2008 Altocedro La Consulta Select Malbec

2008 Altocedro La Consulta Select Malbec - $16 from Argentina. This is a wine to seek out, it might be hard to find but the search will be worth it. This is an excellent malbec. I've had other wines from this winery including the Reserva (which is twice as much as this wine), and this is easily the best wine I've had from this very good winery. A very young wine, this is an extremely smooth and gentle malbec. The nose has a bit of stink on it also known as earth smells. The finish on this wine is silky and gentle. The amount of quality for the price is way up there. This wine is why I keep going back to Argentina malbec's, I've only had a couple other malbec's that I liked this much, and this is definitely my favorite wine from the La Consulta region of Mendoza. I found this wine at Bevmo (a store remarkably similar to Total Wine on the East Coast), I don't know where else to find this wine but I recommend asking your local wine shops where to find Altocedro wines. I couldn't even find information on this exact wine on the winery's own website. Make sure to look for the Select not the Reserva. The websites for information on the winery are: www.altocedro.com.ar and www.vinodelsol.com

p.s. the label on the picture is not the exact wine, just something to look at that is also made by Altocedro. I was drinking the '08 La Consulta Select, not the '04 La Consulta Reserva

2005 Waterbrook Melange

2005 Waterbrook Melange - $13 Columbia Valley, Washington. In the never ending search for value I have turned to Washington state, an up and coming area that is expanding in vineyard acreage and quality. I hit pay dirt with this quality bottle of red wine that I picked up from World Market for $8 (it was being discontinued). The online dictionary defines melange as "a mixture of very dissimilar elements", and that is an excellent description of this unconventional blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. This is a nice departure from the usual style of wines, a New World blend that is not bound by Old World traditions and also tastes good. Often wines that are crazy blends don't work out but this one comes through. This is a soft medium bodied wine with little tannin, a hint of sweetness, with subtle aromas of brown sugar and spice. A refreshing value that showcases the quality and innovative spirit of Washington wines, a great everyday sipper.

www.waterbrook.com

2005 Fattoria del Cerro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

2005 Fattoria del Cerro, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano - $12 from Italy. This is a wine is a winner in my book, a dark smooth wine with enough acidity to make you want to eat. I find my self eating a lot of pasta with red sauce these days and the wines I want to drink with these types of meals are dry reds from Italy. This one definitely delivers on the quality to price ratio. The Fattoria del Cerro estate has 385 acres of vineyards in the Montepulciano area of Tuscany. This wine is a blend of 80% Prungnolo Gentile (this is some type of clone of Sangiovese) and 20% Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo. I know and am familiar with Sangiovese, but I have no idea about Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo but apparently there good because this wine is solid. This wine is aged mostly in Slavonian oak casks and a smaller percentage in small French oak barrels. The wine will hold up to meals with lots of flavors, like pastas, casseroles, and definitely red meats. I recommend picking up a bottle of this stuff, I got mine at Costco.

2006 Montevina Amador County Barbera

2006 Montevina Amador County Barbera - $8 Amador County, California. California is not the area I look to for values, wines for $10 or under from California that are worth drinking are almost a myth. California is not the value producer it could and should be, but every so often the right combination of quality and low price do intersect for wines from Cali. This is the case for the '06 Amador County Barbera from Montevina. This is a value priced wine that is produced and bottled by Montevina and comes from a specific AVA (American Viticultural Area), Amador County, and most importantly tastes good. I think of Barbera in taste as a cross between pinot noir and sangiovese. The italian varietal is light bodied and crisp that has enough acidity to make my mouth water which makes me want to eat some food. This wine did exactly what I wanted it to, it was cheap, and it went well with my dinner. I highly recommend this value wine to accompany your dinner or munchietime. I got this wine from Costco. Check it out this light bodied red wine.

www.montevina.com

2006 Opus Juan

2006 Opus One - Napa Valley, California $180. This is the California answer to the first growths of Bordeaux, Opus One. Originally a 50 - 50 joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, that is comprised of Bordeaux varietals, with the largest percentage of the blend belonging to cabernet sauvignon. This is one of the most hyped and at times overhyped wines ever, also one of the most famous wine of the world. This is a collectors wine and one that will easily age 20 years and more. I have often been a critic of this wine. The few vintages I've had have been good but not impressive and not living up to the hype for sure, with many other wines from the Napa Valley far surpassing it, but I am beginning to think that Opus is headed in a good direction. I had the '88 vintage a few weeks ago, and it was the least impressive wine of the night, being served in company of it's peers, various Napa Cabernets from various older vintages. This being said I just had the privilege of touring the winery during harvest and I was able to see them crushing grapes. While working on a cellar crew elsewhere in Napa at the time, I was able to see and more importantly understand the processes at work. I must say Opus is doing everything they can to make a great bottle of wine, and I am impressed with their efforts and attention to detail. Opus takes every step to ensure that only the best grapes go into the wine. They have about 15 workers on the sorting tables, that is impressive and costly. The grapes come into the cellar in fyb's (fuckin yellow boxes), small plastic bins that hold a small amount of grapes, to keep the grapes from crushing under their own weight. The grape clusters then get sorted with all none grape material (such as leaves) and unripe grapes being removed. After being destemmed the grapes are then picked over for any unripe grapes or material other than grapes that may have made it to this point. The single grapes then drop into the crusher where they are gently crushed and the material falls directly in to the stainless steel fermenting tank. It is a very impressive operation that they have done since the inception of the winery. Opus is also in the beginning of a slow 25 year replanting project. I got to say they do everything they can to ensure to best goes into each bottle of wine. The spare no expense using only 100% new french oak, this is rare to use a barrel for only one vintage, most wineries use the barrels for two, sometimes three vintages. Also for using only new oak, the wine did not show too much oak, just the right amount. After having the '88 Opus a few week ago, then tasting the '06 after the tour, I think I liked the '06 better, it was a dense and concentrated, very nice wine. If you have the opportunity to taste Opus One, I highly recommend it. It is something every wine lover must experience, then decide for yourself your opinion. There is possible no other wine that elicits such wide ranging opinions. As for the '06 I definitely liked it and recommend it, look for good thing to come from this wine in the future.

www.opusonewinery.com

p.s. the '05 vintage is shown, the '06 looks the same except for the year. The label has never changed they all look the same as shown.

2007 Palo Alto Reserve

2007 Palo Alto Reserve - Maule Valley, Chile $16. The Palo Alto label is another label from the Concha y Toro winery. Apparently Palo Alto only makes red wine, I'm not 100% percent about that but I think that is the case, this is the only wine that I know of that the winery makes, this is also a new winery. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, and Syrah. The wine has a simple nose, and a nice dark colour to it. The best part is once the wine is in your mouth, the wine is silky smooth with a touch of acidity at the finish with flavor that hangs around for a good while. I like this wine, it definitely delivers. It can stand on it's own as sipper or it would complement dark meats nicely. A refreshing blend from Chile, that shows once again that you don't have to over spend on a good bottle of vino. Since the winery is owned by Concha y Toro this wine shouldn't be too hard to find but you'll probably have to look at a dedicated wine shop or a grocery store with a better selection. I got this wine at Bevmo.

2006 Vago Rojo

2006 Vago Rojo - Mendoza, Argentina $8. This is basic Argentinian red wine, a bistro wine. It is a blend of mostly malbec and temranillo, possibly with a few other varieties. It is a wine made by the Altocedro winery, the winery is known for their malbec that are sometimes blended with a bit of tempranillo. The wine is a bit light but it has pleasent flavors, it goes well with a quick pasta dinner and Monday night football. It's better with food than on it's own. I think for the money it is solid. It also has a screwtop, which is a good thing; all the more expensive wines from Altocedro have cork tops. If your looking for simple dinner wine check this out. I have no idea where to find this wine other than were I bought it. I got it at Bevmo, the west coast equivalent to Total Wine (though not the same company, but same idea).

2007 Alamos Seleccion Malbec

2007 Alamos Seleccion Malbec - Argentina, $16. This wine is grown in an area south of Mendoza called La Consulta, it is a cool climate for the malbec grape to grow in. This estate grown wine is produced by the Catena winery under their Alamos label. Alamos wines are some of my favorite value wines, for the price they are very hard to match. This wine is the high end of the Alamos label, the Seleccion. This is my first time having the Seleccion wines, and I am impressed. This malbec has a deep dark blackish purple color, good structure and a smooth finish. It has a bit more acidity than most Argentinian malbecs. The one thing you must know about this wine is that it needs to breathe. I recommend this wine for decanting and if you're too lazy to drop it in a decanter like I am, this wine needs to sit out for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Tasting it after it had only been opened a few minutes, I wasn't feeling this wine, but after a while it softened up and became a malbec I expect. I like this wine and I recommend you trying it, it should be relatively easy to find; Alamos has a good distribution. And if you can't find this one I recommend trying any malbec you can find that is grown in the La Consulta region, they are very distinctive.

2007 Trentatre Rosso

2007 Trentatre Rosso - Salento, Italy, I.G.T. $7 I think this wine might be a Trader Joe's special, I don't know but I just spent $2000 on skis and I don't have money to spend on the good vino. Lucky for me that wine can often accommodate the fiscally challenged if they are lucky. At this price range your guess is pretty much as good as mine (if not better) of getting a bottle that is not only drinkable, but actually good. This wine is a blend of equal parts Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot; one native Italian varietal and the two well known internationals. I aint got a clue who grew these grapes or made this wine but it was bottled by ICRF MI 6508, whatever that is. Anyway the wine is dark, full bodied, solid tannins, and surprisingly good, they could definitely charge double for this wine, it's a decent wine, I like it, it's worth a shot. I had it with roasted veggies, but you can have it any way you like, it is also good on it's own. Good tasting cheap wine is hard to find, at this price range I have been burned many times, but this is solid.

Sorry no picture but you can get this wine at Trader Joes, it shouldn't be hard to find.

Tasting report from Joseph Phelps Winery

Tasting report from Joseph Phelps Winery - St. Helena, Napa Valley, CA $Free This is the first winery tasting report from the southern wine report, I couldn't talk about just one of the damn good wines I had at this incredible winery. Joseph Phelps in one of the best wineries in Napa Valley (and therefore the world), they are most famous for Bordeaux style wines, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the most famous wine being Joseph Phelps Insignia. Because I am now a cellar rat working in a winery in Napa, I am able to taste for free at any winery in Napa, it is called being in the trade. So I am trying to go to as many wineries as possible and Joseph Phelps Winery and the wines live up to the hype. The '07 Sauvignon Blanc "St. Helena" is 100% Sauvignon Blanc with the grapes coming from the vineyards right there at the winery in St. Helena. It is an excellent S.B., it is a bit creamier than an average S.B., which I like because I often find S.B.'s to be too tart. The creaminess comes from 10 months in oak barrels in which the lees are stirred often. That basically means while the wine is in barrel it gets stirred often. The lees are the sediment that falls to the bottom of the barrel, when the sediment (lees) are stirred the wine extracts more flavors from it, and the barrel itself also lends to the creamy taste. I was impressed by the wine and I liked it very much except for the price, which is $32. The next wine I tried was the '06 Napa Valley Merlot. They usually don't make Merlot, the last vintage they made was 2002. They made Merlot in '06 because the Merlot grapes didn't go into the blend that makes up the Insignia that vintage, so they made a Merlot. The Merlot is 76% merlot and 24% cabernet. It is a big, dark, silky Merlot. I aint a fan of merlots mostly but this one I liked, definitely recommend it, it's the rare good American merlot. At $40 while not cheap, it was the cheapest red wine they sell, and it was good. Next up was the '06 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot, and 2% Malbec, a true Bordeaux blend. This wine was excellent and my style of wine, a mostly Cabernet Bordeaux blend, Napa style. The wine has an excellent nose, and silky tannins, at $54 it is cheaper than most of the Napa Valley wineries Reserve wine, and it is better, so you can call it a bargain, I suggest picking up a bottle. The Grand Finale was the Joseph Phelps Insignia, one of the most famous wines in the world and one I have wanted to taste for many years. The 2006 Insignia was just released by the winery yesterday, so you heard it hear first, or maybe second. The blend of the wine changes every year due to what the winemaker feels will make the best blend that is why it is not called cabernet, or merlot, it is simply called Insignia red wine. The '06 is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine is ultra smooth, and the finish goes on and on. This wine is one to write about, it's damn good. And it should be, it does get an extraordinary amount of press, and it should it's great and it cost's $200 upon release, and often more. It's a great wine, but don't think it's 4 times better than the '06 Cabernet. If you are big on wine and you visit the Napa Valley you need to check out Joseph Phelps.


www.jpvwines.com

2008 Vina Borgia

2008 Vina Borgia - Campo de Borja, Spain $8. The first wine to make two appearances on The Report. And there is common reason why, I can consistently looking for good value, and estate wines (which this is). For the money this wine is excellent, it is 100% Grenacha from the Bodegas Borsao, a bodega that consistently comes through with solid grenache, tempranillo, and blends. This is the 4th vintage I've had of this wine. It is one dimensional on the nose, on the palate the wine is somewhere in between medium and full bodied. It is a dry wine with a little bit of tannins on the finish, which I like, often in wines of this price range they are too soft and bland, not this one. It is a basic wine but what it does it does well. It would go well with dark meats. It is also no surprise that this is a Jorge Ordonez selection, I go to J. O. selection wines often especially when I'm on a budget (or broke however you like to call it). I recommend this wine as an everyday solid wine, you can sip it on its own or enjoy it with dinner.

2006 Barco Negro

2006 Barco Negro - Duoro, Portugal $11 This is a wine that breaks the mold, tastes good and is very reasonably priced. The Barco Negro hails from the Duoro region in Portugal, an area that until recently was most known for the production of Port wine. Within the last few years an increasing number of table wines have begun to emerge from the area, a trend that will continue and increase. It makes sense, the Duoro has been growing grapes for hundreds of years and the area has plenty of expertise and resources to make good wine thanks to the Port industry. The 2006 Barco Negro is comprised of 30% Tinta Roriz ( in Spain it's called Tempranillo), 30% Touriga Franca, and 40% Touriga Nacional, grapes that are typically found in Port wine. It is a deep dark wine with a pleasant nose, and a dark full taste. There is a bit of complexity to this wine that is not usually found in wine for $11. I definitely like this wine and recommend it, but only for red wine drinkers. White wine drinkers would find it a bit to big and heavy, but I recommend at least tasting everything that you can. I got this particular wine at World Market.

2005 Trentadue Old Patch Red

2005 Trentadue Old Patch Red -$13 Sonoma, CA
Greetings from Cali. This is the first wine I've bought since moving here so it had to be from Cali. Sonoma is close enough, I would've preferred starting with a Napa wine but there isn't any good Napa wine for $13 but Sonoma is coming through in the clutch. This wine is an interesting blend from Trentadue, evidently it is very popular, this is the first time I've had it, but I agree it is very good. The blend is based on zinfandel with some petite sirah, carignane, and a bit of syrah. The blend changes slightly every vintage but the basic idea is mostly zinfandel, then petite sirah and carignane. They call this a bistro wine, I'm not exactly sure what that means so I guess I like bistro wine or at least this one. This wine is distinctly Californian, you won't find a blend like this from anywhere but Cali. It is a rich, smooth, fairly big wine. It starts off juicy, then peppery, with a dry finish that lasts. And it's got a screwtop, which is a very good thing. People out here in California are crazy, they like to pay a lot of money for California wine. The pride in the local wine is understandable because it is generally very good but the prices are ridiculous, it's hard to find a wine this good for this price. I highly recommend this wine. If you can get the '05 good, but they make this every year and it seems like the vintages are pretty consistent so if you find a different vintage I would still try it.

Etoile Rose NV

Etoile Rose - NV from Domaine Chandon, Sonoma and Napa Counties $40. This is a fairly decent sparkling rose. The wine has some age to it. The wine was bottle in 2001 and Domaine Chandon ages the wine in the bottle for 5 years before releasing it, so this particular bottle has been out since '06. The length of time spent aging is probably the biggest reason that American sparkling wine costs so much. The longer a winery ages their wine, the more it cost the winery, so they in turn have to recoup this money. I did like this wine, it needs to be served well chilled, when the wine warms a bit it becomes too tart. It's a nice rose but nothing special. I thought it was much better than the Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose ( a comparable American sparkler). This wine is definitely unique. For the closure there is not the traditional cork, but a cap that is best described as a beer top ( I opened the wine with the beer opener on my key chain), this might be a turnoff to many sparkling wine buyers. The benefit of such a top is that there is no cork failure or cork taint, but there is not they traditional pop, it's definitely different. If you like sparkling rose you should check out this wine.

www.chandon.com

2005 Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

2005 Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Maipo Valley, Chile $12. The nose smells of plum and dark grapes, kind of grapey smells coming through, along with some wood aromas. Not to be worried this wine is balanced, the oak complements but does not overpower. At first the wine is acceptable but a bit on the harsh side. This wine is a definite candidate for decanting, it needs some serious time to breathe, approximately 45 minutes to show it's true colors. This cabernet is straight forward, it's not going to tell you a story but what it covers the basics very well. The tannins are very smooth and soft. For the price this is a real solid value. The wine is not complex but what is does, it does well. I recommend it.

2005 Clancy's Red

2005 Peter Lehmann's Clancy's Red - Barossa, Australia $15. This is an interesting full bodied wine from one of the top producers in Australia, it is a blend of mostly Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Merlot. This is the entry level bottling from Peter Lehmann wines all of which come from grapes grown in the Barossa valley, considered the most prime growing region in Australia. The nose of the wine is a bit tart as well as the initial taste of the wine. At first the wine comes across as too tart. But the key to this wine is to let it breathe. This wine definitely takes time to open up, 30 minutes at the very least. I didn't start enjoying this wine until I dropped it into a decanter. Once in the decanter the wine definitely soften. The Clancy's Red is a rich and full bodied wine that once it has opened is soft and just a touch on the tart side. This wine is good but not great, it is worth a shot though but only if you have the patience to let this wine come around and soften up, once it softens it is quite enjoyable. This wine is easily found in grocery stores, and wine shops.


www.peterlehmannwines.com.au

2006 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon - Apalta vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile $20. This is the best Montes wine that I've had yet. It is a smooth rich cabernet, it is very well made. There are very few cabernets from California at this price point that pack the quality of this Chilean Cabernet. I definitely recommend this wine, it should be relatively easy to find, at wine shops, and grocery stores with better wine sections. Check it out


www.monteswines.com

2005 Rosemount The Show Reserve Mudgee Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Rosemount The Show Reserve Mudgee Cabernet Sauvignon - $2, Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia. This wine generally sells for about $15, but occasionally grocery stores and retail stores will miss price a wine, drastically, and this is how I got this wine for $2. I have not had this best luck with Australian cabernets, but I think this is a decent bottle of wine. It is a bit lighter for cabernet but it still has enough tannins, and depth of fruit to be a decent cab. It's probably the best Australian cabernet that I've had, but I haven't had many. I recommend this wine, it's good but not great. It should be easy to find this wine, Rosemount wines are in most grocery stores. The Show Reserve wines are a bit harder to come by and be careful cause there are around 10 different "The Show Reserve" wines, they are made from different grapes and can come from different areas. The '05 vintage is probably hard to find because the vintage is old for the shelves. It's got a screw top and that's a good thing.

2004 Bodegas LAN Reserva

2004 Bodegas LAN Reserva - Rioja, Spain $15. The wine is a blend of mostly Tempranillo 80%, Mazuelo 10%, and Garnacha 10%. I have no idea and have never heard of Mazuelo but whatever it is it makes part of a very nice blend from Rioja. This wine is really smooth and juicy, an easy drinking wine. I really like this wine especially when you consider all this quality for only $15. Spain is the only country in the world that has legal definitions attached to the word Reserva (Reserve). In Spain wines with the Reserva designation have to have a minimum of 12 months aging in wood and 24 months aging in bottle. I like this wine on it's own but it will serve you nicely if you're looking for something different to drink, you won't find a wine like this anywhere but in Spain. A thoroughly good wine for a great price, check it out. It also goes excellent with loaded cheese fries, fried chicken tenders, and a nice sunny afternoon.

www.bodegaslan.com

2005 St. Clement Merlot

2005 St. Clement Merlot - Napa Valley, California $20. This wine is composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the majority of the merlot grapes come from Los Caneros, a cooler climate for merlot. My main reaction to this wine is that it is overoaked. The nose is oakey, and on the palate it is very oakey. It seems like there might be some good fruit to the wine but the oak overpowers all, and that is unfortunate. This wine came recommended to me as a merlot that cabernet drinkers might like due to the wine having more to it than your average merlot, maybe it did but all that really came through is the oak, so I couldn't tell. It would be interesting to taste the St. Clement Cabernet to see the oak influence on that wine. I'd pass on this 'un.

2006 Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard

2006 Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard - $17 Santa Maria Valley, CA. This is a pinot you can almost always turn to. The Cambria has a wide distribution (it's part of the Kendal-Jackson group), you can find it at Sam's, Target, grocery stores, etc., and it's actually worth $20 whereas most pinots in this price range under deliver the Cambria comes through with the quality. The coastal pinot noir has aromas of vanilla and blackcherries, with flavors of blackberries and soft tannins. The Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara county is a unique geological feature in that it is a valley that runs east west whereas most valleys run north south. The benefit of an east west orientation on the coast is that the Pacific fog can run through the valley cooling the vineyards which allows for extended hangtime and ripening of the grapes. This is why cool climate varietals such as chardonnay and pinot noir thrive here. In an age of overpriced pinot noir, this wine go against the tide, this is pinot for the people, I recommend it if your a fan of pinot noir.

2008 Bodega Norton Sangiovese

2008 Bodega Norton Sangiovese - $8 Mendoza, Argentina. This wine is cheap, well made and interesting. A very young wine the Norton Sangiovese has a spicy nose and is bone dry, while you can sip it on it's own it would complete food or salty snacks nicely. I like and recommend this wine especially if you're having dinner. A cheap well made wine.


*the 2005 is pictured, I drank the '08, the label looks the same except for the vintage

2005 Sequoia Grove Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Sequoia Grove Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - $36 California. This is one of my most highly recommended wines, this wine is the whole reason I got started in wine, so I am absolutely biased on this subject. This is what a great Napa Cabernet should be, a consistent wine, some vintages are great but most are good, this vintage is rock solid. The wine is full flavored and supple, with a soft finish that lasts. One of the aspects about this wine that I love so much is the balance, it is the calling card of this wine. The high quality grapes come from all over the valley, giving excellent dark fruit flavors backed by oak, and silky tannins. This wine is a real value at $36 when compared to similar quality wine from Sequoia's Napa neighbors, good quality cabernet under $40 is almost a joke in the valley, but this wine consistently delivers. I liked the '04 a bit better but the '05 is no slouch. The '06 is about to be released, no word on that yet. The mumblings coming from the Valley are that the '07's will be exceptional. No matter what I recommend this wine, if you like cabernet you owe it to yourself to pick up a bottle of this 100% Cabernet. And I've never poured this wine for someone that didn't like it.
Check it out.

www.sequoiagrove.com

2006 Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills H3 Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills H3 Cabernet Sauvignon - $18 Horse Heaven Hills, Washington. With a deep ruby red color, and a nose of earth, spice, and mix of red cherries and dark berries, this wine really delivers. The H3 serves up soft tannins, a silky texture and a finish that lasts. This H3 is an excellent example of how to drink good for less, great quality for the price; a real sold cabernet. I definitely recommend this wine. It should be easy to find this wine, I've seen it in grocery stores. It might be hard to find this vintage, it might be getting low but the '05 was also a good wine, so hopefully the '07 will bring similar quality. A well done Washington cab.

2007 Achaval Ferrer Malbec

2007 Achaval Ferrer Malbec - $13 Mendoza, Argentina. On the nose of this wine you can smell must and dark cherries. On the palate this wine is straightforward and juicy, this is pretty much a one note wine. This wine is solid but it doesn't do much, it's not bad but it aint great, this is an entry level malbec. This malbec starts of a bit tart but after 20 minutes or so the tartness fades to reveal a wine that is simple, but decent. This one is for Angel Cabrera.

2005 Robert Mondavi Winery Oakville District Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville District - $45 California. The University of California at Davis has declared that Oakville, Napa Valley is the best place in the world to grow the cabernet sauvignon grape. This is debatable but one cannot deny that Oakville is a special place for great cabernet wine and this wine in particular is a solid representation of the area. The Mondavi Cabernet Oakville district is a real wine value. At $45 a bottle it might be hard to see this wine as a screamin deal but when you consider that other cabernets from Oakville can catch triple digit prices and only taste as good or slightly better, you begin to realize the real value of this wine. $40 is the "Welcome to Oakville Cabernet" price, and it only goes up from there, but don't worry because the '05 Mondavi Oakville cab is a really good wine. This wine is a blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon (%89) with smaller amounts of cabenet franc, petite verdot, malbec, and merlot; and the majority of the grapes come from the famous To Kalon vineyard (%79) with the remainder comprised from various vineyards in Oakville. The color of this wine is of deep purple, dark cherry and blackness. This cabernet has full flavors of lush dark fruits, smooth tannins, and a good bit of acidity, with aromas of tar. I really like and recommend this wine, for wines from Napa Valley it really is a good value. You can find this wine at finer wine shops, I know Total Wine carries it. The '05 vintage was the largest vintage in California history so there should be a good amount of this vintage still left to purchase. I got this bottle from the winery, and if you happen to get a bottle there as well I recommend stopping by the Oakville Grocery Store while you're in the area, the sandwiches are excellent. The rock solid cabernet goes really well with Wheat Thins Originals.

www.robertmondaviwinery.com

2006 Markham Napa Valley Chardonnay

2006 Markham Estate Grown Napa Valley Chardonnay - $16 California. This chardonnay is uniquely different from the average California chardonnay it that the wine is the perfect balance of oak, and fruit. The aromas are of butter and lemon. The flavors are of green apples simmered in butter, with acidity that cuts nicely through the butter. A light to medium bodied chardonnay. I really like this wine it is both buttery and citrus at the same time. This estate grown chardonnay is also a terrific value because at $16 it's $5 - $10 dollars cheaper than comparable chardonnays from Napa. This wine should be able to be found at better wine shops.

www.markhamvineyards.com

2007 Man Vintners Shiraz

2007 Man Vintners Shiraz - $8 South Africa. This is the first wine I've had from South Africa, and I got to say this shiraz is a real value. The aromas are a bit funky reminding me of must and wood. The flavors are soft and juicy with a touch of spice and a bit of oak. This is an everyday drinking wine that really delivers quality flavor at a low price. I recommend trying this wine, it should be easy to find, I got this from World Market.

2005 La Font du Vent "Notre Passion" Cotes du Rhone Villages

2005 La Font du Vent "Notre Passion" Cotes du Rhone Villages - $15 France. The winery is owned by the Gonnet family which also make wine in the more prestigious Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation. The Gonnet family uses the same specifications required in Chateauneuf; such as low yields, crop thinning, and hand harvesting, to make this wine. Robert Kacher Selections (the importer of this wine), calls this wine a baby Chateauneuf-du-Pape. I've heard this phrase used a lot but this time I agree, this quality in this wine over delivers for the price. This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah. The Notre Passion has aromas of earthiness and must with flavors of dark berries and dark cherries. The wine is well balanced with soft tannins and a dry finish. When I first tasted the wine it tasted scary, but after 30 minutes or so the wine opened right up and became a really good wine. I like this stuff, it's better than most of the Cotes du Rhone wines I usually have. I recommend this wine but it might be hard to find this vintage, at this point lower priced '05's are almost gone. Someone gave me this bottle so I'm not exactly sure of the price or where to buy it. I think that Total Wine carries a lot of the Rober Kacher Selections so that is where I would look.

2006 Tormaresca Neprica

2006 Tormaresca Neprica - $10 Puglia, Italy IGT. Are you stuck in a wine rut? You can find yourself a good bottle of wine at a good price, but you find yourself drinking the same style of wine over and over. I'm the same way, sometimes I'll get stuck on California Cab's, Austrailian Shiraz, Cotes du Rhone blends, Argentinian Malbec, whatever it can get monotonous; sometimes I just find myself looking for something different. This wine is the cure for the common wine rut, it cheap, really good, and totally different. The Neprica is an unconventional blend of two native Italian varietals 40% Negroamaro, 30% Primitivo, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine tastes like nothing I've ever had, the color is a deep crimson and dark purple; with aromas of coffee, smoke, and chocolate. The wine is dense, chewy, a touch of licorice, full bodied and soft. This wine is really interesting, and good. Most wine at this price point is not this good, and the ones that are aren't usually as interesting. I highly recommend checking out this estate wine value. This wine might be hard to find, I got it at Harris Teeter, but I've never seen it before, that being said it's a $10 bottle of wine so it shouldn't be that hard to find. If you can't find the '06 I heard that the '07 is just as good, maybe even better.

www.tormaresca.it

2007 Frontera Chardonnay

2007 Frontera Chardonnay - $4 Chile. The Frontera line is Concha y Toro's value label and most of the wines are produced and bottled by the winery, which means not only do they make the wine but they also grow the grapes. This is significant because most labels at this price point just purchase grapes or the juice itself. This chardonnay is a very light pale straw color, almost looks like a sauvignon blanc. The nose is very light with aromas of citrus. The palate is also light and citrus, lemoney. This is a very light chardonnay, it would be best to have this wine on a really hot day in the summer when all you can drink is a light white wine. This wine tastes like a cheap $4 wine, that being said it's not that bad, I've had worse for $5. This wine is good for the summertime heat or a party where no one is paying attention to the wine. This wine can be found in most grocery stores.

I've also tried the 2007 Frontera Carmenere and I think that wine is one of the best wine values I've ever come across. If I was to try another Frontera white it would be the Sauvignon Blanc, someone told me it was good for the money.

www.conchaytoro.com

2006 Reserve Perrin Cotes Du Rhone

2006 Reserve Perrin Cotes Du Rhone - $10 France. A blend of mostly Grenache (60%), blended with Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault. A deep crimson color with a bold nose comprised of cranberries, dark fruit, and oak. The taste is smooth and full bodied, with soft tannins and a gentle finish. My only gripe about the wine is a bit of tartness, other than that I think it's a well done effort for the price. For $10 it's solid, there are far worse bottles at this price point, you're money is safe with this one. This wine is a pretty consistent quality wine and it can be found easily in grocery stores and wine shops.

2005 Monte Antico Toscana IGT

2005 Monte Antico Toscana IGT - $11 Italy. This wine is a blend of mostly Sangiovese (about 75%), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. On the nose you get big cherries, and a bit of pepper and strawberries. On the palate this wine is dry with soft tannins that melt away, it's a bit round. I think this wine is very approachable, a lot of different palates will like this wine. As with just about all Italian wine it is better when consumed with food, pick your pleasure because this wine will go with many different foods. Good quality for the price.

2007 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay

2007 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay - $23 from Carneros, Napa Valley. The grapes for this wine come from vineyards in the very southern part of Napa, the Carneros district. Specifically the grapes come from the vineyards of Beckstoffer, Haire, and Ghisletta. Carneros is the coolest area of Napa and quite windy due to the breezes coming off of the San Pablo Bay. This makes it a great area for cool climate grapes like chardonnay and pinot noir. This chardonnay has aromas of lemon merange pie, pineapple, and lime. A full bodied wine, it is creamy, and well balanced. Nothing is really overpowering, it's well done quality. I highly recommend picking up a bottle.

www.sequoiagrove.com

p.s. pictured is the '05 vintage, the '07 label looks exactly the same except for the date.

2005 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone

2005 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone - $14 France. The '05 vintage was as good as it gets in France for Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhone. This is the entry level offering from one of the most prolific quality produces from the Rhone Valley, and it doesn't disappoint. The wine is smooth, a bit silky on the mouthfeel, with moderate acidity and chocolate notes. A blend of 50% Syrah 50% Grenache, this wine is straightforward and well done, ripe, but not over ripe at 13% alcohol. A solid buy this wine needs a few minutes to open up upon uncorking but not long and it's ready to go. This wine goes well with Chex Mix chocolate flavored turtle, but if I had some good red meat to eat with it I think that would be better. Check it out. E. Guigal makes hundreds of thousands of cases a wine a year, this is their basic offering so it should be easy to find.

2005 Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

2005 Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - $9 Montepulciano, Italy. The color of this wine is of red cherry and a bit of rust. It has a nose of strawberries, raspberries, and cinnamon, very fruity. On the palate the wine is medium to light bodied with a dry tart finish. This is simple Italian wine that would go well with many different foods, although I didn't eat with it. I tried to figure out what the varietal of the wine is and had no luck, it's either sangiovese or montepulciano d'abruzzo. Italian wine can be very difficult to understand, if anyone know exactly what varietal this is holla at me. This is wine is simple, straightforward, and good, and they make a ton of it so it should be easy to find, I recommend it. Is it cliche to say it would go good with pizza?

2004 Korta Barrel Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

2004 Korta Barrel Selection Cabernet Sauvignon - $11 Lontue Valley, Chile. This estate grown cabernet is dark ruby red in color, with aromas of plum, earth, and subtle oak. On the palate this wine is full bodied, smooth, with mild tannins and a lasting finish. An incredibly well balanced cabernet for $11. This is straightforward cabernet, but well done straightforward cabernet for cheap is impressive.
California almost never produces this kind of quality at this price point. Chile is still coming through with the delicious reds at prices points even stockholders of Chrysler can handle. This wine also pairs well with an ACC rivalry where Duke knocks down a very game Wake Forest team. I've also tried the Korta syrah at the same price point and was similarly impressed with the quality, this wine is one to find.

www.korta.cl/ingles/productos.htm

2006 Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Wente Vineyards Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon - $13 Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay, Cali. This estate grown cabernet is medium to light red in color. The wine has aromas of fresh flowers and nutmeg. On the palate this wine is medium bodied with mild tannins and very tart. The wine is overly tart. Once the wine has been breathing for 45 minutes or so it softens slightly but the tartness of the wine is overpowering. The nose is much better than the taste. I think I've had this same wine before and same vintage and I liked it, that's why I bought it for the report but this time around it is just way too tart. I'm not sure why the big difference in the wine I tasted 2 months ago and this one. This is one that I would stay away from. I liked it before, but now for whatever reason this wine is not so good, too tart.

How to spot wine gone bad

2003 Cristobal 1492 Oak Reserve Malbec - $13 Argentina. The color of this wine is inky black and purple. It has aromas of alcohol, smoke, and what I can best describe as a flat fruit smell. On the palate the wine is tart, too acidic, and dry.

When I got this bottle home I realized it was an '03, which for a cheap Malbec is a bit too old of a vintage, this bottle of wine is almost 6 years old. Most all Malbecs from Argentina in the $10 -$15 range are from the '05 vintage or later, the problem with this wine being from '03 is that it was most likely released in '05 and hit the shelves no later than '06. I just bought this wine in the second week of February '09, which means this wine has been on the shelf for about 3 years. The wine had turned, it had died, and it tasted like crap. You don't want to buy a wine that has been sitting on a shelf for 3 years because a shelf in a retail store is not an ideal place to store wine. If you store wine for 3 years and expect it to be drinkable, it must be stored in a cool dark place, otherwise the wine will go bad. Wine is a perishable good like lettuce and it has a shelf life. The major difference between wine and lettuce is that wine if stored properly will last several years and sometimes develop better more complex flavors as it ages. If not stored properly it will go bad just like lettuce. I recommend buying wines that are no more than 2 years from their release date, the younger the better. If you can't tell how long the wine has been on the shelf try to ask an employee, if there is no one to ask and you think the wine is too old, don't buy it.

I would try this wine again but only a newer vintage, I shouldn't have bought this bottle in the first place, it was too old. I poured this wine down the drain.

2005 Chateau Du Piras

2005 Chateau Du Piras - $15 Bordeaux, France. Another great wine from one of the greatest vintages. The color is of dark crimson that fades as the wine approaches the edge of the glass. Aromas of cinnamon, holiday spice, sweetness, and a touch of sour apple. On the palate the wine is medium bodied, soft and supple tannins, with a slight tart finish. This is a well balanced effort. At 13.5% alcohol it packs a lot of ripe flavors but doesn't have the heat of high alcohol that most new world wine with this flavor have. Goes excellent with NY strip steak, oven roasted home fries, and marinated mushrooms. This wine is really good, this is the reason why you keep trying new wines because occasionally you find one like this. A really good wine at a really good price, you can pay a lot more and not get a wine this well made. I couldn't find any information about this wine and there is nothing on the label. Coming from Bordeaux this wine is probably a blend of some sort but I guess it is mostly merlot, blended with smaller percentages of the other Bordeaux varietals. You gotta try this wine.

2004 Altocedro Malbec Reserva

2004 Altocedro Malbec Reserva - $29 Argentina. This malbec comes from the La Consulta region of the Uco Valley in Argentina, this is an up and coming area for high quality malbec. The malbec vines for this wine are 65+ years old. This is truly handcrafted wine with all harvesting to crushing done by hand. The wine has a dark pink, cherry color that extends fully to the glass. Aromas of spice, ripe strawberries, and asparagus comprise the deep smooth nose of this wine. The taste is bold, silky, with a small amount of earth. A different flavor profile than most malbecs likely due to the 15% of tempranillo blended with 85% malbec. Medium tannins with a tart dry finish. This is a big wine. I like this wine but this is one for veteran fans of malbec, who are looking for a different take on the varietal. With only 1,100 cases made this is one to seek out.

www.vinodelsol.com

2007 Montes Classic Series Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Montes Classic Series Cabernet Sauvignon - $10 Colchagua Valley,Chile The color of the wine is dark ruby red that extends to the edge of the glass. Aromas of cracked pepper, earth, and a bit of alcohol smells. The taste is dry with moderate tannins and a pleasant finish, it seems a bit too light for a cabernet. This is decent straightforward wine, it tastes and drinks like a $10 bottle of wine, a honest wine for a reasonable price. It is a young wine a will definitely benefit from a good 30 minutes or so of decanting, it gets better as it breathes. A blend of 85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% merlot. This wine should be easy to find from grocery stores to wine shops. It's worth a try.

www.monteswines.com/english/nuestros_vinos/cs_cabernetsauvignon.htm

2007 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel

2007 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel - $23 California. This is it, this wine is the most hyped wine I have ever seen; and it totally lives up to the hype. This wine is nothing short of amazing, spectacular, etc. This vintage received 93 points from the Wine Spectator (the highest rating ever for this wine) and they named it #10 on their list of Top 100 wines of the world. It is also the cheapest wine in the top 10, the combination of high quality and low price made this wine an incredible value. Seghesio made 68,000 cases of this wine and you can't get it (or you will have to try very hard), for a wine made in such quantity it's hard to believe that you can't buy it. I used to sell this wine but after the Top 100 came out I could no longer buy it from the distributor because it had been allocated, that means the wine is only sold to restaurants. They aren't even pouring this wine at the winery (I was there last week and couldn't get any).

Now to the wine, it really is good. This is my favorite Zinfandel and this is the best vintage of this wine that I've had (I think I've had 5 vintages but at least the last 4). It is a blend of different zinfandel vineyards in Sonoma County; some of which the Seghesio family have been farming for over a century, with a bit of petite sirah to add complexity and depth. It has a powerful nose with aromas of dark berries that darn near rise right out of the glass. The color is dark purple red that extends all the way to the edge of the glass. The big dark flavors of this wine blend seamlessly together with a silky mouthfeel that is incredibly well balanced. The tannins are soft but persistent and the finish lasts for days. Big flavor. This wine comes in at 15.5% alcohol content, and to me that is a lot. The high alcohol doesn't detract from this wine at all, you don't smell it on the nose and you don't taste it, but after a few minutes you definitely feel it.

If you can get your hands on this wine, congratulations! If you can't buy this vintage don't worry, I still see the '06 on some shelves and it is an excellent wine, and it's still my favorite zinfandel. Then the '08 vintage will come out around Nov/Dec. and it's almost guaranteed to be at least good. This is a quality wine vintage to vintage.

www.seghesio.com

2006 Layer Cake Primitivo

2006 Layer Cake Primitivo $16 I.G.T. Puglia, Italy. On the label of this wine it says that Primitivo is also known as Zinfandel, this is just plain wrong. It was once thought that Zinfandel was actually the native Italian varietal Primitivo, because the two have similar characteristics, but the two are not the same. Primitivo ripens generally two weeks before Zinfandel when they are grown side by side. Then DNA testing came along and proved the two are not the same. Zinfandel actually comes from Croatia and it has one crazy name that I can't spell or produce. So to make long things short if someone tells you Primitivo is Zinfandel don't believe 'em.

Now on to the wine. The Layer Cake has serious darkness of purple and black in the color. The nose has aromas of plum, blueberries, and a hint of sweet tobacco (the dipping kind). The taste is just like the nose with plum mixed with blueberries, mild tannins ending with a soft dry finish. I like this wine it's decent, but it aint Zinfandel.

2007 Domaine du Tariquet Ugni-Blanc Colombard

2007 Domaine du Tariquet Ugni-Blanc Colombard - $8 This estate wine comes from Gascony France, and it's a blend of 70% Ugni Blanc, 30% Colombard. Ugni Blanc and Colombard are white varietals native to France that or not often planted outside of the country. This wine is very unique. The color is very pale light green yellow, it almost looks like water. This dry fruity wine has aromas of kiwi, passion fruit, and sugarcane. That's what it smells like to me, you might smell other types of tropical fruit, but you'll definitely smell tropical fruit, this wine is very aromatic. On the palate the wine is very light, tart, and tastes a bit like lemon water, very crisp with hints of grapefruit. If you're stuck drinking the same old chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio's and you're looking for an interesting white wine this is one to try. I like this wine but I think it'd be much better on a nice warm day unlike tonight when it's twenty degrees outside. At only 10.5% alcohol this wine would be great on a hot summer day. This wine is imported by Robert Kacher Selections, the best place to find Robert Kacher wines is at Total Wine.

http://www.tariquet.com/uk/wines-ugni-blanc.asp

2007 Hope Estate Pink Shiraz Reserve

2007 Hope Estate Pink Shiraz Reserve - $9 This estate grown Shiraz is from the Hunter Valley, Australia. The nose of the wine has aromas of cherries and alcohol, not a whole lot of fruit coming through, the nose is basic. The wine is not overly high in alcohol content at 13.5% but I still get aromas of cherry and alcohol. The wine is soft, with not very well managed tannins there is a definite tannic bite on the finish. There is just way to much tannins to this wine, they are overpowering. This wine tastes like a cheap shiraz, nothing special here. This is a classic example of the misuse of the word "Reserve" in a wine name. I'm not big on this wine. What I like most about this wine is the donation to breast cancer research, with each bottle purchased, other than that this wine is not so great.

2006 Kaiken Ultra Malbec

2006 Kaiken Ultra Malbec - $20 from Mendoza, Argentina. Kaiken is the winery started by the Montes winery (from Chile), the Ultra series is their best of the lot wine. The color is a dark pink, purple and black. Aromas of mint, dark cherries, earthiness, and alcohol. The wine smells a bit alcoholic probably because of it's 14.5% alcohol content. The taste is dry and yet soft at the same time. This wine seems to have a relaxed feel to it, and that's a good thing. There are dark fruit flavors upfront followed by smooth, soft dry ending. The fruit in this wine is a little subdued, it doesn't tasted overly ripe and while on the nose I could smell some alcohol, it is not at all overpowering on the taste. Very well maintained tannins. This wine is very nice I highly recommend checking this wine out.

http://www.kaikenwines.com/english/kaiken_ultra.htm

2006 Bodega Norton Malbec Reserva

2006 Bodega Norton Malbec Reserva - $17 from the Mendoza region of Argentina. Aromas of fresh, ripe dark fruits and wood. The wine has great colors of dark red and blackish purple that extends all the way to the glass. The taste is of lush ripe dark fruits, plum and blackberries. This wine is full bodied but smooth, almost like a nice napa cabernet in that sense. The tannins and oak of this wine are well integrated giving this wine balance. This wine is excellent, I highly recommend it, this bottle can easily hang with wines costing two to three times as much. It doesn't seem to have quiet the earthy characteristics that are common with malbecs but that doesn't matter because all it's other qualities work together so well. No one aspect of the wine is overpowering, it has the balance that makes a great wine. The Norton Malbec Reserva is easy to find, I've seen it in many grocery stores. This wine is very consistent I usually get a bottle each vintage and there are very few vines that I go to every vintage. If you like 100% cabernet sauvignon from Napa I recommend trying this wine due to it's similar lush dark fruit qualities. This wine should cellar easily for 5 years if not longer.

http://www.norton.com.ar/english/reserva2.htm

*the '05 vintage is pictured, '06 look the same except for a silver line going across the bottom label

2006 Nick Goldschmidt Boulder Bank Pinot Noir $13 New Zealand

Nick Goldschmidt Boulder Bank Pinot Noir $13 - Marlborough, New Zealand. This wine like most pinot noir's is a very light cherry colored. The nose has delicate aromas of dark cherries and a hint of strawberries (dark fully ripe strawberries). A soft smooth mouthfeel gives way to mild tannins with a finish that lingers quiet nicely. I definitely like this wine and I'm impressed by the quality of this wine especially considering it's cost. I find most pinot noir's in the $10 - $20 price range are just plain disappointing and generally taste like cough syrup. This wine tastes like a nice pinot and I'm impressed, if this wine was from California or Oregon it would probably be $10 - $20 more. If you like pinot noir check out this wine, I'm not sure how easy it is to find this wine but I got this one at World Market.