Richard Stetler's _{Fine Wines & Tastings}

The Best Cellar  *  New Location - June 1, 2009 - 1408 NE 26th St..  *  Wilton Manors, FL  *  33305
Telephone (954) 630-8020                    e-mail

EACH WEEK WE TASTE 7 - 9 DIFFERENT WINES + BONUS WINES
LISTED BELOW IS JUST A SAMPLING OF THE WINES WE HAVE TASTED IN THE PREVIOUS WEEKS

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Wine Tasting December 29, 2010 - January 1, 2011

2008  Las Brisas Rueda  (Spain)
About half Verdejo and half Sauvignon Blanc. A good example of how Spain makes good white wines. Rueda is a cool, high altitude part of hot and sunny Spain. #94, Top 100 Best Buys of 2009, Wine Enthusiast: Gets going with pear, apple and light, leesy aromas in front of a citrusy palate; flavors of grapefruit and lime.

2008 M Chapoutier Bila-Haut (France)
Though the very modestly priced introductory wine from this South France estate, it still has drying tannins, ample fruit, and refreshing acidity. Very versatile and food friendly, and got even better days later after being opened.  90 points, in Top Wines for 2009, Wine Spectator:   A muscular red, with concentrated flavors of dark cherry, plum, raspberry tart and grilled fig. The dense finish of dark chocolate is firm and focused, with smoky notes. Best from 2010 through 2014.

2007 Silver Palm Cabernet (California)
A lovely bottle, with a stylish and very Florida design. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 2% Petite Sirah,and 2% Cabernet Franc. Fermented in stainless steel and aged 10 months on oak barrels, 72% French and 28% American. Most of the grapes came from Alexander Valley and Napa Valley. Made in a very accessible and drinkable style. #13 in the annual 2010 Wine & Spirits poll of restaurants for their favorite wines.

2004 Atlas Peak cabernet Spring Mountain (California)
Simply a great wine. 1% Petit Verdot. Atlas Peak is a winery dedicated to making intense, bold, and ageworthy wines from hillside and highland vineyards in Napa. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: Appeals now for its dryness, elegance and lush, intricate black currant, chocolate and cedar flavors, which finish in a swirl of anise and cinnamon. But the tannins are so rich and refined, the wine should easily negotiate the next eight years.

2005 Two Hands Charlies Patch Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, California)
A new venture of the acclaimed Australian Shiraz specialist Two Hands Wines, famous for their beefy Australian Shiraz.  Very small quantities of this 100% Cabernet were crafted at the Outpost winery on Howell Mountain.  Aged for 22 months in 100% new French Oak with 95% Spring Mountain fruit. Dense, dry, and fruity, with a firmly tannic finish. 92 points, International Wine Cellar: Full ruby. Brooding aromas of medicinal cherry, blueberry, flowers, resin and menthol, all lifted by an exhilarating rose petal note. Juicy and tightly wound, with a lovely light touch to its dark fruit, graphite and floral flavors. Perhaps best today on the long, ripely tannic finish, which leaves behind an enticing perfume.

Wine Tasting December 22 - 24, 2010

2008 Chateau Ricardelle Alencades Viognier Roussane (Coteaux du Languedoc, France)
Chateau Ricardelle has 43 hectares in Narbonne, near the Mediterrean Sea, where the estate has existed for at least 300 years.  Rooms for rent at the estate are charmingly named after the grape varietals. Owned by Bruno Pellegrini. The estate makes a large variety of wines distributed mostly in Europe. The Alencades line is for drinking young, within 4 years. Nectarine, apricot, and honey flavored, with a crisp finish.

2009 Domaine Pichot Vouvray (Loire, France)
A classic 'slightly dry' white, estate bottled from Chenin Blanc grapes in the Loire region. Low yields, hand harvesting and barrel fermentation are employed to give the wine its character. They call it 'slightly dry' in France, although we would call it 'off-dry'. The aromas are honeydew,  peach juice and a hint of spice. The palate is juicy and fresh, and the acidity balances the slight residual sugar in the finish.

2005 Bodegas y Vinedos de Cal Grau La Ninota Priorato (Priorat, Spain)
A blend with 30% Tempranillo, 20% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Garnacha, and 10% Carignan, and  10% Merlot. Aged 4 months in American oak and while made to emphasize ripe fruit, also has body and tannin.

2008 Puro Uno Quadro (Mendoza, Argentina)
A difficult wine to find. From Lujan de Cuyo, at 950 to 1050 meters altitude. 40% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, and 15% Tempranillo. 50% aged in barrels in oak barrels for 12 months, and the rest in stainless steel with some oak staves. Dan Perlman, www.saltshaker.net: Inky purple color. Fascinating aromas of various berry fruits of raspberry, blackberry, and currants, with a touch of blue plums and curry spice. On the palate, soft tannins, medium to full body, great acidity and well-integrated oak.

2006 Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley (Washington)
Last chance to get this wne at a great price. Northstar is a rare specialist in premium Merlot. Only a few places produce Merlots that are consistently better than Cabernet Sauvignon, including Bordeaux and Washington. 91 points, Wine Advocate: 76% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Aged in French and American oak, 65% new, for 18 months. The fruit was sourced from 14 different vineyards. Dark crimson-colored, with an alluring bouquet of cigar box, sage, clove, cinnamon, black cherry, and a hint of chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, round and elegant on the palate, with solid depth and enough ripe tannin to support 2-3 years of additional cellaring. Drink this intensely flavored effort from 2011 to 2021.

Wine Tasting December 15 - 18, 2010
Annual Christmas Holiday Sparkling Wine Tasting

NV Athea Prosecco Brut (Italy)
Jim Cutts, Arrowine (store in Northern Virginia):  Everything great prosecco should be. Aromas of fresh-sliced apple wedges and flowers with a delicate hint of lemon zest. On the palate it is fresh, creamy, and loaded with fruity apple and pear flavors. Dry but not bone dry.

2007 St. Hilaire Brut (France)
A South France sparkler from Limmoux that made sparkling wine a century before Champagne. Softer and easier drinking rather than briskly acidic like Champagne, with more apple than citrus. Much better than the wines served at "champagne" brunches and most weddings.

NV Graham Beck Brut  (South Africa)
Graham Beck is a major producer of sparkling wines in South Africa, with wines at all price levels. Made with the same basic process as Champagne at a fraction of the price. 2 years of contact with the yeast. 4 stars, 2010 John Platter Wine Guide.

NV Mumms Napa Rose (California)
At a large sparkling tasting, this was the rose that stood out for great value at the price. 93 points, Wine Enthusiast: What a roll Mumm Napa is on with their new releases. This blush wine shows the level of richness and elegance the winery has achieved lately. Made from 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay, it has deliciously forward flavors of raspberries, strawberries, gingersnap cookies and vanilla lemon custard, with the bubbly froth and tart yeastiness of a fine sparkling wine.

NV Gosset Excellence Brut Champagne
A strong candidate for best true Champagne value. Delivers the classic profile of a Champagne with lemon fruit, brisk acidity, a dry mouth feel, and yeast flavors, that coat the mouth and throat. Enjoyable even after drinking Champagnes in the $100 range. 90 points, Wine Spectator: A rich, layered Champagne with brioche and pear aromas and a long, bright finish from the suppressed malo. It is snappy enough to serve for toasting, but has enough guts for a salmon dinner and enough exotic intrigue to keep the interest of a Champagne enthusiast all night. It should keep well, and even improve for a couple of years.

Wine Tasting December 8 - 11, 2010

2007 Carabella Chadonnay Eve's Garden (Chehalem Mountains, Oregon)
Crisp juicy fresh apples, with some pear and a touch of butter on the very end. More fruit driven and less oaky than the typical California Chardonnay.

2005 Z-52 Old Vines Zinfandel Agnes Vineyard (California)
90 points, Wine News: Medium crimson hue. Pretty aromas of raisin, plum and redwood. Rich texture on entry with chewy cherry, rhubarb and sweet vanilla-laced tannins. Sweet/sour red fruit on the finish with a smooth integration of subtle oaky notes.

2004 Gabrielle Juxtaposition (Napa, California)
www.goodnewgirlz.com: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%) and Syrah (24%), more typically found in Australia.  On the nose it delivers aromas of blackberry, cherry, mint and vanilla.  The palate has softly textured, but dry tannins with lavors of blackberry, licorice, black currant, cherry and vanilla.  Beautiful wine paired with chicken, nutty green rice and roasted vegetables.

2007 Mt. Defiance Brimstone (Columbia River Gorge, Washington)
Despite the name, this wine does not smell of sulfur nor is it cooked or fire damaged. The name is an ironic toss back at a hellfire preacher who espoused Prohibition and Creationism. Cassis, berries, ripe red plums and pomegranate show brightly in the nose, complemented by moderate smoke and spice from barrel aging along with attractive roasted coffee bean notes. The medium-full body unfolds to expose layers of plum, berry and dark chocolate flavors completed by a long, solid finish kissed with oak. 52% Syrah, 25% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Pinot Noir .

2006 Vin du Lac Cabernet Franc (Lake Chelan, Washington)
Vin du Lac's Cabernet Franc won the Platinum Award from Northwest Press for three consecutive years. The Platinum Award is the highest award in a tasting of only Northwest wines that won a gold medal in another tasting.  Gushes out the just opened bottle full of delicious violets, purple raspberries, and plum, with enough acidity to be refreshing. Strong undertow of vanilla and new oak. Of the previous 2005 vintage, Platinum, Northwest Press: A lot of folks probably want to know the winemaker/owner's secret to consistency at an extremely high level.  This wine opens with harmonious aromas of black currants and integrated oak, followed by broad flavors of black fruit and varietal greenness.  Moderate tannins provide structure and ageability.

Wine Tasting December 1 - 4, 2010

2007 Samantha Starr Chardonnay Reserve (Santa Lucia Highlands, California)
Stainless steel fermented to retain the pure fruit flavors and aged in French oak barrels for added complexity. Medium straw color, with aromas of tropical fruits and fresh citrus. The palate exhibits ripe bananas, peach and just a hint of toasty oak. The long, crisp finish is soft with yeasty overtones.

2006 Greenhough Nelson Pinot Noir (Nelson, New Zealand)
A medium bodied wine, purple in color, with bright acidity and cherry fruit, elegant, light on its feet, and unpretentious. The oldest vines in the best Hope Vineyard go into the Hope series, and there the Pinot Noir is darker, bigger, widely acclaimed, and much less affordable.

2007 Bliss Family Zinfandel (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Mainly comes from vineyards near the Bliss Estate. Bright fruit on the nose with a dash of spice. The mouth is full of energetic raspberry flavors which lead to a peppery finish.

2005 Di Stefano Meritage (Columbia Valley, Washington)
92 points. Wine Spectator: Lithe, complex and appealing for its beautifully knit red berry, red pepper and balsamic aromas and flavors, which play artfully against refined tannins and the lingering finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2015. 1,200 cases made.

2006 JC Cellars Syrah Fess Parker's Vineyard (California)
92 points, Wine Advocate: From another top-notch vineyard site, this time in Santa Barbara County, the 2006 Syrah Fess Parker Vineyard reveals a beautiful bouquet of flowers, black raspberries, black cherries, sweet spice, and pepper - very much in keeping with its appellation.  The most hedonistic and opulent of these offerings, it should drink well for 7-8 years.

Wine Tasting November 24, 26 & 27, 2010

2007 Topel Grace Sauvignon Blanc (Mendocino, California)
Intense tropical, citrus, and melon flavors. Fermented in stainless steel to focus on the fruit flavors and preserve freshness. Normally available only at t he winery. Named for its graceful taste in the mouth.

2005 Borthwick Pinot Noir (Wairarapa, New Zealand)
Right out of the bottle this wine was lean and simple, with spritz and cherry. But after being opened for three days, it gained color, complexity, and depth, tasting more like a Russian River Pinot Noir from Sonoma, with delicious black cherry and plum, refreshing acidity, and drying tannins in the finish.

2007 Harrington Pinot Noir Iund Vineyard (Carneros, California)
Enters the mouth with an enticing silkiness, and features a rich red and black cherry in the mouth with a slight sweetness.  Single vineyard, grown on heavy clay loam soil. Crop thinning holds down yields to improve quality.

2006 Brutocao Hopland Ranches Zinfandel (Mendocino, California)
Double Gold, International Eastern Competition. 94 points, California State Fair. An elegant blackberry  and cracked pepper, with a little dustiness, that reflects a cooler climate style.

2004 Frazier Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (Coombsville, California)
94.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, .5% Merlot. Aged 21 months in French oak.  Located high on a hill in the Coombsville area of the Napa Valley. 90 Points, Anthony Dias Blue, April 2008: Lovely ripe plum and clean generous flavors; lovely with a long, seamless finish that provides complexity and charm. 3 Stars, Decanter, January 2008: Sweet, jammy, cherry and blackcurrant, smoky oak. Good concentration. Spicy with quite good length. Drink 2009-2016. Gold Medal, Orange County Fair Wine Competition, 2008.

Wine Tasting November 17 - 20, 2010

2005 Passagno Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow (California)
From the Santa Lucia Highlands in California. Rich but elegant wine with deeply concentrated layers of apricot, vanilla, soft oak flavors, a hint of spice, and long, lingering finish. Pairs well with salmon, pork, or creamy pasta dishes.

2007 Flinders Bay Mayflower Malbec Merlot (Australia)
Named after a wrecked ship. A very distinctive wine made from 60% Malbec and 40% Merlot.  Lush mouthfeel with soft red fruit notes and exotic spices and mocha. Aromatic and delicious.

2006 Flinders Bay Shiraz (Australia)
From a Margaret River winery in Australia, that makes Shiraz with excellent flavor definition and better acidity and tannins than Shiraz grown in hotter areas. Black currants, cherry, and tobacco.

2005 Aramis Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale (Australia)
This wine came in first at a blind tasting of Cabernets with a panel of experienced tasters. No one thought it was Australian, because it wasn't sugary, low acid, low tannin, and overripe. 100% Cab, dry, buttressed by tannin and acid, with intense cassis and blackberry, and absolutely delicious right now. A strong candidate for the best $20 Cabernet of the year.

2004 Vilafonte C Series (South Africa)
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec. The 2006 version of this wine got 5 stars as one of the greatest wines produced in South Africa from Platter's 2009 Guide.  94 points, Wine Enthusiast: Series C is the Cabernet-dominated version of a wine that brings together the winemaking talents of California winemaker Zelma Long and her viticulturist husband Phil Freese, along with Warwick Estate's Mike Ratcliffe and San Francisco-based importer Bartholemew Broadbent. Coffee, chocolate and dark berry fruits dominate this brooding wine that shows intensity and power. Yet it never becomes heavy or overripe—here there is a good sense of balance that lifts the wine, especially in the aftertaste.

Wine Tasting November 10 - 13, 2010
"Zinfest"

 2006 Norman "Monster"
The marketing hype name suggests that the alcohol will strip paint and the sweetness substitute for sugar in a brownie recipe. Despite the John Wayne swagger through saloon doors, the wine inside is a serious Zin. Brightly fruity, deeply flavored, surprisingly concentrated, and centered on raspberry and blackberry.

2007 Terraces
One of the best makers of Zinfandel. Concentrated, complex, and well-defined flavors, which avoid raisin, sweetness, and overripeness. Like many best wines, the flavors spike upon swallowing. The acids are refreshing and the tannins are soft in texture but become more noticeable and drying on the finish. Dependably excellent every vintage. Very low yields on hillside vineyards. Previous vintages got up to 93 points in the Wine Advocate. The 1998 vintage remains astonishingly good 12 year later.

2007 Outpost Howell Mountain
The first Zinfandel from Howell Mountain to make the Best Cellar Zinfest. Outpost makes not only a great Cabernet, but terrific Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. 92 points, International Wine Cellar: Bright ruby-red. Knockout nose offers red and darker berries lifted by ginger, flowers and pepper. Juicy and intense; a real essence of Zinfandel fruit, with superb clarity and spicy lift to the crushed berry flavors. Really coats the mouth without leaving any impression of weight. The very long, juicy, bright finish features a fine dusting of tannins and resounding fruit. Aged in Burgundy barrels, 25% new.

2007 GiaDomella Zinfandel Reserve
Only 73 cases made. 120 year old vines. A wine you can almost never buy, and even less taste. Blackberry jam with even refreshing acidity.  Impressively delicious, deep, smooth, and balanced.

2006 Michael & David Gluttony
A limited edition, high end Zinfandel for this winery. Enormous with over 16% alcohol, an inky color, a dense texture, copious blackberry and raspberry fruit, vanilla, and enough tannin to be dryer toward the finish. All American oak. Ravenswood, Rosenblum and Ridge made similar Zinfandels since the mid 1980s which aged well and improved for at least 10 years. Their premium Zin at the lowest price ever.

2007 Michael & David Lust
Another high end Zin from Michael & David.  Has a soft texture and decadent mouthfeel, with flavors of creme de cassis, caramel cream, melted milk chocolate, tangerine zest, and cinnamon-spiced gingerbread.

Wine Tasting November 3 - 5, 2010

2006 Neudorf Nelson Chardonnay (New Zealand)
Neudorf is one of the finest producers of Chadonnay in New Zealand. Exceptionally aromatic. Moutere is their top of the line, with more oak and richness than the Nelson. 90 points, Bob Campbell (www.bobswinereviews.com): Lovely tight Chardonnay with appealing mineral and citrus fruit flavors flattered by classy oak. The wine has mouth-watering tautness, an ethereal texture and a crisp, dry finish. Quite burgundian in style.

2006 Dominio De Atauta Ribera Del Duero (Spain)
Made from a treasure of up to 150 year old pre-phylloxera wines, many nursed back to health after being abandoned. The vineyards are in the far eastern, cooler part of Ribera del Duero in a hidden canyon. Barrique aged in 25% new oak. Intense and concentrated without being heavy. Black fruits with a distinguishing underbrush flavor. 100% Tempranillo. 92 points, Wine Spectator: Dense and chewy yet lively, with cherry, berry, licorice, mineral and smoke notes. The tannins are firm, yet the wine remains fresh and clean. Oaky but well-grounded.

2006 Barahonda Horizonte de Exopto (Rioja, Spain)
The vineyards are gnarly old wines over 2,000 feet high on rocky plateau with clay and a subsoil of sand and limestone.  This is the winery's best wine. 92 points, Wine Advocate: 80% Tempranillo [50-90 years old], 10% Garnacha [70 years old], and 10% Graciano [30-100 years old ] aged for 10 months in 50% new oak, 70% French and 30% American. Inky purple-colored, the aromatics are a bit muted and the wine is tightly wound but loaded. Notes of cedar, smoke, licorice, and blackberry are followed by a dense, powerful wine with excellent flavors and substantial ripe tannin. Give it another 6-8 years of cellaring and then drink it through 2030.

2006 Schug Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma, California)
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 2% Malbec. Oaked aged for 18 months, 20% new. A good example of a supple, tasty, and moderately priced California Cabernet Sauvignon.

2006 Earthquake Petite Sirah (Lodi, California)
Earthquake makes some of the best Petite Sirah in the world. Unlike other red wines from Michael and David, this is not only intense, dense, and black, but not sweet and overripe. Instead, the wine is strongly structured by tannins and acidity. Massive and muscular, this wine will handle any food, including bloody steaks and roasts. Will easily last and improve for 15 years, more like a great Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine Tasting October 27 - 30, 2010

2009 Hugo Gruner Veltliner (Austria)
Of the previous 2008 vintage, International Wine Cellar: Pale green-yellow. Subtle aromas and flavors of cantaloupe, orange and lemon verbena are nicely framed and lifted by juicy, well-integrated acid. The refreshing finish of this harmonious, medium-bodied wine shows the typical Gruner Veltliner pepperiness. Drink now through 2018.

2005 Reininger Helix Merlot (Washington)
Reininger makes superb Merlot. Helix is their best value line, made from Columbia Valley grapes rather than Estate Walla Walla. Includes 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in oak barrels, 15% new. Pushes Merlot from red cherry toward black fruits, along with an attractive, complex layer of non-fruit flavors.1026 cases made. Gold, 2008 Platinum Judging, Northwest Wine Press. Wine Enthusiast: The smooth and chocolaty flavors that consumers love, but pulled back, letting more of the cherry fruit and subtle accents of forest floor, fungus and earth show through. It's textural, complex and thoroughly enjoyable.

2007 Errazuriz Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard (Chile)
91pts, Wine Enthusiast: Firm and condensed, but with the potential to unfold over the next three years. Cassis, tobacco, eucaplytus and dry berry aromas are classy and convincing; the palate is firm and defined by powerful cherry and cassis. Fold in toast and spice on the finish and you have a serious Cabernet Sauvignon that defines good value. 90 points, International Wine Cellar: Deep red. Pungent aromas of redcurrant, cherry pit, licorice, cedar and tobacco: this is textbook cabernet. Juicy and lively, with very good sweetness of fruit and noteworthy sappiness and clarity. Harmonious and gently spicy, finishing with sweet tannins and lingering smokiness.

2004 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain (California)
1% Petit Verdot. Atlas Peak is a winery dedicated to making intense, bold, and ageworthy wines from hillside and highland vineyards in Napa. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: Appeals now for its dryness, elegance and lush, intricate black currant, chocolate and cedar flavors, which finish in a swirl of anise and cinnamon. But the tannins are so rich and refined, the wine should easily negotiate the next eight years.

2008 Mollydooker Boxer Shiraz (Australia)
91 points, Wine Spectator: Bright and jazzy, offering an effusive mouthful of cherry, pomegranate and spice flavors that are as aromatic as they are long and vivid. This has density without being heavy, and the finish keeps on going. Drink now through 2015. 29,440 cases made. Smart Buy.

Wine Tasting October 21 - 23, 2010

2008 Craggy Range "Fletcher Family" Riesling (New Zealand)
The Fletcher vineyards were planted in 1984 on poor, gravelly soils in Marlborough's cool Wairau Valley.  The family manages the vineyard, handpicks the grapes and sells them exclusively to Craggy Range.  The result is a pale, finely structured wine with a good acid balance, pure citrus flavors, soft floral notes and good minerality in the persistent finish.  And that at a great price!

2006 Steven Kent Cabernet (Livermore Valley, California)
This 100% Cabernet was made separately from fruit grown on four sites, spanning the highest quality in the appellation.  A strict selection of barrels resulted in a wine that spent a total of about 24 months in 71% new oak barrels.  The Wine Enthusiast wrote about the 2005 vintage:  Steven Kent Mirassou is practically single-handedly reviving Livermore Valley's historic reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine shows a wonderfully lush structure and impeccable tannins, framing slightly herbal, dusty flavors of blackberries, blueberries, cherries and cedar. Really fine, and a superb accompaniment for rich meats and cheeses.  93 points

2007 Viu Manent "La Capilla" Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
Sourced from the best blocks Cabernet Sauvignon blocks in the La Capilla Estate vineyard with an average age of 16 years.  Received a gold medal at the Concours Mondial Bruxelles in 2010. The Wine Advocate: The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon La Capilla Estate Single Vineyard (planted in 1990) is dark ruby-colored with an attractive aromatic array of cedar, vanilla, cinnamon, incense, and blackcurrant. Smooth-textured, concentrated, and elegant, it has plenty of savory fruit, enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years, and a plush finish. It will offer prime drinking from 2012 to 2022.  90 Points

2008 Viu Manent "San Carlos" Malbec (Chile)
Viu Manent owns the greatest Malbec vineyards in Chile and consistently produces world class Malbecs.  The Malbec component of this blend (93% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon) was sourced from vines with an average age of 80 years.  This is a serious full-bodied red wine that offers huge quality at a bargain price.  Of the previous 2007 vintage, The Wine Advocate:  The 2007 Malbec San Carlos Estate Single Vineyard is a more substantial effort. It has greater aromatic complexity better depth and grip, succulent spicy black cherry flavors, and a lengthy finish. Give it 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2011 to 2019. 91 points. 

2004 Taltarni "Pyrenees" Shiraz  (Australia)
Set up in 1969 by John Goelet, founder of Clos du Val in California, in the higher elevation of Victoria's Pyrenees, this winery has consistently excelled.  Wine Spectator:  Ripe, focused and distinctive for its juicy blackberry, currant and cedary spice flavors, which are nicely framed by fine-grained oak, hinting at earthy notes as the finish lingers impressively. Best from 2009 through 2014.  90 Points

Wine Tasting October 13 - 16, 2010

2007 Kiona Chenin Blanc (Washington)
Yellow plum, lightly sweet, with the balancing citrus acidity to clean the sweetness out of the finish. Double Gold, 2008 Platinum Judging, Northwest Wine Press: The Williams family has crafted a Chenin Blanc for many years. That dedication pays off annually, and this off-dry Chenin is a delicious example of the variety. It is loaded with aromas and flavors of limes, ripe pears, sweet pears and peaches. San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (Gold). (2,021 cases, 12% alcohol.)

2007 Russian Hill Pinot Noir (Sonoma, Russian River, California)
A blend from different small growers in the Russian River. 92 pts, PinotReport: "Forward, deep cherry flavors and silky texture make this a great Pinot to sip by itself."

2008 Spice Route Chakalaka (South Africa)
Named after a blend of spices. Consists of 51% Syrah, 16% Carignan, 11% Mouvedre, 11% Souzao, 8% Grenache, 2% Tannat, and 1% Petite Sirah. Aged 13 months in oak, 25% new. Lively and fresh rather than jammy, accented by ripe red berry and blackberry flavors and gamey, smokey notes. Medium-bodied and smooth, with a long finish.

2008 Three Wine Petite Sirah (Contra Costa, California)
From century old vines in the delta of the Sacramento River. Inky purple in color, that leaves the glass stained when swirled. Does not have mouth stripping tannins, but leaves the mouth distinctly dry, with a slightly astringent grape skin taste. Broodingly powerful but chunky and unevolved. Potentially excellent if a tasty fruit emerges with more age.

2007 Odfjell Cabernet Sauvignon Armador (Chile)
90 points, Best Buy, Wine Enthusiast: A top-notch value Cabernet with no flaws. The fruit on the nose is pretty and stylish but doesn't force the issue, while the palate is juicy and fresh with flavors of cola, cassis and wild berry. Not a complicated wine, but one that pushes all the right buttons. Ripe and friendly to the last drop. A lot of wine for the money.

Wine Tasting October 6 - 9, 2010

2008 Frattina Pinot Grigio (Italy)
Pinot Grigio is one of the best selling white wines in the United States, whose success has fueled a torrent of light bodied, clean tasting, and soft wines from Italy. The Frattina is both more complex and interesting but not more expensive, with touches of hay, honeysuckle, hazelnut, and peach, plus the flavor though not the sweetness of honey. From a single vineyard (Quartarezza).

2007 Familia Schroeder Alpataco Pinot Noir (Patagonia, Argentina)
Patagonia is a very windswept region with gravelly alluvial soils, intense sunlight, cool nights, and low humidity. This affordable Pinot Noir has a dark ruby color, is laced with tannins, has bright acidity, and features raspberry, black cherry, and light vanilla, with no candied taste. The gravity fed winery is on a plateau 22 meters high, with the grapes lower in a valley, located well inland near Neuquen, in an area up to 900 meters high, rather than on the coastal part of Patagonia.

2006 Peju Merlot (California)
Winemaker Notes: A full-bodied, ripe Merlot with elegant balance and seductive flavors. Aged 18 months aging in French and American oak barrels, 35% new. 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford H.B. Vineyard and Persephone Vineyard in the northeast corner of the Napa Valley.  Bright hues of magenta and rose. Aromas of juicy raspberry, ripe plum and Bing cherry. Baked cherry pie and sugar plum d on the palate with hints of cocoa and coffee in the silky, extensive finish.

2009 La Puerta Alta Bonarda Famantina Valley (Mendoza, Argentina)
Dark, even chewy, with plum and coffee. Decanter 2010 Regional Trophy, Argentina wines, best red single varietal under ₤10: Lots of primary fruit upfront. Damson plum, blackberry, black cherry, and spice. Gutsy and forceful with good complexity and tangy resonance.

2006 Familia Barberis Blason del Valle Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)
The vineyards are between 2,800 and 3,400 feet high at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, in a sunny and dry area with cool nights. The climate pushes the Malbec away from boysenberry toward blueberry and blackberry, with a tannic elegance, earthiness, smoke, and vanilla.

Wine Tasting September 29-Oct 2, 2010

2007 Jakoby-Mathy Kinheimer Rosenberg  Riesling Auslese Eulenlay (Mittlemosel, Germany)
"Eulenlay"  refers to a selection of grapes from the best section of the Kinheimer Rosenberg vineyard. 94 points, Wine Spectator: Very expressive, offering peppery, minerally and spicy aromas and flavors that complement the peach and apple notes. This is sleek and mouthwatering in character, with a long, tangy finish. Best from 2010 through 2035.

2003 Domaine Le Soula Rouge (Catalanes, France)
A high altitude wine in Southern France nestled in a valley 350-550 meters high that has decomposed granite and schist soil washed over with limestone from a nearby peak. The wine is a joint venture including Gérard Gauby, a famous consultant. 50% Grenache and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dry, tannic, dark, and grippy, with bright acidity and fruit. With aging the color has darkened to near black and the body has gotten fuller, so that the wine has become domineering in the mouth to where it overwhelms lighter foods. Will continue to happily age and improve for at least 5 more years. The Best Cellar is selling this wine for subtantially less than the lowest price I had seen.

2008 Fabre-Montmayou Malbec Gran Reserva (Mendoza, Argentina)
Of the 2007 vintage, 92 points, Wine Advocate: Sourced from 60+-year-old vineyards in Vistalba. It was aged in French oak for 10 months. Opaque purple-colored, it delivers an expressive perfume of pain grille, mineral, scorched earth, violets, and black cherry. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied with layers of savory dark fruit, ripe tannin, excellent balance, and an elegant personality. Give this outstanding effort 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy it from 2011 to 2023.

2008 De Martino Legado Syrah (Chile)
Unusual cool climate, high altitude Syrah from Chile. Winemaker's Notes: Located in the Choapa Valley, a mere 28 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Norte Verde vineyard sits at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains. The 28 hectares possess soil of colluvial origin, rich in clay, sand, and volcanic rocks. Planted using the trellis training method at a density of 5800 vines/hectare, limited yields of high-quality grapes are produced with a unique minerality not typically found in South American Syrahs.

2006 Torbreck Struie (Barossa, Australia)
92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: Opaque ruby. Exotically perfumed, pungent bouquet of dark berries, smoky minerals and floral oils. Sexy cola and vanilla flavors complement sweet black raspberry and cassis on the palate, with dusty tannins adding grip. The fruit ultimately sucks up the tannins on the finish, which is seductively sweet and very long. Appealing already but I'd give this deep, suave wine at least another four or five years in the cellar. (Sept/Oct 08)

Wine Tasting September 22, 24 & 25, 2010

2007 Michael & David Incognito Viognier (Lodi, California)
From a vineyard near where the Sacramento River drains into the San Francisco Bay, that has hot days and cool nights. Originally sold as Roussane when planted but the grapes turned out to be Viognier. Very floral nose, with honeysuckle and jasmine, and fleshy in the mouth, with pineapple and apricot. Past vintages have captured the floral, peachy, and oily texture of Viognier that the Northern Rhone is famous for.

2007 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon (South Africa)
A strong candidate for the world's best value Cabernet, with none of the usual flaws in this price range – not vegetal, watery, sweet, or a simple generic berry taste. Wine Advocate: An exceptional value Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe and juicy black currant and elderberry without any superficial sweetness in their palate. Blond tobacco, hemp, moss, and toasted nuts add complexity to this polished, mouth-filling Cabernet. No distracting alcoholic heat, with an exuberant, vivid fruit finish. Fully enjoyable now.

2007 Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
A value Cabernet from California but made only from vineyards owned by Hahn, who therefore decides how the grapes are grown and when they are harvested. Winemaker's Notes: A deep, plum-hued wine that opens with aromas of vanilla spice, followed by cocoa and cinnamon. Dark red fruit notes with intense blackberry flavor.

2007 Michael & David Incognito Rouge (Lodi, California)
A clever name and eye-catching mask emblem, for a wine whose blend of grapes is not revealed, but which usually includes Rhone grapes, May include Mourvedre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cinsault, Carignane, Tannat, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Grenache.

2007 Mettler Cabernet Sauvignon (Lodi, California)
Purple color and fruit, decent intensity, followed by drying tannins. Very young and not yet integrated. For a somewhat contrary view, Wine Enthusiast: A good, rich Cabernet, made in the modern style of softness, ripe fruitiness and slight sweetness. It's a gentle wine, with savory flavors of blackberries, currants, cocoa and cedar.

2006 Antigal Aduentis Classic (Argentina)
Deep dark fruit and a heavy body, with significant tannin.

Wine Tasting September 15 - 18, 2010

2007 Dr. Loosen Riesling Blue Slate (Germany)
Loosen is a famous estate in Germany in the Mosel River Valley, and this is introductory wine comes from any of the estate's vineyards. It is named after the slate soil in the Mosel Valley, that grows the world's best Riesling.  91 points, Wine Enthusiast: A terrific value in top-flight Riesling. Apple, cinnamon and slate notes are wonderfully interwoven in a wine that's creamy in texture without any accompanying heaviness. Finishes long and vibrant.

2003 Richard Hamilton Burton's Grenache/Shiraz (Australia)
Grenache (53%) Shiraz (47%). Aged for 22 months in French Oak, 10% new barrels. Nuances of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and cognac accent mulberry and blackberry fruits. Fine tannin structure and refreshing acidity.

2007 Bogle Phantom (California)
A distinctly California blend of Petite Syrah and Zinfandel with a little Mourvèdre. Boysenberry and pepper fill the nose. Trademark dense jam fills the mouth with ripe fruit and berries. The hedonistic finish lingers with toasty oak and delicious fruit. As seriously enjoyable as the wine is right now, firm tannins make this a wine that can improve for years.

2004 Norman Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Paso Robles, California)
This wine has improved with another year of aging in the bottle. The color is deep purple, and the black currant and blackberry fruit is carried on the shoulders of a bed of tannin, and is washed over by refreshing acidity. Has lovely balance and flavor integration. The previous 2003 was fatter and lusher, but the 2004 is overall just as good.

2004 Wolfblass Platinum Shiraz (Australia)
From the Eden Valley in Barossa. The premium wine of Wolf Blass at a fraction of its usual price. A great Shiraz demonstrating how intensity of flavor need not go with heaviness of body or syrupy sweetness. 94 points, Jeremy Oliver: Simultaneously sumptuous and elegant, this vibrant, dark-fruited Shiraz marries its brightly lit, spicy and peppery flavors of mulberries, blackberries, dark plums and blueberries with lightly toasty, charry and vanilla oak, that suggests just a hint of caramel. It's musky and heady, while its lavishly sweet-fruited palate has a meaty and very slightly cooked aspect that compromises neither brightness nor intensity. Supported by fine-grained, powdery tannin, it's long, persistent and admirably balanced.

Wine Tasting September 8 - 11, 2010

2008 Elena Walch Gewurztraminer (Alta Adige, Italy)
Three Glasses (top rating), Gambero Rosso. A strong candidate for the greatest Gewurztraminer made in Italy, that consistently gets the top rating in the Gambero Rosso, who tastes and rates wines throughout Italy every year. Pale yellow. Very floral, with rose petal and lychee. Mouth coating with a very long aftertaste, and more than decent acidity. Great pairing with salads, and Oriental or spicy foods.

2007 Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Rosa, California)
A lovely bottle, with a stylish and very Florida design. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 2% Petite Sirah,and 2% Cabernet Franc. Fermented in stainless steel and aged 10 months on oak barrels, 72% French and 28% American. Most of the grapes came from Alexander Valley and Napa Valley. Made in a very accessible and drinkable style. #13 in the annual 2010 Wine & Spirits poll of restaurants for their favorite wines.

2006 Fabre Montmayou Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva (Argentina)
92+ points, Dick Scheer, Village Corner (Michigan): A beauty. Shows not only oak complexity and integration but also strong Cabernet traits of black currant and blackberry. Nice, warm maturation tones from the gran reserva regimen of 4 years in oak and bottle. Fabulous, quite dry, and yet  reserved on the palate. A class act that will get better and better.

2004 Thomas Fogarty Lexington Meritage (Santa Cruz Mountains, California)
One of my favorite wines from a very large distributor tasting. Winemaker's Notes: Comprised of 58% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc this wine has us truly excited about the future of Bordeaux varietals in the cool but sunny reaches of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We sourced the majority of the grapes from Jon Anderson's Camel Hill Vineyard, high above the Lexington Reservoir. The balance comes from our own Razorback Vineyard on our mountain estate. Blackberry, cassis and currant flavors are present in the nose, more subtle aromas of tobacco, cedar and black spices are apparent. The mouth is full and rich with firm tannins and lively acidity. Will age gracefully for another 3-6 years and hold for an additional 4 years.

2003 Heath Shiraz 100 Year Old Vine (Barossa, Australia)
The 100 Year Old Vine line is the flagship of Heath, founded in 2002, which also owns and makes Lizard Flat, Southern Roo, and Southern Sisters. Tasted last week, this wine is purple/black, with very deep and layered flavors of currants, blackberry, and plums, finely balanced by acidity and tannin, and accented by coffee. Never gets close to the dense and jammy but flabby sweet taste style of many Australian wines. The very old vines yield only 1 ton per acre of grapes (about 3 bunches per vine).

Wine Tasting September 1 - 3, 2010

2008 Ken Forrester Sauvignon Blanc (South Africa)
Winemaker's Notes: A complex mix of tangy grassy notes, fig leaf, and peach and nectarine nuances. Brisk acidity with minerality. Extended lees contact after fermentation for about 8 weeks to increase creamy character. Protected from oxidation throughout the wine making process.

2007 Wiles Pinot Noir (Oregon)
Mostly Temperance Hill Vineyard grapes, which is 660-860 feet high, further cooled by a gap in the coastal mountains which the ocean cool air come directly over the vineyard. 125 cases produced. Made by a young man who fell in love with Oregon and Pinot Noir and sought out the opportunity to learn how to make his own wines. Ruby red color typical for Pinot Noir.  Cherry fruit with earth notes and light tannins.

2007 Jasmin Cote Rotie (Rhone, France)
A resolutely traditional Cote Rotie Syrah with 5% Viognier, with traditional grape growing and wine making techniques that emphasize not color and power, but rather aromatic complexity, smoky undertones, the minerality of the soil, floral violet flavors, and raspberry fruit, and tannin and juiciness that ride out with the wine from start to finish. A very small operation with hillside sites scattered throughout the Cote Rotie, blended to make just this one wine. Has a perfume and elegance that reminds some people of Pinot Noir. With aeration, the wine picks up both color and intensity for days. Under 13% alcohol. Of the previous 2006 vintage, 92 points, International Wine Cellar: Vivid red color. Impressively complex bouquet of spicy red berries, kirsch, potpourri, Asian spices and minerals. In the mouth, the spice and mineral quality complement the wine's sweet raspberry, candied cherry and currant flavors. Slow-mounting, fine-grained tannins add support to the long, brisk finish. A quintessential Cote-Rotie, emphasizing finesse and focus over brute force.

2003 Meinert Devon Crest (South Africa)
Made by the winemaker at Vergelegen in the 1990s, from a winery in Devon Valley in Stellenbosch that he owns. A hillside property. 90 points, International Wine Cellar: A 69/31 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Good deep red. Sappy black cherry, mocha and spice aromas. Sweeter and deeper than the merlot, with enticing, slightly high-toned red berry flavors offering considerable early appeal. Finishes firm, vinous and long.

2003 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain (California)
The best wine of this high altitude, mountain estate. Resolutely made in a French style with higher acidity, more tannin, significant non-fruit flavors, and ageworthiness, rather than the big bodied, very fruit forward, softened, enjoy now style typical for Napa. 100% Cabernet, that got smoother, more complex, and mouth-filling after being opened in the bottle for four days. Squarely centered on the briary, black currant side of Cabernet, with blackberry, cola, pencil lead, and wood, that might pass for a fine Bordeaux from a ripe, rich vintage.

Wine Tasting August 25 - 28, 2010

2004 Domaine Le Soula Blanc Cotes Catalanes (South France)
This wine was released at the same price as the premium red of this estate, both from the oldest vines. About a month ago I opened it and it was the better than it ever had been before – very minerally, but more aromatic and mouth coating, with a new layer of citrus flavors, with no flavors of oxidation or stew nor any brown tint.  It was brilliant with an olive, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and balsamic salad, as well as one of the best wines with five other foods in the dinner. Aged 15 months in oak on its lees. A blend of 35% Grenache Blanc and Gris, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, and 30% Marsanne, Roussanne, Macabeu, and Chenin, from cooler, high altitude vineyards in South France. Richard is selling this wine at subtantially less than the previous low price in Florida.

2006 Barahonda Horizonte de Exopto (Rioja, Spain)
The vineyards are gnarly old wines over 2,000 feet high on rocky plateau with clay and a subsoil of sand and limestone.  This is the winery's best wine. 92 points, Wine Advocate: 80% Tempranillo [50-90 years old], 10% Garnacha [70 years old], and 10% Graciano [30-100 years old ] aged for 10 months in 50% new oak, 70% French and 30% American. Inky purple-colored, the aromatics are a bit muted and the wine is tightly wound but loaded. Notes of cedar, smoke, licorice, and blackberry are followed by a dense, powerful wine with excellent flavors and substantial ripe tannin. Give it another 6-8 years of cellaring and then drink it through 2030.

2003 Domaine Le Soula Rouge Cotes Catalanes (France)
A high altitude wine in Southern France nestled in a valley 350-550 meters high that has decomposed granite and schist soil washed over with limestone from a nearby peak. The wine is a joint venture including Gérard Gauby, a famous consultant. 50% Grenache and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dry, tannic, dark, and grippy, with bright acidity and fruit. With aging the color has darkened to near black and the body has gotten fuller, so that the wine has become domineering in the mouth to where it overwhelms lighter foods. Will continue to happily age and improve for at least 5 more years. The Best Cellar is selling this wine for subtantially less than the lowest price I had seen.

2008 Puro Uno Malbec Limitado  (Argentina)
www.saltshaker.net: Vibrant red purple; black plum, white chocolate, candied violets on the nose; medium bodied, good acidity, sharp dry tannins, lots of black pepper and a touch of astringency on the long finish. Too young to be drinking now, even with time to open up, but lots of potential.

2006 Signorello Cabernet  Sauivignon (Napa, California)
Signarello bucks the dominate tradition in Napa of making Cabernet that is very dark in color, plush in texture, and rich in fruit upon release. Instead, Signorello has more controlling acid and tannins, like French Bordeaux wines. The previous 2005 vintage was a strong candidate for the greatest wine of Signorello for a decade, with outstanding structure, power, and balance. Early reviews of the 2006 worried about the tannins, which aged Signorellos show is seldom a problem. Wine Watch (Florida, 8-19-2010): Lots of pepper spice to the black cherry liqueur like fruit fresh plowed black earth very complex and black currants toasty oak spice almost a bourbon barrel notes.  Plush and velvety on the tongue with incredible concentration and depth lovely integration of oak and dark chocolate, very tannic and a bit of spice very long finish, this wine needs time, but has all the right stuff.  Finish 50+ seconds long. Most excellent.

Wine Tasting August 18 - 21, 2010

2008 Man Vintners Chenin Blanc (South Africa)
A refreshing and fruity white wine. One of top 100 Value wines of the Wine Enthusiast: Fresh melon, tropical fruit, citrus and spice aromas and flavors are the hallmark of this friendly Chenin. Tangy, approachable fruit flavors and a long finish add to the appeal. Pair with everything from lobster salad to grilled chicken.

2006 Azienda Agricola Il Poggiolo Rosso Sassello (Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy)
The Montalcino denomination makes arguably the greatest Sangiovese wines in Italy, and the Rosso line is the first released and most affordable line of wines made. Sassello is a single vineyard release with grapes that typically go into their best Brunello di Montalcino.  An elegant and savory wine with earthy cherry fruit framed by dusty tannins that is stunningly good with fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato on toasted bread, topped with a thin slice of smoked provolone.

2005 Waterbrook Syrah (Washington)
Top 100 Best Buys, 2007, Wine & Spirits. 92 points, Rich Board, DailyWineTasting.blogspot.com: Very interesting blend of 91% Syrah, 5% Grenache, 4% Viognier; bold and concentrated flavor profile. Strong aromas of plum, blackberries and earth. A caressing palate with blackcherry, blueberry jam, and dark chocolate. A juicy and delicious finish with creamy oak and tar makes this a top 20 and one of my favorites of the year.

2001 Warwick Estate  Reserve (South Africa)
A lovely estate in the Stellenboch with decomposed granite soil, whose best wines are Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends.  Cabernet Sauvignon (67%), Merlot (25%) and Cabernet Franc (8%). Has a light taste of alkali and rubber typical for South Africa.  Has aged well and remains in excellent condition.: 91 points, Internaitonal Wine Cellar: Good bright medium red. Perfumed, nuanced nose combines currant, raspberry, flowers, herbs, chocolate and licorice. Intense flavors of cherry, tar and spicy oak. Quite sweet and suave, finishing with a fine dusting of tannins and chocolatey oak. Also, 90 points, Wine Spectator: Focused red, with taut vanilla, mineral, red currant, truffle and smoke notes. A bit tight in the middle, but the tannins are fine and there's plenty of length, with an extra wave of fruit on the finish, so let this open in the cellar.

2001 Downing Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, California)
Blends Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. 89% from the Del Bondio Vineyard in Rutherford , 8% from Oakville, and 3%  Petite Sirah from Yountville.  Tobin Smith, Fox TV: Voluptuous new release from a tiny boutique winery and sourced from vineyards next to several big-name cabernets selling for $100+. Don't miss this rare chance to enjoy Downing Family for about half the price, before the collector crowd discovers them.

Wine Tasting August 11 - 14, 2010

2008  Las Brisas Rueda  (Spain)
About half Verdejo and half Sauvignon Blanc. A good example of how Spain makes good white wines. Rueda is a cool, high altitude part of hot and sunny Spain. #94, Top 100 Best Buys of 2009, Wine Enthusiast: Gets going with pear, apple and light, leesy aromas in front of a citrusy palate; flavors of grapefruit and lime.

2008 Ridge Three Valleys Red (California)
74% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane, 4% Mataro,3% Syrah, 3% Grenache.  Wine Enthusiast (8/2010): A lusty, exuberantly fruity young wine, with jammy berry-cherry and spice flavors. It's a rustic sipper meant to wash down meats and cheeses. Connoisseurs Guide: Convincingly defined as Zinfandel, this temperate, well-balanced bottling pulls back from the brink of high-ripeness and aims for a structured, claret-like style. Its precise, berry-like fruit comes with no chocolaty extras but hints of briar and tea-leaf do show here and there. First and foremost, it is a wine that is made to accompany food.

2008 Puro Uno Quadro  (Mendoza, Argentina)
An extremely difficult wine to find. From Lujan de Cuyo, at 950 to  1050 meters altitude. 40% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, and 15% Tempranillo. 50% aged in barrels in oak barrels for 12 months, and the rest in stainless steel with some oak staves. Dan Perlman, www.saltshaker.net: Inky purple color. Fascinating aromas of various berry fruits of raspberry, blackberry, and currants, with a touch of blue plums and curry spice. On the palate, soft tannins, medium to full body, great acidity and well-integrated oak.

2005 Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages (California)
At a Bordeaux/Cabernet tasting with about 110 wines, I  rated this wine 4th overall, and first among wines costing less than $60. Among my top wines, three cost over $100 per bottle and one $70. The top included some great Bordeaux, great California, as well as the greatest Italian Cabernet Sauvignon I have ever tasted. The 2005 Cinq Cepage had the smoothness, integration, balance, elegance, and complexity that is the hallmark for this wine. But what the 2005 added was higher acidity, more than adequate tannins, and a truly powerful finish. Consistently, the Cinq Cepage grows with age and stands up to wines that initially were more powerful. The 2005 starts at a higher level of power. 94 points, Wine Enthusiast, 93 points Wine News.

2005 Aramis Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale (Australia)
At a recent blind tasting of Cabernets with a panel of experienced tasters, this wine came in first. No one thought it was Australian, because it wasn't sugary, low acid, low tannin, and overripe. 100% Cab, dry, buttressed by tannin and acid, with intense cassis and blackberry. At the lowest price ever. Do not miss the opportunity to buy this wine by the case.

Wine Tasting August 4 - 7, 2010
Wednesday, August 4 Guest Speaker was Frank Baroudi, Owner/Winemaker, Puro Uno, Argentina

2007 Michael & David Seven Heavenly Chardonnays (Lodi, California)
Gabesview.com: Mango, pineapple and vanilla dominate the nose, underscored by a subtler touch of caramel. Throughout the fairly extravagant and creamy palate, guava, kiwi and pineapple notes are prominent. The finish features a hint of citrus peel along with nutmeg and white pepper. The oak treatment on this wine is apparent, but not over the top. Well balanced with firm acidic structure. A good match for a creamy four cheese Risotto.

2005 Chateau Puimarmon Vielles Vignes (Montagne Saint-Émilion, France)
The top red wine of this estate, which is situated up on a limestone ridge. The fruit hangs on a strong latticework of tannin and acidity, which gives the wine a resolutely dry taste in the mouth. But with three days aeration from opening the bottle, the wine steadily gains a silkier texture and more mouthfilling taste. After being opened for 8 days, the wine was still going strong, showing that it will last and improve in the bottle for a decade. A club selection of the Biltmore Estate restaurant, which is part of one the most expensive houses ever built in the United States.

2008 Spice Route Chakalaka (South Africa)
90 points, Wine Spectator (7/10): Rich, but stylish and alluring, delivering mulled plum, currant and fig notes laced with black tea, supported by a nice graphite edge on the smoky finish. 51% Syrah, 16% Carignan, 11% Mourvèdre, 11% Souzou, 8% Grenache,  plus Tannat and Petite Sirah. Drink now. 2,800 cases made.

2007 Three Petite Sirah 2007 (Contra Costa, California)
WineAccess.com: Deep black/purple color. Powerfully concentrated blackberry aromas. Pure fruit. Rich, saturated blackberry and purple fruit flavors, at the same time remarkably bright and vibrant on the palate (the Delhi sand at play). Fine, firm, perfectly balanced finish with plenty of backbone to freshen up the intense concentration. Drink now for the primary fruit hedonism or age for up to 5 years.

2005 Andrew Geoffrey Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain (Napa, California)
91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels, 80% new. Named after the two sons of the owner. 92 points, Wine Advocate: The brilliant 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as an elegant perfume of spring flowers, black currants, licorice, cedar, and subtle toasty oak. It is medium to full-bodied with sweet tannin, and a long, authoritative, elegant finish. It should drink beautifully for 15 or more years.

Wine Tasting July 28 - 31, 2010
"Zinfest"

2007 Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel (Sonoma, California)
76% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, 7% Syrah, 6% Grenache, and 3% Carignane. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: An absolutely beautiful Zin, and a must-have for restaurant wine lists. It's pure and complex in blackberries, cherries, cola and mocha, with wonderful spices erupting all the way though, and the most elegant silky texture. What a great job. Rochambeau.com (NY wine store that publishes extensive, independent store reviews): One of the friendliest Ridge Zins we've tasted in a long time. Sensuous, with structure and tons of fruit. Great "drink me now" appeal but will hold for the next five years.

2007 Terraces Zinfandel (Napa, California)
One of the best makers of Zinfandel. Concentrated, complex, and well-defined flavors, which avoid raisin, sweetness, and overripeness. Like many of the best wines, the flavors spike upon swallowing. The acids are refreshing and the tannins are soft in texture but become more noticeable and drying on the finish. Dependably excellent every vintage. Very low yields on hillside vineyards. Previous vintages got up to 93 points in the Wine Advocate. The 1998 vintage remains astonishingly good 12 year later.

2007 Prisoner Orin Swift Zinfandel (California)
One of the more famous Zinfandel blends. 92 points, Wine Spectator: Offers both style and structure, with lively aromas of black raspberry, cracked pepper and mocha, with plush and layered flavors of wild berry, fresh sage and licorice. Ripe tannins sneak in on the finish. 50% Zinfandel, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Syrah, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Charbono, and 1% Grenache.

2007 Ravenswood Teldeschi Zinfandel (Sonoma, California)
At 93-94 points, one of the highest rated Zins in the International Wine Cellar, which is stingy with high scores. Zinfandel from Teldeschi Vineyard always is more like Cabernet Sauvignon, with more tannin, blacker fruits, and never too sweet. 95 points, Connoisseurs' Guide To California Wine, January 2010. Full-bodied on the palate with its suppleness running to a bit of flesh, but balanced quite well, this wine tightens up and finds structure figuring prominently in its latter half. It is made in the classic, sweet berry, light spice mold of the Dry Creek Valley.

2007 Outpost Zinfandel Howell Mountain (Napa, California)
The first Zinfandel from Howell Mountain to make the Best Cellar Zinfest. Outpost makes not only a great Cabernet, but terrific Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. 92 points, International Wine Cellar: Bright ruby-red. Knockout nose offers red and darker berries lifted by ginger, flowers and pepper. Juicy and intense; a real essence of Zinfandel fruit, with superb clarity and spicy lift to the crushed berry flavors. Really coats the mouth without leaving any impression of weight. The very long, juicy, bright finish features a fine dusting of tannins and resounding fruit. Aged in Burgundy barrels, 25% new.

2006 Michael & David Gluttony Zinfandel (Lodi, California)
Enormous with over 16% alcohol, an inky color, a dense texture, copious blackberry and raspberry fruit, vanilla, and enough tannin to be dryer toward the finish. All American oak. Ravenswood, Rosenblum and Ridge made similar Zinfandels since the mid 1980s which aged well and improved for at least 10 years. Their premium Zin at the lowest price ever.

Wine Tasting July 21 - 24, 2010

2009 Saint Andres de Figuiere Rose Magali (Provence, France)
Made from 25% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 30% Syrah, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Rose, apple, and white peach, with a light body.

2006 Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
Made by Signorello, but blends in 25% Syrah to take the wine into a different direction, that layers in a more delicious fruit forward red raspberry with the currant and plum, adding approachability when young and complexity as the wine ages. Aged 16 months in French and American oak. In the Top 12 Wines of the Year of the Wall Street Journal.

2008 Odfjell Carmenere Armador (Chile)
90 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:  Inky ruby. Seductively perfumed aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, potpourri and musky underbrush. Silky in texture, with sweet red berry and candied floral flavors, smoky minerality and slow-building spiciness. Fresh and graceful wine with very good finishing clarity, sweetness and cut.

2007 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (Napa, California)
Ghost Block is a brand name for marketing premium Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oakville area of California, that is meant to be a good value compared to $100 Napa Cabs. Of the previous 2006 vintage, 94 points, Wine Enthusiast: Quite a beautiful Cabernet, showing Oakville character of black currants and cedar and profoundly fine tannins, as well as a great depth of flavor and ageworthiness. Made from 100% Cabernet, it's lush and dramatic now, and should easily develop over the next 6–10 years.

2005 Carol Shelton Karma Zinfandel Rue Vineyard
Double Gold and Best Zin at the January 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. 85% Zinfandel with 15% mixed field blend of other varietals interplanted with the Zinfandel. Aged 11 months in 62% new wood barrels. Winemaker's Notes: Very complexly layered spice and black fruits, pretty blueberry fragrance, creamy oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, and nutmeg/cinnamon.

Wine Tasting July 14 - 17, 2010

2008 Four Graces Dundee Hills Pinot Gris (Oregon)
The winery name was for the four daughters of the founder. The ambition of this winery for its Pinot Gris is shown show they secured the vines in 1993 to plant - from Alsace, France, that makes the world's best Pinot Gris. The juice is pressed from whole clusters, and is fermented slowly at cool temperatures. Aims for a full flavored wine with a strong mouthfeel, buttressed by minerals and acidity.

2007 Davis Bynum Pinot Noir Russian River (Sonoma, California)
The 1997 version of this wine is still drinking well and the 2007 is a worthy successor. Not so much the elegant, red cherry, and lightly candied flavor of much California Pinot, but darker, more black fruited, and laced with tannins. 90 points, Wine Spectator: The Davis Bynum brand, now owned by Rodney Strong, makes food friendly wines with bright fruit aromas and flavors, and a silky texture.  Rich and full-bodied, with a pleasurable mix of black cherry, wild berry and mocha flavors that are intense, concentrated, focused and persistent, ending with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2015.

2007 Finca Luzón Altos de Luzón (Spain)
Attractively priced blend of 50% Monastrell, 25% Tempranillo and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon , aged for 12 months in French and American oak.  Of the previous 2006 vintage, 91 points, Josh Raynold, International Wine Cellar: Glass-staining ruby. Cherry-cola and blackberry on the nose, with sexy vanillin oak and baking spice accents. Pliant dark berry flavors stain the palate , with firming dusty tannins absorbed by the fruit on the broad, sweet, long finish. The oak, all new, one-third of it American, complements the lush fruit.

2006 Viticcio Chianti Classico Reserva (Tuscany, Italy)
92 points, # 35 in 2009 Top 100, Wine Spectator:  A rich sensual wine bursting with sour dark cherries, French oak, and new leather  Aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate, with supersilky tannins and amazing richness and subtlety. Goes on for minutes on the palate.

2005 Two Hands "Charlies Patch" Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, California)
This wine is a new venture of the acclaimed Australian Shiraz specialist Two Hands Wines, famous for their beefy Australian Shiraz.  Very small quantities of this 100% Cabernet were crafted at the Outpost winery on Howell Mountain.  Aged for 22 months in 100% new French Oak with 95% Spring Mountain fruit. 92 points, International Wine Cellar: Full ruby. Brooding aromas of medicinal cherry, blueberry, flowers, resin and menthol, all lifted by an exhilarating rose petal note. Juicy and tightly wound, with a lovely light touch to its dark fruit, graphite and floral flavors. Perhaps best today on the long, ripely tannic finish, which leaves behind an enticing perfume.

Wine Tasting July 7 - 10, 2010

2008 Tres Picos Granacha (Spain)
91 points, International Wine Cellar: Opaque purple. Exotically perfumed bouquet of dark berry preserves, smoky minerals, potpourri and Indian spices, with a strong note of cracked pepper; smells like a high-end northern Rhone wine. Very spicy and tightly focused, offering juicy red and dark berry flavors and sexy notes of candied flowers and cocoa powder. Finishes with a wallop of sweet red berries and lingering, seductive spiciness; as ridiculous a value as one can find these days. The yield for this wine is under two tons per acre.

2008 Torbreck Juveniles Cuvee (Australia)
91 points, Wine Advocate: A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 20% Shiraz aged totally in stainless steel. Dark ruby-colored, it has a fragrant nose of black cherry and wild blueberry. Elegant and friendly on the palate with plenty of succulent blue and black fruits, it will provide pleasure over the next four years.

2006 Torbreck Steading (Australia)
Aged 2 years in old oak barrels. 60% Grenache, 20% Mouvedre, 20% Shiraz. 92 points International Wine Cellar: Deep, bright red. Wide-open on the nose, offering seductive raspberry, candied cherry, floral and Asian spice aromas, along with a subtle smoky undertone. Fleshy and sweet on the palate, offering vivid red and dark berry flavors and an exotic sweet tobacco quality. Candied floral notes build through the long, sweet finish, where fine-grained tannins make a late appearance. Already quite seductive.

2006 Torbreck Struie Shiraz (Australia)
The grapes are grown on cooler, hillside sites. 92 points, International Wine Cellar (Sep/Oct 08): Opaque ruby. Exotically perfumed, pungent bouquet of dark berries, smoky minerals and floral oils. Sexy cola and vanilla flavors complement sweet black raspberry and cassis on the palate, with dusty tannins adding grip. The fruit ultimately sucks up the tannins on the finish, which is seductively sweet and very long. Appealing already but I'd give this deep, suave wine at least another four or five years in the cellar.

2006 Torbreck Factor (Australia)
96 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2010: As hoped and expected; beautiful color; a wonderful bouquet, with black fruits of various kinds the engine and oak in tow. Impeccable texture and balance in the mouth; a wonderful array of seamless black berry, licorice and high-quality oak; destined to become as recognized as one of the great Granges [Australia's premier world class red wine]. Also 94 points, Wine Advocate.

Wine Tasting June 30 - July 3, 2010

2007 Waterbrook Chardonnay (Washington)
Complexly made and blended for an introductory Chadonnay, partly made with new oak and partly with no oak, fermented part in barrel and part in stainless steel. Has an unusual 1.5% Sauvignon Blanc in the blend, which adds a juicy acidity.  Wine Enthusiast - Best Buy.
A crisp, minerally style, with some pizzazz, offering green apple, white pepper and lime flavors that echo on the finish. Wine Spectator - Best Values

2007 Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon Red Tulip Wines (Washington)
79.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 5.5% Petit Verdot, 3.3% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc. Outstanding (unanimous judgment by a panel), Northwest Wine Press: Winemaker Rob Griffin's ability to craft great wine after wine never fails to astonish us. This is his mainstream Cab, and it is gorgeous. Loaded with fresh dark-toned berries and olives with hints of smoke on the nose, followed by lusciously ripe blackberries, cherries and plums on the palate. Eminently drinkable young yet will age for a half-decade or more, partly thanks to supple tannins and mild oak.

2008 Fabre-Montmayou Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva (Argentina)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented cool, aged 12 months in oak barrels, grapes are from 20 year old vines.

2008 Fabre-Montmayou Malbec Gran Reserva (Mendoza, Argentina)
Of the 2007 vintage, 92 points, Wine Advocate: Sourced from 60+-year-old vineyards in Vistalba. It was aged in French oak for 10 months. Opaque purple-colored, it delivers an expressive perfume of pain grille, mineral, scorched earth, violets, and black cherry. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied with layers of savory dark fruit, ripe tannin, excellent balance, and an elegant personality. Give this outstanding effort 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy it from 2011 to 2023.

2005 Keller Estate Syrah La Cruz Vineyard (Sonoma, California)
Grown in Petaluma Valley on the Sonoma Coast, doubly cooled by ocean breezes and fog, but harvested at the end of October. Unusually close to a Northern Rhone for a California wine. Finewinehouse.com: Opaque black with a vibrant, bluish edge. The powerful aromas include blackberry and plum, clove, vanilla along with notes of black pepper, toasty oak and herbs. As the wine opens, it gains a floral quality. The wine is most impressive in the mouth, where it is lavish, velvety, rich, thick, mouth coating, long and concentrated. Delicious now and rewards storing.

Wine Tasting June 23 - 26, 2010

Excelsior Chardonnay 2009
This crisp, mouthwatering Chardonnay displays lively flavors of green apple, citrus, and pineapple on a full, creamy palate. Hints of orange blossom and mineral and delicate toasty notes round out the package in this versatile and accessible everyday value.

La Playa Cabernet Rose 2009
Vivid pink color with violet hues. On the nose it is very expressive, showing rich fruit aromas with distinctive notes of candied raspberry, strawberry and underlying touches of herbs. This is a well-balanced and attractive wine with structure, good persistence and a pleasant finish.

Errazuriz Max Cabernet 2007
"This ruby red wine offers an intense and pleasant aroma of red and black fruits, with a spicy edge. Well balanced to the palate, its sweet raspberry and chocolaty notes comes from its oak aging. It finishes with a pleasant ripe cherry and a hint of spice." Wine Buyer

Atlas Peak Spring Mountain Cabernet 2004
Impressive in its mix of perfectly cast fruit, inviting notes of complexity from minerals to loamy soils to hints of dark chocolate, this full-bodied wine is both supple and solid on the palate, and its lengthy flavors of cassis, cola, ripe cherries, fudge and dried wild flowers follow through handsomely. Tannin and acid tighten the wine in the finish and encourage four to eight years of quiet cellar aging.

Three Rivers Syrah 2005 Walla Walla
100% Syrah and has been sourced from five different vineyards from throughout the Columbia Valley.  Aromas of boysenberry and white pepper lead to chocolate cherry flavors. A well structured wine, it has been aged in small oak barrels for fifteen months.

Wine Tasting June 16 - 19, 2010

2008 Frattina Pinot Grigio (Italy)
A single vineyard Pinot Grigio from Northern Italy that delivers more flavors and concentration.

2003 Abtei Muri Lagrein Reserva (Italy)
A wine that received a top three glass rating in the Gambera Rosso not only in 2003, but 2004 and 2005. Features blackberry, tannin, and oak. Ready to drink now.

2007 Hedges Three Vineyards Red Mountain (Washington)
A consistent best value from the Red Mountain appellation in Washington State. Impressive concentration and fruit, yet with Bordeaux structure. A wine that holds its own when compared with more expensive and prestigious Red Mountain wines.

2005 Stratton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series (California)
A long time favorite at Best Cellar. Demonstrates how Napa Cabernet can be very special yet remain affordable. Cabernet Sauvignon plus a little Petite Verdot. Dark color, soft fruity entry, good intensity, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currents with hints of chocolate and lavender. Aged 2 years in French oak. The grapes are from near Oakville and Rutherford, from wineries that charge much more for their Cabernets. Previous vintages since 2001 were all excellent and improved in the bottle.

2006 Von Strasser Diamond Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, California)
Diamond Mountain is a high altitude appellation famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, and every Cabernet Von Strasser makes has impressive power, complexity, and grip. 93 points, Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2009): Von Strasser continues to produce stunning Cabernets that are not only delicious when released, but ageable. This estate bottling is superbly rich in cassis and cedar, and while the tannins are thick, they're ripe

Wine Tasting June 9 - 12, 2010

2007 Dr. Loosen Riesling Blue Slate (Germany)
Loosen is a famous estate in Germany in the Mosel River Valley, and this is introductory wine comes from any of the estate's vineyards. It is named after the slate soil in the Mosel Valley, that makes the world's best Riesling.  91 points, Wine Enthusiast: A terrific value in top-flight Riesling. Apple, cinnamon and slate notes are wonderfully interwoven in a wine that's creamy in texture without any accompanying heaviness. Finishes long and vibrant.

2008 M Chapoutier Bila-Haut (France)
Though the very modestly priced introductory wine from this South France estate, it still has drying tannins, ample fruit, and refreshing acidity. Very versatile and food friendly, and got even better days later after being opened.  90 points, in Top Wines for 2009, Wine Spectator:  A muscular red, with concentrated flavors of dark cherry, plum, raspberry tart and grilled fig. The dense finish of dark chocolate is firm and focused, with smoky notes. Best from 2010 through 2014.

2008 Odfjell Carmenere Armador (Chile)
90 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:  Inky ruby. Seductively perfumed aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, potpourri and musky underbrush. Silky in texture, with sweet red berry and candied floral flavors, smoky minerality and slow-building spiciness. Fresh and graceful wine with very good finishing clarity, sweetness and cut.

2007 M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem (Cote du Roussilon, France)
The high-end wine from this estate. Black and packed, intensely flavored, with a silky texture, yet finely structured by tannins and acidity. Named after a stone sought in alchemy.  93 points, Wine Advocate: From Grenache, Carignan, and Syrah planted in a mixture of gneiss, schist, and chalk, and vinified half each in tank and barrel. Smells of violets, toasted walnuts, cassis, licorice, rosemary, roasted meats, and sea breeze. The influence of Syrah is very much in evidence. Fascinating suggestions of brine and iodine, resinous southern French herbs and exotic spices. Deeply fruited as well as richly carnal palate, with a caressing polish and tender, ultra-refined tannins. Profoundly rich yet bright and refreshing.

2006 Tobin James Cellars Zinfandel James Gang Reserve
A rich, oaky, jammy, alcoholic, and full bodied style of Zin from Paso Robles. The winery includes a mahogany bar from the 1860s in Missouri, where the outlaw Jesse James grew up. Wilfred Wong, www.bevmo.com:  Ultra-rich, well-constructed, and ripe-berried. A top effort, long and seductive on the palate and aftertaste.  Freeport Cheese and Wine (Maine): Big, rich and bold with a long, long finish. Aromas and flavors of blackberries, blueberries, black cherries, dark chocolate, pepper, subtle hints of oak and vanilla. High alcohol you don't  notice . Jammy rich but nicely balanced tannins and acidity.

Wine Tasting May 19 - 21, 2010

2008 King Estate Pinot Gris Signature Selection (Washington)
90 points, Wine Spectator, number 77 of top 100 for the year: Slightly richer than past vintages, with a peachlike scent that gives way to weighty pear and white peach flavors. It has a satisfying fullness and the palate weight for pork loin.

2005 Napa Cellars Zinfandel (California)
Not the heavy bodied and sweet style of Zinfandel, but rather emphasizes clarity of fruit, brightness, and freshness. More the red raspberry side of Zinfandel rather than the raisin.

2006 Bleasdale Langhorne Crossing (Australia)
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 15% Shiraz, and 6% Petite Verdot. Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar:  Bright red. An expressive bouquet of red and dark berries, along with subtle floral and mineral nuances. Sappy, smooth and fruit-driven, with palate-coating raspberry and blackberry flavors and no obvious tannins. Finishes with good clarity and length.

2003 Watts Dos Amores Paso Robles (California)
65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc. Consistently the best wine made by Watts. Near ink in color, rich fruits of blackberry and black currant, with good acidity, an undertow of tannin, and a smooth texture. A style that the Paso Robles area of California does very well, that is ready to drink tonight.

2005 Andrew Will Sheridan Vineyard (Washington)
A wine that is not only well balanced but intense and powerful. One of the top 20 wines served at the Best Cellar in 2008. The current price is the lowest ever.  92 points, Wine Advocate: 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 28% Merlot. This purple-colored effort offers up an array of spices including clove, cinnamon, and allspice as well as cedar and tobacco notes. Saint-Emilion-like on the palate, it hides enough tannin to support 2-3 years of further bottle age. The depth and balance suggests that this rather elegant wine will drink well through 2025.

Wine Tasting May 12 - 15, 2010

2007 Louis Latour Grand Ardèche Chardonnay (France)
Winemaker's Notes: Consistency of climate and abundant sunshine in the Ardèche perfectly ripen these bunches of grapes, while the drying Mistral wind eliminates any risk of rot. The Grand Ardèche is treated as if it were grown in one of the Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte-d'Or. Fully-ripened grapes are selected and pressed lightly before being aged in oak barrels made at the Latour cooperage in Beaune. Yellow-green in color, the Ardèche 2007 has a subtle nose of vanilla. On the palate there are soft notes of spice and vanilla. This is a round and powerful wine.

2007 Chateau Pesquie Terrasses (France)
91 Points, Wine Advocate (June 2009): Made from 60-year-old Grenache and 30-year-old Syrah, one-third is aged in small barrels and the rest in foudre and tank. A dense ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of cassis, kirsch, lavender, pepper, and spice. The sweetness of the tannins, abundant glycerin, razor sharp focus, and wonderful depth make for a wine that transcends its humble price and bucolic appellation. A remarkable bargain. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.

2007 Domaine Chave Mon Coeur Côte Du Rhône (France)
A label Chave uses for wines he makes from purchased grapes rather than from vineyards he owns. Chave carefully selects about 10 vineyards across various appellations that have granite soil and biodynamical farming. About half Grenache and half Syrah. A benchmark for Côte du Rhône wines. The 2006 was in the top three wines in a recent tasting of Grenache blends from Spain and France. 90 points, Wine Advocate: Sensational, offering superb purity, texture, and richness. It should drink well for 5-7 years.

2003 Norman Crescendo (Paso Robles, California)
See why California is world famous for delicious fruit-centered wines. From the nose, to the entry in the mouth, and overflowing into the aftertaste, is a generous, giving, caressing, vibrant, and endless cornucopia of black cherry, currants, and plums. A premium reserve wine normally available only at the winery whose quality soars above its price. Barrel aged 20 months in 80% new oak (50% French, 50% American). A classic Bordeaux blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 7% Cabernet Franc.  Not since the 1995 Justin Isosceles have I seen this type of wine done so perfectly.

2003 Thomas Fogarty Lexington Meritage Santa Cruz (California)
One of my favorite wines from a very large distributor tasting. Winemaker's Notes: Comprised of 58% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc this wine has us truly excited about the future of Bordeaux varietals in the cool but sunny reaches of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We sourced the majority of the grapes from Jon Anderson's Camel Hill Vineyard, high above the Lexington Reservoir. The balance comes from our own Razorback Vineyard on our mountain estate. Blackberry, cassis and currant flavors are present in the nose, more subtle aromas of tobacco, cedar and black spices are apparent. The mouth is full and rich with firm tannins and lively acidity. Will age gracefully for another 3-6 years and hold for an additional 4 years.

Wine Tasting May 5 - 8, 2010

2005 Fallbrook Chardonnay Reserve (California)
100% Chardonnay from the Monterey viticultural area. 50% barrel fermented, 50% stainless steel fermentation. 40% aged 12 months in French and American oak. Partial malolactic fermentation contributes a creamy edge. Later blended with un-oaked wine, making a full-bodied fruit forward Chardonnay with a crisp finish.

2006 L'Avenir Pinotage (South Africa)
A very attractive style of Pinotage that tastes unusually like Cabernet Sauvignon. Black currants and plums, with a juicy fruitiness, refreshing acidity, and supporting tannins, laced with earth, coffee, and tobacco. Aged 14 months in French oak barrels, 30% new. The winemaker notes that this vintage had very healthy grapes that were unusually small with thick skins.

2006 Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley (Washington)
Northstar is a rare specialist in premium Merlot. Only a few places produce Merlots that are consistently better than Cabernet Sauvignon, including Bordeaux and Washington. 91 points, Wine Advocate: 76% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Aged in French and American oak, 65% new, for 18 months. The fruit was sourced from 14 different vineyards. Dark crimson-colored, with an alluring bouquet of cigar box, sage, clove, cinnamon, black cherry, and a hint of chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, round and elegant on the palate, with solid depth and enough ripe tannin to support 2-3 years of additional cellaring. Drink this intensely flavored effort from 2011 to 2021.

2007 Montes Alpha Carmenere (Chile)
91 points, Wine Advocate: A superb rendition of this fascinating grape variety. A saturated purple color with a superb aromatic array of spice, lavender, incense, smoke, and blueberry. Layered, plush, and concentrated, it has excellent depth and grip, enough well-hidden structure to evolve for several years, and a long, fruit filled finish. Drink it from 2012 to 2020.

2006 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz (Australia)
Made from a single vineyard and single block with shallow sandy loam over deep red clay and limestone. 94 points, James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2009: Deep magenta; deep fruited with great concentration; hints of spice and a core of bright fruits lead to a long, full and harmonious finish. 92 points, Jay Miller, Wine Advocate (Feb 2009): 18 months in oak hogsheads, 20% new American and 5% new French. Glass-coating purple color with an expressive bouquet of smoke, mineral, bacon, and blueberry. Layered, bordering on opulent, with superior depth of flavor, plenty of savory spice, a lengthy finish, and enough tannin to support 3-4 years of additional cellaring. Best from 2011 to 2020.

Wine Tasting April 28 - May 1, 2010
12th Anniversary Celebration!

2009 Banfi Centine Bianco (Italy)
Pronounced CHEN-tee-nay.  Feremented partly in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for freshness, and partly in French oak for 4 months, 20% new, with no malolactic fermentation.  Of previous 2008, Wine Spectator: A beautiful white, with lemon, green apple and pear aromas and flavors. Medium- to full-bodied, with fresh acidity and a clean, fruity finish. A blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, and 30% Pinot Grigio.

2007 Loring Pinot Noir Durell Vineyard (Sonoma, California)
A serious single vineyard wine made by an obsessive specialist in Pinot Noir. 94 points, Pinot Report: Medium-deep ruby color; deep, spicy, earthy aromas; rich, ripe red cherry fruit flavors; spice and smoky notes; sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Spicy and subtle, a great Pinot for a mushroom pasta or lighter grilled meats. 91 points, Wine Spectator: Elegant and stylish, with subdued dried currant, earth, mushroom and savory herb notes that are complex and balanced, medium- to full-bodied. Ends with a tasty burst of dark berry fruit.

2005 Keller Estate Syrah La Cruz Vineyard (Sonoma, California)
Grown in Petaluma Valley on the Sonoma Coast, doubly cooled by ocean breezes and fog, but harvested at the end of October. Finewinehouse.com: Opaque black with a vibrant, bluish edge. The powerful aromas include blackberry and plum, clove, vanilla along with notes of black pepper, toasty oak and herbs. As the wine opens, it gains a floral quality. The wine is most impressive in the mouth, where it is lavish, velvety, rich, thick, mouth coating, long and concentrated. Delicious now and rewards storing.

 2005 Hewitson Mad Hatter Shiraz (Australia)
95 points, James Halliday, 2009 Australian Wine Companion: McLaren Vale at its best; masses of blackberry, spice and dark chocolate in a cocoon of fine but persistent tannins and quality French oak; excellent length. Opulent but not corpulent.

2005 Two Hands Shiraz Harry & Edward's Garden (Langhorne Creek, Australia)
95 points, James Halliday, 2009 Australian Wine Companion: Complex black fruit flavors accompanied by spice and licorice; fine tannins, and great length. 92+? points, Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Aug 2009: Inky purple. Brooding boysenberry, plum, Indian spices and vanillin oak on the nose, with suggestions of violet and black pepper. Suave and fleshy on entry, then perfumed but youthfully tight in the middle, offering sweet notes of dark fruit preserves, olive and spicy oak. Finishes with noteworthy sweetness, but this gripping wine is extremely young and slow to unfold.

Wine Tasting April 21 - 24, 2010

2006 Verget Macon-Vergisson La Roche Chardonnay (France)
La Roche is a massive limestone mountain overlooking the village of Vergisson in the Macon region of Burdundy. Grapes are grown from the top, slopes, and bottom of the mountain. The wine combines vivacious acidity, lemon citrus, limestone minerality, and a creamy edged texture. Delicious alone and superb with fish, pasta, soups, chicken, and pork.

2006 Flying Goat Pinot Noir Dierberg Vineyard (Santa Barbera, California)
90 points, Josh Raynolds, Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: Light, bright red. Fresh red berries and flowers on the nose, with tangy spice and white pepper notes adding complexity. Bright and racy in the mouth, offering clean red fruit flavors and good mineral snap. The brisk finish features impressive clarity and mineral snap.

2005 San Cristobal Ribera Del Duero (Spain)
Brian Brick, K&L Wine Merchants: Exuberant and inviting, with powerful aromas of cherry pie, loam, licorice root and fresh tobacco. Bursts with juicy red and black fruit, harmoniously combined with cocoa powder, bay leaf, and tobacco. All this fruit is tempered at the finish with pleasing savory tones of dried herbs and rare steak. 91+ points in Wine Advocate, 90 points in International Wine Cellar.

2005 Axel Syrah (Chile)
85% Syrah, 11% Carmenère, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in French and American oak barrels. Axel is a select line of La Playa. For too many years, South American wineries who invested in Syrah priced it at a premium that made in more expensive than Syrah from Australia and California. This Axel shows how Chile can make a fine Syrah at a decent price, that is recognizable as Syrah but with blackberry, coffee, and tobacco laced in with the more typical raspberry juiciness.

2005 Signorello Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, California)
Signorello has traditionally made an excellent Bordeaux styled wine that could be a ringer in a tasting of French wines. The 2005, however, combines powerful structure and tannin with the deep richness more typical for superb California wines. A strong candidate for the greatest wine Signorello has made in a decade. 92 points, Wine Spectator (March 2009): Bold, rich and concentrated. Well-crafted, offering an intense, full-bodied mix of spice, mineral, currant and blackberry fruit that's deep, concentrated, focused and persistent, ending with a long, full, tannic and structured finish.

Wine Tasting April 14 - 17, 2010
"ZINFEST"

2007 Pedroncelli Zinfandel Mother Clone
Tim Fisk, Wine Spectator (Dec 2009): A real beauty. This family-owned Sonoma winery has been producing reliable Zins at a fair price for the better part of a century. Harvested from hillside vineyards that range in age from 40 to 100 years, with the trademark Pedroncelli bright raspberry and blackberry fruit, laced with pepper, but with more flesh and stuffing than usual. It's just ripe enough, with 14.4 percent alcohol, and still supple, lively, and easy on your wine budget.

2007 Titus Zinfandel
Includes 15% Petit Sirah. Barrel fermented and stored in American oak barrels for 16 months, 20% new. Winemaker's Notes: Ripe aromas of spicy, briary red fruit are wrapped in exotic spices on the nose and translate through to the palate with the addition of candied raspberries and cherries. The mouthfeel is full bodied and lush and offers hints of sweetness on the palate. This Zin's long spicy finish is enhanced by vanilla, licorice and toast notes imparted by the American oak used to age this wine.

2006 Lolonis Zinfandel
A winery famous for its Petite Sirah. Classic Mendocino County full of cassis and blackberry with oak and black pepper spice to offset the jam flavors. Ripe, fresh, and ready for barbecue or grill.

2007 Terraces Zinfandel
One of the best makers of Zinfandel. Concentrated, complex, and well-defined flavors, that avoid raisin, sweetness, or overripeness. Like many of the best wines, the flavors spike upon swallowing. The tannins are soft in texture, the acids are refreshing, and the tannins become more noticeable and drying on the finish. Dependably excellent every vintage. Previous vintages got  up to 93 points in the Wine Advocate.

2005 Neyers Zinfandel High Valley
From vineyards up to 1,700 high in Chiles Valley. 90 points, Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar : Dark red-ruby. Dark berries and licorice on the reserved, medicinal nose. Then lush, creamy and sweet on the palate, with very good breadth to the spice and minerals flavors. Their broadest Zin.

2005 Carol Shelton Karma Zinfandel Rue Vineyard
Double Gold and Best Zin at the January 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. 85% Zinfandel with 15% mixed field blend of other varietals interplanted with the Zinfandel. Aged 11 months in 62% new wood barrels. Winemaker's Notes: Very complexly layered spice and black fruits, pretty blueberry fragrance, creamy oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, and nutmeg/cinnamon.

2004 Hanna Bismark Mountain Zinfandel
Bismark is Hanna's single vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains, with very rocky soil and low yields and where grapes get no bigger than small blueberries. This rugged and windswept site ranges from 1,400 to 2,600 feet, with a breath taking view of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco city skyline 35 miles away. The Zinfandel this distinctive place makes is muscular, laced with tannins, and blackberry and black currants.

2007 Michael & David Sloth Zinfandel
Each year Michael and David bottle a limited production, high end, and expensive selection of their best Zinfandel, and name it after one of the 7 deadly sins. This wine has not yet been released for sale. Samples were released starting in March 2010 for the national ZAP San Francisco tasting, Savor Dallas Reserve tasting, and the Best Cellar Zinfest. The 2006 version of this wine was Gluttony, which was befittingly enormous with over 16% alcohol, an inky color, a dense texture, copious blackberry and raspberry fruit, vanilla, and enough tannin to be dryer toward the finish. Ravenswood, Rosenblum and Ridge made similar Zinfandels since the mid 1980s which aged well and improved for at least 10 years.

Wine Tasting April 7 - 10, 2010

2005 Hogue Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Washington)
This wine got considerably better after being opened for several days. Winemaker's Notes: a classically structured Bordeaux-style wine with ripe tannins. Aromas of bright cherry and an undercurrent of earth are followed by flavors of intense berry and cherry, and a pleasant hint of forest floor. The touch of oak is well integrated and contributes cedar, spice, and vanilla. Has complexity, length, depth, and balance.

2005 Daou Vineyards La Capilla Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
From a vineyard 1,700 feet high in the Santa Lucia Mountains, in the most mountainous part of Paso Robles. Of the next 2006 vintage, 90 points, Steve Tanzer: Ruby-red. Intensely perfumed bouquet of cherry-cola, black raspberry, incense and vanilla. Oak-spiced red and dark berry flavors are nicely focused and appealingly sweet, with silky tannins adding support. Very sexy stuff, with great immediate appeal and a long, sappy finish.

2003 Norman Crescendo (Paso Robles, California)
If you ever wanted to know why California is world famous for delicious fruit-centered wines, just try this wine. From the nose, to the entry in the mouth, and overflowing into the aftertaste, is a generous, giving, caressing, vibrant, and endless cornucopia of black cherry, currants, and plums. A premium reserve wine normally available only at the winery whose quality soars above its price. Barrel aged 20 months in 80% new oak (50% French, 50% American). A classic Bordeaux blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 7% Cabernet Franc.  Not since the 1995 Justin Isosceles have I seen this type of wine done so perfectly. Buy it by the case, or be forever cursed with the regret of not buying enough to last a week.

2004 Norman Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Paso Robles, California)
The vintage previously sold at the Best Cellar was the 2003. The 2004 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and was made from unusually small berries on small clusters, which resulted in a very intense wine.  Aged 18 months in 60% new French oak.  Strongly structured by tannins, with cassis, cherry, coffee and tobacco. The grapes are all from the Lock Vineyard on the northern fringe of Templeton Gap with rolling hillsides, which is one of the few areas in Paso Robles cooled by the ocean. The vines were planted in 1998.  Only 539 6-packs made. If this identical wine came from Napa, it would cost three times as much.

2005 Weingut Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese (Germany)
94 points Wine Spectator. Importer's Notes of Rudi Wiest:   An amazing mouthful of wine. Rich and elegant texture with a mammoth yellow peach and cassis fruit, held in check by a finely detailed acidity and piquant minerality.

Wine Tasting March 31 - April 3, 2010

2008 William Hill Chardonnay Central Coast (California)
A new introductory Chardonnay from this winery, whose other Chards are from Napa. Todd Smith, American Spirits (store in St. Petersburg, Florida): Tasted 02/03/10. 13.9% alcohol. A tropical nose with oak, pear and vanilla scents. Clean and soft on the palate, with butterscotch and tropical fruit flavors. Finishes dry with vanilla cream, buttered popcorn, lime, chalk and mineral flavors. Tasty.

2007 Sang des Cailloux Vaqueras Cuvee Floureto (Rhone, France)
92 points, Wine Advocate (Oct 2009): A blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre and Cinsault. Dense purple color to the rim as well as an exceptional bouquet of creme de cassis, licorice, meat juices, smoke, soy, and bouquet garni. The mouth has outstanding density, a superb, full-bodied feel, and a deep, rich, complete finish.

2005 J. Bookwalter Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes: By blending in a little more Malbec, Petit Verdot and a touch of Syrah, this wine is very lush and approachable in its youth. Aromatically this Cabernet Sauvignon displays rich dark plum, black cherries, baker's chocolate and roasted game aromas. The wine enters the palate very sweet with flavors of ripe cherries and black currants with hints of tea leaves, graphite and tobacco. A broad mid palate, with considerable weight is followed by sweet, ripe, supple tannins on the finish.

2006 Bianchi Heritage Series Lakeside Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles, California)
A single vineyard, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, owned by Bianchi, that has clay-loan soil and in 2006 had low yields of 1.4 tons per acre. Aged in oak barrels for 28 months. Vanilla, chaky tannins, black cherry, and tobacco.

2006 Von Strasser Diamond Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, California)
Diamond Mountain is a high altitude appellation famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, and every Cabernet Von Strasser makes has impressive power, complexity, and grip. 93 points, Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2009): Von Strasser continues to produce stunning Cabernets that are not only delicious when released, but ageable. This estate bottling is superbly rich in cassis and cedar, and while the tannins are thick, they're ripe and intricate. Great now and should develop through 2012, at least.

Wine Tasting March 24 - 27, 2010

2008 Odvjell Sauvignon Blanc Armador (Chile)
First release of a Sauvignon Blanc from this winery. Grown on a vineyard closer to the Pacific Ocean, which provides cooler nights. Winemaker's Notes: Pale yellow in color with green reflections and pineapple, dry grass, grapefruit and fresh green lime. The attack is fresh and mineral, filling the mouth with concentrated citrus flavors. The bright acidity continues into a long finish

2005 Atalayas Ribero Del Duero (Spain)
90 points, Steve Tanzer: "Inky violet color. Spicy dark berry aromas are brightened by zesty minerality and subtle cracked pepper notes. Silky blackberry and violet pastille flavors are open-knit and sweet, with gentle tannins adding subtle grip. Impressively suave, elegant and balanced on the long, juicy finish."

 2007 Dom La Garrique Vacqueyras (France)
This wine has gotten 91 points in the Wine Advocate for 2004, 2006, and now 2007. Wine Advocate: classic Provence -styled effort, blending 80% Grenache and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault. Notes of smoked herbs, roasted meats, red and black fruits, medium to full body, a supple mouthfeel, silky tannins, and beautiful ripeness, purity, and length. Hedonistic and complex.

2006 Odfjell Orzada Malbec (Chile)
Winemaker's Notes: Elegant. Deep, intense black and blue ink in color with aromas of wild fruit, quince, ink, as well as floral notes of roses and lavender. Further aromas of vanilla, chocolate and oak also reveal aging in oak barrels. Well balanced and full on the palate, with soft and ripe tannins. Acidic black fruit creates a juicy sensation, with a long, complex finish.

2004 Le Dix de Los Vascos  (Chile)
Lafite Rothchild makes one of the great Bordeauxs in the world, and follows the different philosophy in that wine should always be elegant, balanced, savory and seductive rather than heavy or chunky. Watch how this wine, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, keeps building in depth and power with each sip. 91 points, Wine & Spirits Magazine: Deep purple in color, with aromas of cassis, blackberry and coffee, this wine's flavors are equally warm. It's refreshed by the tension between the tannin and acidity, the elements well integrated and ready for lamb.

Wine Tasting March 17 - 20, 2010

2006 Ronco Del Gelso Tocai (Italy)
From vineyards in Friuli in northern Italy with spectacular mountain-side panoramas of surrounding land. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks after being inoculated with yeasts cultivated at the vineyard, and without any malolactic fermentation. Made from the Tocai Fruiliano grape, indigenous to Italy, and not the same as the Tokai in Alsace or Hungary. 3 Glasses, Gamberro Rosso (Top rating of Italy's foremost wine publication). Decanter: Amazing concentration. Long and complex.

2005 Casa Castillo Valtosca (Spain)
89 points, International Wine Cellar: Inky violet. Perfumed, varietally accurate aromas of cassis, blackberry, violet and minerals. Medium-bodied, firm and juicy, with excellent lift and tanginess to its berry and smoked meat flavors. Finishes expansive and bright, with noteworthy length. This could be confused for a very good Northern Rhone wine.

2005 Gelfand Cabyrah Paso Robles (California)
80% Cabernet and 20% Syrah. Smooth with a lingering finish of cherries and blackberries.  168 cases made.

2005 Galfand Quixotic Paso Robles (California)
A flagship wines that blends only the best barrels from this estate, whose composition varies every year. 35% Zinfandel, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah & 10% Petite Sirah.  Incredibly smooth and velvety with hints of chocolate, berries and smoke.  92 cases made. 

2006 Von Strasser Sori Bricco Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
From Diamond Mountain in Napa, which is famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon. 94 points, Wine Enthusiast: A very beautiful, intricate and complex Cabernet, but one that needs time in the cellar. The balance is beyond question. The heart of black currants subtlely tinged with mushu plum sauce and tar, is delicious. The oak is smoky and fine. But the tannins are fierce. Don't touch it before 2012.

Wine Tasting March 10 - 13, 2010

2005 Thomas Fogarty Santa Cruz Chardonnay (California)
90 points, Wine Enthusiast (4/1/2008): Fogarty's basic '05 Chard shows an exciting crispness and minerality that, good as it is, makes you long for the single-vineyard bottlings to come. There's an elegant angularity to the wine despite the succulent pineapples, kiwis and new oak, and a brisk acidity that makes it finish vibrantly clean.

2005 Post House Merlot (South Africa)
85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petite Verdot. Winemaker's Notes: A strong nose of raspberry with a hint of mint and violets. Elegant wine with supple firm tannins with an underlying fruit structure giving it a juicy but full finish. Drinking well now, but will benefit from a year to two bottle maturation.

2006 Quevira Petite Sirah (California)
92 points, Wine Enthusiast (12/2008): Quivira is assemblng quite a track record with this bottling, which takes Petite Sirah's irrepressible quality and pounds it into elegance and finesse. Dry and balanced, their '06 shows ripe berry, chocolate and spice flavors wrapped into firm, fine tannins. Now through 2012.

2002 Mas Igneus FA 112 (Spain)
Well structured by acid and tannin, yet dark, rich, and fruity, with plum and black cherry. The best wine from this winery. The name "112" comes from aging the wine in French oak barrels 1 year old for 12 months. Old vines with a majority Grenache and significant Carignane, and smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. From the Priorat, which has slate soil on hillsides, hot days, and cool nights. Initial reviews concluded that 2002 was a modest vintage in Spain, but improvements with more age have demonstrated that 2002 is an excellent one.

2005 Hewitson Mad Hatter Shiraz (Australia)
The premier Shiraz cuvee from this winery. 95 points, James Halliday: McLaren Vale at its best; masses of blackberry, spice and dark chocolate in a cocoon of fine but persistent tannins and quality French oak; excellent length. Opulent but not corpulent. 93 points, International Wine Cellar: Deep, bright ruby. Vivid strawberry and raspberry aromas are alluringly perfumed and complicated by fresh rose and violet. Juicy and seamless on the palate, with weighty, pure red berry compote and cherry-cola flavors, fine-grained tannins and excellent finishing lift and cut. This reminded me of a sexy New World pinot noir.

Wine Tasting March 3, 5 & 6, 2010

2007 Bianchi Signature Selection Chardonnay (California)
From grapes grown in the cool Edna Valley versus in the hotter Paso Robles where the Bianchi winery is. Combines toast, vanilla, lemon citrus, and cream.  Part barrel and part tank fermented. Barrel aged 7 months on the lees (dead yeast). Best of Class Gold Medal, 2009 California State Fair.

2006 Bleasdale Langhorne Crossing (Australia)
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 15% Shiraz, and 6% Petite Verdot. Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar:  Bright red. An expressive bouquet of red and dark berries, along with subtle floral and mineral nuances. Sappy, smooth and fruit-driven, with palate-coating raspberry and blackberry flavors and no obvious tannins. Finishes with good clarity and length.

2007 Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon Red Tulip Wines (Washington)
79.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 5.5% Petit Verdot, 3.3% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc. Blended from five vineyards in the Columbia Valley, three from the Horse Heaven Hills appellation. Outstanding (unanimous judgment by a panel), Northwest Wine Press: Winemaker Rob Griffin's ability to consistently craft great wine after wine never fails to astonish us. This is his mainstream Cab, and it is gorgeous. Loaded with fresh dark-toned berries and olives with hints of smoke on the nose, followed by lusciously ripe blackberries, cherries and plums on the palate. Eminently drinkable in its youth yet will age for a half-decade or more, partly thanks to supple tannins and mild oak.

2001 Tatachilla Foundation Shiraz (Australia)
Buy this by the case. The flagship wine of Tatachilla at the price of an introductory wine that you are unlikely to ever see as low again. Individually selected fruit from low yielding Shiraz vineyards in McLaren Vale. Only the best barrels of wine are used. A bouquet of up front Shiraz fruit exhibiting plum and spice characters combines magnificently with the rich new oak and hints of chocolate and earth. The mouthfeel is both velvety and weighty. Rich plum fruit with fine grain tannins. Near perfect condition – superb drinking now, but youthful enough to easy keep another 3 years. 93 points, Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine: Extra age has lifted this into a new league in '01: it's a lovely mellow, rich, savory red with chocolate, vanilla, smoky, toasty accents of considerable oak-driven complexity. Ready now.

2005 Aramis Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale (Australia)
At a recent blind tasting of Cabernets with a panel of experienced tasters, this wine came in first. No one thought it was Australian, because it wasn't sugary, low acid, low tannin, and overripe. 100% Cab, dry, buttressed by tannin and acid, with intense cassis and blackberry.

Wine Tasting February 24 - 27, 2010 ~ Ultimate Wine Tasting

2005 Sebastiani Barbera (California)
Barbera is a grape that seldom makes good wines outside of Italy, but this Sebastiani is a worthy alternative that is darker, somewhat less tannic, and silkier and fruitier that the Italian versions. Usually has 88-92% Barbera with the rest Petite Sirah or Syrah.

2005 Hogue Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes: a classically structured Bordeaux-style wine with ripe tannins. Aromas of bright cherry and an undercurrent of earth are followed by flavors of intense berry and cherry, and a pleasant hint of forest floor. The touch of oak is well integrated and contributes cedar, spice, and vanilla. Has complexity, length, depth, and balance.

2005 Daou Vineyards La Capilla Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
From a vineyard 1,700 feet high in the Santa Lucia Mountains, in the most mountainous part of Paso Robles. Of the next 2006 vintage, 90 points, Steve Tanzer: Ruby-red. Intensely perfumed bouquet of cherry-cola, black raspberry, incense and vanilla. Oak-spiced red and dark berry flavors are nicely focused and appealingly sweet, with silky tannins adding support. Very sexy stuff, with great immediate appeal and a long, sappy finish.

2004 Chateau Ste Michelle Artist Series (Washington)
51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 11% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. Aged 20 months in oak barrels, 73% new. Black cherry, plum and cedar, with elegant tannins and rich concentrated flavors and a lingering finish. 92 points, Wine Advocate

2004 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain (California)
1% Petit Verdot. Atlas Peak is a winery dedicated to making intense, bold, and ageworthy wines from hillside and highland vineyards in Napa. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: Appeals now for its dryness, elegance and lush, intricate black currant, chocolate and cedar flavors, which finish in a swirl of anise and cinnamon. But the tannins are so rich and refined, the wine should easily negotiate the next eight years.

2005 Kallesky Greenoch Shiraz (Australia)
A large scaled wine with deep purple color, intense blackberry and cassis flavors, and ample oak and cedar, yet also impeccably balanced by refreshing acidity and firm tannins. 94 points in Wine Advocate, James Halliday Australian Wine Companion, and Wine Front.

2006 D'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz (Australia)
95 points, Wine Advocate: The flagship of this winery. Opaque purple-colored. Aromas of  meat, bacon, game, truffles, blueberry, and blackberry. Firm, layered, complex, and beautiful. Cellar for a decade.  Will be superb from 2018 to 2036. 95 points, James Halliday: The Dead Arm rarely fails to deliver an uncompromising essay on McLaren fruit; deeply concentrated with levels of dark chocolate, blackberry, nuances of florals and a freshness that belies its weight and power. Good value.

Wine Tasting February 17 - 20, 2010

2008 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
A fine example of how a wine use grapes machine harvested for economy and yet still be excellent. Classic tasty Sauvignon Blanc combining citrus fruit, edgy and kinetic acidity, and a grassiness. The grassiness is often described as herbal or green pepper and the fruit as gooseberry or grapefruit. Ocean cooled grapes and low temperature fermentation help keep the wine zippy and refreshing. 92 points, Wine News (Nov/Dec 2009).

2007 Olfjell Carmenere Armador (Chile)
One of the few wineries owned by a Norwegian (pronounced Avah Yell). Camenere often features an herbal and spicy mix of flavors, but this version has more polish, with plums, cherry, coffee, a tangy acidity, roasted coffee, and dusty tannins.

2006 L'Avenir Pinotage (South Africa)
A very attractive style of Pinotage that tastes unusually like Cabernet Sauvignon. Black currants and plums, with a juicy fruitiness, refreshing acidity, and supporting tannins, laced with earth, coffee, and tobacco. Aged 14 months in French oak barrels, 30% new. The winemaker notes that this vintage had very healthy grapes that were unusually small with thick skins.

2006 Three Rivers Syrah Columbia Valley (Washington)
Includes 12% Petite Verdot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Northwest Wine Press: A deep purple Syrah. Plums, red cherries, chocolate, coffee, freshly toasted bread and a slice of green pepper fill the nose. There's a succulent feel to all that purple fruit on the palate, a touch a vanilla, plus a backbone of tannins.

2005 Three Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard (Washington)
Outstanding, 2008 Seattle Wine Awards. Currant, blackberry, cherry, and olive flavors, a plush texture, tannic framework, and fine balance.

Wine Tasting February 10 - 13, 2010

2006 Lynmar Chardonnay Quail Hill Vineyard (California)
A classic rich, full tilt Chardonnay from California - single vineyard, barrel fermented, extended lees contact, 100% malolactic fermentation, aged 14 months in small French oak barrels, 40% new. Intense, full bodied, mouth coating, and long, with toast, peaches, cream, hazelnuts, apricots, ripe lemons, and orange blossom. 91 points, Wine Enthusiast: Dense and full-bodied. Thoroughly dry and oaky, ripe complex flavors with an immature sappy, jammy quality that will become gorgeous after mid-2009.

2007 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon (South Africa)
A strong candidate for the world's best value Cabernet, with none of the usual flaws in this price range – not vegetal, watery, sweet, or a simple generic berry taste. Wine Advocate: An exceptional value Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe and juicy black currant and elderberry without any superficial sweetness in their palate. Blond tobacco, hemp, moss, and toasted nuts add complexity to this polished, mouth-filling Cabernet. No distracting alcoholic heat, with an exuberant, vivid fruit finish. Fully enjoyable now.

2005 Illuminati Zanna Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (Italy)
Zanna is single hillside vineyard near the Adriatic Sea, 938 feet high, with thin soil and low yields. The grapes are 100% Montepulciano, which makes a dark and tasty wine even with higher yields. This is a top of the line version that is deeper, longer, and more mouth coating, with refreshing acidity, noticeable tannin, ample fruit, and a savory complexity.

2005 HDV Belle Cousine (California)
A joint venture between the Hyde and Villaine families from Napa in Calfornia and Burgundy in France, named after a cousin who linked the families by moving to live in Burgundy. Made from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the Hyde Vineyard in Carneros. 94+ points, Gary Vaynerchuk, www.winelibrary.com: An epic wine even among those costing $50 or more. Combines new world richness with old word structure. Dark cranberry and pomegranate fruit with shredded dark chocolate. Velvety up front but with the big tannins on the back that give this wine the resilience to be worth laying away to improve for years. A great steak wine. Decant for hours if you drink it now.

2006 Marquis Philips Shiraz #9 (Australia)
A step up wine of the Marquis Phillips line that is inky, aromatic, and layered. 92-95 points, Wine Advocate (10-2007): Barrel-fermented in new French and American oak barriques and hogsheads where it is aged for 16 months. Delivers an alluring bouquet of pain grille, smoke, mocha, and espresso. A full-bodied, personality-filled Shiraz with blueberry, blackberry liqueur, licorice, and a hint of chocolate emerging on the palate. Opulent, sweet, and lengthy, enjoyable now and over the next 12-15 years.

Wine Tasting February 3 - 6, 2010

2007 Louis Latour Grand Ardèche Chardonnay (France)
Winemaker's Notes: Consistency of climate and abundant sunshine in the Ardèche perfectly ripen these bunches of grapes, while the drying Mistral wind eliminates any risk of rot. The Grand Ardèche is treated as if it were grown in one of the Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte-d'Or. Fully-ripened grapes are selected and pressed lightly before being aged in oak barrels made at the Latour cooperage in Beaune. Yellow-green in color, the Ardèche 2007 has a subtle nose of vanilla. On the palate there are soft notes of spice and vanilla. This is a round and powerful wine.

2006 Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva (Italy)
#35, Top 100, 93 points, Wine Spectator: Fabulous aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate, with supersilky tannins and amazing richness and subtlety. Goes on for minutes on the palate. Best from 2010 through 2015.

2003 Norman Vocation Paso Robles (California)
A classic Southern Rhône GSM blend of 48% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 15% Mourvèdre, only with a California twist of 8% Petite Sirah. Made to be fruit forward, though still balanced with refreshing acidity and a bed of tannin. Aged 20 months in 30% new oak. Packed with powerful flavors without being black and heavy. Distinctly dry in the mouth.

2007 Domaine Chave Mon Coeur Côte Du Rhône (France)
A label Chave uses for wines he makes from purchased grapes rather than from vineyards he owns. Chave carefully selects about 10 vineyards across various appellations that have granite soil and biodynamical farming. About half Grenache and half Syrah. A benchmark for Côte du Rhône wines. The 2006 was in the top three wines in a recent tasting of Grenache blends from Spain and France. 90 points, Wine Advocate: "The 2007 Côtes du Rhône Mon Coeur is sensational, offering superb purity, texture, and richness. It should drink well for 5-7 years."

2003 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain (California)
The best wine of this high altitude, mountain estate. Resolutely made in a French style with higher acidity, more tannin, significant non-fruit flavors, and ageworthiness, rather than the big bodied, very fruit forward, softened, enjoy now style typical for Napa. 100% Cabernet, that got smoother, more complex, and mouth-filling after being opened in the bottle for four days. Squarely centered on the briary, black currant side of Cabernet, with blackberry, cola, pencil lead, and wood, that might pass for a fine Bordeaux from a ripe, rich vintage.

Wine Tasting January 27 - 30, 2010

2008 Owen Roe O'Reilly's Pinot Gris (Oregon)
At a recent tasting of over 15 wineries, this wine was a strong candidate for the best value, with not only a great price but a great taste at any price. Winemaker's Notes: The long, mild, Indian summer of 2008 allowed these volcanic and sedimentary soils to produce fruit with exceptionally beautiful and complex aromatics, while preserving high acidity. This wine is bursting with guava and pear, and a rich mouth feel with a crisp and mineral finish. Superlative now and will age a 10  to 15 years.

2007 Brancaia Tre Rosso Toscana (Italy)
80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. #10 Top 100 , 93 points, Wine Spectator: A wonderful intensity of fruit, with crushed raspberry and blackberry and hints of coffee and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, soft-textured, and fruity finish. Best after 2010.

2005 Signorello Cabernet Sauvingon Napa (California)
Signorello resolutely makes wines that could be ringers Bordeaux wines, with non-fruit flavors and higher acidity and tannins.  92 points, Wine Spectator (March 2009): Bold, rich and concentrated. Well-crafted, offering an intense, full-bodied mix of spice, mineral, currant and blackberry fruit that's deep, concentrated, focused and persistent, ending with a long, full, tannic and structured finish.

2006 Peter Lehman Barossa Shiraz (Australia)
91 points, #54 Top 100, Wine Spectator: A deep center with a dark red rim. The bouquet shows lashings of classical Barossa Shiraz chocolate and plum aromas, plus a gentle lift from the well seasoned French oak. It is a robustly structured wine, with a mouth-filling, generous fruit clothing its firm muscularity, finishing firm with powdery tannins.

2007 Luchador Shiraz (Australia)
A fine expression of the Australian philosophy to deliver a dark, ripe, soft, and fruity wine laced with jam chocolate, and licorice, for a modest price. 90 points, Wine Advocate: Dark, rich, brooding, charismatic and out-and-out delicious. Lifted and ripe blackberry jam and kirsch aromas, complexed with oak chocolate characters, the palate has a rich smooth texture of black fruit and plums finishing with licorice and soft tannins. 100% shiraz sourced 85% from the Barossa Valley and 15% from Langhorne Creek.

Wine Tasting January 20 - 23, 2010
Richard de los Reyes, Founder/Winemaker of Row Eleven Wine Company, was at our wine tasting Wednesday.

2007 Civello Pinot Gris (Oregon/California)
Civello is a line of wines of Row Eleven that features a fresh and fun white wine that is rich and sensual. Most of the grapes are Pinot Gris, which is the same grape the Italians make Pinot Grigio from. Only Row Eleven gives the grapes a malolactic fermentation to make the taste more buttery, keeps the temperature cool when fermenting so as to preserve fruity freshness, lets the wine sit on the lees (dead yeast) for months to add a creamy texture, and blends in a little of other white grapes for complexity Together, the wine has silkiness, fullness, and depth instead of being only light and refreshing.

2007 Row Eleven Vinus  3 Pinot Noir (California)
Emphasizes the cherry fruit and silky texture of Pinot Noir, unrestrained by drying tannins or tart acidity, rather than the terroir of any place. Winemaker's Notes: Named for being from three different appellations in Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and Monterey counties, with three different clones of Pinot Noir (Pommard, Dijon, Martini). Ready to drink on release.

2007 Row Eleven Pinot Noir Russian River (California)
Has a somewhat bigger body than the Vinus 3, along with black and red cherry, plus light tannins. Winemaker's Notes: From Sanchietti Ranch Vineyard. Fermented in stainless steel and aged 13 months in old French oak barrels. Elegant, with red cherry and hints of smoke and bacon.

2007 Row Eleven Santa Maria Pinot Noir (California)
A wine that shows the character of Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County in California. Consistently my favorite Pinot Noir from Row 11. A blend from four vineyards. Some of the clusters are fermented with the stems, which adds structure and tannins to the wine. Aged 16 months in old French oak. Has a darker color and richer fruit, which goes beyond the typical red cherry toward black cherry and plum.

2005 Stratton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series (California)
A long time favorite at Best Cellar. Demonstrates how Napa Cabernet can be very special yet remain affordable. Cabernet Sauvignon plus a little Petite Verdot. Dark color, soft fruity entry, good intensity, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currents with hints of chocolate and lavender. Aged 2 years in French oak. The grapes are from near Oakville and Rutherford, from wineries that charge much more for their Cabernets. Previous vintages since 2001 were all excellent and improved in the bottle.

Wine Tasting January 13 - 16, 2010

2008 Hahn Chardonnay (California)
A fine introductory Chardonnay that is made like ones costing twice as much. Aged in French oak barrels, 65% new. Grapes from Monterey County, whose ocean cooled climate favors chardonnay. Floral aromas of honeysuckle, fruit flavors of peach, pear, and pineapple, plus toast and vanilla.

2003 Two Hands Lucky Country (Australia)
90 points, Wine Advocate (Oct 2005): A blend of 55% Shiraz and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. An outstanding effort as well as an attractive value, it offers a deep ruby/purple color with loads of ceme de cassis fruit intermixed with hints of smoke and licorice. Delicious and savory.

2005 Nifo Aglianico (Italy)
The Nifo Sarrapochiello Estate grows 12 hectares of grapes about 200-350 meters high at the base of Pentime Mountain, located on Latina Way, a road which the ancient Romans built to this region to supply Rome with grapes and wine. The Aglianico grape was brought by the Greeks to southern Italy over 2,000 years ago and makes a bold, powerful wine red deep ruby in color with black fruit and earth aromas, firm tannins, and a long finish.

2005 De Loach Wild Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, single vineyard, from Dry Creek. Winemaker's Notes: Redolent with aromas and flavors of cassis, molasses, toasty oak, which overlay a touch of cedar, tar and Brazilian coffee bean. A tightly focused mid-palate of red currant and velvety firm tannins leads to a very alluring finish. Drinkable young and even better with age. 696 cases made. San Francisco Chronicle (9/2008): A dusty beginning with subtle but lively berry, sweet cherry nose with hints of raspberry sauce and leaf. Palate shows more tart red fruit - cranberry and pomegranate - supported by hints of beef broth and dried herb. Noticeable tannins on the far finish.

2005 Frias Family Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve (California)
A winery that traditionally produces well structured, concentrated, and ageworthy wines from high altitude, mountain grown grapes. Of the previous 2004 vintage, 93 points, Wine Spectator: Supple, graceful and complex, with a core of fruit built around plum, black cherry, herb and cedary oak that keep revealing extra flavor nuances. Dense and concentrated, it keeps its focus on a long, persistent finish. 575 cases made.

Wine Tasting January 6 - 9, 2010

2007 Bianchi Chardonnay (Paso Robles)
Winemaker's Notes: Alluring aromas of citrus, pineapple, kiwi and vanilla. Full flavors of creamy toasty oak spice and peach cobbler and a lingering rich finish.

2004 Bianchi Syrah Paso Robles (California)
Red raspberry jam, licorice, and coconut, but with drying tannins. Ripe, rich, aged in French and American oak, which contributes spiciness. The Bianchi wines, made in Paso Robles, but using grapes from diverse sources, are all impressively good and modestly priced.

2004 Tim Smith GSM (Australia)
The classic blend of Grenache (83%), Shiraz (5%), and Mourvedre (12%) made famous in the Southern Rhone Valley in France. Old vines (mostly 40-50 years, some much older). Made with extended lees contact. Strawberry, cherry, licorice, and herbs, along with pepper, earth, and some blackberry and currants. Tim Smith only recently started bottling small amounts of Barossa and Eden Valley fruit under his own name.

2003 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra, Australia)
Majella makes a style of Cabernet that is fresh and precise, with transparent flavors that you can see, versus being heavy, blurred, flabby, or sweet. Very fruit driven with black currant and blackberry, along with refreshing acidity, subtle oak, herbs, and fine grained rather than rough or coarse tannin. 96 points (Exceptional Wine), Tyson Stelzer, Top 500 Wines 2005-2006: "This is one of the best $30 wines I have tasted in my life. Best drinking around 2010-2018." 

2005 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series (Washington)
The label features a different artistic painting every year. The wine showcases a bigger bodied and heavier style of Cabernet Sauvignon from some of the oldest and best vineyard sources in Washington, which ages well for 8+ years. The 2005 vintage was one of the finest ever for Woodward Canyon. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from Champoux, Sagemoor, Klipsun and Tapteil Vineyards. Aged 20 months in French oak, predominately new. Has a generous nose of spicy oak and cedar integrated with ripe black fruits and cherry. A rich mouth feel begins with cassis and ripe blackberry leading toward chocolate, mocha, leather, and drying tannins. 93 points, Wine Advocate.

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