Wine Tasting December 12 - 15, 2007

2004 Saint Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Blanc de Blancs (France)
The 2004 version is the most bubbly, dry, and Champagne like among recent vintages, at a cost of 1/3 that of sparkers from Champagne in France.  It is also still very youthful, with light flavors of lemon and apple. Will get better, more complex, and little softer over the next three years. The oldest sparkler produced in France, a century before Champagne made them.

2006 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserve (Chile)
Carmenere originated in France but makes even greater wine in Chile. The earlier 2003 was the best Carmenere I had ever tasted under $20. Winemaker's Notes: 100% Carmenere.  The grapes come from the Colchagua Valley on vines averaging 16 years. Barrel aged for 11 months in 80% French and 20% American oak. Deep ruby red in color, with fragrant notes of black cherry, plum and sweet herbs. In the mouth rich mocha, dark chocolate, dates, leather and rounded tannins make a lush, balanced wine.

2004 Laetitia Estate Syrah Arroyo Grande Vineyard (California)
Decanter rated the 2004 second label of Laetitia (Avila) 5 stars of 5 and US Syrah of the Year in 2007. We are tasting Laetitia's step up Syrah over the Avila. Arroyo Grande is a cool climate coastal benchland overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with low-yielding, rock volcanic and limestone soils that produce concentrated fruit. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast, for previous 2003: There aren't many Arroyo Grande Syrahs, this being Burgundian terroir, but this one aspires to Côte Rôtie standards. It's a fine and interesting wine. Shows white pepper and blackberry flavors, quite dry and well-oaked, with intricate tannins. Best now and through 2006.

2005 Viu Manent Malbec San Carlos (Chile)
Viu Manent owns the greatest Malbec vineyards in Chile, that produce world class Malbecs. From select blocks of a single vineyard with vines averaging 60 years old. 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bunch selected on the vine, destemmed, and reselected at a sorting table. Aged in oak barrels for a year with 86% new oak barrels. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: A great, has-everything wine. The nose is chock full of berry aromas with earth and leather riding shotgun. Finishing notes of chocolate truffles, espresso, berry syrup and mocha sum it up. A fine structure with a core of acidity.

2003 Vine Cliff Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot. From estate vineyards in Oakville and Calistoga. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: This Cab shows a classic Napa profile. The flavors are the most beautifully ripe cassis and black cherries, with a chocolate edge enriched with classy, smoky oak, and the tannins are wonderfully rich and detailed. It doesn't seem like an ager, but if you're looking for an immaculate Cab tonight, this is the one.

Wine Tasting November 14 - 17, 2007

2005 Hahn Chardonnay (California)
A consistently excellent value in California Chardonnay, as good as wines costing twice as much.  When the wine was first released, it tasted lightly oaky with a lemony acidity. After being opened for a few days, it improves, with a bigger body, more oak and vanilla, butterscotch, and a touch of nuts. Always smoothly textured and superbly balanced.

2001 Fogarty Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
A single vineyard wine from the Vallerga Vineyard in Napa, whose gravelly soil and small, concentrated grapes make wine that is well structured, rich and loaded with plum and blackberry fruit. Available at the best price you will find in the United States. 86% Cabernet, 9% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. 90 points, Wine Enthusiast: A winery that knows how to craft an ageworthy Cab. Youthful, solid in tannins, but dry and well balanced. Oozes beautiful, juicy black currant fruit.

2005 Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz/Grenache (Australia)
92 points, Wine Advocate: 80% Shiraz from 65-year-old vines and 20% Grenache from 90-year-old bush vines. It spent 14 months in seasoned French and American oak. It exhibits a lovely perfume of cedar, tobacco, damp earth, black cherry and blueberry. This leads to a concentrated, structured wine with ripe blue and black fruit flavors, well-concealed tannin, and a long finish. This excellent value can be enjoyed over the next 8-10 years.

2006 Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz (Australia)
92 points, Wine Advocate:  Sourced from six sub-regions of the Barossa. The wine was aged for 12 months in large, neutral French oak and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Purple-colored, it has an attractive array of pepper, spicy blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry muffin aromas. Full-bodied and opulent on the palate, the wine delivers gobs of meaty, full-flavored blue and black fruits to accompany its forward, easy-going personality. Drink this incredible value over the next 4-6 years.

2004 Penny's Hill Shiraz (Australia)
91-93 points, Wine Advocate:  The 2004 Shiraz (tasted just prior to bottling) reveals layers of fruit along with pure creme de cassis characteristics interwoven with notions of blackberries and smoke. Possessing a layered texture, a huge, opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel, superb purity, and a fine finish.

2004 Glaetzer Shiraz (Australia)
94-96 points, Wine Advocate:   Produced from 80- to 150-year-old dry farmed vineyards in the northern Ebenezer sector of the Barossa. Aged 16 months in French oak and American hogsheads, this larger-than-life, fascinating wine (cropped at .25 to 1 ton of fruit per acre) offers big, sweet, blackberry and cassis characteristics intermixed with notions of smoke, licorice, and pain grille. A wine of amazing extract, richness, and full-bodied power, with great purity as well as balance, this stunning offering should age effortlessly for 15 or more years. Filled with personality, it is a tour de force in Barossa Shiraz.

Wine Tasting November 7 - 10, 2007

2005 Cycles Gladiator Pinot Grigio (California)
Pinot Gris grapes (Pinot Grigio is the Italian name) with a Riesling boost. Dry, refreshing, and mouth cleansing. Fermented and stored in stainless steel to maximize brightness of acidity and fruit. Pear and honeydew aromas. Citrus and green apple in the mouth. The 6% Riesling adds a delightful lemon and lime. One of the best values for Pinot Grigio in the world.

2006 Borsao Tres Picos Grenacha (Spain)
An impressive value.  The 2006 is not yet rated, but the previous three vintages were all rated 90 points or more in the Wine Advocate. 100% Grenache from 35-40 year old vines grown in a mountainside vineyard over 2,000 feet high. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, but has a vanilla flavor and rich mouth feel usually associated with oak aged wines. While the wine has the strawberry and cherry usually associated with Grenache, it also features the bigger body and richer plum, blackberry, leather, and dusty tannins of more expensive Grenaches.

2005 Oreana "?" Red (California)
60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Syrah – a type of blend make famous by Australia. This very modestly priced version convincingly shows how a fruit-centered wine can be wonderfully tasty. Soft tannins, very forward, good concentration. The "?" in the name emphasizes how the wine is a blend that can change every year. The winery is in Santa Barbara County. 3,500 cases produced. Winemaker's Notes: Well-balanced and lush with peppery spice, Syrah provides the aromatics while Cabernet Sauvignon brings up the rear and offers a stable backbone. A soft, satiny, sexy wine, with voluptuous black cherry and blackberry fruit, plus layers of chocolate and spices suggestive of cinnamon, mint and more. Powerful and complex, yet open and accessible.

2004 VJB Barbera Mendocino (California)
The top wine produced by this winery and a strong candidate for the greatest Barbera made outside Italy. Very dark purple, with a deep, rich nose. In the mouth, plums veer into chocolate. Full bodied, intense, mouth-coating, with an extremely long finish. Less acidic, fruitier, and more concentrated than Barbera from Italy. Underrated at 90 points by Wine Enthusiast. At a better price even than in California.

2004 Cain Concept The Benchland (California)
A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 11% Petit Verdot. Deep color and nose, with some acetone. Softly enters the mouth, then becomes mouth filling. A layered, lovely wine. Made to emphasize fresh fruit and supple tannins so as to be drinkable upon release. Aged 21 months in French oak barrels, 75% new. The grapes are grown mainly on alluvial fans (benchlands) of deposits washed out of mountains, which tend to be gravelly and drain well.

Wine Tasting November 1 - 3, 2007
Ultimate Wine Tasting #16

2003 Stratton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Artist Series (California)
Dark color, soft fruity entry, good density of flavor, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currants with hints of chocolate.  A very good price for real Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.  The grapes come from near Oakville and Rutherford.  The 2001 and 2002 were excellent, but the 2003 is even better.

2004 Cain Concept
A blend of  61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 11% Petit Verdot. Deep color and nose, with some acetone.  Softly enters the mouth, then becomes mouth filling.  A layered, lovely wine.  Made to emphasize fresh fruit and supple tannins so as to be drinkable upon release. Aged 21 months in French oak barrels, 75% new. The grapes are mainly grown on alluvial fans of deposits washed out of mountains.

2004 Girard Artistry
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 12% Malbec, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc.  Porthos.com: Embodies the best of "Napa meets Bordeaux," delivering a remarkably complex, memorable experience without dropping a $100 note!  This ultra-smooth, lavish wine features a multitude of complex layers deftly melded together for an age-worthy balance rarely achieved with Napa reds at this price.  This surprising 'best buy' is even more unbelievable considering Girard Winery is perched high atop scenic Pritchard Hill, next door to Napa's most treasured cult wine producers Colgin and Bryant Family. Don't miss this ultimate Napa insider's favorite wines.

2001 Collier Falls Cabernet Sauvignon
The top rated wine by 12 experienced wine drinkers at a recent blind tasting of 7 affordable reds. A serious wine, with a pleasant barnyard smell, that is well structured by tannins and acidity, with a very dry finish and no sugar sweetness. Concentrated enough to have a cocoa taste, and laced with black currants, black cherry, and coffee.  94% CS with Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot.

2003 BR Cohn Olive Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
100% CS. Owned by the manager of the rock band Doobie Brothers.  Sings with strong fruit flavors of black currants, cherries, and plums, accented by a chorus of non-fruit flavors of earth, mint, oak, anise, and cedar.  Mouth-coating with a long finish. Aged 24 months in French oak.

2003 Smith Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain
The vineyards for this wine are 1,400-1,900 feet in altitude on Spring Mountain, which is famous for producing concentrated, tannic wines that take time to reach a peak, but achieve a smoothness and balance worth waiting for.  Aged for 22 months in 100% new American oak barrels. Very dark color, with vanilla, black currants, blackberry, black cherry, earth, cedar, eucalyptus, mint, lavender, and dark chocolate.   Predominately CS with some Merlot and a smaller amount of Cabernet Franc.

2004 Chateau Potelle VGS Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder
90% Cabernet, 10% Merlot.  Wine Watch: Cassis and black currant, berry, black cherry liquer like fruit with notes of toasty oak spice, dark chocolate, spice, soy and black earth.  Rich and chewy on the tongue with big and round tannins very velvety on the tongue with excellent balance a good amount of oak, spice, dark chocolate, and black earth.  Finish 50+ seconds.  Most Excellent.

2002 Thomas Fogarty Santa Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2002 vintage in California, with ripeness, fruit richness, and good weather into the late fall, was especially fortuitous for high-altitude wineries like Fogarty, by adding richness and forwardness to what otherwise tends to be backward and tannic. Dark and intense, with big everything – tannin, acidity, and fruit.  Aged almost three years in barrel and then two years in bottle before being released.  Has 17% Merlot.  Loaded with cassis and black cherry, leather and vanilla, and cedar and plum. Only 95 cases produced.

2002 Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Opaque black in color.  Vibrantly fruity with the freshness of black currents, the concentration of cassis, and bright raspberries.  Perfumed with sweet vanilla and tobacco and laced with powerful tannins that make it ageworthy.  Aged for 24 months in small American oak barrels and then three years in bottle before being released, making it one of the last released wines from its vintage.  Only the very best barrels go into the Reserve.  A wine that shows that Paso Robles can make Cabernets competitive with any in California.

Wine Tasting October 24 - 27, 2007

2004 Margan Verdelho (Australia)
A Portuguese grape that makes even richer and fruitier wines in Australia. Lychee and guava with hints of lime and green apple. Robert Parker: Loaded with fresh, lively fruit flavors as well as a good acidic backbone. 100% stainless steel-fermented and aged. A terrific choice for a sushi bar given its acidity, crisp, floral, orange and lemon rind characteristics, medium body, and abundant fruit.

2005 Turnbull Red Bull (California)
A complex blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Syrah, 9% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Tempranillo, 2% Petite Sirah, 2% Sangiovese, and 2% Petit Verdot. Simply delicious and fruity, yet impressively structured, with tastes of boysenberry, blackberry, bay leaf, black tea, and coffee bean.

2003 Kangarilla Road Shiraz (Australia)
90 points, Wine Advocate: Aged in both French and American oak (one quarter new). Has a saturated ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of smoke, camphor, blackberry liqueur, melted licorice, and road tar. It boasts terrific fruit intensity, big, full-bodied, savory, expansive mouthfeel, decent acidity, and heady finish. For the price, this is a stunning Shiraz that will last for 5-6 years.

2005 Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend (Australia)
Near black in color, dense texture, sweetly fruity, rich, complex, and long. About as much flavor as you will find packed into a wine this inexpensive. 91 points, Wine Advocate: A concoction of 60% Shiraz, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc fermented in wood and aged in both new and one-year-old French and American oak. Its deep ruby/purple hue is accompanied by aromas of flowers, spice box, blueberries, black currants, and smoky oak. Opulent, voluptuous, and full-bodied, with low acidity and sweet tannin, this is a blockbuster red that sells for a song.

2004 Montecastro (Spain)
One of the best wines at the Opici 2007 Holiday tasting. 94 points, Wine Advocate: The fabulous 2004 raises the bar even higher than the 2003. The perfume is even more expressive, the palate broader, richer, and more concentrated, and the finish goes on for over one minute. It should be cellared for 4-6 years and should drink well through 2032. From a new estate in Ribera del Duero founded in 2001. The owners have gone to great lengths to do everything right and it shows in the wine.

NV Trevor Jones Jonesy Old Tawny Port (Australia)
An amazingly good introduction to Port and Sherry. 93 points, Wine Advocate: What a sensational value! Made by Trevor Jones in partnership with importer Dan Philips, this is a blend averaging 46 years in age. Its light to medium ruby hue is accompanied by an extraordinary bouquet of sweet candied fruit intermixed with flavors of maple syrup, earth, and hazelnuts. This gorgeous tawny delivers plenty of pleasure.

Wine Tasting October 17 - 20, 2007

2005 Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc (California)
A great alternative to Chardonnay. Valley of the Moon makes some of the best Pinot Blanc from California. Often used as a neutral blending grape, Pinot Blanc here is more concentrated, fruity, and refreshingly acidic, with an intriguing combination of pear and mango with a bright citrus finish. Cool fermented in stainless steel to maximize brightness, fruit, and acidity, with 10% stored for three months in French oak. Wine Enthusiast: "With its creamy texture and opulent tangerine, lime zest, vanilla custard and spice flavors, this polished wine finishes with a cashew butter richness. Great acidity makes it bright and zingy."

2005 Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
Cycles Gladiator is made by Hahn, and is a vivid testimony to how California can compete in the under $10 range with wine from anywhere in the world. Brightly fruity with black currants and black cherry and enough tannin and acidity to be refreshing and well structured. Eminently drinkable immediately and yet will easily keep for at least four years. At the 2007 Opici Holiday Show, this wine stood out as the best value for all Cabs under $20. Worth buying by the case as your house wine. 89 points, Wine Enthusiast: Not quite a cult Napa Cab, but profiled like one, soft and sumptuous. Like its competitors costing 10 times as much, it's velvety smooth, with enormously ripe cassis, milk chocolate, cherry pie, vanilla and cinnamon spice flavors. A steal at this price.

2005 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.

2000 Allesverloren Tinta Barocca (South Africa)
One of the few wineries to showcase the Tinta Barocca grape bottled by itself. The 1996 version of this wine showed the density, black color, tannin, and intensity that explains why this is one of the primary grapes in Portuguese port. The 2000 version had the same elements, but packaged more elegantly. Now a dark ruby with cherry and boysenberry fruit, laced with still significant but partly softened tannins, and dry on the finish.

2003 Gravity Hills Killer Climb Syrah (California)
Named after the steepest part of a hillside vineyard, where the grapes are grown, this is best and premium wine from this winery. The darkest in color with the most intensity and tannins, this Syrah invokes coffee, earth, leather, pepper, smoked meat, and blackberry.

Wine Tasting October 10 - 13, 2007

2004 Chamonix Blanc (South Africa)
A blend between 30% Semillon, 30% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin Blanc and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. Flavors of fresh melon and pear with citrus aromas on the aftertaste. Fermented dry, partly in barrel and tank.

2001 Cillar de Silos (Spain)
A Tempranillo from a great vintage, ready to drink, where the youthful tannins have rounded and integrated. Steve Tanzer: "Fruity aromas of blackberry, cassis and licorice, with oak notes of tar and bitter chocolate. Concentrated, chewy and ripe, with rich, powerful flavors of kirsch and licorice. A major mouthful of fresh fruit without restraint. Still, this very young wine seems a bit stunted today [Jul/Aug 2003]. Finishes with huge, building, chewy tannins that will require at least a couple years of bottle aging."

NV Kestrel Lady in Red 4th Edition (Washington)
Lady in Red is Kestrel's introductory red wine that is blended from wine from at least two different vintages. It also features a marketing label with a curvaceous red head in a tight form-revealing dress, that changes with each release, meant to make the bottle collectable as well as suggest that the wine is seductive. Despite the skeptical adage that the more money put into the bottle, the worse the wine, the wine inside the bottle is seriously good. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Syrah, 2% Sangiovese, with currants, cherry, cedar, and tannins that keep the taste dry.

2004 Valley of the Moon Syrah (California)
One of the wines at the recent National Trade show that had the highest value for the price. Dark, fruity, and delicious, yet nice structured and surprisingly dry.  Blended from three vineyards in Sonoma County.

2005 Beau Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Juliet (California)
96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot. The grapes are from the Stag's Leap region in Napa Valley, on a rocky hillside with thin soil, that makes the berries smaller and restricts yields. A second wine that is more affordable, approachable, and fruit driven relative to the reserve wine from the Beau Vigne estate. Only 470 cases made. Seamless, with smoke, tar, black figs, sea salt, violets, creme brulee, mocha, black cherry and blackberry. Same winemaker as the Prisoner wine.

Wine Tasting October 3 - 6, 2007

2006 Viu Manent  Secredo Sauvignon Blanc (Chile)
Peach and passion fruit. Very clear flavors. No grassiness like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. More tropical, with citrus in the finish.  All the Secredo wines are 85% the stated varietal, 15% not disclosed.

2003 Clos des Moiselles Cotes de Bourg  (France)
A wine that stood out among Bordeax at a recent trade show tasting. Winelibarary.com: The 2003 Moiselles that we were able to taste the other day is a new world classic Bordeaux. This wine is loaded with cherry, cassis and even a hint of cocoa. Tom, Ian and Dennis all went nuts as did I. …if this wine doesn't stun you I would never buy anything from us again. This is the one wine I would buy more then 1 case of.  If you enjoy new world fruit or if you enjoy old world structure, this wine will blow you away. WOW! 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec.

2005 Viu Manent Secreto Malbec (Chile)
85% Malbec. Consistently the best wine in the Secreto line. 4 Stars, Cuisine Magazine: "One of a handful of South American wineries employing New Zealand winemaking expertise to lift quality. In this case Grant Phelps, ex-Villa Maria, holds the reins. His impenetrable, purple-hued Malbec is still pretty raw, showing inky blueberry-like fruit, great depth, big grippy tannins and truly macho presence. Needs time to settle down." Sue Courtney, Food Service Magazine: "A fun package with its bright jazzy label, this inky wine is crammed with juicy fruit that reeks of the purple violet character of malbec with solid tannins, a touch of tar and an earthy, savory finish."

2004 L'Ecole 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley (Washington)
100% Cabernet. 91 points, Wine Spectator: Supple, polished and generous, ultimately refined, it has gorgeous plum, currant, and blackberry fruit blossoming as the finish crests, picking up hints of pepper and herb as it lingers.

2005 Shirvington Shiraz (Australia)
At the lowest price in the US. 93 points, Wine Advocate: Dense, chewy, rich, deeply-colored, full-bodied, ripe, intense wine. No wimpy wine, boasting 16% alcohol as well as stunning richness and length. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Owners Paul and Lynn Shirvington have replaced winemakers Sarah and Sparky Marquis with Kim Johnston, who appears to be following in the same footsteps, producing bigger than life, bold, rich, but beautifully linear and precise wines. Both of these cuvees are barrel-fermented and aged in 75-85% new oak, primarily American. The vines are young, which makes the quality even more remarkable.

Wine Tasting September 26 - 29, 2007

2003 Fallbrook Chardonnay Reserve Sleepy Hollow Vineyard – California
Winemaker's Notes: Full-bodied 100% Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands. 100% barrel fermented in French and American oak. Aged 12 to 14 months in French and American oak. Intensely oaky with cream, butter, and vanilla flavors, but balanced by a fresh citrus fruit.

2005 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
A benchmark for CA Cabs in the $20 range. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc. Oak aged 14 months, 65% new French. Cedar, clove, raspberry jam, plum, blackberry, and cassis with big dusty tannins. The first vintage of Smith & Hook to combine grapes from Santa Lucia Mountains with Paso Robles (the hillside St. Gabrielle's).

2004 Craneford Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
91 points, Wine Advocate : "The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, aged primarily in small new French oak) offers superb flavor purity as well as delineation. Its dense purple color is followed by sweet scents of crème de cassis and licorice. A big, rich Cabernet with no hard edges, it should age for a decade, but is probably best consumed during its first 5-7 years of life."

2003 Grant Burge Balthazar Shiraz (Australia)
Closeout priced. 4% Viognier (a blend made famous by Guigal in Cote Rotie), which adds a perfumed, floral aroma and makes the wine more approachable and elegant. Shows some smoke and meat. 90 points, Wine & Spirits: Scents of chocolate and fig meet wood extract in this juicy black wine. It's warm and satisfying, the dark spice ready for slow-smoked beef ribs or spiced oxtail.

2001 Macrostie Wildcat Syrah (California)
Still very youthful, with intense flavors. More tannic, acidic, and dry than the usual California open, forward, fruity, delicious Syrahs. More like Northern Rhones from France.

2001 Vina Haras De Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon Elegance (Chile)
5% Merlot. Grown in the Maipo Valley foothills, at a higher elevation of over 1800'. 5 stars of 5, Jean Michel Deluc, ChateauOnline : An intense ruby color. A complex nose of dark, jammy fruit of black currants, blackberries and blueberries, joined after aeration by notes of light tobacco, humus, pepper, licorice, vanilla and cocoa. The palate is round, velvety, ripe and fruity, with the same fruity notes as in the nose. Ranks among the great wines of the world.

Wine Tasting September 19 - 22, 2007

2005 Bleasdale Verdelho (Australia)
A Protugiese variety that Australia makes richer and fruitier. Fragrant orange blossom, kiwi fruit, and melon, with ripe citrus and pineapple in the mouth. Crisp, refreshing, and dry, with no oak at all. 89 points, James Halliday, 2007 Australian Wine Companion: "Plenty of fruit salad dressed with a zingy, lemon acidity. Long experience with this variety produces a particularly good example. Value plus."

2004 Thomas Fogarty Skyline (California)
Fogarty's attempt to make an affordable but high quality blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc from estate vineyards in Santa Cruz Mountains combined with non-estate grapes from Napa and Lodi. Barrel aged for 14 months, 20% new American oak. Deliciously fruity and long, with ripe acidity and low tannins. A great best buy at the lowest price ever. Improves for at least five years. Merits buying by the case.

2001 Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
Very dark in color, loaded with black currant fruit, accented by cedar and leather, with a powerful and dry finish. Reaches a peak about 9 years after harvest. 100% Cabernet, aged 2 years in American oak barriques. 92 points, James Halliday: Lusciously rich but not jammy fruit, rather than oak. Shows excellent varietal character. Fine, lingering tannins.

2003 Craneford Shiraz (Australia)
Fruity and well-balanced rather than overripe and over sweet. Will reach peak of flavor around 2009. 90-93 points, Wine Advocate: A barrel sample of the 2003 Shiraz (14% alcohol) exhibits notes of black fruits, flowers, and damp earth along with a dense, full-bodied, opulent style. This offering will not be particularly long-lived, but it possesses a pure flavor, good texture, and offers a considerable value.

2005 Oliverhill Shiraz Jimmy's Section (Australia)
The highest rated Jimmy's Section ever, at the lowest price ever. Jimmy's Section is a small, 5-acre single vineyard. Very rich but well structured by tannins and acidity . Merits buying by the case. 96 points, Wine Advocate: One of South Australia's finest efforts. Aged in 100% French oak (33% new) for 17 months, it is an unbelievably dense wine boasting an exquisite perfume of spring flowers, blackberry and blueberry jam, smoky pain grille, and graphite. Huge intensity, full body, and stunning concentration, richness, and length…

Wine Tasting September 12 - 15, 2007

2004 Margan Verdelho (Australia)
A Portuguese grape that makes even richer and fruitier wines in Australia. Lychee and guava with hints of  lime and green apple. Robert Parker: "These are very good values, especially for consumers looking for tank-fermented and aged wines loaded with fresh, lively fruit flavors as well as good acidic backbones. Margan also does a top-notch job with their 100% stainless steel-fermented and aged 2004 Verdelho. This would be a terrific choice for a sushi bar given its acidity, crisp, floral, orange and lemon rind characteristics, medium body, and abundant fruit.

2001 Uvada Merlot (California)
At a great close out price. Enters the mouth with a soft texture and big black cherry and earth flavors, which turns firmly tannic. Superior to the common red-berry Merlot. 91 points, Wine Enthusiast: Flashy and flamboyant, this Merlot seduces with scads of toasty oak in keeping with the size of the blackberry, cherry and cocoa fruit. The tannins are soft and sweet, the finish elegant.

2004  Hogue Genesis Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
A best buy. 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 2% Syrah, 1% Lemberger. 92+/100 points, Dick Scheer, Village Corner: Super! Ample, ripe, rich blackberry fruit and subtle, well-integrated oak seasonings. A full bodied, generous, and accomplished wine.

1999 Andrew Harris Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Australia)
Dark in color, with a sweet nose common in Australian wines. Combines mint, cassis, earth, and soft tannin, while remaining flavorful and tasty. Finishes dry. An excellent value, that will keep until 2009.

2003 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide Vineyard (California)
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec.  Aged 24 months in oak barrels, 52% are new French. 92 points, Editor's Choice, Wine Enthusiast: With its Landslide bottling, Simi brings to the table an important, affordable single-vineyard Cabernet. It typically shows a beautiful balance of sweet, ripe fruit and firm tannins, backed by crisp acidity, and is big enough to handle considerable oak. Young and juicy, it's delicious now, and should develop through 2012.

2003 Vilafonte M Series (South Africa)
Released at $50 but here closeout priced. First release of a collaboration between the two Americans Zelma Long and viticulturist Phil Freese with the Vilafonte Estate. 41% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Franc. 91 points, Wine Enthusiast: Plump plum and chocolate flavors that pick up hints of caramel, toast and dried herbs on the finish. Soft but not unstructured, this is immediately likeable. Drink now–2010.

Wine Tasting August 29 - September 1, 2007

2002 Saint Hilaire Limoux Blanc de Blancs (France)
France's oldest sparkling wine, made in Southern France by monks in the Limoux region over a century before the Champagne region produced sparklers. Lacks the astringent acidity, lemon, and yeastiness common in Champagnes. Instead, features ripe apple and pear flavors with a softer body and texture. Robert Parker: "Made primarily from the Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Mauzac grapes, the wines are qualitatively close to a high-quality non-vintage Champagne at one-third the price."

2004 Bianchi Syrah Signature Selection (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Grown in Paso Robles' central upper bench-lands; an excellent mesoclimate for flavor and color development, while maintaining acid balance from the cool nights. In 2004, these grapes were very ripe and rich. Aged in French and American oak, which contributes spiciness.

2005 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve (California)
Dense and jammy, with full flavors of blackberry and cassis and big, dusty tannins. The first vintage of Smith & Hook to combine estate Santa Lucia grapes with a purchased vineyard in Paso Robles.  This decision was prompted by the replanting of all but 40 acres of Bordeaux varietals in the Smith and Hook Vineyards with Pinot Noir. However, the Paso Robles grapes come not from the hotter and flatter part, but from the hillside St. Gabrielle's Vineyard located deep within the hilly terrain of Paso Robles' Westside, which ripens about the same time as the Santa Lucia Vineyards.

2004 VJB Barbera Mendocino (California)
The greatest Barbera outside Italy? Very dark purple, with a deep, rich nose. In the mouth, plums veer into chocolate. Full bodied, intense, mouth-coating, with an extremely long finish. Less acidic, fruitier, and more concentrated than Barbera from Italy. Underrated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast.

2004 Orin Swift Prisoner (California)
51% Zinfandel, 17% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Syrah and 3% Charbono. Sourced from Napa Valley grapes. A big, extravagant wine – dark, dense, silky, alcoholic, fruity.

Wine Tasting August 22 - 25, 2007

2006 Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Superb for three vintages running, as well as consistently tasting as good as wines costing up to twice as much. Has a grassy nuance, strong flavors of lemon and lime, plus red currant and gooseberry. Pale colored and light bodied, but full flavored with palette cleansing acidity. Shows how a wine can be water clear and light bodied, yet intense and powerful enough to dominate other wines. Woe unto a Chardonnay that follows this wine. Will refresh and wake up the palate even after big red wines.

2000 Torremilanos Crianza (Spain)
Tasty, long, dry, ready to drink, good by itself, and very versatile with food. A great example of an affordable, drink anytime house wine.

2004 Hedges Three Vineyards Red Mountain (Washington)
One of the best vintages of a  very affordable and consistently superb introduction to wines from the Red Mountain area of Washington. A classic Bordeaux blend of 62% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Aged 17 months in small oak barrels, with 10% new French oak and 25% new American oak. Black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, and firm tannins. Remarkably drinkable now, yet will hold and improve for 9 years. A benchmark wine for Red Mountain wines as good as others costing twice as much, that deserves to be bought by the case.

2002 Schweiger Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Spring Mountain (California)
A superb example of how special Cabernet Sauvignon is when grown on high altitude vineyards in California. One of the highest at 2,000 feet. These mountain wines tend to be darkly colored, well structured, and intensely flavored. This wine has a nose redolent with roasted coffee, cocoa, and vanilla, is unusually rich in black currant and blackberry fruit, was aged for three years in oak to tame its tannins, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, has a long dry finish, and improves with age.

2003 Amavi Syrah (Washington)
Pronounced "ahm uh vee" ("I have loved" in Latin). One of the most affordable Syrahs from the very fine Walla Walla area in Washington state. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: Smooth and smoky, with blueberry and black cherry fruit, smoked ham, light layers of coffee and buttered toast. It's got staying power and a silky, voluptuous mouthfeel.

Wine Tasting August 15 - 18, 2007

"ZINFEST" - Ultimate Wine Tasting #15

2004 Rosenblum Harris Kratka Zinfandel (California)
75% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 10% Cariganne. Double Gold Medal - 2007 Tasters Guild International Wine Judging: Lots of red fruit aromas, black raspberries, cherries, plums along with subtle spices and vanilla. Shows great concentration, probably from a sizable portion of old vines contributing to the zesty, well-crafted presentation. Pairs well with spicy sauces.

2004 Rosenblum Richard Sauret Zinfandel (California)
One of the few wines named as a Wine Spectator top 100 wines of the year for 3 years in a row. 90 points, Wine Advocate: Outstanding. 77% Zinfandel and 23% Petite Sirah. Exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as a heady, potent, flamboyant perfume of earth, blackberries, cherries, pepper, and subtle herbs. Ripe, full-bodied, powerful (16% alcohol), and stunning.

2004 Hartford Court Zinfandel Russian River (California)
93 points, Wine Advocate: This gorgeously rich effort reveals a Pinot Noir-like sensitivity along with a seductive, fragrant nose of black raspberries, cherries, spice box, pepper, and earth. In the mouth, it's a flamboyant, seductive, expansive, full-bodied, savory wine with beautifully integrated acidity, wood, alcohol, and tannin. Hartford Court's Zins rank among the best made.

2004 Rosenblum Lyons Estate Zinfandel Reserve (California)
Winemaker's Notes: This robust, stunning wine offers minerality, black cherry, and cracked white pepper. A wine of power, but with a soft inner core that keeps you coming back for more. The expressive Zinfandel grapes for the Lyons Reserve were hand-harvested from vineyards 1,000 feet above the Napa Valley in the Vaca Mountain range.  7% Petite Sirah. 91 points, Connoisseurs Guide.

2004 Ravenswood Teldeschi Zinfandel (California)
17% Petite Sirah, and 5% Carignane. Shows how Zinfandel can make wines competitive with Cabernet Sauvignon. Higher acidity pushes the fruit toward blackberry and black currants. Higher tannins give dryness, structure, and ageworthiness. Unusual Zin not built on overripeness or sweetness.

2004 Chateau Potelle VGS Zinfandel (California)100% Zin from high altitude vineyards on Mt. Veeder. Refreshing acidity, powerful flavors, long,  ageable, yet  elegant. Raspberry, sweet spice, pepper. 93 points, Wine & Spirits, 2007 Top 8 Zins.

Wine Tasting August 8 - 11, 2007

2006 Hogue Johannisberg Riesling (Washington)
Sandra Silfven, Detroit News: Good acidity, a touch of sweetness and nice minerality give this drink plenty of class. It's semi-dry, making it perfect for a patio party, pairing with spicy Asian cuisine or grilled seafood, especially sweet shrimp. Some Gewurztraminer adds an interesting tang.

2001 Chateau Potelle Syrah Paso Robles (California)
Great close out value. 88 points, Wine Enthusiast (2005): Made in the firm, grippy style typical of Potelle's reds, this Syrah could use a couple of years to settle down. But once it does, it'll be fine, with herbal, pepper and meat accents to the chewy berry fruit.

2003 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Cuvee (California)
The Cabernet is from a vineyard 1,200 feet high in the Mayacamus Mountains near Callistoga. To make the wine more approachable when young, the mountain cabernet in 2003 is blended with 10% Merlot and 5% Syrah from Sonoma County. Aged 24 months in French and American oak. Fruity with cassis and blueberry, balanced, and still shows more tannin that most California Cabernets.

2004 Pirramimma Shiraz (Australia)
90 points, Wine Spectator: A vibrant, juicy style that brims with red plum, cherry and raspberry flavors; picks up spicy plum notes as the finish.

2001 Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
The 1998 was black, dry, and loaded with cassis and tannins, and continues to improve. The 2001 is deep purple on the rim, with cassis, leather and smoke on the nose. Cassis on the palate with good acidity and a tannic bite that stands up to meats. Outstanding quality for the price.

2005 Viu Manent Viu 1 (Chile)
Expensive, but not for a very limited, top wine made by a major winery. Opaque, intense violet to the edge, dense, deeply fruity, well structured by acidity and tannin, layered, and ageworthy. Meant to show that this winery makes world class wine. Winemaker's Notes: 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. Gets the best of everything – not made at all in vintages judged to be insufficiently great (2000 and 2002 were skipped), the Malbec is from ungrafted and non-irrigated 60-80 year old vines, harvest doubly hand sorted to remove not just unripe individual grapes from bunches but any pieces of stem after the grapes are destemmed, 15% of the juice of the crushed grapes were bled off to increase the skin to juice ratio, malolactic fermentation in barrel, aged 20 months in French oak barrels with 88% new oak. Aromas of blackcurrant, plum, mocha, and a hint of sweet spice. In the mouth rich chocolate and blueberry flavors kick off a very hedonistic flavor profile finishing with ample black cherry, leather and truffle.

Wine Tasting August 1 - 4, 2007

2004 Le Pigeoulet  en Provence (France)
Wine Spectator: Pretty, pure beam of black cherry fruit with herb and tobacco notes. Fruit echoes in the modestly structured finish. Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault. Drink now.

2003 Lake Breeze Bernoota Cabernet/Shiraz
' Bernoota' is an Aboriginal name for 'camp among the gum trees'. A blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, from old vines. Very drinkable young, with fruit sweetness and soft tannins, but keeps well for at least 6 years. Fermented in open static fermenters and matured for 20 months in French and American oak barriques. Blackberry and plum, accented by spice and smoke.

2004 Cadence Red Tapteil Vineyard Red Mountain (Washington)
A big, classic Bordeaux blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, that is supple, elegant, complex, and long. Aromas of blueberries and spice followed by spicy flavors of black fruits, finishing with rounded tannins. 93 points, Wine Spectator.

2003 Bleasdale Shiraz Reserve (Australia)
93 points, Wine Advocate: Bleasdale produces some of the most reliable as well as fairly priced wines from Langhorne Creek that are good choices for both neophytes and connoisseurs. My favorite is the 2003 Shiraz Reserve. A 100% Shiraz aged in a combination of new and used 300 liter American hogsheads, this full-bodied, rich cuvee reveals aromas of asphalt, pepper, chocolate, blackberries, and cassis. While full-throttle, chewy, and heady, it is not over-the-top (only 13.9% alcohol), possessing decent acidity as well as a spicy finish.

2003 Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (California)
92-95 points, Wilfred Wong: Deep ruby, purple color, almost teeth-staining, opaque; blockbuster, heady aroma of crème de cassis and violets; powerful, rich and decadent; full bodied, almost scary on the palate with its thunderous power, comes back with pleasing underlying elegance, tannic and voluptuous at the same time; dry, nifty acid, finely balanced; pinpoint flavors of creme de cassis and perfumed blossoms, excellent persistence; long, seductive finish, superb aftertaste. Could be the winery's best reserve, ever!

2001 Taylor-Fladgate Vargellas Vintage Port (Portugal)
Fruity nose. Very smooth and intense in the mouth. Red and black cherry, resembling Danish Cherry Kiaffi. Sweet, but not molasses sweet. Great with dark chocolate and roasted pecans.

Wine Tasting July 25 - 28, 2007

2005 Don Pascual Sauvignon Blanc (Uruguay)
Uruguay has hotter days than Sauvignon Blanc likes, but proximity to the ocean makes the nights cooler, and lets Sauvignon Banc keep the acidity needed to make it light, refreshing, and fruity.

2001 Godwin Merlot Moss Oak Vineyard (California)
Godwin makes structured, French style Merlots with cassis and plum, far from the common red berry, red cherry. Wine Enthusiast: Released at four-plus years, unusual for a Merlot, but the tannins are beginning to melt, although they're still formidable. The underlying flavors are of cherries and oak, and the wine is dry and balanced. This wine is complex enough to drink with your best fare.

2004 Craneford Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
91 points, Wine Advocate : "The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, aged primarily in small new French oak) offers superb flavor purity as well as delineation. Its dense purple color is followed by sweet scents of crème de cassis and licorice. A big, rich Cabernet with no hard edges, it should age for a decade, but is probably best consumed during its first 5-7 years of life."

2001 Thomas Fogarty Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
86% Cabernet, 9% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, from a single vineyard. 90 points, Wine Enthusiast: From a Santa Cruz Mountains-based winery that knows how to craft an ageworthy Cab. A young wine, solid in tannins, but dry and well balanced. Oozes beautiful, juicy black currant fruit. Best with a sirloin steak, or age through 2010 and beyond.

2001 Macrostie Wildcat Syrah (California)
Still very youthful, with intense flavors. More tannic, acidic, and dry than the usual California open, forward, fruity, delicious Syrahs. More like Northern Rhones from France.

2003 Craneford Shiraz (Australia)
90-93 points, Wine Advocate: A barrel sample of the 2003 Shiraz (14% alcohol) exhibits notes of black fruits, flowers, and damp earth along with a dense, full-bodied, opulent style. This offering will not be particularly long-lived, but it possesses a pure flavor, good texture, and offers a considerable value.

Wine Tasting July 18 - 21, 2007

2005 Sacred Hills Whitecliff  Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Daily Winie Pick, Wine Spectator. 2006 World Trophy Gold, Decanter: Light, classy, fresh, and subtle. Strong and green. Good length.

2003 Lawson Dry Hills Pinot Noir  (New Zealand)
Deep ruby color. Enters the mouth with an initial impression of fruit sweetness, followed by a big red cherry and light tannins. Tasty and long. Matured in French oak barrels, 25% new. At a great close out price.

2004 Turkey Flat The Turk (Australia)
A deliciously fruity blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre, Grenache, and some Cabernet Sauvignon that features complex flavors of cherry, strawberry, cassis, and licorice. 90 points, Wine Advocate.

2003 Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz (Australia)
100% Shiraz, made in the typical Australian style to be great on release and yet age well for up to 8 years. 91 Points, Wine News: Ripe aromas of mocha, cherry and mint. Vibrant cherry flavors followed by layers of mint, vanilla, blueberry and new oak. Very clean, polished finish has youthful spiciness.

2006 Mollydooker Two Left Feet (Australia)
The previous 2005 vintage received 94 points in the Wine Advocate, and was crowned as the second best wine value in the world under $20.  A blend of  Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Cassis, blackberry, cherry, plum, smoke, and chocolate.

2006 Mollydooker Boxer Shiraz (Australia)
The previous vintage received 95 points in the Wine Advocate, and was crowned as the best wine value in the world under $20. Inky dark, rich and ripe, exuberantly fruity, and likely to sell out rapidly.

Wine Tasting July 11 - 14, 2007

2003 Vereinigte Hospitien Piesporter Goldtropfchen Kabinett (Germany)
Wines from this steep hillside vineyard tend to be lush in the mouth with a complex, delicious fruit ranging from lemon and lime to orange and tangerine, with tropical flavors like mango in hot vintages like 2003. The slate soil makes the acidity more pronounced and contributes flavors of spritz and apple. In 2003 the wines labeled as kabinetts actually had Spatlese ripeness.

2004 Huia Pinot Noir (New Zealand)
Winemaker's Notes: Estate grown from three vineyards. 2004 had unusually small grapes. Shows an intense bouquet of dark cherry, blackberry and violets. On the palate these characters meld with hints of smoke, savory and spicy notes alongside rich berry and dark cherry flavors. French oak and silky grape tannins are well integrated and the wine has great palate length and balance.

2003 Lesec Gigondas Cuvee Laurel (France)
90 points, Wine Advocate: I was impressed with the 2003 Gigondas Cuvee Laurel (80% Grenache and 20% Syrah). Aged 50% in tank, 25% in demi-muids, and 25% in small barrels, it is an elegant, concentrated, textured effort with the best persistence and length of any of these four cuvees. Loads of sweet kirsch intertwined with mineral, floral, and berry characteristics (a la a top-flight Zinfandel) emerge from this chewy, multidimensional Gigondas. It should drink well for a decade.

2001 Babcock Syrah Black Label (California)
The 1999 vintage of this wine was ink black, dense and rich. Dennis Schaefer, Santa Barbara News-Press: The 2001 Black Label Syrah has lots of intense blackberry fruit, surrounded by brown spices and hints of black pepper; a stunning wine and very palate friendly.

2003 Ross Estate Shiraz Reserve (Australia)
90 points, Wine Advocate: An outstanding effort, the inky/blue/purple-tinged 2003 Shiraz Reserve was aged in 40% new American hogsheads and 60% older wood. It offers up a sweet perfume of blueberries, blackberries, charcoal, and pepper. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and chewy, with low acidity, ripe fruit, a layered texture, and a heady finish, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 7-8 years.

2002 Trionfo Reciotto Dolce Valpolicella (Italy)
An unusual red dessert wine, that is lush and purple. 70% Corvina grapes and 30% Rondinello. The grape bunches are air dried to increase intensity. Only modestly sweet, it is smooth and rich tasting, with flavors of black cherry, plums, raisins, and cinnamon. The sweet note makes the wine glide down the throat and is balanced by bright acidity. Very good with strong cheeses or roasted nuts.

Wine Tasting July 5 - 7, 2007

2006 Cline Mourvedre Rose (California)
Winmaker's Notes: This rose is made by letting the skins stay only briefly in contract with the grapes to limit the color and tannins extracted, then pressing the skins off. The grape juice is then cold fermented to capture the bright fruit flavors of pomegranate and plum. Fermentation is stopped to leave a slight sweetness of 1.1% residual sugar.

2005 Palliser Estate Pinot Noir (New Zealand)
Winemaker's Notes: 2005 produced tiny crops of small berries, which allowed Palliser Estate to produce a Pinot Noir with superb concentration and cellaring potential. A rich earthy backbone is filled with layers of mulberry, boysenberry and ripe black cherry. A succulent core of black plum, chocolate and blackberry enhances this and gives added complexity. Oak aging imparts complexity and dimension. Superb now and will continue to evolve and gain greater complexity for 6-8 years.

2005 Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
89 points, Wine Enthusiast: This wine is not quite a cult Napa Cab, but you'd be surprised how close the profile fits with this soft, sumptuous wine. Like its competitors costing 10 times as much, it's velvety smooth, with enormously ripe cassis, milk chocolate, cherry pie, vanilla and cinnamon spice flavors. At this price, it's a steal, and easy to find, with 15,000 cases produced.

2005 Michael & David Winery Petite Petit (California)
First release of a blend of Petite Verdot and Petit Sirah.

2005 Coppola Director's Cut Zinfandel (California)
Winemaker's Notes: 100% Dry Creek Valley grapes. Predominantly Zinfandel with a little Petite Sirah. Half the fruit is crushed whole berry and the must is fermented in open-top fermenters for maximum flavor and color extraction. Aged in French oak adding a toasted spice and French vanilla essence to its heady aroma of rum raisin with hints of black currant and red cherry.

Wine Tasting June 13 - 16, 2007

2005 Hahn Chardonnay (California)
A consistently excellent value in California Chardonnay, as good as wines costing twice as much.  When the wine is first released, it tastes lightly oaky with a lemony acidity. After being opened for a few days, it improves, with a bigger body, more oak and vanilla, butterscotch, and a touch of nuts. Always smoothly textured and superbly balanced.

2002 Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir (California)
91 points, Steve Tanzer: Deep red-ruby color. Initially reticent nose opened to reveal black  fruits, gunpowder, candied violet, mocha and black pepper. Sappy, saline and densely packed; not as fruity as the Pisoni but really blossomed in the glass, showing increasing sweetness and fat with aeration, along with complex flavors of currant, smoked meat and violet. Finishes with sweet tannins and sneaky length.

2000 Signano Rosso di San Gimignano (Italy)
85% Sangiovese, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. A fine example of a Super Tuscan wine that is very dark in color, refreshingly acidic, smoothly textured, and dry on the finish. Has an impressive rise in flavor upon swallowing.

1999 Raymond Burr Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
Wine Enthusiast: A wine made from obviously ripe, pedigreed grapes. The flavors are of blackberries, with that distinctive earthiness that often marks Dry Creek Cabernets. Has persistence on the palate and length on the finish. A push of tannins suggests midterm ageworthiness.

2003 Stratton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Artist Series (California)
Dark color, soft fruity entry, good density of flavor, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currents with hints of chocolate. A very good price for real Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes come from near Oakville and Rutherford. The 2001 and 2002 were excellent, but the 2003 is even better.

2001 Vina Haras De Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon Elegance (Chile)
5% Merlot. Grown in the Maipo Valley foothills, at a higher elevation of over 1800'. 90 points, Wine Spectator: "Ripe and focused, with suave toast carrying the dark currant and blackberry as coffee, mineral and vanilla notes ripple underneath. Lengthy finish, too, with nice, latent concentration." 5 stars of 5, Jean Michel Deluc, ChateauOnline: An intense ruby color. A complex nose of dark, jammy fruit of blackcurrants, blackberries and blueberries, joined after aeration by notes of light tobacco, humus, pepper, liquorice, vanilla and cocoa. Woody elements surface later, accompanied by notes of cigar box. The palate is round, velvety, ripe and fruity, with the same fruity notes as in the nose. The structure is soft and sensual, with an incredible acidity that blends harmoniously with the richness. Extremely refined and silky tannins lend a spicy sensation to the finish. Very good length. Seductive and racy with class and depth. Ranks among the great wines of the world.

Wine Tasting June 6 - 9, 2007

2005 J Wilkes Pinot Blanc Bien Nacido (California)
Pinot Blanc tends to be a bland blending white. But Wilkes makes a more intense and complex version featuring an aromatic nose, citric freshness, rounded texture, and long finish. Has a refreshing acidity, a hint of lemon, a faint taste of lemon rind, and a throat-coating aftertaste. From a cooler climate, single vineyard in Santa Barbara County famous for its Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah.

2004 Hedges Three Vineyards Red Mountain (Washington)
A very affordable and consistently superb introduction to wines from the Red Mountain area of Washington. A classic Bordeaux blend of 62% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Aged 17 months in small oak barrels, with 10% new French oak and 25% new American oak. Black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, and firm tannins. Improves in the bottle for at least 5 years.

2004 Amavi Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. 17% came from Wall Walla Estate Vineyards and the rest from Columbia Valley (71% from the very fine Cold Creek and Canoe Ridge Vineyards). Aged in oak barrels for 15 months, 60% new oak. Softly textured, appealing, full-bodied, with blackberry and cassis, along with secondary flavors of chocolate, mocha, coconut, earth, and spice.

2004 L'Ecole 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. The 2004 winter damaged many vines, but those that survived best were the older vines at a higher altitude, in effect making this vintage an old vines selection. Most of the fruit came from the Seven Hills Vineyard. Aged 22 months in oak barrels, 50% new oak. Features an Old World structure with dark fruit flavors. Cassis, black cherry, and cocoa with leather, tobacco, and savory spice on a balanced toasty finish.

2003 Barnard Griffin Syrah Handcrafted (Washington)
When released, this reserve syrah tasted very ripe, lush, fruity, and jammy. Now that the baby fat has subsided, the wine is showing its true complexity and character.  The mouth is awash in dark fruits, cassis and violets, but with a refreshing blackberry acidity in place of the jammy sweetness, and a kinetic and driving power in place of the lushness. Gold Medal, Best of Class, 2005 Los Angeles County Fair Wine Competition.

Wine Tasting May 30 - June 2, 2007

Non-Vintage Rive Della Chiesa Prosecco Brut (Italy)
Captures the essence of a light and refreshing wine. Green apple in the nose, with a cooling taste in the mouth, and a delightful smoothness. Not too tart, heavy, or sweet. Very swiggable and likable, without being simple, innocuous, or uninteresting.

2004 Axel Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
Axel is a newer, step-up line from La Playa. The previous 2003 vintage got 92 points in the Wine Enthusiast. Like the 2003, the 2004 is dark ruby, has a clear cassis flavor, and is initially tannic and dry. But after being opened, the flavors expand and round into a generous and tasty wine. 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Carmenere.

2004 VJB Barbera Mendocino (California)
The greatest Barbera I've had outside Italy. Near black, with a deep, rich nose. In the mouth, plums veer into chocolate. Full bodied, intense, mouth-coating, with an extremely long finish. Less acidic, fruitier, and more concentrated than Barbera from Italy. Underrated 90 points by the Wine Enthusiast.

2003 Domaine le Sang des Cailloux Vacqueyras Cuvee Vielles Vignes Lopy (France)
The top winery in the Vacqueyras area of the Southern Rhone Valley, named after a vineyard on a plateau with brownish red limestone-clay soil covered with rounded stones. A selection from the oldest vines - 75% Grenache 65 years old, 25% Syrah 40 years old.  Big earthy cola, black currant, blackberry, and black pepper. Good tannic grip, long aging. Gauntleys of Nottingham: Immense. Full throttle fruit flavors fill the mouth, with huge but ripe tannins. This cuvee would not look out-of-place in Chateauneuf. Wonderful potential (the 2001 is amazing now). The 2003 promises greatness.

2005 Earthquake Zinfandel (California)
A corpulent and brassy Zinfandel that has no fear of being enormously everything – ripe, alcoholic, full-bodied, sweet, oaky, and fruity. Gladly sacrifices acidity and tannin at the altar of richness. A Mae West style wine that asks whether you really are ready - for the Big One.

Wine Tasting May 23 - 26, 2007

2006 Albet i Noya Xarel-L (Spain)
An organic wine. Light white gold color. A nose of delicate honeydew with light floral notes. In the mouth, the flavors are rich with good acidity. The palate shows strong mineral and lime characteristics with a background of white flowers. Light and elegant.

2004 Optima Zinfandel Dry Creek (California)
Winemaker's Notes: The 2004 Optima Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel is a ripe full-flavored, yet exceptionally easy going Zinfandel. It delivers a distinct blackberry nose, balanced by blueberry, black cherry and vanilla. The fulsome fruit is well integrated into a spicy background of subtle sweet oak and the flavors blend together in a rich, round, mouthfilling finish.

2003 Hacienda El Espina 1707 (Spain)
45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah. 8 months in new French and American oak. An exuberant, tasty wine with a meaty smoky finish, that I would have identified as Australian. Amazing value.

2003 L'Ecole 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley (Washington)
Double Gold, Northwest Wine Press, 6th Annual Platinum Judging (a tasting of Gold Medal winners): "Winemaker Marty Clubb blended Cab grapes from nine vineyards throughout the vast Columbia Valley to produce this classy red. It opens with aromas of Bing cherries, sweet herbs and leather, followed by flavors of dark fruit, including blackberries and black cherries. Modest tannins give this youthful approachability." 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

2004 Cuvelier de Los Andes Grand Vin (Argentina)
94 points, International Wine Review. Quarterly Wine Review: Dense and opaque. Fruity, tarry, spicy nose leads into a chewy, oaky palate. Densely fruity, slightly warm, but with good length.

Wine Tasting May 16 - 19, 2007

2003 Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Italy)
A dry Tuscan white made from the Vernaccia grape. Aged 6 months in oak with some extended contract with the dead yeasts, giving the wine a creamy intensity. Vernaccia was the favorite wine of Michelangelo.

2005 Avieso Malbec Reserve (Argentina)
Dark and deep, with raspberry, black cherry, well balanced oak, and ripe tannins. Malbec from the Cahors region in France is famous for producing tannic and ageworthy wines. Malbec from Argentina is more fruit-forward, less tannic, and wonderful with red meats.

2000 Signano Rosso di San Gimignano (Italy)
85% Sangiovese, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. A fine example of a Supertuscan wine that is very dark in color, delicious, and fruity, with toasty oak accents, that normally retails for over $50 a bottle.

1999 Beaucanon Merlot Jacques de Coninck (JDC) Reserve (California)
A winery founded by Jacques de Coninck , who in 1978 came from St Emilion in Bordeaux to search of prime Napa vineyards.  JDC is the top wine of this estate, made from the best lots. Compared to most Napa wines, Beaucanon does not seek soft tannins and gushing fruit, but a balance of fruit with non-fruit flavors that grows complex and graceful with age. Black cherry and earth, with firm tannins that finish dry. 91 points, Wine News: Purple-black hue. Warmth of alcohol yields to rich aromas of black currant, smoke and coconut with orange blossom and Madeira nuances. Round, forward flavors of sweet black plum, orange peel, bitter chocolate, cedar and a hint of tobacco. Long close features chocolate and cedar.

1999 Beaucanon Cabernet Sauvignon JDC Reserve (California)
An intense Cabernet with a dark ruby color, blackberry and black currant fruit, excellent concentration, tobacco, a touch of rosemary and thyme, a dusty texture, and ripe but still noticeable acidity and tannin. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in French oak.

Wine Tasting May 9 - 12, 2007

2004 Brassfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Whole cluster pressing followed by a slow, 30-day fermentation in all stainless steel, with no oak at all. Forward intense aromas of ripe cantaloupe and green melon, with a hint of lime zest. The middle is flinty and floral with a light herbal component, firm acid structure and lingering finish. Fine solo, or with a wide variety of food, including prosciutto, cantaloupe, seafood risotto with wild mushrooms, and baked salmon with a fresh tomato and sorrel beurre blanc.

2001 Collier Falls Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
From hillside vineyards in Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. 6% Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. A wine made more in a French style, where tannins are noticeable throughout the taste rather than being covered by bright, sweet fruit. Black currant fruit and an earthiness nicely complement the tannins. A wine that will get significantly better with a few years more age.

2002 Brassfield Clear Lake Syrah (California)
From a valley whose floor is 1,800 feet high. Winemaker's Notes: Extremely ripe grapes grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano make this a deliciously concentrated wine. Aged in premium French oak barrels for 18 months, this Syrah shows ripe, plum and black cherry aromas with nuances of bacon, bay laurel, and fennel on the nose. A silky body and a velvety mouth feel lead to a soft tannic structure with added hints of toasted vanilla oak. Double Gold, 2005 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

2004 Chateau Potelle VGS Zinfandel (California)
The grapes come from vineyards 1,600-1,800 feet high on Mount Veeder. The VGS is the best, reserve Zinfandel. The VGS is black in color, intensely flavored, and buttressed by tannins which reign in the sweetness. Raspberry, blackberry, sweet spices, and toasted oak, with a very long aftertaste. According to the winemaker, one of their greatest vintages of VGS Zin.

2003 Rosenblum Abba Vineyard Syrah (California)
One of the best Syrahs I have ever had from Lodi in California. Near black in color. Pigmented to the edge of the wine in the glass. Very dense nose. Leaves a purple stain on the glass when swirled. Domineering in the mouth – powerful, mouth-coating, lush, with good tannins and a dry finish. Modestly priced for the quality. Charles Olken, Marin Independent Journal: This outgoing syrah is just dripping in dried grape, chocolaty notes and in the very sweet, rich oak so often associated with this winery. Along the way, there is enough blackberry and spice to keep the wine on track, and despite its high ripeness, it makes a more-balanced, less-thick progression across the palate than its ripeness would suggest. A wine for the charcoally, carmelized style of barbecue.

Wine Tasting May 2 - 5, 2007

2004 Thomas Fogarty Gewurztraminer (California)
For many years, Fogarty produced a delightful Gewurztraminer with a distinctive California twist – more brightly citric and delicious. The 2004 version changes direction, toward the more traditional Alsatian style – fatter, oilier, lower acidity, with rose and lychee nut flavors, plus a touch of bitterness. Classic in-your-face Gewurztraminer that gets a love-it or hate-it reaction.

2004 Michael & David Incognito (California)
90 points, Andrew Montoya, Wine Barn: A thick, almost unctuous texture evolves out of this inky, chewy blend. Reminds me of an Italian espresso bar with ground coffee scents and smoky, meaty aromas. Dense and structured, this has good verve with a nice, plump, if not complex, finish. Drink now. Goes great with smoky ribs and barbeque.

2004 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvingon Grand Reserve (Californa)
When first opened, this wine began with a grapey sweet nose. Two days later, the grape had turned to cassis and the sweetness was gone. A benchmark Cabernet for California priced in the low $20s. Gets only the finest barrels for wines from the Hahn estate.

2001 Optima Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley (California)
90 points, Wine Enthusiast: Alexander Valley Cabs can have an earthiness, a dried thyme and dill character. But that doesn't mean a wine like this lack complexity and interest. The entry isn't super-fruity, but the finish is rich in black currants, in this dry, balanced and nuanced wine.

2002 Cosentino the Poet Meritage (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Aged for 27 months in oak barrels, this is a muscular, complex red that will please the most discerning wine lover. Bring on the red meat with this big boy.

Wine Tasting April 25 - 28, 2007

Multi-Vintage Marietta Cellars Lot #42  Old Vines (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Released January 1, 2007. Old Vine Red is a proprietary red wine that is round, smooth, "Zinfandel-like," and noted for its balance, approachability, and consistency. It is primarily comprised of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane, smaller amounts of Cabernet and Syrah, and Italian varietals.

2003 Innurietta Norte (Spain)
60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Oxford Times Wine Club: There's a real roasted character to the bouquet of this full-bodied Spanish red from Navarra, not to mention some vibrant blueberry, cassis, and mulberry fruit with more than a hint of tobacco and spice.

2002 Grand Feudo Crianza (Spain)
Importer's Notes: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium-bodied and well-balanced with spicy, jammy, juicy fruit, a firm, ripe tannic structure with a good length of flavor.

2000 Lolonis Private Reserve Merlot (California)
Lolonis is one of the few wineries in California whose Merlot is darker, bigger, chewier, earthier, dryer, and more structured than their Cabernet Sauvignon. Takes Merlot out of the common red cherry into black cherry, blackberry, and black currants.

1999 La Togata Brunello Reserva
A convincing demonstration how Brunello makes world class wine. The color is inky out to the edge of the glass. The smell never ends or even weakens, showing depth. In the mouth, everything is outsized – huge tannins and huge fruit coat the entire mouth – but perfectly balanced. While amazingly good right now, the wine will richly reward cellaring. After being open for a week, the wine remained dense and mouth-filling, packed with tar and blackberry, but became magnificently opulent.

Wine Tasting April 18 - 21, 2007

2004 Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc (France)
Importer's Notes (Kermit Lynch): A great introduction to White Bordeaux. One of the few in this price range that has finesse, complexity, depth, and interesting flavors. Genuine old vines. The nose has a gunflint aspect, along with citrus perfumes like citronelle and orange blossom. The palate is fresh, lively, and deep, and the echoes the wine's exquisite bouquet. Salt Lake City Weekly: A fine reminder how white wine doesn't need to be punched up with oak. A dry wine with mineral underpinnings and subtle citrus flavors, that kills with oysters and other shellfish.

2002 Covey Run Winemaker's Collection Merlot (Washington)
95% Merlot, 5% Malbec. A very drinkable Merlot, darker than many, with black and red cherry, moderate tannins, and a touch of earthiness. Oak aged for 12 months. Best Buy, Wine Enthusiast: A very pretty nose to begin, promising some lushness and showing a mix of sweet fruit and a whiff of smoke. In the mouth there are peppery highlights, dry tannins, flavors of strawberry and light melon, and a hint of herb.

2004 Morgan Côtes du Crow's (California)
Winemaker's Notes: 50% Syrah, 50% Grenache. Aged 14 months in oak barrels, 25% new. The most powerful Cotes du Crow's ever made. Paul Gregutt, Seattle Times, Wine of the Week: One of those sweet, young red wines that has you licking your lips for more before the first sip is swallowed — a no-frills, no-fuss, full-bodied red that piles on the fruit.

2003 Vine Cliff Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
Winemaker's Notes: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petite Verdot. Complex nose of ripe bing cherry, blueberry and deep black plum fruits. Violets and lavender laced with spicy oak, hints of cocoa, caramel and new leather. The palate has sweet, juicy upfront ripe cherry and plum fruit, soft supple texture, and long chewy tannins on the finish. 93 points, Wine Enthusiast: "A beautiful Cabernet that displays classic Oakville character. To begin with, the tannins, which always are the star of Oakville, are so lush, ripe and richly structured. Then there's the elegant balance and refinement. I wish this well-oaked wine, as good as it is, had a bit more fruity intensity, because that would make me appreciate this even more."

2001 Margalit Cabernet Sauvignon (Israel)
93 points, Daniel Rogov: A distinctly Old World wine, this dark, dense richly flavored oak aged blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot has generous currant, black berry sage and mineral flavors and aromas. Still tough tannins but the kind of structure and balance that code well for future development and a long finish on which you will find tempting coffee, dark chocolate and hints of licorice and mint add to the charms of the wine (March 20, 2003)

Wine Tasting April 11 - 14, 2007

2003 Fallbrook Chardonnay Reserve Sleepy Hollow Vineyard – California
Winemaker's Notes: Full-bodied 100% Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County. 100% barrel fermented in French and American oak. Aged 12 to 14 months in French and American oak. Has a creamy, buttery taste from lush ripe fruit and oak aging.

2001 Covey Run Merlot Reserve – Washington
A more muscular, tannic, and dry style of Merlot, that continues to improve. Dark fruit, with dust and leather. Aged in French oak for 18 months. Could pass for a fine Bordeaux from France. 99% Merlot, 1% Malbec. Wine Enthusiast: A serious effort, with stiff tannins over firm fruit. Tightly wrapped in layers of tar, smoke and espresso, the fruit has a piercing cranberry/cherry character that will pair well with grilled meats.

2003 Rabbit Ridge Petite Sirah Reserve Chalkrock - California
The grapes for this wine are grown in vineyards rich in limestone. Part comes from one of the highest vineyards in Paso Robles, at 1,600'. Gold Medal, March 2007 Jerry Mead's New World International Wine Competition. The Petite Sirah grape is a cross with Syrah, named for its small berries with thick skins, famous in California for making wines that are dark, fruity, tannic, and ageworthy.

2001 Cillar de Silos Crianza - Spain
A Tempranillo from a great vintage. Shows its greatness as its youthful tannins have rounded and integrated. Steve Tanzer: "Fruity aromas of blackberry, cassis and licorice, with oak notes of tar and bitter chocolate. Concentrated, chewy and ripe, with rich, powerful flavors of kirsch and licorice. A major mouthful of fresh fruit without restraint. Still, this very young wine seems a bit stunted today [Jul/Aug 2003]. Finishes with huge, building, chewy tannins that will require at least a couple years of bottle aging."

2002 L'Aventure Syrah  - California
L'Aventure is one of the greatest estates in California making Rhone style wines. Made by the same winemaker with equal care and attention, only using the best non-estate fruit. 100% Syrah, from multiple Paso Robles vineyards. Aged 15 months in 100% new French oak barrels. A deep, dark wine, with purple tints. Features blueberry, pepper and violets. Drinkable now and ageable for a decade. 600 cases made.

Wine Tasting April 4 - 7, 2007

2006 Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Machine harvested and fermented at a very low temperature in stainless. Consistently excellent over vintages. Has a grassy nuance, strong flavors of lemon and lime, plus red currant and gooseberry. Pale colored and light bodied, but full flavored with palette cleansing acidity. Has 3.2 grams per liter of residual sugar, which rounds the texture, reduces leanness, and pushes the fruit toward peach. Grapes come from 90 acres of Whitehaven's own vines, and contracts with 20 other growers.

2005 Hahn Merlot (California)
Includes 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petite Verdot. The grapes were harvested from mid to late October, and included Santa Lucia highlands fruit. Barrel aged with 80% new French oak. The 2005 vintage has rounded acidity and tannins plus mouth-filling fruit, including black cherry and cassis.

2004 Gravity Hills Tractor Zinfandel (California)
88-90 points, Wine Advocate: I hope the bottled wine turns out as well as the tank sample I tasted. A terrific value, it exhibits a deep ruby/purple color along with a gloriously sweet, jammy perfume of black cherries, berries, and licorice. Spicy, impressively-endowed, nicely-textured, pure, and well-made, it is a Zinfandel to buy by the case. Enjoy it over the next 1-3 years.

2003 JC Cellars Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel (California)
92 points, Wine Advocate: This Zinfandel is from a site planted on a steep slope in volcanic rock. It boasts a dark ruby/purple color, big, sweet raspberry and cherry fruit notes, and a heady, spicy finish. Although not complex, it is a classic Jeff Cohn creation - full, flavorful, interesting and provocative.

2003 Brassfield Monte Sereno Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
First harvest from vines planted in 2001. 9% Merlot. Winemaker's Notes: This wine exudes exceptional varietal character, and is a classic example of everything expected in a world class Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark fruits of blackberry and dried currants predominate while subtle elements of earth, eucalyptus, leather and black olive add to this harmoniously orchestrated feast for the senses. The tannins promise exceptional aging potential but the wine is hard to resist now.

Wine Tasting March 28 - 31, 2007

2002 Lynmar Quail Cuvee Chardonnay (California)
Light yellow color. Very strong flavors of lees and lemon. Secondary flavors of butterscotch and  vanilla. Very long aftertaste, with a coconut finish. The top of the line Chardonnay produced by this Russian River winery, that includes only the best barrels. A price you will never see again. Will drink well for another three years.

2004 Hahn Meritage (California)
One of the most consistently best values in Meritage wines. Delivers quality at an excellent price designed to sell out within a year. A blend of 42% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petite Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec. Barrel aged for 14 months, 58% new French oak. Fruity, smooth, surprisingly complex, and sufficiently tannic and acidic to improve and hold for up to five years. Black cherry, blackberry, and black currants. The tannic finish will get progressively smoother and seamless with time. Double Gold Medal and Best of Class - The best Bordeaux blend in the $20 to $29.99 category, for the 2006 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

2003 Bleasdale Frank Potts Red (Australia)
90 points, Wine Advocate: "Bleasdale produces some of the most reliable as well as fairly priced wines from Langhorne Creek that are good choices for both neophytes and connoisseurs. One of Bleasdales flagship wines, the 2003 Frank Potts Proprietary Red (a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, and 11% Petit Verdot) is fashioned from a selection of the finest barrels. The outstanding 2003 offers up notes of licorice, black currants, blueberries, and spice box. An elegant, attractive, pure, rich effort boasting decent acidity as well as a long finish, it should drink well for 7-8 years."

2004 Amavi Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes:  The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon delivers sophisticated aromas of ripe dark fruit, mixed berries, earth and a faint hint of rose petal and coconut shell. Full-bodied flavors of blackberries and cassis lead to nuances of chocolate, mocha and spice. This softly textured wine is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of the blend, adding structure and body, while the Merlot adds flavor and depth. The touch of Cabernet Franc adds a nice floral characteristic. Complex and well structured, this wine is amazingly soft and appealing from start to finish.  15% Seven Hills Vineyard, 2% Les Collines Vineyard, 32% Canoe Ridge Vineyard, 39% Cold Creek Vineyards, 8% Rob Andrews Vineyards, 4% Del Rio Vineyards.

2005 Amon-Ra Shiraz (Australia)
98 points, Wine Advocate: "A saturated purple color is followed by scents of creme de cassis, incense, licorice, black raspberries, graphite, and sweet wood. It unfolds beautifully on the palate to reveal terrific richness, full-bodied power, great definition, and lovely elegance. This exquisite Shiraz is still young, but it possesses a degree of accessibility. It should age for two decades. It is a superb example of cutting edge winemaking being utilized on ancient Shiraz vines in the Barossa."

Wine Tasting March 21 - 24, 2007

2005 Martin Ray Angeline Mendocino County Riesling (California)
89 points, Wine Enthusiast: This is one of the more interesting Rieslings out there, and that's because it's very dry, like an Alsatian Riesling. It has crisp acidity and a steely, minerally undertone to the tart green apple, peach and spice flavors. Very nice, versatile at the table, a real sommelier's wine.

2001 Pirrammima Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
100% Cabernet. Ungrafted vines. Two years in new American oak. The 1998 vintage of this wine remains dark and flavorful, with an integration and roundness that makes it taste better than ever before. 92 points, James Halliday: Pirramimma, the quiet achiever from McLaren Vale, has a trio of great reds from 2001, 109 years on from its establishment. It's hard to pick between the equally priced Shiraz (93 points), Petit Verdot (91 points) and Cabernet Sauvignon (92 points), all driven by their lusciously rich but not jammy fruit, rather than oak, and all showing excellent varietal character. Fine, lingering tannins are another common feature.

2003 Pirrammima Petite Verdot (Australia)
Dark red color. Currently dominated by strong, drying tannins throughout the taste, with some earth, flowers, and fruit.  Can be drunk now, but best opened for several days. More in the Bordeaux style, but has the power to reward cellaring over the next decade. Two years on American oak. 100% Petite Verdot. 94 points, James Halliday: Cedar, cigar, black fruits and earth; hyper-concentrated and powerful, reflecting both the 20-year-old vines and the vintage.

2004 Amavi Syrah (Washington)
Pronounced "ahm uh vee" ("I have loved" in Latin). 53% estate fruit (Walla Walla), 47% Columbia Valley fruit. 37% of the barrels were new oak. Cellars Wine Club: Syrah packed with violets, blueberry and dark plum aromas, backed up by subtle flavors of smoked meats with hints of black earth, spices, coffee and mineral. The wine has fine-grained tannins and well-embedded acidity, which work together to create a tremendously long finish and a real depth and distinction.

2004 Bookwalter Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes: Aged exclusively in hand selected, small French oak for 20 months. Displays bright cherry, black currants, graphite, cedar and cigar box aromas. Flavors of plums, cherries and bitter sweet chocolate are wrapped around a core of dusty earth, tobacco and dried herbs. The wine finishes with ripe, fine-grained tannins that linger on the palate.

Wine Tasting March 14 - 17, 2007

2005 Bouchaine Pinot Noir (California)
From the Carneros region. 91 points, Wilfred Wong: A wine of enticing aromatics, the fully-charged '05 Bouchaine Pinot Noir presents a picture of sophistication; finely ripened fruit, a silky palate, and great persistence.

2004 Hahn Syrah (California)
Consistently one of the best values in Syrah from California. Ages well for up to 5 years, getting smoother and less grapey and sweet. Bright acidity with plum, raspberry, and hints of earth and smoked meat. Forward, delicious, long, and persistent.

2002 Watts Syrah Los Robles Vineyard (California)
Gold medal, 2005 San Francisco Chronicle Competition. 2005 Orange County Fair Competition, Gold, Best of Show for All Reds in the Median Price Range and Chairman's Award (Highest Gold Medal Award). Winemaker's Notes: From a premium part of the vineyard, that yields quality fruit making wines with great complexity and concentration. Pretty bouquet of plums, violets, and asian spice. In the mouth are ripe plums and cocoa, framed by vanilla and spice. Velvety texture, full-bodied, and opulent.

2003 Hogue Genesis Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
94 points, Wine News: "Medium crimson hue. Pronounced aromas of blueberry, molasses, damp gravel and coconut. Lush, seamlessly integrated flavors of ripe, sweet blackberry, blueberry and minerals; totally in control in the face of so much rich fruit. Long, well-fruited close."

2004 Montes Purple Angel (Chile)
An attempt to make world class wine from Carmenere. 8% Petite Verdot. Only about a thousand cases produced. Resembles a rich Bordeaux, with mocha, toast, tobacco, plum, blackberry, blueberry and violets, with a ripe but elegant texture and a fleshy and mouth-filling body.

Wine Tasting March 7 - 10, 2007

2005 Waterbrook Chardonnay (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes: Just released in January 2007. 30% malolactic fermentation. 30% new oak. 4% Viognier. Bright with crisp green apple and butterscotch, finishing with a flourish of lemony acidity.

2004 Waterbrook Melange (Washington)
A wine that is balanced, complex, elegant, and drinkable. Winemaker's Notes: 40% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 9% Sangiovese, and 8% Syrah. Aged 8 months in 35% new oak. Outstanding, Northwest Wine Press: The complexity begins in the nose with purple fruit of pomegranate and ripe plums, warm oak spice, expresso and lavender with a bit of black truffle earthiness. Black cherries, juicy blackberries and mint gently swirl around the palate, followed by great length with a nice coffee note at the end.

2003 Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet France, 3% Malbec. Aged 17 months in 60% new oak. 90 points in both Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. Outstanding, Northwest Wine Press: Red Mountain Vineyard and Stillwater Creek fruit help form the backbone of this Cab so jammy it could initially be confused with a Syrah. The flavors are front-loaded with blackberries and cassis, framed by fairly bold tannins, and given a send off with dark special chocolate."

2001 Thomas Fogarty Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz (California)
The greatest wine at Thomas Fogarty, at a closeout price you are unlikely to ever see again. Made from grapes in high-altitude vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The single best Cabernet Sauvignon at a large trade tasting in 2006 at a trade tasting in the Hard Rock Casino. 93 points, Wine Enthusiast: "This wine is incredibly rich in seductive black currant, sweet cassis and barrel spice, with the perfect balance of ripeness and intensity. The color is inky, while the texture shows both the underlying structure and the immediate enjoyable suppleness of its rich, briary fruit. This bottle of wine is certainly not to be missed."

2003 Barnard Griffin Syrah Handcrafted (Washington)
When released, this reserve syrah tasted very ripe, lush, fruity, and jammy. Now that the baby fat has subsided, the wine is showing its true complexity and character.  The mouth is awash in dark fruits, cassis and violets, but with a refreshing blackberry acidity in place of the jammy sweetness, and a kinetic and driving power in place of the lushness. Gold Medal (Best Of Class) 2005 Los Angeles County Fair Wine Competition.

Wine Tasting February 28 - March 3, 2007

2002 Roger Luquet Pouilly-Fuisse (France)
This single vineyard wine hails from the best slope of Fuisse, estate bottled by the Luquet family. Revealing the essence of pure Chardonnay, unoaked, rich and ripe with apple and pear fruit and mineral notes.

2004 Bodegas Numanthia Termes (Spain)
Wine Exchange Store, Orange, California:   "The 2002 Termes was a Top Wine Spectator pick and the 2003 version of this wine just caught a ballistic 95 points from Wine Spectator. What about the 2004? It destroys both of those oustanding wines! We tasted both 2003 and 2004 side by side and there was no comparison, the 2004 was fleshier, denser, better balanced, and tasted more "old-viney" if you will. Aged in 1 year old French Bordeaux barrels, the wine is structured but not oaky, with a gorgeous blue/purple color and effusive notes of blueberry and spice. Outstanding value and a very polished, classy wine for this kind of fare."

2004 Henry's Drive Shiraz Reserve (Australia)
93 points, Wine Advocate: "From a cooler climate sector of Padthaway, the 2004 Shiraz Reserve is an elegant, soft, complex effort revealing Southern Rhone-like aromas of garrigue, ground pepper, and spice box interwoven with blackberries, cassis, sweet cherries, and herbal undertones. This wild, rich, heady Shiraz tips the scales at 16% alcohol. Drink this provocative, undeniably pleasurable 2004 over the next 7-8 years."

2002 Campo Eliseo (Spain)
100% Tempranillo. Inky, dense, rich, and velvety. Aged in 100% new French oak for 16 months. 94 points, Wine Spectator: "This elegant red shines in the international style, with toasty oak, polished texture and clean, ripe fruit. Blackberry, espresso and mineral notes mingle over well-integrated tannins and emerge haloed by spices on the toasty finish."

2004 Bodegas Numanthia, Numanthia (Spain)
Every vintage of this wine has gotten 92 to 96 points in the Wine Advocate. Darkly colored, intensely flavored, well structured with tannins and acidity, and massively fruity with cassis, blackberries, and black cherries, yet vividly fresh, velvety, and dry. The huge but ripe tannins usually soften and integrate in 2-5 years, but the wine holds wonderfully for at least a decade. Made from 70 to 90 year old vines at an altitude of 2,300 feet. Buy this wine every year before Parker's review raises the price.

Wine Tasting February 21 - 24, 2007

2005 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
90 points, Wine Spectator: "Tangy in style, with plenty of fresh green apple character adding depth to the grapefruit and guava flavors, lingering nicely."  A somewhat smoother, less astringent style, with fresh cut grass in the nose but grapefruit and gooseberry in the mouth.

2001 Cascina Nebbiolo (Italy)
Nebbiolo is a grape from Italy that seldom makes great wines outside of that country. But in Italy, it is famous for making wines that are red rather than black in color, firmly tannic and dry, with clear and complex flavors, that age well in the bottle. An affordable Nebbiolo at a closeout price you are unlikely to ever see again.

1999 Saintpaulia Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
The winery took its name from the Latin botanical name for African violets. The winery holds its wines unusually long before releasing them. The current release is the 2000.  The 1999 features dark color, cassis fruit, bright acidity, blackberry, and a very long aftertaste. The acids and tannins grew even more integrated and rounded after the bottle was opened for three days, showing that this wine has not yet hit its peak. At a closeout price you are unlikely to ever see again for any future wines from the Red Mountain area of Washington.

1998 Chapel Hill Shiraz, McLaren Vale (Australia)
 A classic wine from one of the greatest recent vintages in Australia. When the Best Cellar served this in 2002, I said you won't see this wine again at this price, but the distributor again discovered the last cases.  I wrote then that this wine was so inky dark and saturated with fruit blasting through the finish, that it should come with a seatbelt. Should be smoother and more integrated now. Bring along your checkered flag to signal this wine that it's won the race and can park right beside you.

1997 BV Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve (California)
95 points, Wine Spectator: "An extraordinary wine, dense, rich and earthy, with broad, plush tannins and tiers of complex currant, earth, cedar, black cherry, mineral and anise flavors. Keeps a tight focus on the long, rich, detailed aftertaste." No BV Latour since 1997 has equaled this wine. One of the great wines from a great vintage, that has kept improving in the bottle ever since its release. Only 12 bottles available. The wine equivalent of spotting Elvis in the building.

Wine Tasting February 14 - 17, 2007

Non-Vintage Duval Leroy Brut Champagne (France)
93 points, Wine Spectator: "Big, full-bodied bubbly featuring graphite, toast, lemon and nut aromas and flavors. It's balanced, with an assertive finish. Will improve with a few months of cellaring. Drink now through 2009."

2002 Jardin Merlot (South Africa)
Tasty, centered on black cherry, and long. Winemaker's Notes: The grapes are harvested from east and west facing vineyards, situated on decomposed granite soils. Mature vineyard yield opulent fruit with plum, rich blackberry and mocha flavors. Framed by generously rounded tannins and spiciness from maturation I French oak. Seductive from start to finish.

2002 Stratton Lummis (California)
Near black. Dense and fruit forward. Not drying. Easy drinking. Very nice rise in intensity when swallowed. Long aftertaste. WineExpress.com: Cabernet Sauvignon blended from Oakville District fruit, with its muscular, black currant character, combined with spicy, herbaceous grape lots from the famous Rutherford Bench. The wine takes on a multi-faceted quality, which unfolds in the glass, as layer on layer of ripe flavors are revealed. A label that focuses on French style Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, combined with California fruitiness and ripeness.

2003 Axel Primero (Chile)
Axel is a new higher end serios named after the Axelsen family from California (originally Denmark) that founded and owns La Playa. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 5% Carmenere. Selected from the finest barrels of each varietal. On the notes are hints of plum and cherries, with notes of nutmegs, tea, and cinnamon. In the mouth it has delicious concentration, balance, and complexity, supported by ripe red tannins. Long and pleasantly smooth finish.