Yalumba Barossa Patchwork Shiraz 2008 - $18

David: Dark purple, almost black. Nose of black currant, a little rubber, chocolate and a little violet. Full bodied. Good acidity balance. Delicious dark fruits. Raisin and blueberry with liquorish. Strong but soft tannins. Quite delightful.
Score: 4.2/5

Patrick Lesec Gigondas Cuvée Romaine Les Espalines 2004 - $18

65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah
50+ year old vines
90% in 1-4 year old barrels, 10% in stainless steel

Don't remember the price exactly.

David: Dark inky crimson. Nose has rose petal, blackberry fruit, a little pepper and spice. That Rhone grenache smell. Full bodied with moderate acidity. Warm, velvety texture. Ripe blackberry and blueberry fruit envelop the palate. Dark and spicy. Big and tannic. A little heat but not distracting. Long finish is a little briary with a little pepper. Delicious wine.
Score: 4.2/5

Chateau Vieux Taillefer, Saint Emilion Grande Cru 2006 - $19

David: A lovely dark crimson color with hints of orange around the edge. A nice nose has red and black currant with iron and some bready raspberry tart. Full bodied with moderate acidity. The wine has dense fruit which is delightful to swirl. Big but soft tannins. Finishes long with some berry flavor. Very pleasant.
Score: 4.1/5

Porca de Murca Tinto - $6

David: Dark purple. Nose of rich, dark fruits. Sweet blueberry, a little pepper and cinnamon. Full bodied. A wonderful balance of acidity and sweet berry and cherry. Good tannins give it structure. Delicious and well layered. Acidity picks up a bit and then moves into a sweet berry finish. Six bucks! Are you kidding me? Definitely the best wine I have had at this price point. Gotta get me a case of this.
Score: 4.2/5

Ruffino Il Ducale 2005 - $20

Super Tuscan.

Blend is: 60% sangiovese, 25% merlot and 15% syrah

David: Dark red with slight brownish tint. Nose is sulfury barnyard but over-powering. Some violets. Full bodied with good acidity. Big pomegranate fruit with a chocolatey taste. Powerful but smooth tannins. Decent finish. Enjoyable wine.
Score: 4.0/5

Guigal Gigondas 2007 - $22

55-60% Grenache, around one-third Mourvedre and the rest Syrah.

Parker: 92-94

David: Medium purple in color. Nose of roses, earth, leather, raspberry, crushed rock. Nose seems to fade in intensity over time. Full bodied. Medium acidity. Subdued fruit. Immediately peppery and spicy. Layered. Strong tannins. Some blackberry fruit which darkens into molasses and finishes dry with black liquorish and blackberry liquor. Pretty good if your looking for a dark spicy wine.
Score: 4.0/5

Franck Balthazar Syrah 2009 - $18

Northern Rhone near Cornas.

David: Dark Purple. Nose of raspberry tart, iron. Raspberry fruit has decent acidity and structure. Tannins are powerful but smooth. Finishes with fruity grape. Pretty good but a little disappointing given the prestigious growing area.
Score: 3.9/5

Palestra Douro 2008 - $8

Portuguese grapes: 40% Touriga-Franca, 40% Tinta-Roriz and 20% Tinta-Barroca.

David: Medium dark purple. Nose is thick with violet and floral aromas. A little scorched earth and a little chocolate, steel. Medium to full bodied. Nice black cherry fruit with good acidity balance and decent structure. Nice finish. A great value. Should try some others from Douro.
Score: 4.0/5

Bearboat Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2007 - $16

David: Ruby red. Delicate nose of strawberry and red currant, vanilla. Warm and fuzzy nose-feel. Medium to full bodied. Smooth as satin. Fruit forward. Moderate acidity. Strawberry and cherry fruit is quite delicious. Sweet and round tannins. Long finish.
Score: 4.1/5

Chateau Picau-Perna Bordeaux 2005 - $17

70% merlot. Rest cab.

David: Opaque purple. Nose of sweet blueberries, violets, herbs. Medium to full bodied. Low acidity. Very tasty blueberry fruit though not incredibly complex. Big powerful tannins remain rounded. Nice gentle finish. A very enjoyable wine.
Score: 4.1/5

Markham Merlot Napa 2006 - $16

David: Dark purply red. Nose is a little strange. Smells almost like a white wine. Peaches, carrot and root beer are evident. Nose was a little more relaxed on the second day with roses and cedar. Full bodied and yummy. Spicy and concentrated plum and raisin. Strong tannins. Good structure. Plummy tasting finish. Liked this better on the second day. Probably better to decant for several hours.
Score: 4.2/5

Li Veli Passamante Salento 2008 - $9

The negroamaro grape from Puglia.

David: Dark ruby red in color. Nose of violets, cedar and spices. Quite floral. Medium to full bodied. Nice cherry fruit with good acidity. Tends toward cranberry especially toward the finish which ends a little overly tart. Mild tannins. Overall, quite nice. Not a bad value.
Score: 3.9/5

Chateau Puech-Haut Prestige 2009 - $17

55% Grenache and 45% Syrah. 93 point Parker!

David: Dark purple in color. Nose has pepper, violets, some Syrah tire smell. Full bodied, good weight. Black fruits, pepper. Strongs tannins. Good structure. Well layered. Good complexity. Finished long. Very nice.
Score: 4.1/5

Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2008 - $20

Produced from younger vines and so is sold cheaper as "Nebbiolo" rather than Barbaresco but still from the Barbaresco region.

David: Light, brick red. Nose is subtle. A little cherry. A little roses. Very faint of mint and dusty earth. Nose seems to get even less noticeable with time. Medium bodied, soft, silky mouthfeel. Concentrated cherry fruit with decent acidity and balance. Some tannins and a soft pleasant finish. Not a knockout but a pleasant wine. A tad too light and a little boring and not worth the price.
Score: 3.8/5

Cataldi Madonna Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2008 - $17

David:
Nose is dominated by minerals and iron with some floral notes and herbs, maybe fennel. Full bodied with plenty of weight. Wonderful red fruits, cherry and raspberry, with great acidity, balance, concentration and structure. Mild tannins. Nice finish. Overall, a very nice wine. Good with food.
Score: 4.1/5

La Bastide Blanche Bandol 2007 - $23

Over 75% Mourvèdre.

Decanted for 2 hours.

David: Dark, inky red. Nose of leather, roses and blueberry. Full bodied, low acidity with modest cherry fruit and chocolate overtones. Quite tannic. Alcohol is prevalent but not over the top. Finishes a little bitter. Quite nice now but the wine should improve significantly over the next few years. Would probably also benefit from several hours of decanting.
Score: 4.0/5

Montebuena Rioja 2009 - $9

100% Tempranillo

David: Garnet colored. Pleasant nose shows raspberry tart, vanilla, new leather, tobacco. Medium bodied. Good acidity. Raspberry and blackberry fruit. A little light on the palate. Doesn't pack a big punch after the initial attack. Pleasant enough but not too impressive.
Score: 3.8/5

Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Domaine Sainte Claire 2008 - $18

David: Deep gold in color. Nose of fig, pear and stinky orchards. Some minerals. A little spice. Medium bodied. Good acidity.
Score: 4.0/5

Elegantia Cotes du Rhone Valley Selections 2009 - $9

We tried the very nice Gigondas from this producer a week ago.

David: Purple/red in color. Nose is distinctive grenache, with some sweet vanilla, chocolate and spices. Full bodied. Ripe raspberry compote on the palate. Juicy, fruit bomb. However, a little lacking in structure. Finish adds some pepper and some bitters. Overall, a decent wine and decent value but no where near as nice as the Gigondas though at half the price, that isn't surprising.
Score: 3.9/5

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Shiraz 2008 - $14

David: Dark purple, almost black in color. Nose of dark fruits, baking spices, earth and perfumy floral notes. Full bodied with moderate acidity. Good weight. Blueberry and plum fruit. Quite concentrated yet not overly fruity. Almost mellow. Acidity picks up a little on the end. Tannins not too dominant. Solid finish. Good with pasta and probably good with food in general. A gentler wine than the Wolf Blass we had last.
Score: 4.1/5

Wolf Blass Shiraz President's Selection 2008 - $18

David: Completely opaque, black purple. Nose smells like a burning tire. A really extreme shiraz burnt nose. Full bodied. Little fruit. Like biting into a piece of black liquorish, beef jerky. Huge tannins. Some spice. Long finish. Clearly a well made wine but it is a little over the top for my tastes. A shiraz made in the extreme-shiraz way. The wine actually drank better on the second day. The nose lost the burnt tire and it became more likable.
Score: 4.1/5

Elegantia Gigondas Rhone Valley Selection 2009 - $19

A mystery wine. Can't find much info on it.


David: Medium purple in color. Nose of flowers, roses and violets with black currant and blackberry fruit. Aromas of stone and steel with a little forest floor as well and peppery spice and that distinctive Rhone grenache aroma. The nose is good but the wine really excels on the palate. Starts with an explosion of concentrated blackberry fruit with wonderful acidity balance. Then it adds pepper and spice and good tannins. Finally picks up with liquorish. All these blend together in a long and delicious finish.
Score: 4.3/5

Chateau Les Gravieres Saint Emilion 2008 - $22

100% Merlot.

David: Dark purple red. Nose of concentrated red fruits, graphite, berries, some floral tones. Medium to full bodied. Lots of acidity. Cranberry and blackberry fruit. Strong tannins. Well layered with a nice juicy finish. Good stuff.
Score: 4.2/5

Selection Laurence Feraud Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret 2007 - $17

90% Grenache and 10% Syrah.

David: Medium purple red. Nose of roses and lavender, red fruits, a little cranberry and oak. Spritzy mouthfeel. Medium bodied. Good well layered fruits get a little jammy and some coco. Some bitter notes. Good complexity. Strong tannins. Long finish. Very nice.
Score: 4.1/5

David Bruce Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands 2008 - $18

David: Deep yellow. Nose of freshly cut wood, tangerine, mango, creamsicle. Medium bodied. Good structure and balance. Not too heavy. Not too much alcohol. Solid finish.
Score: 4.1/5

Bogle Petite Syrah 2008 - $9

David: Dark purple. Nose of cedar, smoke, briary blackberry, almond. Full bodied. Good weight and structure with dense fruit, good acidity and powerful tannins with good finish. Another great bargain from Bogle.
Score: 4.1/5

Ninety Plus French Fusion Lanquedoc 2008 - $15

David: Medium purple in color. Nose of blackberry, petunias, sweet oak, a little spice maybe nutmeg. Has what I call nose-texture. Full bodied with low acidity. Blackberry, blueberry fruit. Decent structure. Could use perhaps a bit more acidity. Strong tannins. Layers nicely into liquorish or anise with some pepper.
Score: 3.9/5

Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 - $20

David: Medium depth, ruby red in color. Nose is nice, cherry and baking spices, some oaky overtones but not overly aromatic. Medium bodied, with good cherry fruit, good weight and good acidity balance. Layered tastes. Silky mouthfeel with some tannins. Finish is solid with a little liquorish and mild spice.
Score: 4.1/5

Damilano Nebbiolo d'Alba 2008 - $14

David: Light, red brick in color. Nose of roses, cherry and some earthy latex smell. Light to medium bodied. Decent acidity and structure. Cherry fruit with dry liquorish. Light tannins. Good finish. Overall, pretty good, well made but kinda light for me.
Score: 3.8/5

Pacific Rim Wallula Vineyard Riesling 2007 - $15

David: Light gold in color. Nose of white flowers, pineapple and some minerals. Medium to full bodied, with big citric acid, big peach, lime fruit. Nice purity and good structure. Sweetness is not very apparent behind the acidity. Overall, I think the citrus gets carried away. Not a style that I really like.
Score: 3.8/5

Yellow Tail Shiraz Cabernet 2009 - $7

David: Medium purple in color. Nose of plum. Prominent oak aromas, vanilla. A tad much but not so bad. Fruity with a little sweetness. Classic Yellow Tail likibility and lack of complexity. Gentle tannins. As usual, a decent wine for the price.
Score: 3.8/5

Bisceglia Terra di Vulcano Aglianico del Vulture 2007 - $13

David: Medium to dark purple. Nose of violets, red currant cranberry. Some herbs and maybe a little leather. Not oaked so is mostly fruit and floral scents. Medium bodied with high acidity. Decent tannins. Fruity finish.
Score: 3.8/5

Colonia las Liebres Bonarda 2009 - $7

David: Dark purple in color. Nose is a bit subtle. Some cranberry fruit, minerals. Not much beyond that. This is unoaked so there are no oak aromas. Medium to full bodied. High acidity with blueberry fruit. Fresh and juicy. Prominent tannins and a decent finish. Overall, Ok. Certainly good for $7 but not too exciting either.

Score: 3.8/5

Ridge Zinfandel East Bench 2008 - $25

Wine #200. Whoo-hooo!

David: Magenta in color. Not too dark. Nose of briary fruits, scorched earth, typical zin-foxiness. Some minerality, big black pepper. Medium to full bodied. Some sweetness and some fruitiness but quite earthy and peppery. Big alcohol but not hot. Low acidity. Pretty good balance. Nice long finish. Overall, quite a tasty zin.
Score: 4.1/5

Domaine Grand Nicolet Rasteau Vieilles Vignes 2008 - $15

Old Vine Grenache.

David: Dark crimson in color. Nose of blackberry, pressed flowers, oak, that distinctive grenache smell. Full bodied. Luscious strawberry and cherry fruit. Weighty but silky texture. Soft tannins and a tasty finish. A pretty nice wine. Nothing jumps out at you but it is well made and enjoyable.
Score: 4.0/5

Villa Medoro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006 - $16

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is made from the Montepulciano grape and from Abruzzo Italy.

David: Dark plum colored. Nose is subtle not huge but shows blueberry, floral notes, maybe lilac, and polished leather. Full bodied, moderate acidity, silky smooth with delicious plum and blueberry fruit and subtle spices. Soft but powerful tannins. Nice finish.
Score: 4.0/5

Barca de Piedra 2008 - $13

David: Medium to dark purple in color. Nose of red fruit, smoke, wet stone, pastry bread. Medium bodied, medium acidity. Black cherry fruit, grape juice and berries. Mellow. Not too exciting but tasty enough. Typical Spanish red.
Score 3.8/5

Grandmaster Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2009 - $14

Got this at Whole Foods for about $14. Said it was $13 off so I took the bait.

David: Brick red, quite dark for a pinot. Nose is quite interesting. Very woody and herbal with just a little cherry fruit. Definitely sage. A little foxy. Some vanilla. The nose evolved quite a bit while the bottle was open. Full bodied with low acidity. Good red fruits, cherry and mulberry but very dry. Big tannins dry the mouth. The finish has some bitter liquorish and woodiness. High alcohol. Interesting wine but a little disjoint.
Score: 3.9/5

Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - $8

David: Light purple in color. Very interesting aromatics. At first, it was briary, with blackberry and ripe, foxy dark fruit. After a while it developed more of a currant bun nose. Both were enjoyable. Medium to light bodied with good acidity. Fruity. Not too complex. Light tannins. But quite enjoyable. A great value for $8.
Score: 4.0/5

Domaine Andezon Cotes du Rhone 2008 - $12

David: Dark purple. Nose of cranberries and garden tools. Some funky stink to it. Full bodied and tart. Quite fruity and perhaps a tad sweet. Pomongranate fruit, grape cool-aid. Mild tannins. Finish is short. Hard to get passed the nose. Not impressed especially after the first one was corked.
Score: 3.5/5

Rocky Gully Shiraz Viognier 2007 - $14

95% Shiraz. 5% Viognier.

David: Medium purple in color. Nose of plum and currant, pomegranate , toasted oak and chocolate. Full bodied, medium acidity. Tasty dark red fruits on the palate. Soft tannins. Decent structure. Pretty good finish.
Score: 3.9/5

Domaine Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Villages Cuvee Philippine 2009 - $13

We have tried two wines from this Domaine before. We liked the Cairanne better than the Cuvée les Trois Soeurs . 55% Grenache - 35% Syrah - 10% Carignan

David: Medium purple in color. Nose of ripe raspberry, wet stone and a little iron. No sign of oak. Medium bodied, medium acidity. Fresh black currant and strawberry fruit is quite delicious. Soft tannins. A little peppery earthiness is well balanced with the fruit. Finishes nice. Not quite as nice as the more full bodied Cairanne but for a bucks less, it is also a good value.
Score: 4.0/5

Tres Picos Garnacha 2008 - $14

David: Deep purple/red with tints of magenta. Lovely nose of soft red fruits, vanilla bean, perfume and spice box. Dense and silky on the palate with high glycerin. Medium acidity. Cherry and berry fruit is delicious and followed with sort tannins and nice finish. Overall, very nice and a great value.

Score: 4.2/5

Les Deux Rives Corbieres Rouge 2008 - $10

David: Medium purple color. Nose of fresh raspberry tart. Reminds me of a steely cab franc but this is mostly granache and syrah. Medium bodied and medium acidity. Zippy mouthfeel. Berry fruit has layers and good structure. Nice sleek tannins. Very long finish with waves of mixed berries. Overall, very nice and quite a bargain.
Score: 4.1/5

Arrowood Kuljian Dry Creek Syrah 2007 - $28

David: Dark purple in color. Nose of prune, root vegetables and a little violet and maybe chocolate. Full bodied, low acidity. Meaty texture. Some plum fruit but quite savory. Big tannins. The mid palate fruit gets taken over by liquorish and black pepper in the long and pleasant finish.
Score: 4.1/5

Urban Ribera Tinta Del Pais 2007 - $13

David: Medium purple in color. Nose of black cherry fruit and smoke and vanilla oak. Full bodied, medium acidity. Silky smooth. Cherry and berry fruit is quite delicious. Mild tannins but a pretty long finish with a little liquorish. Quite nice.
Score: 4.0/5

La Spinetta Langhe Nebbiolo 2007 - $27

David: Nice garnet color is not too dark. A little orange-toned near the edges. Nose is delicate with cherry, leather and roses and other flowers. Medium bodied, moderate acidity, silky texture with delicious cherry fruit. Firm tannins give it sufficient structure. Nice finish.
Score: 4.1/5

Norton Malbec 2010 - $8

David: Magenta in color. Nice nose of fresh raspberry, pepper, a little earth and a little smoke. A hint of fox fur is interesting. Medium bodied with nice boysenberry fruit, moderate acidity. Good clean finish. A great value.
Score: 4.0/5

Stonier Reserve Chardonnay 2005 - $25

David: Bright yellow in color. Complex nose of citrus, pineapple, spice, pepper, almond and stinky wild flowers. Full bodied and complex on the palate with good structure and balance and a long finish.
Score: 4.3/5