Palacios Les Terrasses 2006
Alvaro Palacios, Priorat DOC, Les Terrasses 2006 There's an appropriate amount of brett in the nose, offering complexity to the red fruit notes. In the mouth this is a chewy wine, showing the structure we associate with this rugged region. Let this...
Borsao seleccion 2007
Bodegas Borsao, Campo de Borja DO, Crianza, seleccion 2007 There's plenty of sweet oak to greet you when you pick up the glass. The mouth features more of the same with ripe fruit and enough acidity to make this wine a food friendly value. The...
Dashe Late Harvest Zinfandel 2007
Dashe, Dry Creek Valley, Late Harvest Zinfandel 2007 Candied berries in a glass, leaping out to greet your nose! The mouth repeats this theme in a very luscious, super-fruity way - brilliant. The grapes measured 40 degrees brix at harvest and the...
Trione Bordeaux Blend 2005
Trione, Alexander Valley, Geyserville Ranch, Red Wine 2005 In the nose there is cassis and tobacco, a blend of California and Bordeaux. In the mouth, there is the taste of dark chocolate and berries and a fully-structured palate - just a baby. The...
Amphora Zin 2006
Amphora, Dry Creek Valley, Zinfandel 2006 There's a healthy dose of black pepper in the nose along with jammy fruit. This Zin is very polished in the mouth, very dense and full of fruit. P&B by Hutchinson Wines in Healdsburg 15.4% $26 at the...
Bella Syrah
Bella, Alexander Valley, Big River Ranch, Syrah 2005 There's jammy black fruit in the nose and a little bit of tar and reductive character when first open. In the mouth, the wine is chewy and oaky with a bit of bitterness. P&B in Healdsburg...
Quivira Rose 2008
Quivira, Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch, Grenache, Rose 2008 In the nose the fruit is ever so fresh, featuring citrus and strawberries. In the mouth there's plenty of acidity, a little phenolic grip and a sense of the alcohol in the background....
Brunel Les Cailloux 2006
Andre Brunel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Les Cailloux 2006 In the nose the fruit goes from fresh to raisin, with black pepper and spices from the cupboard. In the mouth, this wine is approachable already, chewy and dripping with acidity with plenty of...
#2 Beaucastel 2005
Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge, 2005 The black fruits are alight in the nose with a liquer-like character. In the mouth the fruit is very expressive with the structure you'd expect - a great combo. The grapes are sourced from the...
Guigal Cote-Rotie 2005
E. Guigal, Cote-Rotie, Brune et Blonde de Guigal 2005 Here is a Syrah that demonstrates the black pepper quality that lurks in this variety. There's also earthiness, a benign Band-Aid character adding to the complexity of the nose. The mouth shows...