Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Belleruche 2006 - $10

David: Garnet in color. Vibrant nose of red fruits with coffee or cola. Medium acidity, medium bodied with delicious cherry and strawberry on the palate. Silky tannins come on quickly and carry the wine into a solid finish. Very pleasant and versatile wine.
Score: 4.0/5

Jessica: This wine was nice but not particularly memorable.
Score: 3.5/5

Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Indian Wells 2007 - $14

David:
A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah and 1% Malbec. Purply red in color. Nose has dark fruit, vanilla and spice box, maybe leather. Light acidity, full bodied with black cherry and berries. Fine tannins are followed by blackberry jam which lingers into a long pleasant finish. Similar in a way to the Hess we drank recently but (unsurprisingly given the price difference) not quite as good, but very pleasant nonetheless. Low acidity makes it fun to squish around in mouth.
Score: 4.1/5

Jessica:
Delightfully robust wine, dark fruits evident in nose, slight bark, earthy scent. Long finish, jammy. Drank this happily.
4.2/5

Yalumba Shiraz Viognier 2007 - $11

David: Yalumba uses Viognier, a white grape, added to Shiraz to create this wine. Nose of ripe plum, cedar, and coffee. Plums, plums, plums on palate, ripe and rich with a hint of spice. Fine, subtle tannins layer well against the ripeness and high acidity.
Score: 3.9/5

Jessica: Blackberries flavor the wine along with graphite and spice. A mild vanilla layer included. Dark purple. Mild tannins. Instantly enjoyable sloshiness with long finish.
4.2/5

Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - 2009 - New Zealand - $13

David: Light straw in color with green highlights. Bell pepper is unmistakable on the nose. Peach, tropical fruit and lime are also evident. Medium bodied with a little sweetness. Alive with acidity which perks up considerable in the long finish.
Score: 4.1/5

Jessica: Initially sharp with strong citrus tones. Pale gold in color. Nice bouquet but the flavor does not match. Sweetness present but not overpowering.
3.9/5

Domaine les Grands Bois Côtes du Rhône Cuvée les Trois Soeurs 2007 - $14

David: 65% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Carignan. Nose reveals black cherry and black currants with spice box. Full bodied. Black cherry and dark fruits dominate on the palate with strong acidity and the familiar taste of the grenache grape. Bold tannins come on strong and go on a long way accompanied with spice. Tends towards tartness at the long ending and leaves a bit of liquorish. This took a while to open up and become more enjoyable.
Score: 3.7/5

Jessica: Found this wine too harsh and sour. Not a fan at all. Normally I do like the grenache but in this wine I did not get the sweet fruits that I normally have found. The darker fruits are present but do not shine above the bitter tannins. Spice in the nose. Did not like.
Score 2/5

Hess Collection Mount Veeder Cabernet 2006 - Napa Valley - $36

David:
86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. A mountain wine with flavors of mountain berries. Fragrant nose of dark fruit, coffee, vanilla and hint of graphite. Tender on front of the mouth with low acidity. Rich currant and berry flavor on the palate followed by super-smooth and well integrated tannins. Continues to a very long, nicely layered finish with boysenberry and liquorish essence. A beautiful wine.
Score: 4.7/5

Jessica: This wine had a delicious bouquet, inviting nose containing fruits and vanilla. A subtle metallic essence present. Deep, complicated and a very satisfying length. Tannins not too bitter. Good with meats and cooked vegetables; contrasted unfavorably with a salad with a vinegar dressing and tomatoes.
Score: 4.7/5

d'Arenberg - The Stump Jump Shiraz 2008 - $10

David: Garnet red. Nose of raspberries. Powerful Dark fruit, raspberries and
black currants on the palate with rich tannins and moderate spice and
moderate acidity.
Score: 3.8/5

Jessica: This wine took a little bit to open up. At first it tasted harsh and astringent. Then it opened up revealing fruits and a mild sweetness. Some spice.
4.1/5

Georges Duboeuf Morgon Domaine Jean Descombes 2008 - Beaujolais - $13

Light garnet in color. Big fruity nose of sweet red cherry, almost like a pinot. Strawberries, red cherries envelope the mouth with medium acidity (for gamay). Wonderful tannins give he mouth a spritzer mouthfeel at first followed by a tounge numbling dryness. The finish is long enjoyable leaving layers of pleasant red fruits. A versatile, enjoyable wine that would be excellent with many dinners.
Score: 4.4/5

Jessica: A delicious and satisfying wine that hints of juicy fruits. Bold and tart without being offensive. Mild tannins. Mouth puckery. Would go well with goat cheese. A very happy wine and happy taste.
Score: 4.6/5

Sterling Vintner's Collection Syrah 2007 - $9

David: Dark red tending toward purple. Nose of black currant and black cherry. Full bodied and rich. The spice and tannins come on early and strong and dominate over every other aspect. Some liquorish and blueberry as well. Not particularly well integrated or balanced. Improves a bit when opened a while; Vanilla becomes apparent on the nose and displays a bit more layering, and softness.
Score: 2.5/5

Carmes de Rieussec Sauternes 2006 - $20 (half bottle)

From the Domaine of the Barons de Rothschild. "The name, Carmes de Rieussec, relates to the monks of the Carmes de Langon, who were owners of the Rieussec estate in the 18th century."

David: Deep gold in color. A flowery nose with citrus and apricots and honey. The sweetness is immediate. Full bodied to the extreme. The wine coats the mouth with the thickness of a liquor. Honey and apricots with a bit of spice. Went well with Rogue River blue cheese. Interesting but not really my thing.
Score: 3.8/5

Jessica: Rich caramel color. Nose reveals apricots and brown sugar and vanilla. Intensely sweet and succulant. Hints at butterscotch and ripe peaches/apricots. Delicious to sip and compliments blue cheese. Loved it.
Score: 4.7/5

Prosecco

David: Italian Sparkling white wine. Soft and medium sweet with flavors of apple and minerals. Not terribly complex but pleasant and quaffable. Not terribly different from soda pop.
Score: 3.0/5

Les Jamelles Pinot Noir Vin de Pays d'Oc 2008 - $10

David: Ruby red in color. Vibrant nose of sweet dark fruits, oak and flowery notes that are reminiscent of white wines. Immediately pleasing on the palate with luscious raspberries and blueberries. Jammy flavors resemble zinfandel rather than pinot. Low acidity but not flat. Well integrated tannins and some spice on the back end. An interesting and enjoyable wine.
Score: 4.1/5

Jessica: Dark purple in color. Puckery tannins. Taste berries and a slight creaminess. Sweet spices present.
Score: 4.2/5

Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Cuvée Margot 2006 - $20

David: Olivier Leflaive is a major producer of spectacular white wines. This red burgundy is named after his daughter Margot. The pinot noir grapes are sourced from a variety of vineyards in the cote de Beaune region.

Bright garnet in color with a nose of cherry fruit and hints of earthiness. Vibrant and tart with cherry and strawberry fruit. Crisp fruit flavors meld into relaxed tannins with minerals on the finish. Better served on the cool side.
Score: 4.0/5

Jessica: Bright, true red. This wine has vibrant fruits with tart tones of cherry and strawberry. This wine lean towards the astringent side, but still manages to have some layers to it, with a slight caramel creamy backdrop. Very minor smokiness in the nose. I do not detect the tannins hardly at all. It is a very happy, delightful wine.
Score: 4.4/5

Maipe Malbec 2009 - Mendoza, Argentina - $9

David:
Maipe was the ancient Andean Indian lord of the winds. These wind swept vineyards of Mendoza, in the foothills of the Andes, are among the worlds highest in altitude (over 3000 feet).

Purple in color, not too dark. Nose had a hint of earthiness, maybe leather, at first but seemed to get more fragrant, flowery (violets?) and fruity as it breathed. Lovely black cherry and raspberry fruit fill the mouth. Stays tart and fruity, almost like gamay, not earthy or spicy like many Malbecs. Round tannins stay mild with some oak and integrate well with the fruit. A great value.
Score: 4.0/5

Jessica: Nose includes vanilla and dark fruits. This wine was really enjoyable because it was not too bitter but seemed well balanced. The tannins are not overbearing. There is some earthiness, a note of a sodden forest.
Score: 4.1/5

Deloach Pinot Noir - Russian River - 2007

David: Ruby red. Cedar and cherry on the nose. Berries and cherry dominate with decent acidity and silky and subtle tannins and lingering spiciness.
Score: 3.7/5

Jessica: I found this wine to be enjoyably complex, fruity and creamy. Vanilla and clove meet the fruits of cherries and raspberries. Rich bouquet and succulent hints of cedar and earth.
Score: 4.3/5

La Mano Roble Mencia 2007 - $8

David: From the Bierzo wine region of Spain and made from Mencia grapes like the Flavium we tried a month ago. Garnet in color tending towards purple. Nose indicates berries and some generalized earthiness. Soft on the palate, mild acidity and soft, round tannins. Blueberry notes dominate with only a little followup from spices. Overall, seems to lack backbone and is unexciting to drink without being offensive in any way.
Score: 3.1/5

Jessica: This wine really surprised me in how uninspired it seemed. I had larger expectations and felt it fell flat. Literally. There was no large bouquet or substantial variety of fruits. There was a mild tannins and enough puckeryness that it almost felt like it was trying to be an impostor of a better wine. Dark fruits were apparent as well as some earthiness, but again without a lot of complexity to make it interesting.
3/5

Grayson Cellars Pinot Noir 2007 - $12

Light, brick red in color with a tint of orange. Nose is subtle with red fruit. A burgundy styled pinot. Light in body. Flavors of raspberry and sweet red cherry are subdued but the wine is tart with acidity and the tartness lingers in a long finish. At first, the wine seemed watery and bland as I am used to more fruity and bold wines. At worst, it seemed thin and vinegary. However it seems to improve and by the end I seemed to enjoy it a good deal and want more.
Score 3.5/5

Jessica: At first sip, my palate was amazed by how underwhelmed it was by this wine. It almost fell flat, but further tasting did reveal more complexity and worthiness. This wine was an orange-red color and very soft. I almost thought watery. But the fruits were nice and I was able to appreciate the softness of this wine. A subtle juiciness of red fruits, not too sweet, not too bitter. In the end, it was pleasant enough.
3.8/5

Domaine de la Janasse Bussiere - 2007 - $15

Domaine de la Janasse Vin de Pays de la Principauté d'Orange Terre de Bussière

David: A Vin de Pays is the term for a French country wine, with less exacting standards than wines designated with Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC). Still, some of these can be great wine values. This one is a great example. The wine is 65% merlot and 35% Syrah grapes. The color is a beautiful, rich dark red with hints of purple. The wine opens up well with decanting. Nose indicates dark fruit with spice box, tobacco and a scent of (as Parker points out) camphor. Full bodied and rich. Beautifully layered with black cherry, currants, plum with well integrated tannins turning the tongue to sandpaper but without bitterness. Fruit is well balanced with spice and these flavors blend together in a long pleasant finish.
Score: 4.6/5

Jessica: This was a delicious wine. I immediately detected smokey tones and sweet fruits--likely cherry--on tongue. Sloshing it around the mouth was fun b/c while the tannins were present, they created a mouth-tingling puckery sensation that was not overly dry or bitter. I also detected the spices in this wine and would say overall this wine achieved a brilliant state of balance. Yum!
4.6/5

Pillar Box Red 2007 - Australia - $13

David: 65% Shiraz, 25% Cabernet, 10% Merlot. Dark garnet in color. Aroma of dark fruits, spearmint. Full bodied with jammy fruits and firm, somewhat harsh tannins though it mellows some after being opened a while. Earthy and dense. Long finish with spice and finally blueberries lingering.
Score: 3.5/5

Jessica: Liked it over time. My first taste I thought: generic, boring. But it did open up, mixing smokiness w/fruitiness. I agreed with the suggestion of a cigar-box scent and picked up strawberry fruits when I sloshed it around in my mouth. In the end, was quite earthy and berry, not bitter, but well-rounded.
Score: 4.1/5