Domaine Le Pont du Rieu - Vacqueyras 2007 - $20

David: Vacqueyras is a Southern Rhone appellation near the Châteauneuf-du-Pape (around Avignon). This is a full bodied Rhone red made from Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah grapes.

We decanted the wine for about an hour. The nose indicates black cherry and currents with a hint of leather and earthiness. The dark fruit comes on strong on the palate followed by rich tannins followed by spiciness. Quite astringent but well balanced with the powerful dark fruit. Want to try more of these Rhone reds.
Score: 4.3/5

Jessica: Lovely deep red. My first reaction was "smells like grandmas kitchen" but could not determine if that was the wine or the Spanish Chicken entree I had cooking. There was a hint of bitterness of tannins but not overhwhelming and I agree the wine had an earthiness. The length and depth were satisfyingly complex and very palatable. Would buy again, I bet it goes well with a roast chicken.

Jessica 4.5/5

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 2004 - Riesling - $30

David:
The Prum family has been making wines along the bank of the Mosel River in Germany since the 17th century though the Johann Josef Prum winery came into being in 1911. The rocky terrain with blue-grey slate impacts the wines of the area. This Riesling comes from the Graacher Himmelreich vineyard.

Notes of minerals, apples, citrus. Sweet but complex and layered. Better get relatively cold. When warmed, the citrus dominates.
Score: 4.4/5

Jessica: I found this wine delightful. Fruity apple taste is crisp and balanced. The fruit tastes evolves to citrus hints of grapefruit and lemon. A touch of a cider taste I did not like, but overall I enjoyed this wine quite a bit and would like to try more similar styles.
Score: 4.4/5

Bogle Cabernet 2007 - $11

David: Deep purple in color. Nose indicates raspberries and cherries and just a hint of vanilla, leather and cedar. Cherries feature prominently on the palate with mild tannins and modest acidity, little or no spice at the end. A little simple but pleasant to drink. Was a little too weak for the fatty "special hamburgers" (Julia Child recipe) that we had it with. A decent red especially for the price.
Score: 3.9/5

Jessica: Fruity, drinkable. Light, seems juicy. I liked it, but it was not especially memorable.
4/5

De Loach Russian River Cabernet 2000 - $15

This 10-year old wine showed tannins on the bottle. The color is ruby red. The nose is quite dramatic. I believe the dominant scent is cedar with leather and red fruit. Cherries and red currants flavors dominate on the palate and the nose remains throughout. Medium bodied and medium acidity. The finish is a little quick with very little spiciness or follow-through. Overall, a nice wine to drink but perhaps lacks complexity.
Score: 3.4/5

Jessica:
David had to point out the strong cedar smell but once he mentioned it, that was all I could smell/taste. At first I really liked that and felt like a sip was like taking a breath in snow-covered cedar woods, but I agree with david that the flavors and smell were short, depth shallow. I did enjoy it enough to say I would buy it again.
score: 4.1/5

Las Rocas 2007 - Garnacha - $13

David:
Ruby red in color, this medium bodied Spanish wine is made form Grenache grapes. Has low acidity and light mouthfeel which is typical of Grenache. Flavors are berries and cherry. Develops well in the mouth with a slight spiciness by the end. Went well with pizza and was fine on its own. A bit too light (or perhaps too subtle) for me.
Score 3.8/5

Jessica:
I really enjoyed this wine. It had a softer tone, the flavor with some sweetness which I found pleasant. It struck me as a simple tablewine that would do well with a variety of cheeses and pastas.
4/5

Jacobs's Creek Shiraz 2007 - $6

David: For $5.99 (at Jewell with preferred card), I was not expecting much and in fact the wine does not fail to live up to its $5.99 price tag. The nose indicates nice dark fruit and vanilla. So far so good. On first taste, the dark fruit comes quickly followed by some slight tannic harshness followed by a little mild pepper. All very quickly and without a lot of complexity. The wine overall is not terrible but it a little dull and flat. By the time you are at your second glass, the flavor seems to melt away and you are left with a rather thin, simple wine. Not bad for $5.99. Many wines at this price point are simply terrible. But not exactly something that makes me want to order a case. There must be much better bargain wines out there.
Score: 2.3/5

Jessica: During a rough night with the kids, this wine was perfectly drinkable and brought about desired effect. However it is true that it was much less flavor than the wines we have been adapting ourselves to. This wine was flat, a bitter taste permeates. This bitterness clashed even with the dark chocolate I ate it with. Perhaps eating it with cheese would provide more of a base to balance it out. Regardless, would not buy again.

2/5

Delas Saint-Esprit 2007 - Cotes-du-Rhone - $12

David: Nose has red and dark fruits, maybe a hint of coffee. The darker fruits seem to dominate the flavor with some mild spice and tannins. A solid fruity, French, red but not overly complex. Went fairly well with the Pheasant Christmas Dinner.
Score: 4.1/5

Jessica: This wine did not make a strong impression on me. Could have been any old red. It seemed a bit too astringent and sharp.
3.5/5

Sofia Blanc de Blancs 2007 - Sparkling Wine - $15

David: A nice sparkling wine with peach and melon flavors from Monterey. Only slightly sweet. Enjoyed on Christmas day, 2009.
Score: 3.7/5

Jessica: Floral and vanilla tones. A happy simple bubbly.
Score: 4/5

Flavium Crianza Bierzo - Spain - Mencia Grape - 2005 - $10

The Flavium Crianza is made from the Mencia Grape in the rather obscure Bierzo wine district of Spain.

David: A dry red wine with starts with dark red fruit, black cherry with earthy tones. Follows up with spicy pepper. Went well with a wide variety of meaty Christmas foods.
Score: 3.9/5.0

Jessica: Quite drinkable, smooth, velvety palate. Not overly complex, simple fruity tones. Adapted well to the smorgasboard of Christmas fare we ate, including Korean and European style meats.

Score 4/5

Punto Final Malbec Classico 2008 - $12

A Malbec from Argentina. Deep-purple in color. 97% Malbec with 3% Cabernet Franc.

David: A bold red wine with a deeper layered taste. Dark fruits, raspberries, black cherry dominate at the beginning combined with a nose of leather and earthy notes giving way to some smokiness and sharp peppery tastes and tannins which linger to a very long ending. We had it with a very nice chicken parm and fettuccini dish (made by wife) and it went fairly well.
Score: 4.3/5

Jessica: initially sharp dark...evolves to have a lingering sweetness...dry...purples the mouth
Score: 4/5

Senorio de Barahonda Nabuko 2007 - Spanish Red Blend - $15

David:
Nabuko is of equal parts Monastrell and Syrah grapes. This red Spanish wine is a deep ruby red in color. The taste starts with powerful tart fruit, blueberries, plums, and has a long ending, leaving some spice tastes in the mouth. This paired well with pan seared rib eye and grilled vegetables.
Score: 4.4/5

Jessica:

We had this with steak and manchego cheese. It was delightful. A dark red that sat well against the fatty steak. Would go well with dark chocolate. Agree with above.
4/5

Crios de Susana Balbo 2007 - Cabernet Sauvignon - $13

David:
This is a lighter tasting cabernet from Argentina. Dark violet in color. Dark fruit tastes dominate, currents, plum and raspberries. Light on spice. Long finish. Versatile, should go well with lots of foods. We had it with chicken and it went well.

Score: 4.0/5

Jessica:
This is a really nice dark red that is not over-powering. It hit the pallet softly but had a deep complexity that kept it interesting.

Score: 4.5/5

Duboeuf Julienas La Trinquee 2008- Beaujolais - $14

David: This beaujolais (from France) was tart and fruity. Alcohol is subdued by fruity, strawberry notes. Rather distinctive taste must be particular to the beaujolais style. Light in color and taste, somewhat between a cabernet and a rose. Highly acidic. Pleasant but not terribly complex. Probably better with less bold foods. Not too good with pasta and marinara.
Score: 4.1/5

Jessica:
It was fruity and crisp. We ate a simple pasta and jar sauce meal but found this wine clashed with the acid of the tomatoes. I ate a salad with goat cheese and felt it went well with the goat cheese. It did taste like a stronger rose, rather than a darker red, so I think next time I would eat it with poultry or a fish.

Would drink it again, just with a different entree.

I drank about 1 & 1/2 glasses. David drank the rest.

Ambiance: The kids were chaotic.

Score: 4/5

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