massandra with jim nory.

Eola Hills Pinot Gris 2009 a little spritz but lots of dull minerality.. fruit isnt showing well.. may have been bottle shock

Eola Hills Pinot Noir 2009 Oregon  pretty rusty garnet color, mediumish body with a nice amount of fruit.. not overly earthy on the nose, quick finish

Evening Land Pinot Noir 2009 Oregon.. dark garnet good mouthfeel that could use a little more upfront..earthy nose... may just be needing some more time in bottle

caymus luncheon with Chuck Wagner

The famous Charles Wagner of Caymus fame was in town for a quick luncheon at the Capitol Grille... and of course free food at CG means I am so there

There are several wines under the Caymus umbrella.

Mer Soleil Central Coast winery which produces Chardonnay
Silver 2010 unoaked.. lightly sweet..a taste of honey? no malo and very light and crisp and totally unCalifornia in style.. also in a new bottle that reminds one of the old lancer bottle.. ceramic to pay homage to the cement containers they put this wine into... cement is a breathable surface like oak without imparting those unwanted flavors...

Mer Soleil regular  2009... lots of creaminess but little ml and little new oak... a much more restrained style than was expected.. and Mr Wagner commented on how they have brought the wine under control

Pinot Noir from Caymus

Meomi California 2009.. rich and sweet a little candy apple.  almost too sweet... but a good starting wine for someone wanting to start trying Pinot Noir..

Belle Glos (named for his mothers maiden name) Clark & Telephone Vineyard ( the vines a located on a parcel of land that intersects two roads..clark and telephone... a little more depth than the meomi but for the money not as much.. still sweet succulent fruit. 

Caymus Cabernet and Special Select both 2009... I have to say that these surprised me by how much alike they taste today... as mr w said they do that on purpose... but the true test comes when the special select lasts for decade or so.. lots of vanilla and cassis... again sweet and lush tannins.. maybe a little heat from alcohol.. but truly everything you want from a Napa top notch cab...

Sonoma Coast Vineyards SVC on the label Glazer/ dierks bentley aka Adam hobbs

a new label that is an offshoot of Girard?? somewhat pricey

Sauvignon Blanc 2010.. produced sur lees which means they stir the barrel with the dead yeast that makes the wine a little more thick or creamy...used in lighter style wines like muscadet to give a little more body.... in california wines it seems to be beating them over the head... a poor mans chardonnay.. until the overwhelming flavor of pink grapefruit starts and never lets go

Chardonnay 2009  lots of the things california wine drinkers love..or hate.. ml and sweet fruit

Pinot Noir 2009 best of the bunch.. pretty color in the glass.. dried red fruits.. cranberry but then a little green rhubarb on the finish.. for the money would hope for better

whats in bernie bag this week

Ramey Hyde Chardonnay 2008  not a shy wine... lots of oak, malo and flavor..huge points from all writers

Torii Mor Pinot Noir 2009 Willamette Valley nice pretty oregon wine for the money..

Damine Passot les Pampoux Fleurie Vielles vignes 2009  gamay grape.. juicy on the palate but more texture than flavor. a touch green

Valle Las Acequias Cabernet 2007  cabernet nose of cassis and pencil lead.. bing cherry fruit and also good mouthfeel

Carinae Prestige 2008 Argentina juicy and lots of texture from grit.. mostly malbec which shows through syrah for color

Ramey Claret 2008 Napa  ..soft and silky but not showing much there there

treasury estates with glazer

Treasury because these wines are luxury sales...

Beringer Private Reserve Chard 2009  creamy and good acid at the same time.. long finish.. california's chard drinker chard... luxurious indeed

Beringer Knight valley Cabernet 2009  dark purple in color..earth and dirt on the tight nose, good red berry flavors... still showing it needs time to open up

Bin 128 Shiraz 2007 restrained for an australian shiraz.. must be tasting red berries for some reason... earthy nose like the cabernet

Beringer Napa Pinot Noir Napa Carneros 2007.. smokey dried meats on the nose, typical cali pinot on the palate.. and surprising back of dried meats.. almost syrah

Stags Leap Petite Sirah 2008.. flagship wine of stags leap winery.. beautiful tooth staining color.. good juicy mouthfeel.. dark berry fruit... and yet somehow restrained in the finish.. more elegant than expected.

terra firma with marian

2010 Italo Cescon Chardonnay Piave... no way you could tell this was Chard.. bland and mineral but dull. cute packaging with a piece of vine on the bottle...but thats all it had going for it

2010 Core del Sole Soave 100% Garganega soft and easy drinking.. a bit simple but unoffensive

Prosecco2 NV... soft..good mousse on the front and long finish in back

2005 Vegio Barolo Piedmont.. mineral and earth on the front.. light bodied and light fruit but a good entry wine for Barolo at $30

Ionia Imports

New distributor who is trying to break into the kc market

These wines are from their Argentine selections

Festivo Torrontes 2010 lots of aromatics.. pretty round flavors of the stone fruits... not overly sweet

Festivo Rose of Malbec? light red fruits on the nose.. but a little harsh on the finish.. rustic maybe

Festivo Malbec 2009  ... very nice fruit on the palate. not a lot of structure but easy drinking for the money

Calypso Malbec 2009 mid priced wine... good fruit and flavors... Calypso is the muse of art and music

Gran Monteviejo 2006.. surprisingly structured for the age.. malbec with some syrah and merlot.. a little dusty on the finish

Lindaflor Malbec 2006 100 % malbec.. juicy.. lots of structure or lengths of flavors... lovely finish... winner of the bunch

Terlato Wines major brands

Santa Margherita Chianti Classico 2006... traditional Italian nose,of saddle leather and earth.. nice enough on the palate... strong finish ... but for the money..not so much

Torresella Pinot Grigio Veneto 2010... soft, easy white noise in the mouth

Torresella Pinot Noir 2007.. light color purple.. light red fruit...good acidity...

Torresella Nero d'avola 2007.. Sicily's prominent red grape.. juicy and touch earthy\

Toressella Prosecc NV soft.. spritzy and nice off dry finish

old bridge cellars/garco

Shoefly The Freckle Marsanne/Roussanne and viognier 2008... a rhone  blend from australia.. thick and viscous...a little bit of burnt end carmel on the finish.. rough and not very appealing

Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir Yarra Valley 2010.. a touch stemmy on the nose, good dried fruit juicy and pleasant finish.

D'arenburg D'arrys Original shiraz/grenache 2007.. juicy and lush...long flavor profiles...with a nice earthy edge in the mid palate..

John Duval Plexus Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre 2007  deep color and flavors... bright red fruit... and long finish..

Pinnacle with bernie

Leaping Lizard Chardonnay 2010 rough around the edges.. nothing smooth about it.. not a fan

Arizona Stronghold Mandala 2010.. White rhone blend but mostly Viognier which is evident from the beginning.. american viognier is almost like Gewurztraminer.. in nose especially.. some viscosity.. a pretty wine..

Arizona Stronghold Mandala 2010 red blend.. mostly Cinsault ... pretty floral nose, good juice and long finish.. very nice..

Arizona Stronghold Dala Cabernet Sauvignon 2010... dala means one in apache speak.. a tight nose but dark fruits on the palate with lots of fruit tannin.. still young

Penner Ash Pinot Noir 2009  lush fruit on the palate... good weight and length of finish.. red berries coming through..a little less Burgundian to me...but definitely good

row eleven & stratton lummis/ henry vasquez/major brands

Row Eleven Russian River Pinot Noir 2007.. smokey nose...dried fruits on the palate

Rowl Eleven Santa Maria Pinot Noir 2007.. waterly.. a little on the hot side..stemmy and tight..

Row Eleven Vinas 3 2008.. best of the pinot and least expensive.. good juice and earthy.. long finish

Stratton Lummis.. Chardonnay Carneros 2009 creamy and yeasty on the nose, good acidity.. 100% malo but still lots of acidity and little oak aging.

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2008... dark color but a flat aroma on the nose, a little dusty... good amount of petite verdot which may be the culprit in the flatness of flavors

The Riddler Lot One Red Wine Napa 2008.. again dark purple but flat in flavor.. interesting bing cherry and vanilla on the mouth but the initial nose really put me off

guigal lunch with patrick will at JJ's

Great food..great wine..very great

2009 St Joseph Lieu Dit Blanc ...marsanne and roussanne blend.. smoky floral nose.. oily and lime? a little bread dough

2000 Guigal Hermitage Blanc light golden in color.. again a blend of mars and rouss.. unctious.. a little mushroom on the nose but not on the palate... creamy finish

2007 Guigal Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc.. from the heart...slight flooral nose, not as viscous.somewhat softer. good acidity...maybe in a dumb phase

2007 Guigal Cote du Rhone a touch stemmy on the nose then meat... meaty throughout.. intense for the money

2007 Guigal Gigondas.. dark purple..lead and roses on the nose.. lovely light cardimon spice on the finish

2004 Guigal Saint Joseph Vigne Hospice purple deep flavors.. great acidity and a little hot on the palate.. syrah based

2004 Guigal Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde... brown and blond refering to the soil the grapes are grown on.. syrah based. medium purple.. soft and nice but expecting more.

2000 Guigal Cote Rote Chateau D'Ampuis  nose of cedar and earth.. lush mouthfeel with a maple sweetness

2007 Guigal Cote Rote Chteau D'Ampuis showing lighter color.. earthy dirty nose, lots of intense flavors

2007 Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto Rouge... Ermitage is the early spelling... makes the bottle sound more expensive..since it is.. huge color but not overpowering in flavos.

Spire collection/ Nils Johnson Major Brands Craig Rohner

Spire is the upper end of the Kendall Jackson portfolio

Cardinale Napa 2007... beautiful dark color, rich lush fruits.. some good tannins but not over the top. pricey though

Chateau Vignot St Emilion 2006... mostly merlot.. a french stink to the nose, some cedar and fading fruit on the palate..tannins yes but disjointed... maybe already failing

LaJota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2005.. dark color and an interesting and not pleasant aroma of insecticide and tire rubber that carries over into the palate..

Anakota Cabernet Sauvigon  Helena Mountain Knights Valley 2007  dark color, tannins are friendly but noticeable... some earthiness to them.. nice bottling

Lokoya cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain Napa 2007 ,, nice extraction of color... bright red fruits surprising on the palate.. along with silky tannins... a great bottle of wine for $225?

bernie from pinnacle and wines

Botani Dry Moscatel Malaga Spain 2009  a dry but sweet wine. pineapple and mentholadium.. good weight.. interesting wine.

Borsao Monte Oton Campo de Borja 2010 . dark color, stemmy on the nose and not as bad on the palate.. juicy a little young maybe

Fina Resalso Tempranillo 2009 Ribera del Duero Spain.. dark in color.. a little meaty and weight... love ribera wines usually

White Rose 2008 Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills pretty nose.. earthy and dried fruits...a little pricey

Kiona Cab.Merlot and Sangiovese... Washington state 2005... a little old... dull...uninteresting really

Novy 2009 Susan's Hill Syrah.. Santa Lucia Highlands  huge color and flavors... a little hot on the palate  but really gorgeous wine

Novy Carlisle Zinfandel Russian River Valley 2009.. briar and cinnamon on the nose, sweet red berry on the palate and a long finish.

matchbook wines with Lane Giguiere..formally of Toasted Head

Talented people who started up and sold Toasted Head ..developing new wines

Matchbook Chardonnay Dunnigan Hills 2009... soft expression of fruit.. all barrel fermented and such but with older oak so less influence.. a departure from the toasted head

Matchbook Tempranillo Dunnigan Hills 2008.. Yolo Valley just east and north of Napa is warmer, and drier making it a good spot for Spanish varietals.. light purple in color.. juicy and red berry. a pretty wine but not really spanish...

Matchbook Syrah Dunnigan Hills food friendly.. good juice.. nice wine for the money

Matchbook Tinto Rey California 2007.. same as the Tempranillo... but blended with cab and merlot.. user friendly

Sawbuck Malbec Yolo County ... the lone unenjoyable wine of the bunch.. green nose and palate.. juicy fruit though with soft tannins.. but not my cup of tea.

carolina wine brands usa.glazer Walter Seligman

Santa Carolina Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008  dirty, dusty and cedar.. hot on the palate... typical cab

Finca el Origen Cabernet 2009.. for the money would say this is the wine of the week... lots of vanilla and cherry.. pretty tannins and longish finish

Finca el Origen Malbec 2009 a little  smoky on the palate.. good fruit juice.. lots of fruit or upfront tannins... a pleasant wine

2010 debeouf beaujolais with adam hickman

there were 12 to try but I did 4

2010 Morgon .. pretty purple in the glass.. a little grapey but not green.. pretty. I can see why this region has been popular.

2010 Julienas.. more traditional flavors and aromas of beaujolais.. a little sweeter a little greener.

Domiane del la Vigne Moulin-A-Vent 2010.. ripe fruit but still gamay.. pretty and light finish

Morgon Descombes 2010.. wow.. lots of tannins and more complex flavors..a very surprising wine.. would be hard pressed to call it gamay in blind tasting

Italy part 2 with Kobrand Gino Catalano. major brands

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2009  wow.. what a beautiful nose... steak sauce and earth.. full mouthfeel with the finish being a little quicker than I thought. but still a very enjoyable wine

Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno 2009 cab and merlot blend with a little petite verdot.. again with the meaty nose... dark color.. juicy also with a nice mouthfeel that spells elegance

Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2009 sangiovese, cab and merlot. more fruit forward.. softer tannins

Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2006  from the much heralded vintage. spicy nose of oak .. very approachable now surprisingly

Tenute Silvio Nardi Rosso diMontalcino  2009  rose and earth.. some hints of spice.. definitely sangiovese

Tenute del cabreo II Borgo.. dark concentrated color and flavors... nice viscosity

Tenute Camp al Mare Bolgheri 2008  dark brooding color... unfortunately a little corked but looking forward to trying this in a better bottle

Tenute di Nozzole Chianti Classico Reserva 2007  brickish in color... slight anise spice on the palate.. bright fruit.. drying tongue tannins

Michele Chiarlo Tortoniano Barolo 2007  brownish in the glass... tight nose... lots of earthiness ..and the fruit really is not coming out... maybe too young

Agricola Punica Barrua 2007 Sardinia  Carignano, cab and merlot.. an interesting nose that reminds of Amarone or light port.. very smooth.. a nice meatiness on the end... and very pricey

Italian day part 1 banville and jones with mo bev casey squire/stephen gregory

Dipinti Sauvignon IGT Dolomiti Italy 2010... surprisingly new zealand in style.. stinky feet/bo after aromas...nice enough weight

Terlano Classico Alto Adige 2010... Terlano is a place and a DOC this wine is made with Pinot Bianco which I enjoy and this one did not fail to be good.. nice light fruitiness and viscosity.

Terlano Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Trentino 2010. soft easy and pinot grigio...

Dipinti La Vis Pinot NOir DOC Trentino 2009  a very enjoyable glass for the money... smokey nose... light body.. a touch earthy

Donna Laura Ali Sangiovese 2009  pretty cinnamon fruit.. not a full bodied wine.. soft

Tolaini Al Passo IGT Tuscany 2007... sangiovese and merlot ... pretty nose of earth and flowers..

Tolaini Valdisanti IGT Tuscany 2007.. tight nose.. good juice.. more fruit forward and a little terroir driven flavors on the back of the palate.

constellation wines..reserve blitz todd izzo and major brands

Simi Reserve Chardonnay Russian River 2009  toasty nose, creamy.. not as toasty oaky as the nose would lead you to believe.  ml is obvious but not over the top

Wild Horse Cheval Sauvage Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 2006  a bit herbal on the nose almost a celery salt on the finish.. not sure if I like that.. maybe a little tired.. not me.. the wine

Simi Cabernet Landslide Vineyard Alexander Valley 2007..a good value for the cab drinker. soft some mocha and espresso bean on the finish.. soft and silky...

mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 showing good fruit but maybe not quite as complex as the 2007 was.. great for the money  though

Mt Veeder Reserve Red 2005..definitely past its prime.. a touch of green on the nose. boring on the palate..

Estancia Reserve Meritage Paso Robles 2007 an example of trying more than one bottle... the last time i had this it was just disjointed and not drinking well. showing today bright fruit. not a lot of tannin and complexity but enjoyable for the money

Franciscan Magnificat 2007 Napa juicy and showing very well

Clos du Bois Marlstone Alexander Valley 2006  pretty on the nose and palate.. this wine has always been my go to wine for a sure thing with meritage..

Inniskillin VIdal Niagara Peninsula  ..ice wine.. honey and apricot and soft sweet follow through with the pretty viscosity expected

Natalie with Massandra spoonbill

Spoonbill is a NewZealand winery , made by a st louis resident from NZ

Sauvignon Blanc 2010.. typical grassy grapefruity nose.. with some nice viscosity...not as water as can sometimes be expected. pleasant if quickish finish

Pinot Noir 2010 a little on the green side.. some tar and earth on the finish with some dried fruits..not the worst I have had from NZ...

wine monday part 3 jeff carter with Bronco and garco with Robert Noecker

2009 Forest Glen Pinot Grigio Tehatchapi Clone... a clone of Pinot grigio that is white. not pink.. a little bit grapy, some viscosity.. not wimpy thats for sure

2008 Domaine Napa Chardonnay golden yellow.. full blown oak and malo... tropical fruit

2009 Ogier Heritages Cotes du Rhone ..dark extraction in color.. showing more fruit than the other CDR's i have had today.. a touch of iodine.. nice fruity finish.. missing some of the meatiness.

2009 Harazthy Zinfandel Sonoma a touch rusty color.. juicy.  could use some more depth for the price and not overly briary.. this family has a long history in sonoma both wine and politics

wine monday part two..what does bernie have in t he bag

Domaine Solitude cotes du rhone blanc 2009... this wine did nothing to discourage me from drinking YOUNG white cote du rhone.. lots of stone and mineral.. waiting for the fruit.. not there.. still a little viscous.. but not my type right now.

Mas de Boislauzon Cotes du rhone 2009.. pretty dark color but stemmy and green on the palate.. this is an awkward teenager that needs to mature

Juan Benegas Malbec Argentina 2009  dark color juicy but not fruity. missing that

Don Tiburcio Benegas Bordeaux blend Argentina 2007  a syrah drinkers cab blend.. a touch of meatiness on the finish.. pretty wine

Kamen 2007 Sonoma Mountain huge color.. loads of dark fruit... firm tannin... alittle hot on the finish.

Richter Piesporter Michelberg Riesling Germany 2009... not as sweet as expected... but not as exciting either.. quick finish.

wine monday pt 1 willi with appellations

Reverdy Sancere les COutes 2010.. very light in color..vibrant acidity.. more like pink grapefruit than grassy.. pretty finish

Domaine les Grands Bois Cuvee Maximillen Cairanne Cotes du rhone Villages 2010... took me longer to type this than try it.. more of an iodine zincy nose.. tight..lots of tannin

Liberalia toro tres tempranillo 2004.. dark in color for the age yet the tannins are still way out there.. needs a lot of time.. if ever.

bernie from pinnacle and wines

Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2009  anyone wanting sweet tropical fruit from this would not be disappointed. maybe a little more acidity would have been nice. vanilla and sweet

Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Oregon 2009 earthy on the nose and berry on the palate.. not overly complex but enjoyable

Chave Mon  Coueur Cotes du Rhone 2009 mostly shiraz.. dark color... beautiful nose. wishing for a little more fruit but having been opened for a day it was still showing well..

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2008. dark fruit and fun evolving flavors on the palate... long finish of vanilla, dark cherry... great value again compared to an opus even a good carter.

opus one lunch

The annual Opus one luncheon with Gina Voci, this year held at The Classic Cup...and the gracious host Steven Malloy. The wines tasted were Opus 1998, Opus 2006 , 2007 and 2008.  Of all these I would have to say the most impressive was the 2007. All of them had a signature Opus style of smoky smooth tannins. Unfortunately for me the 98 was smelling a little herbacious at first which did blow off to show more of the pencil box character with crayon wax being the dominate aroma.

All showed the meticulous nature of what makes Opus One the wine it is. A dedicated work force who gets to know the vines intimately, to know when to picks and when to leave alone. A winemaker who has only one job to do... make Opus.

vintegrity with jp gilmore over 2 days

Domaine de l'Hermitane Rose Bandol 2010... very much a french rose, earthy and strawberry... surprisingly long finish.

Breggo Pinot Noir 2009 Anderson Valley pretty ruby color, dried fruit on the nose.. intense flavors of the palate.. a strong middle palate that keeps going through to the finish... good example of 2009 I guess.

Balletto Estate Pinot Noir Russian River valley 2009  spice and mushroom... juicy but a young green tinge on the end...good acidity... needs time

Carter Hossfield Coliseum 2008 Napa a merlot and cab blend.. dark garnet in color... pretty sweet nose was I smelling cornbread? juicy on the palate.. lots of flavors that lead through a silky smooth tannin finish

Carter Revilo Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Napa  completely different nose than the last.. steak sauce and dark fruit... lots of fruit on the palate.. dark flavors... worthy of the price... even more so considering the wine received the same points from specator as Screaming Eagle and over half the cost

terra firma with mirian and pierre

Bordeauxs mostly

They presented a few 2004's that were brownish in the glass.. and lots of oxidation on the nose... didnt even try them


2008 Chateau L Criox Davids Cuvee Prestige Cotes du Bourg... merlot 80% and 20% cab sav
spice box on the nose... good earthy flavor with a soft silky finish.. very nice.

domaine le champ des murailles corbieres 2008... grenach and carignan.. fruit is showing okay in the glass but not much there there otherwise to promote it.

Magrez Fombrauge St Emilion Grand Cru 2004 .. my cost would have been $155 a bottle... best of the 2004.. still missing some a good fruit core..and very expensive for the final impact..

welcome back bernie

My pinnacle rep is now Bernie Lee...

Peay Sonoma Coast 2009  juicy... light bodied but good acidity... dried fruits style

Domaine de la Solitude Cotes du rhone 2010.. dark color... right now all flavor is up front.. missing some depth in back... maybe with a little bottle aging

Biale Black Chicken Zin Oak Knoll Napa 2009... sweet nose and sweet fruit.. juicy bright fruit...not much briary to it... maybe a little less complicated than I thought it would be.. cute story about its chicken roots...

mandrarossa with chris berry palm bay...glazers and english gentleman

MandraRossa is a sicilian winery.

Fiano 2010  an interesting grape usually found in southern italy... golden yellow.. viscous in the glass. hints of tropical fruit.. creamy up front.. and a touch dull on the finish but not overly so.

Pinot Grigio 2010...light color.. richer in quality.. ripe fruit.. a poor mans chardonnay... more white nose from italy.


Nero d'Avola 2010.... rich garnett color... a touch green on nose...but lots of raspberry... juicy new world style of wine...ripe.

Syrah 07... a touch of depth.. juicy.. a little heat on the tongue.. not much structure on the back.. may be losing steam... look forward to try the 08

robert noecker with garco

Santa Digna Sauv Blanc 2009 grassy, herbal and creamy texture. more upfront fruit than back. acidity...

Santa Digna Carmenere 2008. dark color, maceration obvious.. juicy with a nice smoky quality, something off a little off in the nose, but almost meaty on the palate..

RouteStock  Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2008.. a company that sells wine with the name of the main thoroughfare for the region. Route 29 is the main highway in Napa.. not really thinking I would like this.. but.. typical nose for Cali Cab.. lots of juicy cassis and dark berry flavors.. long cedar finish.. pretty wine.. supposedly the run off from Quintessa winery

Stickybeak Syrah 2008... an australian term for nosy neighbor... dark purple in the glass.. and eveything I love in a Syrah... mouthfilling.. juicy and long meaty finish... one of those days were everything tastes good  I guess

Graziano with Golden Barrel

Graziano Zinfandel Mendocino 2007... juicy with a good finish. not the briary version.. described as the bordeaux style of zin.. good acidity.. nice food wine

Monte Volpe Primo Rosso 2010... a blend of Cal-Italian white varietals. minerality and yet some creaminess..not that interesting when said and done..

Monte Volpe Primo Rosso 2007 on the other hand was all about bright fruit.. almost sweet...a little poirt like on the finish. very mouth filling

Monte Volpe Sangiovese 2006... surprising full bodied for the wine with this much age.. that being said.. anyone looking for the Italian experience will be disappointed. juicy and fruity...not much saddleleather and dirt here

Enotria Barbera Mendocino 2007  another calitalian or Italifornian...juicy and pretty...not afraid to be full bodied...interesting

Enotria Dolcetto 2007  meaning little sweet I have an affinity for this grape... this version follows suit with the other full bodied california versions.. ripe with up front fruit...nothing too subtle here

christian with terra firma/ and marian fuica the new salesman

Chateau Bel Air Bordeaux 2008... i guess there must not be a hold on the name Bel Air or maybe its used with the different grammar signs.. this is not the one owned by the Rothschild family. fleshy and earth with some dried fruit...not bad but only buying 09 right now...a hot vintage.

Solar Mayor Malbec Argentina 2009  dusty nose, good juice... a quick finish...not typical full bodied malbec

Prestige des Granges Cotes du rhone Village 2009... juicy and dark... tight on the nose. maybe need some time to open up.

pinnacle wines with craig and his boss bill kneip

Wein Prum Feinherb Riesling 2009  feinherb is the new halbtrocken or half dry. this riesling is slatey on the nose..light green apples on the palate...soft acidity

Von Hovel Estate Riesling 2008  very light color... light on the palate... and easy drinking riesling for sure.. has been in the market for a long time

Peay Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2009... the best pinot vintage ever....lots of depth in color and flavor... with a tea and tobacco hinted finish.. long finish

Novy Russian River Zinfandel 2009..juicy... a touch hot on the palate.. good fruit..some pepper and a long finish. not briary at all

Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.. high extraction in the color... good fruit... missing something on the middle it seemed but the finish came on strong with the last 10 seconds changing flavors..fun wine.

Batasiolo with Stephano Poggi

Batasiolo was an exclusive with Berbiglia when I first started in this store... no longer though. They are best known for their Moscato which was one of the first to gain market share in KC.

Gavi 2009 made with cortese grape. this wine is fresh on the palate.. a little light citrus and mineral stone and almonds on the finish.

Barbera D'Alba 2008.  soft fresh fruit.. lots of acidity.. bing cherry finish.. a nice starter wine for someone looking to get into Italian red.

Dolcetto D'Alba 2008... italian for "little sweet" this is similar in flavor to a beaujolais.. a little green on the palate..but some nice raspberry comes through at the end...and a surprisingly long finish.

Brachetto D'aqui NV... one of my favorite dessert wines this bottle shows all the traditional flavors.. raspberry and creamy on the palate.. a moscato like nose of white flowers and stone fruits.. a good wine for anyone looking to get away from the sweet asti but stay on the soft side

World Wine Headquarters/ Kevin Hodges/ Missouri Beverage

I in general enjoy Spanish wines, especially those represented by Jorge Ordonez  and Eric Solomon. The wines seem to be a nice blend of old and new world styles.. fruit forward with hints of terroir.. with these wine represented by John Larachette (sp) the overall theme seems to be more old world... interesting but not a style I like.. or at least one that needs food.

Monte Vicor Cava Nv..some chardonnay.. strong yeasty mineral on the nose and very dry.. quick finish..none of the burnt aspirin taste that comes from this region though

Monte Vicor Garnacha 2008  light colored in the glass.. dirty and gritty.. hard fruit to get around

Vega Moragona Tempranillo2009.. from the Ribera del Jucar which had been part of LaMancha until recently. Because the floor fruit was different than mountain they designated this region. dark fruits.. grip and tannin.. earthy

Vega Moragona Vielle Vigne 2007... dark color.. old world nose.. good weight and fruit with a meaty finish.. this wine surprised me on the finish with a strong flavored finish.. the bottle may not have been as it could have been... a little maderized..

Malondro Montsant 2007...Grenache and Carignan  earthy on the nose.. reminescant of a Sangiovese... saddle leather and soapstone.. fruit tannins but missing a little depth on the finish...

Epicurean wines with doug ward(not that doug) /Bommarito wines

Heartland Stickleback White 2009  a verdejo/viognier/ semillon blend... pretty grassy up front.. nice viscosity... will be into the 2010 soon and thats when I will bring it in the store

Woop Woop Chardonnay 2010... unoaked and just good ole fruit.. not that sweet either given the australian climate.. little if any ML... just a nice glass of chard

Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz Grenache blend 2009.. dark in the glass.. cola and fruit on the nose.. juicy.. showing some spice and pepper.. nice pretty finish...I wish these blends could sell better

Kaesler Stonehorse SGM 2008.. soft palate..good fruit.. a little tannin on the front of the mouth and licorice overtones on the back... not overwhelmed...

christian with terra firma/ and marian fuica

Terrasses et Galets Blanc Cotes du Rhone 2009.. terraces and stones.. the things that make vineyards in the rhone valley stand out. a blend of grenache blanc, clairette and other white varietals.. this has all the earmarks of a white cote du rhone but missing some of the green olive.. a little viscous.. a touch sweet from the viognier. not a bad bottle but white cote du rhone is a hard sell...

Domaine du Cassard Blaye (Bordeaux) 2010... light and grassy on the palate.. a nice finish.. will replace the Mayne in the cold box

Domaine St Nicholas Lirac 2009 .. this had me at hello.. juicy with the right mix of iodine and meatiness.. a little rough on the palate but enhanced finish.

willi with appellations

Domaine  L'oustal Blanc Giacosa Minervois 2008... dark color.. a blend. that smells a little off on the nose , like it was corked or cooked... but an amazing finish so I am looking forward to trying it again

Fattori Soave 2007... for the age some minerality but starting to lose fruit.. still viscous in the glass though

Laird Pinot Noir Carneros 2009 Ghost Ranch darker ruby color.tea and cranberry on the nose..lots of fruit on the palate.. and acidity for the finish cranberry the main motivator..

bill with bommarito

Martinelli Syrah Russian River Valley 2007. rich and unctious.. good fruit..nice finish with a tad bit of coffee and tobacco.. long finish.good fruit...maybe a little restraint. maybe just a little harshness on the finish.

Il Nero di Casanova Toscana Sangiovese 2007. .. kind of tight.. not the traditional italian stink.. good acidity and fruit ...

Mr Riggs The Gaffer 09 McClaren Vale Shiraz .. interesting french stink on the nose..lots of blueberry .. pretty wine... and still somewhat finessed..i like this alot.

Dauvergne Ranvier Croze Hermitage 09...nose of bandaids and popcorn? good juice in the mouth but not a lot of fruit... quick finish.. some pepper but not as exciting as I had hoped.

Star Lane Merlot Santa Ynez 07....bright fruit on the nose..lots of grip on the palate... a bunch of tannin but fruit and wood... needs food but would work well with steaks and such.. nose of pencil box and graphite so I imagine it has a good amount of cab in the blend

Fisher Unity wines appellation

From the Body by Fisher people Unity is a new entry for them.

Unity Chardonnay Sonoma 2009  golden yellow.. partial ml but nice and round... batonnage or stirring of lees adds to the creamy texture.. acidity and balance.. not a butter bomb

Unity Cabernet Sauvignon 2009  tight and tight.. green on the palate but I think that will open up after a few months in bottle.. trying to show fruit but the tannin was closed..maybe try again later in the year .

molly sweeney/rudi wiest/ george vial major

Rudi Wiest is one of the leading importers of German wines into this market..

Becker Pinot Noir Pfalz 2008.. germany produces a lot of pinot noir...2nd only to france so they say.. and some of these vineyards were part of france? I know from the 1870's through the end of WW 2 these lands changed hands a couple of times..anyway  a nice wine..pleasant if a little pedesterian. gives a good impression of value pinot noir

Hooked Riesling Germany 2008... uneventful wine.. cute label.. would like more acidity and fruit

Monchoff (pronounced Mon-koff) Riesling Mosel 2010  light colored full bodied with good unctiousness. missing some of the nervosity...probably too hot outside to allow that to show well.. some of the wines even had a effervescence that was not supposed to be there.

Monchoff Spatlese Mosel Slate 2010  a bright straw color.. sweet nose white flowers and pumpkin spice? still missing some of the acidity.

Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Rheinhessen 2009  green apple and green apple.. and green apple.. good fruit.. not a long finish..but pleasant enough.. not overly sweet just fruity

JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich 2007  grown on blue slate and that shows in the nose.. petrol and roses.. with petrol winning.. very viscous and unctious.. heat still showing.. some tropical fruit on the finish... climate change may be giving these wines more sunshine   but I feel some acidity is being lost ...again the heat outside on tasting these does not help show acid at all

terra firma with christian and marian

Excellence Blanc Cotes du Rhone Villages 2009  green apple and a little minerality.. very unctious but not as interesting as others I have tried... long stony finish.. with 89 pts from spectator

Chateau de Gicon Cotes du rhone. Red 2009  soft for a rhone...good fruit but not overwhelming against some of the other I have had from region and vintage.. maybe too fruity

Tour Puyblanquet Saint Emilion 2009 pretty nose, very lush.. good fruit but not a long finish.I might be asking to much of a $19 bottle.. for the money delivers well

Grand Corbin Manuel Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2005.. dark color in the glass. french stink on the nose.. good tannins and a nice finish with coffee and smoke... pretty wine.

Jodie Boulet-Daughters/Appellation / Consilience

Consilience is a rhone wine varietal producer from the central coast that seems to get the varietals right.

Viognier Santa Barbara county 2007  rich and unctious. not sweet but honeyed.. a great wine for people wanting to explore this grape type.. pretty yellow in the glass

Grenache Blanc Santa Barbara 2007  beautiful... honeyed and gorgeous... try these wines to see what a grenache blanc is all about...

Consilience Pinot Noir Santa Barbara 2009 a little rusty purple in the glass.. lots of perfume and dried fruit on the nose.. concentrated flavors in the glass with the dried fruit coming through on the longish finish.. nice acidity

Syrah Santa Barbara 2008... maybe the one disappointment and that wasnt even true... it just seems that this region produces the type of syrah I love .. this wine is juicy.. with some coffee and cocoa notes but missing the depth that I was hoping for.. still tasty though

Petite Sirah Santa Barbara 2007  juicy and a touch of cedar on the nose... more california style than any previous wines. satisfying if somewhat short finish.. dark color in the glass ...nice enough extraction in color...

ARA wines from New Zealand/ glazer domaines and estates

another new zealand winery in the market , to  be one of the few producers who do single estate bottlings at the kim crawford price

Ara Sauvignon Blanc 2010 typical gooseberry nose, with a refreshing lift on the palate.. not as grapefruity as some New Zealand can be.. maybe a little weak on the mid palate and finish.. a touch watery

Ara Pinot Noir 2009  light color and surprisingly rich for the color... pretty nose of cinnamon and clove.. very tight on the palate as the flavors from the nose do not translate... am told it opens up and to be honest as hot as it is the wines were in a cooler that may have worked too well...I will pick up the Pinot Noir...maybe have it in the show in November

Andrew Wesson of Shafer/ glazer domaine and estates

Shafer is one of the elite wineries in Napa..mostly focusing on wine from around the Stags Leap area on the east side of the county.

Red Shoulders Chardonnay Carneros 2009 ...going away from the big fruit and butter bomb this wine sees 25% stainless steel and no malolactic...and as unctious as this wine is if it had any it would have been the butter bomb. still hard to pair food with this that doesnt have some texture to stand up to the wine.

Merlot Napa 2008.. dark color a little green on the nose that could go away with some age.. 20% cab in the blend. a good amount of fruit tannin.. about as good as merlot gets in napa.

Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5 Stags Leap District 2008.. since 03 they have not had a straight Napa cab... the 1.5 is to signify the relationship between the father and son Shafer... this is 98% cab with 1% each of Malbec and Petit verdot. bright fruit on the palate... a little smoky.. the nose wasnt giving up a lot but it was, is, a tight bottle. great finish with cassis and cedar.. you can see why they are napa royalty

Relentless Syrah 2007... with a little bit of petite syrah it has huge color, cofermented with the petite also.  one of the prettiest bouquets or noses I have encountered in a while...perfume,roses and coffee... dark fruit... and then... i was really disappointed in the body.. weak midpalate.. a little light for what I was expecting... may be going through a dumb phase or still needing to open up... lots of high and mid notes on the back..but none of the depth that I love from Syrah in central coast or northern rhone...

quintessential wines with clint young.supplier to many

Sweet Chardonnay California 2009... with a name like sweet...you know what you are getting. a sweet wine that tastes like grape juice..no finish at all...not sweet and not dry.. kind of dull...

Sweet Cabernet California 2009... a touch too ripe but dull also... a we dumbing down our buyers even more.. or is this the new phase in wine...probably both

First Press Chardonnay Napa 2009.. another wine from Napa but who knows where...american canyon maybe... juice from overstock of a good producer... my guess mostly stainless steel...fruit on the nose ..
some upfront fruit but then a quick uneventful finish.

First Press Cabernet Napa 2009.. finally a varietally correct wine. nose that smells like a cab with some earth and spice..nice juicy character on the palate.. and fruit tannin.. longish finish with some cedar... not bad..stupid name but wine was okay

Gnaughty Vine Zin 2008...gno gway... juicy without flavor.. no briar no pepper.. just there

from  Ron DiGiovanni and JJ Gazzolli wines
Ricardo Santo Semillon 2010 Argentina.. round in the mouth with lots of tropical flavors.. most prominent to me was Pineapple... Semillon is usually a boring grape but here there is a lot going on... it will be interesting to see how this ages. 

christian with terra firma/ and marian fuica the new salesman

Cabernet Sauvignon Laudun Chusclan 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc ... surprisingly full bodied and ripe cherry on the finish.. ripe for the money.. if not truly varietally correct

Merlot Laudun Chusclan 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc...slightly green on the nose and tobacco and bell pepper on the finish.. not anywhere near the quality that the cab has.

Chateau du Cugat Bordeaux entre des mares white. 2009.. a touch of muscadelle makes this a little more fruit forward white bordeaux.. a hint of minerality really good depth on the finish.. stone fruit even in evidence...

Chateau La Hase Bordeaux 2009.. if this is another example of how good inexpensive Bordeaux from this vintage is going to be.. i will be happy.. 100% merlot.. a perfumy sandlewood nose.. a little meatiness on the body and longish finish... only $13 in the store...showing better than some $20 California cabs i have had lately

La Croix David. Bordeaux 2008 Cotes du Bourg silky and juicy on the palate...tight nose up front and not showing a lot of middle palate depth... not bad for the money but expecting a little more

Beau Soleil Pomerol 2008 dark color in the glass. great fruit on the palate.. showing tobacco and earth but not green.. beautiful sun? and showing the predominance of merlot

Paveil de Luze 2008 Margaux.. beautiful color in the glass. juicy but then there is no back up.. no there there.. would like to have a fuller experience.. especially for the price... may be in a dumb phase but too many people are waiting for the 2009's to come that I can't have an 08 that just sits...

appellations with willi

Domaine des Cassignoles Cuvee Gros Manseng 2009 a wine from gascogne..with a little Ugni blanc thrown in.. surprisingly round on palate when the opening aromas are herbal and grassy... a fun white for this time of year.. it will be in the corner soon

Domaine LesGrands Bois Cuvee Gabrielle Cotes du rhone Village 2009... dark color and green vegetal on the nose.. which followed through on the flavor...some good acidity but just lots of high notes and not much depth..

Spann Vineyards Chard/Viognier North Coast 2008.. pretty nose, with stone fruit and flint... definitely a creamy finish and just a hint of sweetness on the finish.

vintegrity with jp gilmore

Artazuri was with Eric Solomon and went a different direction and now represented by another supplier.

El Seque Monastrell Alicante 2009 full bodied.. great for the money... a little green on the finish that keeps getting a little more rustic.

Artazuri Tinto Grenache 2009... deep color, ripe nose, good ripeness on the palate.. long meaty finish

Artadi Vinas de Gain Rioja Tempranillo from 3007  dark color...lots going on in the back of the palate..dark berry  flavors again long finish

Vieux Marc de Bourgogne  Brandy Didier Meuzard golden yellow.. caramel and smoke.. and molassis ...good viscosity.. lots of acidity...

Steele wines with Brian Fisher/ Bommarito

Jed Steele... made a name as Kendall Jackson winemaker who created the Vintners Chard blend.

Shooting Star 2010... grassy and herbal but with new zealand yeast that brings out just a little more citrus... pretty in the mouth. shooting star in one of the indian languages is Temcusah  which I believe is Steele's middle name

Writers Block Roussanne 2009.. from lake county fruit... a touch of oak to round out the wine but at the temperature I had it served tasted more like a poor mans chardonnay.. usually more interesting than that.

Steele California Cuvee Chardonnay 2009.. oaky toasty nose, some new oak but not overly oaked.. still had some oak... california style anyone

Shooting Star Pinot Noir.. 2008  a nice starter pinot for people looking to discover if they like the grape or not... a touch of earth and a little caramel toast on the finish.

Steele Pacini Zin 2007  briary fruit and nose.. light and easy.. a good starter zinfandel.. not overly alcoholic.

Writers Block Syrah 2008 Lake County... sits with chard skins in fermentation.. nice and juicy but not a big finisher though.. again.. a good starter syrah.. they Grenache from this line is MUCH better..Writers block is made by Jed Steele's son.

erin with glazer

Scharffenberger brut NV ...light with a green apple, anise character

Pio Cesare Cortese di gavi. 2010... creamy yet minerall good finish... serious gavi...great for shellfish

Ladoucette Sauvignon Blanc grassy and herbal.. needing more acidity... kinda boring

Querciabella Chianti Classico 2008.. pretty floral.. good earth not overwhelming.. pretty finish.

Delas Cotes du rhone esprit 2009.. dark purple... good grip in the mouth if a little rough around the edges..

Marquis Murrieta Rioja Reserva 2005... light purple in the glass.. beautiful cedar on the nose, more layers on the palate than in the past..

Post 4th pre bastille day wines

From Pinnacle
Castalvero Cortese Piedmont white... cortese the wine of Gavi... soft and minerally.. already have a couple in the store... good porch pounding though.

Niepoort Twisted Duoro Portugal 2008... all port varietals.. a bit juicy and good acidity but when all is said and done I thought I would have a stronger finish.

Valle las Acequias Cabernet Sauvignon Mendozaa.. winner of this small group.. pretty nose, good fruit and a long finishl.. good dark fruit


from Vintegrity
Gilbert Picq Chablis 2009  good acidity and appropo for this weather.. no oak.. just fruit... well priced for a good chablis

Closerie des Lys Rouge Limoux 2009  light and fruity a beaujolais styled wine from languedoc area...

Wodka Vodka from Poland.. cirtus notes on the nose with a good dose of alcohol... clean and easy..

christian with terra firma

Ferme de Gicon White 2009... Cote du rhone white .. typical of the viscosity and mineral of a cdr white.. round and enough acidity to salivate.

Passion Blanche Cote de Catalones 2009  what an interesting wine and for the money very good.. but cost for a grenache blanc, muscat petite grain..hard to sell.. all the good things of muscat in the nose, and grenache blanc in the mouth.. think of torrontes without the grapefruit.. you can see how torrontes is born from muscat.

Le Petite Murialle.. nv a blend of grapes I like but a little too simple especially given the great wine like Garnacha de Fuego that is the same price and delivers a lot more..

Chaulans Vacqueray 2009... light purple in the glass.. tea and mushroom in the nose, a little uninteresting right now... for such a good vintage I hope its just in a resting phase.

Chiarle Moscato 2010.. soft, fizzy, good italian moscato... stone fruits and good acidity... and good price.

rombauer with clyde gilbert/bommarito

known for making a great chardonnay...
Chardonnay 2009 Carneros.. the california chard lovers wine that would not offend the french...so much.. still lots of ml and oak and toasty caramel but good acidity to carry it off... with others this might have been a oak bomb but here its just pleasat

Rombauer Merlot Carneros 2007... I love a good cool climate merlot like Truchard but this one had more herbacious notes to it.. stinky feet up front .. vegetal finish... a little cloudy in the glass.maybe the bottle wasnt well representing the product

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 cassis and light some cedar... not one to right home about but better than the merlot

Cabernet reserve 2006... a hearty nose that didnt come through on the finish.. oaky.. almost too much cedar... and light bodied

Zinfandel 2009... surprisingly sweet fruit.. almost jam jar sweet.. like candy apple.. definitely could use some food.. sweet nose too.

Blue Nomad wines/ Gundlach-Bundschu/Garco

There are some times when I think I miss the point.. or maybe I am more midwestern than I like to admit. Here is a well established winery that is trying to liven up things a bit.. maybe have some fun with labels..but they go full tilt the other way..

Bright Light California White Blend 2009.. the label glows in the dark... and the wine wants to be interesting.. a blend of chardonnay, gewurztraminer and albarino... and a little bit boring for the types of wine they are... you can tell the gewurz by the nose.. albarino is to me a little lighter in body than chard but in spain it comes off a little nutty and quirky..totally dry finish... and boring
2009 Swami Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast.. with a label that is a little Indian meets Ed Hardy... this is the best of the bunch.. fruit forward with a longish finish.. some nice spice and cocoa...

2007 Rockus Bockus  blend of 6 grapes... soft on the palate with the green character of the vines coming through.. green equates to young.to me it was much more subtle than anything I was expecting with a name like Rockus...the label is a little 70's poster art with a lot of wine references.. was surprised at how tame it was 

laird estate with erin martin/appellations

I wonder if they are any relations to Melvyn Laird?

2009 Laird Cold Creek Pinot Grigio ... from carneros... some minerality.. a little creaminess. kind of reminds me of a muscadet..

2008 Laird Cold Creek Chardonnay  ... a little more restrained than some cali chards. not a lot of ml...good acidity and just a hint of toasty oak on the finish.

2007 Laird Suscol Syrah... winner of the day... deep flavors.. nice mouthwatering acidity. well extracted almost rhone in style...

2006 Laird Mast Ranch Cab.. 100% cab.,, dark in the glass.. hill fruit she says.. dark berry on the palate.. voluptous...smoky on the finish...

2008 Flat Rock Cabernet.. also well extracted.. lots of up front fruit but seems to be missing something in the middle. soft finish.. a better food wine I guess than the Mast.

craig and ministry of propaganda

Rapido Pinot Grigio Veneto 2010... rapido is fast and thats what this wine tasted like.. down fast.. light some mineral but okay... just another pinot grigio with a cute label

Lobster Reef Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010.. a non new zealand s.b.  more like a watered down sancerre.. some grassy character and pink grapefruit.. cute label

Guigal Cotes du rhone 2007... one of the last of that vintage to be around.. either in a dumb phase or I am because nothing really tasted great today.. grapey?

Carinae Malbec Reserve 2009... almost a rhone style on the nose and palate... very round and lush.. inky dark and nice concentration.. but then again... who needs another 15$ malbec

ZD wines with Erin from Glazers

One of the best wines I have ever had in my wine existence was ZD Abicus. A blended wine of years not regions. Lush and silky and soft fruit.

that being said

ZD Chardonnay California 2009. old school chardonnay I am told no ML goes into it.. and as creamy and fruity as this wine is I would only have to wonder what more the ML would do for it. still a little flabby could use a little more acidity or zip

ZD Pinot Noir Carneros 2009  rhubarb and green pepper on the nose... lush fruit but not that complex... hard to get past the nose.

ZD Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.. Rutherford Napa dark color... stinky feet... probably from the youth... some soft tannins.. pricey but worth it?? needs time.

wine tasting last thursday night

Last thursday night, the 16h, we had our annual summerfest wine tasting. This years theme was the wonderful world of rose. We had a great attendance by both tasters and wine distributors. One of the best things was there were no broken glasses. That is unusual and shows I think, a little more restraint and attention by the customers. So I want to thank them for that. Lots of good rose tried and bought.

wine with craig and willi

Audelssa Cabernet Sonoma 2007.. a dell say.... new to the market. very fleshy with lush fruit but not a lot of acidity... may be just a little hot in temperature but this time of year it is very hard to get them the cooler.. juicy..


Verace Pinot Grigio Veneto 2009... light, mineral and slightly dull ...cute bottle but not really a good wine

Dante Reserve Chardonnay California 2009  what I would call the napolean of wine... it attacks then falls back quickly... not  a lot of fruit..

Annabella Chardonnay Napa 2009  good acidity but the fruit just never shows up

Arderius Tinto Rioja 2009  spanish.. tempranillo... with nose of young vines, a little tinny... and the fruit has a hollow finish... lots of really good wine at this price point that will surprise.. their white is really good though

Annabella Napa Valley Merlot 2007  oak and fruit up front ... a rough finish though... not very well integrated.. maybe time will help

precepts brands with deborah bowles/glazer with erin adams

Focusing on Washington wines mostly.

Waterbrook Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2007... a little long in the tooth although the nose was sweet and ripe.. a little flabby losing some acidity.

Sagelands Riesling 2008 Washington.. diesely petrol on thenose... not my favorite.. and it follows through on the dull finish... some sweetness but not exciting.

Primarius Oregon 2009  light color.. earthy nose but not a lof of flavors.. not a lot of there there...

Waterbrook Melange 2008... blended wine of cab merlot and others.. the best of the bunch... cedary nose, needing some more acidity but it was a warm day and the wines were not showing as well as they could..

Waterbrook Cabernet Reserve 2007.. smoky fruit... lush tannins but again not really showing that well.

The Waterbrook winery is investing a lot in the sweet tooth of the american wine consumer... much as White Zinfandel was the gateway wine for many in the last century... they are pushing a different envelope with chocolate added wines... my problem with them seems to be they do not satisfy the wine or the chocolate lover in me.. trying to please both they dont please either.. for me.. others may find that different. and I would never leave things out of the store because I do not like them.

Sweet Symphony red wine based.. lush .. sweet without being cloying.. more of a grape sweetness than chocolate  2 % residual

Red Decadence syrah based... 5% residual.. organic dark chocolate.. nose and flavors of bittersweet chocolate... left a empty feeling on my palate... not sure if I wanted more tannin or sweetness

Chocolate Shop 7% residual.. nose of a cherry tootsie roll pop...stinky nose on the finish.. not a fan.

Washington Hills Sweet Rieslig 2010... appropriately sweet for a late harvest but not overly so... nice green apple on the palate.. acidity there... pleasant after the chocolate wines

rose from appellation

chermette beaujolais rose 2010  my first gamay rose..very light color...in a frosted glass bottle..very light flavor profile.. a little mineral on the finish that is just slightly dull.

La Bastide Bandol Rose 2010... mouvedre mostly.. soft fruit.. strawberry  and light red fruits... a little pricey at $20 but pretty much worth the price.

clayhouse adobe pink

A blend of Mourvedre/syrah and Cabernet... pretty salmon color, almost bone dry which is not a bad thing. some grapefruit and strawberry on the palate... not a wimpy rose and one of the best of the bunch from this producer.

Della terra with brian larky/ bommarito

della terra means "of the earth" in italian and that is the only wine that he brings to the table...italian.. many well known producers from Legeder to Inama from Soave..

Veneto producer Adami Prosecco a non vintage version has a nice mousse to it with good acidity and finish.. maybe a little tart at the end but over all pleasant


from the Piedmont region we have Vietti with a Roero Arneis 2009.. golden straw color.. good fruit. with a slight uplifting of sweet on the finish.. very enjoyable compared to most boring pinot grigio in this price range

Vietti Nebbiolo "perbacco"" 2008 smoky tobacco on the nose, good tannin .. a poor mans barolo.. made from the grapes that didnt quite make it inot his much more expensive Barolo

craig with pinnacle

Secco Brut.. Prosecco blend with Pinot Bianco... soft and fizzy but not as good as

Secco Rose.. Prosecco with Pinot Nero.. juicy and not as hard edged as the first...nice mousse and texture on the mouth.. pretty in pink

Domaine Lafond Lirac Blanc Grenache Blanc roussanne and Viognier. unctious and slightly sweet from the Viognier.. a little tight on the nose but it must have opened up by the time cellar rat tried.. he liked it alot.

Guigal Cotes du rhone 2009 a blend of rhone whites much like the above but a little heavier yet on the palate.. juicy and full bodied it will hold up for some time to come


Box Car Rose 2010.. pretty roses and rhubarb just a little earthy... not a wimpy rose.. tasty

La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino 2006 from the glorious 06 vintage.. stinky on the nose.. juicy a little lighter on the mid palate than expected.. blueberries? and nice tannin structure.

appellations with willi

Lazy Creek Anderson valley Rose 2007... brickish in color and pink grapefruit on the nose... definitely drinkable but lost a lot of its fruit

Felice Acier Sauvignon Blanc 2009  tropical fruit and some acidity but kind of lost.

Wines of Substance Riesling Washington 2009 smoky and oily nose. an interesting mix of old world and new.. a reminder of petroleum and tropical fruit...

David Arthur Chardonnay 2009... one of the followers of less oak more about the fruit.. light malo to give some body but not the heavy hit over the head vanilla and dill..

Domaine Charvin vin-de-pay Principaute d'orange... a baby chateauneuf but not showing the depth that some of these wines produce.. a little green, vegetal.. maybe just still young.. but I doubt it.

stags leap wine cellars/ mark schroeder/ glazer

A long time, important winery for the early to mid 70's Napa  not to be confused with Stags Leap Winery... this one has been around for a long time.

Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Napa grassy and herbal... not a subtle wine...

Karia Chardonnay Napa 200 some creaminess and acidity.. not the oak bomb that I was expecting. may be starting to show a little age..

Hands of Time 2008 Napa a cab, merlot and syrah blend.. the cab stands out the most but the finish was a little weak for the money

Artemis 2007 Cabernet from Napa.. softer style.. lush tannins.. pretty wine..

Fay Vineyard 2007 Bright cherry and light red fruits. and not as tannic as I was expecting..showing very well

SLV (Stags Leap Vineyards) estate 2005. vanilla and sweet berry and lush

SLV Estate 2007,, just as lush as the 05 without the fruitiness... tighter... but still surprisingly supple for an 07

Cask 23 the best of the best 2007  ..huge and big..lots of mouthfeel and not as tannic as it is heavy... and pricey..best of the lot from fay and slv vineyards.

vino del sol/ M T Gavigan/ Vintegrity

Zolo Sauv Blanc Mendoza 2010 grassy note and style... a little more french than new zealand style.. soft

Verum Chardonnay Patagonia 2009 a fruit bomb but not sweet... interesting wine with many tastes..hope to have it at the Summer tasting

Lamadrid Cabernet Sauvignon Agrelo 2009... Agrelo is a sub appellation of Mendoza.. sweet cherry nose, dense on the palate but really too sweet on finish.. not complex at all

Altocredo Malbec Reserve 2008 best of the bunch.. dark color from longer maceration. juicy tasty... from older vines and it shows.. very elegant style for malbec

Ksana Bonarda Mendoza 2008.. fun purple label.. dark color and interesting coffee and cotton candy nose, lots of berry.. interesting how it hits all around the tongue but the middle.. good acidity.

tgic imports with Luke Fuller/Kim Kline Mo Bev

Mostly a south american importer

Santa Ema Sauv Blanc Amplus Chile 2009  a touch of co2 and herbal to the inth degree... green pepper on the nose... not a fan really

Montes Classic Chardonnay 2009 Chile... a nice easy drinking chard with not a lot of flavors that would upset a new to chardonnay drinker

Montes Cherub Rose of Merlot 2009... interesting nose of roasted coffee..not a lot of fruit on the nose but good juiciness on the palate.. huge body for a rose... the color is more of cherry limeade than pink salmon

Castillo de Monseran Garnacha Carinena Spain 2009 old world stinky nose but the fruit is soft bing cherry with some nice finishing for the money.

Santa Ema Amplus One Chile 75percent Carmenere, not my favorite grape, ripe fruit but a bit herbal and a little hot on the palate. again  not a fan

steve ewing supplier rep/Clayhouse

Clayhouse is a brand from Central coast of California.. mostly value priced wines.

Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc 2009  grassy, unctious heavy... some tropical fruit.. just too much of a weight not enough acidity

Clayhouse Adobe White 2009.. a white blend.. viognier. muscat.. a little disjointed. not as enjoyable as other in the style like Evolution.

Adobe Red 2008 lush and jammy showing some brambliness.. 8 varietals like the white with Zinfandel being the most obvious.

Clayhouse Malbec 2009. bright fruit nose, juicy a little light on the finish probably the best of the bunch here..

Clayhouse Cabernet 2007 Dark color, maple and sweet vanilla on the nose, ripe fruit maybe just a little too much so...not a fan

Benovia Winery/ Andy Hagen with Massandra

Benovia is a small production winery from Russian River area of Sonoma.

Chardonnay La Pommeraie 2009.. so named because of the vineyard being an old apple orchard... guess you can tell what makes more money... this did have a green apple character to it.. creamy on the finish without being heavy handed on the ml and oak...

Pinot noir Sonoma Coast 2009 not the typical tea and cola and dried fruits... a little mushroomy pretty drinkable...a little on the lighter style it seemed.

Pinot Noir Russian river valley 2008  beautiful nose and texture... tight on the palate but opens up beautiful.. really liked this wine..

Pinot Noir La Pommieraie Russian River 2008.. a little more of the dried cranberry that I expect from this region. good weight.. pretty wine

Scott Lloyd with Frank Family Wines/Major brands.

Chardonnay Napa 2008.. a little flabby, maybe a little tired from the days events.. creme brulee without a lot of the cinnamon.some coffee on the finish.. mostly carneros fruit

Pinot Noir Napa 2009  smoky , earthy mushroom nose, tart dried fruits.. interesting finish.. lots of acidity...

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2007... the last of the 07 to try.. a little stinky feet or napa stink as opposed to french stink.. not typical napa cab nose...juicy and lush on the palate.. nice berry and cedar

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Reserve 2006.. from the best lots? again with the stinky feet.. not overly fruity though.. tight and restrained.. some vanilla and cassis on the finish... should hold for some time..

Sara Gorr/ Breggo Cellars/Vintegrity

Breggo which is Boontling for Ram or sheep, because there is a ram on the label. Breggo was recently purchased by Cliff Lede . this winery is located in Mendocino.

Chardonnay 2008 kind of the best of both worlds has the oak that some love without being heavily dependent on it.touch creamy without being overthe top and the soft caramel on the finish

Pinot Gris Anderson Valley Mendocino 2009.. creamy like muscadet can be because of the stirring of the lees or dead yeast at the bottom of tanks. a touch of citrus, lime. 

Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley 2009  bone dry.. almost a pink grapefruit citrus finish.. the bottle was a little cool so the floral notes were not singing

Pinot Noir 2009 Anderson Valley 2009  a little young.. dried fruits and some mushroom notes  pretty nose..

first post with new laptop

stolen lap top means no typing

Domaine les aphillanthes cotes du rhone rose 2010... on my rose tree in the store.. salmon color, lots of floral rose and strawberry.. sweetish finish. lush.. nice

Domaine le Grands Bois Cotes du rhone Cuvee les Trois Scuers Rose 2010..  okay it took longer to type this than I did trying this.. a nice wine almost the same color as the first but not as full bodied as the first. 

Chateau Font Mars PicPoul de Pinet 2009 what a fun wine and label... Picpoul is one of the accepted grapes in Chateauneuf du Pape and here you get the roundness of chard without the heaviness on the palate. kind of reminds one of a Albarino..

shinas estates with george shinas

A judge in australia george shinas has been growing grapes for other people seeing them make money off his produce so he has now for several vintages produced his own wine. using judicial terms for his wines with clever pictures makes for visual as well as tasty fun.

The Innocent Viognier Victoria 2008.. blindfolded like justice is.. i would have guessed this wine to be an old world wine..stoney and slatey on the nose.. the sweetness comes on the tastebuds but not over the top.. lots of acidity to  create balance

The Verdict Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.. some stinky feet or earth on the nose, meaty on the palate.. definitely surprised me. good weight and not over the top sweet fruit like australian can be
The Guilty Shiraz Victoria 2007  again with the stinky feet.. again not a fruit bomb maybe a little less interesting than the cab which is interesting to me because I tend to not like Aussie Cab.

The Executioner Red 2007 a blend of Shiraz/Cab and 2% Viognier.. lighter in color than the other reds but tight on the nose, with a little time it opened up to show some molassis and cassis aromas.. the fruit was showing sweeter than the regular cab and shiraz did.. maybe just a little dullish on the finish..

ferrari carano major brands

Siena Red 2008.. a sangiovese based wine that is definitely california in style.. juicy not much of the saddleleather that you get with the italian versions.. this is almost sweet..a touch earthy on the palate for california but plenty of fruit to let you know it is..

Ferrari Merlot Sonoma 2008  dark color in the  glass.. sweet fruit on the palate... nice enough acidity.. a little complexity to the wine but wondering if there is any cab blended in for some depth...

Terlato with george vial/chris dodgen/ major brands

Bollinger Special Cuvee NV.. to be served at the royal wedding rehearsel dinner?? predominately chard with 40% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. stinky nose of yeast and oak..the palate though has a mocha, yeasty character

Hanna Sauv Blanc Alexander Valley 2009 easy and not too grassy but I was still ta sting the Champagne

Terlato Angels Peak Merlot/Cabernet 2006.. again with the stinky feet, a bit vegetal on the nose and palate.. that may go away with age but it already is 5 years old.. red berrys and cedar

Jack Nicklaus Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.. nice and viscous with dark fruit..finished a little hot on the palate but for the money this would make a good present for the golfer.. which cant really be said for

Nicklaus Private Reserve 2008...for the money increase from the regular you really do not see a lot of difference.. maybe a little more body and not as hot but..

Gaja Promis Toscana 2008 sangiovese and syrah.. aromas of sangiovese but the flavors and finish of a good syrah... yummy.. but not as yummy as

Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viognier 2009 ...wine winner of the day... one of those noses I could smell all day.. violets, pepper, and dark fruit.. all of which transfers to the palate.. but as some Australian Shiraz are overpowering after the first glass the lightness of this wine makes it much more food friendly. They do add the Viognier to the tank of Shiraz (co-fermenting) like they do in the northern rhone.

musings and wine tastes

A lot of mediocre wine this week from people who have to sell the product for a living .. it just gets hard to stay positive in the biz when that seems to be all they present. The wine isnt poorly made really, its just nothing that I would recommend over Vendange and Woodbridge. and more expensive. Of course once you taste a wine like Continuum it does give a different perspective.


The following were not part of the rant above.

Domaine Rochette Regnie Beaujolais 2009.. from a strong vintage but still not blowing my socks off.. bright color, typical beaujolais (gamay) nose... fresh strawberry and banana.. have had better from this vintage

Castello di Meleto Rosso Toscano 2007.. lots of surprises with this wine.. good price point.. some of the typical sangiovese nose but lots more textured fruit on the palate.. tasty and meaty... will be found in the CORNER with 88pts from Wine Advocate.

Willi with Appelations
Irpinia Fiano Paladino 2009.. my new favorite Italian white.. fiano is a fun grape.. softly sweet on the palate but good minerality and texture is lush and seductive.. great fish wine

Gramercy Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008  sweet fruit but not a lot of structure or character.. lush on the initial palate but finishes quickly..

Continuum with Carlo Mondavi

One of the fun parts of this job is to meet wine "celebrity" in this case the grandson of Robert Mondavi. Having never been able to meet him personally this was the next best thing. Of course the first thing I had to ask was about the book": house of mondavi" and his take on it. but we did talk about his wine also.

Continuum 2008 Napa from Pritchard Hill ..very dense and dark brooding wine that comes from the mountain fruit.. the aromas out of the glass are all about the winery.. if you get a chance to walk into a winery your sense of smell is bombarded with fruit and oak and atmosphere. The finish is lush with loads of cassis berry and oak tannin that doesnt bite back. The pedigree of the area this comes from includes Colgin, which I can't sell because it is restaurant only, go figure. Bryant Family and Dalle Valle. so for the money it is a bargain at $150.

Christian with Terra Firma

Ferme de Gicon cotes du rhone  Blanc $7.25 round flavors with a touch of minerality... total rhone white varietals. somewhat of a dull finish.a hint of sweetness at the end.


Terra Romana Sauv Blanc 2008 made with a little bit of Feteasca Alba, a little softer than what expected of a sauv blanc.. due to the feteasca.. not a bad drink but why bother when not getting the varietal character.

Terrasses et Galets Rouge Rouge Cotes du rhone Villages 2009 lush in the mouth..good berry fruit...quick finish.from a very good vintage.

Domaine de Couron Cuvee Marie Dubois Syrah a little alchohol on the palate..dark fruits but beginning to fade a little.

Craig with Pinnacle

DeBortali (DB) Chardonnay 2009.. first wine of the day and VERY tart.. and not a lot of fruit to show through

2010 Kung Fu Girl Riesling..Washington state.. and on first taste I would have said this is New Zealand Sauv Blanc.. not a lot of sweet fruit.. some hints of tropical fruit but dry finish..

Domaine Boisson Cotes du rhone 2009.. from the newly touted 09 vintage this is a very young wine.. lots of esthers that it needs to release or work through.. time will tell

2007 Mitolo Serpico Cabernet Sauvignon.. again with the esthers.. my nose must not be showing right.. lots of bing cherry and not much else... disappointing for the maker and the cost.

willi with appellations

Londer Dry Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley 2008 definitely a dry styled wine.. pretty, true nose of Gewurz. a touch of petrol on the finish. 

Obelisco Estate Malbec 2008 out of washington state.. this wine is dominated by an oaky or woodsy nose.. dirty tannins and a dull finish.. stay with argentina for malbec.

Obelisco Estate Red Mountain 2008 agin with the oaky woodsy nose.. a stronger fruit mid palate but overall not an interesting wine.

Obelisco Les Grosses VIneyard Syrah 2008... lovely coffee and mocha chocolate nose.. rich purple color.. nice astringency not as opulent on the palate as I was hoping from the nose but still very nice...the oak seems to have integrated with this wine better than the other two.

Misc posting

Monday seems to be a day for wine reps to be out.

Bill with Bommarito
LeClerc Bourgogne rouge 2008... sweet nose and fruit.. if someone asked me what grape juice would taste like it would be this.. simple and uncomplicated.. not a lot on the back

LeClerc Gevry Chambertin 2008.. staying with the light sweet theme of the Bourgogne.. some more depth but not a lot of complexity for the money they are asking

Paitin Sori'Paitin Barbaresco 2005  light rusty color.. some light italian dirt on the nose.. rose and anise on the palate.. good grip with some cedar on the back.. nice but not overly excited given the price.

Chris Berry with Palm Bay Imports

Salentein Malbec 2008  dark color in glass. lovely mocha with a little more medicinal notes on the nose.. higher in alcohol but good viscosity and mouthfeel. long finish


Portillo Malbec 2009 Argentina.. soft easy and juicy with some pretty cedar notes.

Related articles

• Sori' Paitin Barbaresco 2005 (wino-sapien.blogspot.com)

Victorie imports with Yvon Mau/ glazers

Seigneurs de Bergerac white.. sem and sauv blanc.. semi sweet with a slight dull finish..

Chateau Coustaut le Grangeotte light and delicate with not a lot of flavor

Seigneurs de Bergerac rose 2010.. of cab and merlot.. salmon color and light and pleasant enough

Seigneurs de Bergerac red.. 2009  cab and merlot.. a touch earthy and green.. young vines would be my guess.

Chateau Boutillot bordeaux 2009.. good color in the glass.. not green but not interesting either.. a little earthy

Chateau Laurensanne cotes du bourg 2009  a little of the french stink.. with coffee notes on the finish..some fruit but mostly hidden

Chateau Jalousie Beaulieu Bordeaux Superior 2009  being a superior has more alcohol a touch smoky on the nose.. juicy and full bodied with red fruit throughout.. standout

Chateau La Criox Blanche 2009  supple red cherry.. toasty on the nose.. from the oak.. just enough... very enjoyable for the money.. another winner...


\Chateau lafaurie 2007 dessert wine.. St Croix du Mont. a sub appellation of sauternes.. starts of with the beautiful nose of sauternes but goes flat on the tongue.. and no were near the viscosity they normally have


Henri Abele Brut NV Champagne. heavily yeasty nose.. soft finish.. had been opened a while when tasted so some of the sparkle was off.

misc tasting

Mark Tarry Missouri Beverage

Santa Ema Select Terroir Sauvignon Blanc 2008 grapefruit and apple.. some minerality.. a touch sweet herbal on the finish.. crisp and nice beginning wine


Santa Ema Terroir Chardonnay 2009.. way too sweet with vanilla and pineapple.. super ripe fruit

Santa Ema Terroir Cabernet 2009  dark fruit flavors. nice body.. a touch green on the start but it didnt linger around. surprisingly good for the money

Scott Werner with Bommarito
 Stony Hill Chardonnay 2006.. the anti establishment chardonnay of california.. no ml no new oak.. all expression of fruit.. and bottle aged to promote the development of character. as chablis as a cali wine can probably get.. grown on the east and north slopes of spring mountain this wine is a lot about nervosity and strength. 

Great wines from Pinnacle Imports craig rohner

Image of Van Duzer Vineyards via Snooth2008 Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir .. bright color...nice texture and intensity.. silky finish.. maybe a little tight but would open up nicely.

2009 Novy Russian River Zinfandel.. grapey.. briary... not reallyshowing more than one dimension. not very interesting.. surprisingly bad for this producer.

2007 Chave Offerus St Joseph... was really looking forward to this wine.. the nose was everything northern rhone syrah can be.. but in the palate the body was much lighter and not the texture I was expecting. it took a little time for the syrah after flavors to open up..

Christian with Terra Firma

Chateau Haut Mouleyre Blanc 2006... lemon yellow.. nice viscosity but the flavors have started going.. some honey notes but generally beginning to dull.

Chateau Fombrauge St Emilion Grand Cru 2003 pretty cedar on the nose..drinking like an aged bordeaux would.. a bit rough on the palate.. good for a $20 bottle but not the $40 I would have to charge.. holding its color well.
 
Chateau LaTour  Carnet Haut Medoc 2003 the glass looks muddled.. and a little oxidized on the nose.. still showing good fruit.. but this bottle at least is over the hill.

l'egregore bordeaux 2004  100% merlot.. dark garnet.. with edges of brown.. french stink intensified.. some mocha on the finish..

Bernard Magrez Napa Cabernet 2007.  dark fruit on the palate.. interestting combination of old and new world noses. dark fruits.. lots of tannin that would hopefully settle down..  tea and cola on the finish.. tannins.

jp of vintegrity

value wines.

Chateau Haut Rion Blanc Bordeaux 2009  almost tropical fruit.. 60% semillon which shows in the weight of the wine.. mouthfilling with just the right amount of minerality.. this has been in the store for a few vintages... good example of white bordeaux.

Michael Sullberg Chardonnay California 2008.. soft and easy.. a good banquet wine.

Shannon Ridge Sauvignon Blanc Lake County 2009  wow.. lots of power in this one.. grassy and herbal.. all that is expected of this varietal from California.. very rich on the palate..

Balletto Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2009.. a little one note of barnyard and earth.. some dried fruit but not as good as I was expecting from last viintage

Michael Sullberg Merlot California 2009 clean and good fruit.. not overly interesting but a good banquet wine.. not going to offend anyone.

Zolo Malbec Mendoza argentin 2009.. I would have to say the winner of this tasting.. lots going on for the price.. rich sweet fruit and silky tannins..

Shannon Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Lake County 2008. varietally correct.some good fruit... a little boring though..

elyse wines with michele duckett/ bommarito

L'Ingenue Naggiar Vineyards Sierra Foothills 2008  a blend of white rhone varietals.. being a theatre major I know Ingenue is the young female lead .. roussanne, marsanne and viognier here.. which in most tastings have a green olive unctiousness that needs time to settle down.. Terra Firma Enigma was always better three vintages in.. this has a nice mellow sweetness with a hint of caramel on the finish.

C;est Si Bon Red.. the red version of the Ingenue unfortunately was a little off... which is like being a little pregnant..

Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard Napa 2007... pretty smokiness on the nose. a bordeaux style wine in that it is not the fruit bomb that some Cali zin tends to be

Cabernet Sauvignon Tietjen Vineyard 2006,, newly released 2006 is still pretty tight but opens up nicely. dark fruit flavors.. good texture on the tongue that does turn into a little heat from the alcohol but not overpoweringly so. some pretty graphite and oaky notes on the nose.

Folio wine with Dominic Guerrieri/Garco

2009 Arnaldo Caprai Anima Umbra Bianco.. living in the shade?? a little honeyed. nice viscosity.. from the grechetto grape which is in the store... just a touch of minerality but not overpowering

2008 Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio-Verduzzo blend from Veneto.. interesting dark yellow color that comes from the straw mat handled verduzzo.. not the ordinary run of the mill pinot grigio.. citrus lemon on the finish. that keeps going.. a hand sell but maybe worth it

Castiglioni Frescobaldi Chianti 2008.. in a word rustic. hard edges and earthy on the nose.. definitely needs food. but nice red cherry fruit.. very traditional style.

Arnaldo Capri Montefalco Rosso 2007  made with a little sagrantino which this region is known for. dark color.dark fruit and coffee on the finish ... interesting wine that I have on the shelf..mostly sangiovese though.

Masi Camofiorin Ripasso 2006.. have had this before and liked it more in the past.. this bottle may have been not showing its best.. lush even with that on the palate.. amarone grapes( corvina, etc) that are treated with a mat for a few days instead of months.. Amarone light.


Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2007 traditional cali cab. on nose and palate.. dark black fruit and a great value for the money.. showing the good 07 vintage still

valckenberg winery with Nancy Peach

Weingut Liebfrauenstift "Stift" dry Riesling. 2009  mouthwatering acidity and all the green apple flavors.. more nervosity than any of the others.

Weingut Schloss Saarstein Moose Saar Ruwer 2008 sweet fruit.. light acidity. a little honeyed and mineral on the finish. one of the few monopole vineyards in germany thanks to napoleanic laws where most land holdings were split between sons of the previous owner.

Baron Knyphausen "Baron K" Riesling Kabinett 2009  soft on the palate not a lot of acidity.. almost tropical fruit.

Prinz Salm " P2" Two princes Riesling.. lots of minerality.. tropical fruit. not overly sweet again..

coppola winery /erin adams/glazers

thanks for those who participated in our wine tasting last night. it was a good turn out and all were happy.


Coppola Votre Sante Chadonnay 2009 to your health is the meaning of the label. this wine is sweet fruit.. not oaky at all ...ml (malolactic) on the finish. unexciting

Votre Sante Pinot Noir dark fruit.. a little burnt coffee on the palate. not overly fruity and a quick finish.. not a winner either

Coppola Directors Cut Cinema  Sonoma 2008  going with the theme of Coppola being a director.. the cinema is their answer to The Prisoner... a cab and zinfandel blemd. deep purple in the glass and lush fruit with a long finish.. very enjoyable.

Rubicon Cask 2007 dark garnet red.. pretty coak nose, lush tannins.. and a little more oak on the finish than i like but still for the money it asks for it is a good wine.

Great wines from Pinnacle Imports craig rohner

Great wines was his title for the page

Domaine Talmard Macon Chardonnay 2009  a little more rustic than I expected given they are bottling this for the american market. a touch of viscosity and lots of minerality or that wet stone taste. yet there is a nice round finish.. just not a lot of upfront fruit.

Emilio Moro Ribera del Duoro ... tempranillo from the best region it grows in. beautiful nose of roses, lavender and incense. dark berry flavors and long finish.. lovely wine year in and year out.

Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 with 12 % petite verdot that seems to overpower the wine. a more herbal grape petite verdot is usually just a blending grape with less than 2% in bordeaux. this wine is lean on the finish with some nice plummy fruit character. but with the track record of Charles Smith was expecting a little more.

Cade winery with Daron McAfee/ Bommarito

I had been told that Cade is another label of the Plumpjack Family which it really is but also has it's own 60 acres on Howell Mountain. More like the sister winery to Plumpjack. Cade is a shakespearean word for Wine barrel.

Cade Sauv Blanc 2009 Napa Valley mostly stainless steel. and made in the bordeaux style. less grapefruit more of the herbal and grassy , mineral style.

Plumpjack Chardonnay 2009 Napa Valley.. a very restrained and elegant wine. 40% new french oak. it sees no malolactic fermentation.. just beautiful expression of chard fruit. a little tropical fruit. and mouthwatering acidity.

Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Cuvee 2007.. made from grapes from premier sites in the valley. dark plum in color and dark berry fruits on the palate.. a little of the graphite on the nose. a touch more oak than I expected but the finish is long and sweet

Cade Howell Mountain Cabernet 2007  98% Cabernet with 2% Merlot.. aged in french oak. tasted with two bottles since the first was a little oxidized. even that was showing lush fruit though. soft elegant tannins and dark fruit again.. very nice bottle of wine for the money

One of the backers of Cade winery is Gavin Newsom currently Lt Governor of California recently Mayor of San Francisco.

The Wine Guerrilla Bruce Patch /Vintegrity

A winery in business for just 5 years. He sources out some of the better zin territories in Sonoma. As with Ridge a lot of his Zin line is mixed with what is known as Field Blend reds.. carignane, petitie syrah, mourvedre. alicante buchete (sp)

his value brand. Sonoma County 2009 juicy with a slight black pepper finish. a more rustic style.. good example of what Zin can be like.


Adels Dry Creek 2009  single vineyard site...pretty nose of briar and bramble.. rose incense . that follows through on the finish.. soft and juicy.

Conte Russian River 2009  another vineyard site.. mostly zin.. picked together.. co-fermented together to make a juicy smooth bodied style.. more ripe fruit... a little pencil lead from the new oak on the finish.

Forchini Old Vine 2009... another blend.. this one with over 100 year old vines.. surprisingly it wasnt my favorite.. higher in alcohol.. more extracted.. definitely needs food like a fat porterhouse or filet...

Related articles

• Wine Guerrilla (wine-by-benito.blogspot.com)

Christian with Terra Firma

Image of Vina Robles via SnoothA smaller distributor who carries mostly European wines

2008 Prahova Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.. a little too earthy for my taste. can use some opening up maybe... the pinot in this brand is a great value.


one of the first good 2009 bordeaux. Chateau Mayne Pargade Rouge.. dark ruby in color. soft tannins with light bing cherry.. a little short on the finish but great value for the money. 09 is the next big thing from bordeaux... and it is in the lesser expensive wines that the values really do come

2007 Vina Robles Jardine Petite Syrah.. dark red.. tight nose but great impact on the palate. dark roasted coffee and dark red fruits. long supple finish..

Decoy wines at Glazera

Image of Duckhorn Vineyards via SnoothDecoy is the 2nd label of Duckhorn.. get it.. ducks and decoys.... anyway I fought trying this wine because I didnt quite understand the line extensions.. but the wines are actually drinkable and good value

Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2008  made in the Goldeneye winery in Anderson Valley which is in Mendicino north of SOnoma . garnet red and clear in the glass... california dried fruits nose.. lots of acidity and longish finish... good for the money

Merlot Napa 2008  alright for merlot but boring..which is one of my complaints on merlot..soft on the finish too..

Zinfandel Napa 2008.. a softer or bordeaux style of zin.. not too brambly. good fruit with some body behind it...lush finish.

Related articles

• Anderson Valley - Alsace of America? (thegrapevineblog.com)

Nicola Biscardo/ Italian wines with Garco

Image via Wikipedia2008 Gaeirhof Pinot Grigio Trentino Italy... where Pinot grigio originated and what it tasted like before all the generic brands took off last decade.. bright straw color.. mouth watering acidity... stone fruit and mineral on the palate.. not a wimpy pinot grigio..   this part of Italy for many centuries was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire...hence the german sounding names from italy

Terre di Sole Sangiovese Sicily .. most sangiovese comes from northern italy Tuscany.. where the climate is cooler.. here the warmer sangiovese gets more kick to it.. earthy nose of Sangiovese but more fruit and hints of mocha and red berry... easy drinking pizza wine. Sangiovese came from Greece where it was known as St George..

Feudo di san nicola Primitivo Puglia 2007.. the genetic cousin/half sister to Zinfandel... night harvested to preserve the acidity and tank fermented to keep it clean and fresh. clean nose with a little earthy on the back.. dry but not bitter... long finish from the acidity.

Borgo Pretale Chianti Classico Reserva Tuscany   2004.. the current release .. the weakest of the wines today.. a little medicinal on the nose. true aged sangiovese color in the glass.. drying tannins.. and not a lot of fruit.  aged in slovenian foders . large containers that dont impact a lot of oak flavor.

Gaeirhof Moscato Gaillo Trentino 2008  says dolce italian for sweet but the sweetness is mostly in the aromas.. very pretty moscat nose with floral and sweet fruit but the surprise is on the palate where it is light and lively... lots of acidity to balance the sugar...definitely on the drier side for me of what moscato I have had lately

Mark Tarry playing the role of Chris Berry/ Missouri Beverage

Ali from Donna Laura in Tuscany. Sangiovese 2007. touch rustic in the glass.  soft roses and red berry on the palate and fresh finish.

Bramosia Chianti Classico 2007 juicy on the palate but started somewhat earthy.. nice long finish.

Kermit Lynch Cote du Rhone 2008 bright garnet red in the glass.  not the bacon fat wine I like but still nice fresh fruit.. a little earthy iodine on the nose.. longish fruit finish..

willi loth appellations

Arderius Blanc 2009 Rioja  .. made from 100% Viura... light light lemon yellow. flint and stone on the nose, surprisingly lush and round for the varietal. a touch sweet and it does not end up as dry or even bitter as some Viura I have tried.. will be at the next tasting.. march 10

Azagador Crianza 2007 mostly tempranillo with a little cab and merlot blended in. soft almost non existent nose. slight bing cherry on the palate that quickly goes to more earthy and tart on the finish.

Walton Cabernet Napa 2006.. dark color.. cedar nose and dill and cedar on the palate. lots of tannin... some berry but not much.... and a little hot on the end from the alcohol.

Tasting day part 3 george vial/ bill smith/ ron digiovanni and Big Sky Coffee Porter

Chilensis Carmenere Reserva 2009  herbal and unattractive to me... we washed out the glass because I thought we had not cleaned out the dishwashing soap when in fact it was still there when we retried the wine.. the weight of the wine was fine but a blunt finish to an herbal experience.

Chateau Puech-Haut Coteaux du Languedoc St Drezery 2009... a grenache/syrah blend that was from older vines... earthy stink.. beautiful round flavors... a touch of heat from alcohol but overalll a very tasty wine... will soon be in the corner of the store.


Trenel Macon Village Blanc 2009 no oak. round textures but blunt uninteresting fruit.

Domaine Vire-Clesse 2009 a region of the Macon in Burgundy.. nice soft fruit... good acidity.. some ML for roundness..

Pernot Bourgogne Blanc 2009 light in color.. great fruit.. lovely viscosity... medium long finish... old school label.

Gambal  Bourgogne Blanc 2008.. more californian in style.. light dill and toast on the nose, pretty apple and stone fruit on the palate.. round and long lasting on the finish.

Clisos Tempranillo Rioja 2009 a little dirty on the nose, juicy with coffee and mocha notes on the back.. dark dense color in the glass a nice blend of old and new world styles.. expect this at the next wine tasting.

Big Sky Coffee Porter... to me this was what I expected from the Boulevard Chocolate Ale... depth and mocha and of course coffee notes on the nose... full bodied without being so heavy it wouldnt go with food. I like Big Sky Moose Drool ...which is a little lighter version of this