Spanish diversity
Bodegas Borsao, Campo de Borja DO 2006 There's cherry fruit and a sense of cherry pie leaping out of the glass. The mouth is full of juicy fruit in a a light-bodied, easy to drink format. This is certainly the last of the '06 as the '07 is on the...
More refreshers from Iberia
Fâmega Vinho Verde Denominação de Origem Controlada Vinho Branco 2007 This is a personal favorite for lean white wine on a budget. There's citrus in the nose and the petillance is quite palpable on this date, adding to the livliness. Notes on the...
Right banking satellites
Chateau Bertineau St.-Vincent, Lalande-de-Pomerol 2004 The nose is restrained upon first pouring with a little sense of stewed fruit coming through. When I opened this wine, there was some carmelized remnants of wine that leaked earlier. Thus I...
Bordeaux blending
Chateau Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Medoc 2004 The smells are a mix of earth, cedar, toasty oak and a fitting amount of the barnyard. The mouth if full of plummy fruit with grip. This is definitely leaner and tighter than the '05 which is quite seductive...
A different kind of Pineau
Gaston Rivière, Pineau des Charentes, Pineau François 1er, White Pineau nv This has the taste and smell of Cognac and grape juice and follows-on from its creation. The grapes are old vine Colombard, fortified with minimum one year old Cognac added...
G force
Chateau Guiraud, Bordeaux Blanc Sec, Le G de Chateau Guiraud 2006 This vintage is pretty hard to love in that the smell is all minerality and solvent notes. There's viscosity and acidity but flavor? Sourced from vines with an average age of 15...
Good company
De Conciliis, Paestum IGT Donnaluna, Aglianico 2004 There's a sense of cola and black fruits and this grape's tannic grip, on the astringent side of the road. I really tried to give this wine a fair shake but it just doesn't have enough stuffing to...
Blending in Puglia
Tormaresca, Puglia IGT, Neprica 2007 The grapes are 40% Negroamaro, 30% Primitivo, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Estate grown and bottled in Minervino Murge 13.5% $9.99 at Traverso's Tormaresca Torreguaceto, Vino Rosso da Tavola 2003 Bottled by Racemi in...
Atop Napa
Storybook Mountain Vineyards, Napa Valley, Eastern Exposures, Estate, Zinfandel 2005 This is not a wimpy Zin for the structure is there to accentuate the fruit. The grapes for this wine are a selection of mountain grown fruit on the property....
Yet another Muscat
Maculan, Veneto Moscato IGT, Dindarello 2006 There's the sweet smells of orange blossom and ginger and a thick while vibrantly fruity palate - delicious. The grapes are all Muscat from the Dindarello Vineyard in Breganze. The grapes are dried for 6...