with solid acid foundation carrying a balanced, red fruit, off dry quaff.

The good folks at Sean Minor Winery sent this to us for review. These are the folks who received our first "Winery of the Year" honor in 2010 and they keep on going with this Carneros Pinot Noir rosè. It is so fragrant I want to use it as aftershave...

We paired this with a pasta primavera and was a nice coupling. This is a good room temperature rosè but you could chill it down for a summer on the veranda though you would lose some of the purity of this wine. Whatever you do, raise a glass!

Sicilia Nero D'Avola 2009 Epicuro review by (PB)

Very dark, intense purple black cherry hue--Wow! Bouquet is peculiar with more fresh grape aromas than wine aromas. I remarked to my wife that it reminded me of a home made wine. I wasn't expecting much.

Palate-- Silky tannins,, shallow on opening but needed to breathe it. Beneath the obvious immature grapiness, is a solid wine waiting to mature. After breathing, there is black cherry fruit that is dark and fairly deep.

Nero D'Avola is wonderful grape and Sicily does it well. It is fruity and full of cherries and darker berries at its best and it is always fairly inexpensive.

At $6, I will get 3 more bottles and lay them down to give them more time. This should be good so raise a glass.

Chiusa Grande (Tommolo) Montepulciano D'Abruzzo review by (PB)

Black cherry hue with slight cola notes with black cherry and cherry aromas.

Palate--Okay structure but short all around, some steely "Tuscan fruit" but all in all is pretty empty.

This is a Trader Joe's selection at the $6 price point. Now you don't expect much at that price point and in this case that's what you get--not much. But I have posted many reviews of wines at this price point that are bargains so don't lapse in to the snob pool and turn you head based solely on price. TJ's has some great bargains, this just isn't one of them so pass on this.

Domaine La Tour Vielle Banyuls 2006 review by (PB)

Mature garnet hue with black cherry, port like aromas of prunes but shallow though nice.

Palate--Sweet of course, again shallow but decent structure though fruit and flavor is lacking all around.

Banyuls is a fortified (dessert) wine made from Grenache that has similar qualities to port wine but of course is not port. so perhaps this is not a good example; I don't know as this is my first Banyuls and it was not impressive especially at the $25 price tag for a 500ml bottle.

So perhaps I will give another a try but like you all, I work for a living and my wine expenditures are valuable to me. You hate throwing away good money on a marginal creation which is why we taste and review for you! Hopefully we save you the bad experiences so don't raise a glass of this one!

St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 review by (PB)

Dark garnet hue with big cab aromas of lush blackberry jam and plum with awesome fragrant spice of anise, licorice and caraway.

Palate--"Sweet" presence (but it's not sweet)that is lovely and integrated although still has a "hard" front, with bold structure carrying the pure Cabernet berry flavors.

Here's where wine separates itself from all other beverages; our Los Angeles friend Edwin gave us two bottles of this when we were out there in March. We had one there with him sitting around the dinner table with my grand children and daughter and son-in-law, and now this one months later back in Maine. Even in his absence we were reunited in spirit on opening of this second bottle from him so raise a glass!

Four Vines Zinfandel (Old vine cuvee) 2008 review by (PB)

Garnet with brambly blackberry jam, chocolate that dissipates.

Palate--cinnamon with Jammy fruit,wild foundation, smoke and charcoal.

At the $11 price point this is always a reliable Zin and easy drinking. For me, Zinfandel is just plain tasty so raise a glass!

Buehler Napa Valley Zinfandel 2009 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Beautiful ripe blackberry and raspberry on the nose

Full bodied and richly textured on the palate

Smooth, luscious finish dark berries, chocolate, vanilla, and a bit of pepper

Summary:

This is a good wine from year to year, and the 2009 really delivers. It has beautiful ripe fruit and retains balance and finesse. In fact, I enjoyed this wine with a salmon burger. Typically priced around $17, I recommend this for anyone looking to re-discover Zinfandel. Raise a glass!

Yalumba Barossa Valley Bush Vine Grenache 2008 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Layers of red fruit, anise, and fennel on the nose

Medium bodied and fleshy on the palate

Lingering finish of rhubarb and mint flavors

Summary:

I concluded my tasting notes like this: very good, beautifully made, exotic, smooth, and flavorful. Say no more. At $16 or so, pop the cork and raise a glass!

Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 review by (PB)

Solid garnet hue with fine aromas of slightly vegetal sweet, fragrant, blackberry with a little wildness (like a Zin) to it.

Palate--drinking spectacularly now which for such a young wine is impressive. Integrated, with gentle tannic structure and full berry pleasure on a balanced package.

This Sonoma Cab is really well done and while I am planning to have it with grilled burgers, I'm not sure there will be anything left for dinner.

Raise a glass of this value wine. I think I paid around $14 for it and it isa steel at that!

Cuvee De Pena (Vin De Pays Pyrenees Orientales) 2006 review by (PB)

Odd slightly oxidized color.

Aromas of stewed cherry and dark fruit not characteristic of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah of which this is a blend.

Palate--A tad tart, with biting acid and a little chewy; flavors of dark reddish brown fruit with a finish that is a bit bitter.

This wine is from the Rousillon region of France and was grabbed by a friend seeing it for $3.00 I believe. This is a great example of a wine that is beyond its peak and failing fast which is why it was on sale for such a price. But an axiom of wine is that if you don't enjoy the wine, no price is a bargain. Pass on this and when buying a wine dirt cheap, make sure the store has a policy of taking back such wines. I have only had one store that would not accommodate such a return--yes opened and partially drank! And if they do not, don't buy the wine and find another store!