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.