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Mar 20, 2008Smoking Loon Merlot, 2006
I think the "Smoking Loon" put out a serious cigar in this Merlot! And....I like it! Smokey, spices, earth on the nose, cherry bursts....not bad for a cheap bottle.
Mar 20, 2008Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2006
So lovely. Excellent structure and body. Black pepper and bacon on the nose. Creamy body, with flavors of black pepper, cherry, and vanilla.
Mar 20, 2008Villa Appalaccia Francesco-Cabernet Franc, 2004
Really excellent! A fruitier, more new world profile than I usually expect from a cab franc. Delicious, smoky flavors overlying bold blackberry and raspberry flavors. Oaky, but not overly so. The flavors are held together by beautiful acidity. Well-balanced and nicely integrated. Love it!
Mar 16, 2008Achaval Ferrer Malbec Mendoza, 2006
Nose: hay, 'cassis', hickory
Mouthfeel: round and silky, medium weight, but no real flavor dynamics, which isn't good because I get hints of cigarettes and parsley, which I don't like (moreso the parsley)
Finish: not long, thin, a bit of citrus and pepper, and a hint of that 'I just barbecued all afternoon and now I smell like smoke' flavor (probably related to the hickory above)
Not really a fan of this one. If it didn't have so much carbon-related flavor, I'd be more tolerant of the lack of richness or complexity. Of course it's better given an hour or two to breathe, but still unimpressive.
Mar 14, 2008Domaine La Moussiere Sancerre, 2005
I am in general not a big fan of Sancerre, but this is quite exceptional. It has an apple juice and citrus tasting fresh acidity and manages to be elegant about it while finishing very smoothly.
Mar 04, 2008Cusumano Nero D'Avola, 2006
Another fantastic Nero D'Avola... this varietal does not stop surprising me. Medium bodied, consistent, and silky smooth, with pleasant aromas of berries. The flavors start out chalky but fruity then lead to an almost never ending dark chocolate finish. At this price this wine is a must try and must stock...
Mar 02, 2008Cosentino Cabernet Franc, 2005
Big rich ripe nose. Full of plum and pepper. Solid tannins and a very nice balance. Drinks a bit like a rich merlot. Cant beat this for the price!!
Mar 01, 2008Kim Crawford Pinot Noir Marlborough, 2006
Strong aromas of berries, with a nice fruit forward taste that ends with hints of vanilla, oak, and burnt toast. Very good pinot at this price.
Feb 22, 2008Manzanita Creek Three Vines Zinfandel Benchmark, 2005
Dry Creek is where it's at! If you are a lover of big, bold, knock you back zins as I am, then try this one.
Big chewy robust zin, tones of smoky bacon frying on a campfire. Luscious, rich zin with raisins and earthly tannins.
Dark fruit, plums, licorice, black raspberry flavors.
A sweet end lingers on the roof of your mouth.
This wine normally retails for $28 so I was happy to spot this at Costco which is hit or miss wine-wise.
I look forward to the recent releases in March, when Barrel Tasting commences!
Feb 21, 2008Martin Family Vineyards Estate Syrah Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County Wine, 2004
I picked this little baby up the last time I was in Dry Creek.
The winery is in the midst of changing ownership, so they were clearing out some of their older vintages to start with the new name. I knew I always love their zins, so I thought why not - it's cheap and picked up a couple of bottles.
Deep ruby red & purple, heavy in the glass. Rich roasting coffee on the nose. Full mouth feel, with toast and rich notes of oak. Lots of dark berry fruit, like the end of summer deep dark blackberries and cherries and slightly like a dash of Kikkoman ending with a bit of fig on the back of my palate
It's tannic, but they are full of body, which makes it very easy to drink now, or keep for a few years to age gracefully.
A great buy and a great wine!
Feb 18, 2008Napa River Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005
A really good deal. Comes with a nice rich nose, with so deep fruity ripeness and spice. Very drinkable, and for 5 dollars I'll be back.
The bottle says "Napa County" ... not "Napa Valley", but that's still a good sign (vs. "California" or even "North Coast California"). It means we're not dealing with random grapes from all over CA, just random grapes from all over Napa County.
Feb 18, 2008San Felice Chianti Classico, 2005
Shy to the nose but very pleasant flavors of cherry and plum usually associated with Chianti. Consistent tastes and smooth feel. This is a very good Classico.
Feb 18, 2008John Duval Entity Shiraz, 2006
Black and shimmering with a purple rim. Incredibly pure and focused with dark berry, cherry and cassis fruit supported by rich leather, earth, and sweet spices. Very sleek, but full bodied and palate staining with considerable ripe, chocolaty tannin and a long, long finish.
Extremely well made and highly celebrated in the press for several years now (last year's version was highlighted in The Wine Spectator's Top 100, RP 93, ST 93+, etc.), this wine sells out rapidly.
For this kind of value/price, any Syrah- or Shiraz-lover would be foolish to miss this wine.
Feb 15, 2008Sant Agata Ruche Di Castignole Monferrato, 2006
Purchased per recommendation for a house red at Boheme in Charlottesville, VA
Very dry and pleasurable after taste
Feb 10, 2008Taz Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, 2003
Bitter and tart to start off, but with a little air and time became one of my favorites this year. Very fruity with the typical blackberry and cherry flavors. Maybe a little caramel with a silky finish.
Feb 09, 2008Rancho Sisquoc Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005
Anise, dark fruits on the nose. Sort of tart on the palate, but this wasn't decanted and may have improved in that regard. I feel like it really could've opened up with some breathing.
After a while I started getting some strong raspberry notes. The finish isn't that impressive, some ok chewiness, but the flavor doesn't linger like a better wine would finish.
Feb 08, 2008Grove Street Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County, 2004
Nice fruit of rich cherry with some light berry essence. The one downer to this wine was an off acidity level. It was lacking some sort of balance, to much acid. Not a bad wine for the price though
Feb 02, 2008Pio Cesare Barbera D'Alba, 2004
This is a great Barbera that is heavier bodied and very fruity and also has falvors of chocolate. I could easily see this being mistaken for a Barolo in a blind tasting and for this price that is a great trait!
Jan 31, 2008Château Rauzan-Segla Margaux, 2000
Dusty nose of red brick, faint licorice, tart blackberries, and fresh grass clippings. Typical french acidity and a whole helluva lot of funk on the palate. Leather and sweat -- stank old Reeboks are definitaly "up in here". Nice, but hardly worth the price tag. Another example of overpriced Bordeaux. Open a bottle of CA swill, add water + vinegar + used gym shorts, and you'll be getting close to this bad boy.
Ach, still though, respectable. Nice depth and body. Drink now.
Jan 29, 2008Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet, 2005
This wine is generally over-the-top in all aspects. There are strong aromas of berries, specially raspberry, in the nose. The wine's flavor is very fruity, with hints of pomegranate and liquorice. Overall, this wine just comes across as a little too strong for me.
Jan 27, 2008L.A. Cetto Nebbiolo, 2003
Dense notes of ripe blackberries and cola on the nose. The palate is soft, has those same flavors, with some additional notes of tobacco and wood (cigar box) near the finish.
There are a decent amount of tannins, but also a wet feel to it, and it finishes relatively short.
I heard a rumor the 2002 Nebbiolo is the best wine they've ever made.
Jan 27, 2008Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc, 2006
There is mold on the cork-yuk! This is the first time it happened, and I'm on the third bottle recently purchased.
Jan 21, 2008Domaine Manoir Du Carra Beaujolais-Villages, 2007
Light color and flavor with hints of tart cherry and floral notes. Not to familiar with this varietal but it tasted very young. Got it 40% off so it wasn't a bad deal.
