Palmina Wines-Subida-Tocai Friulano-Santa Ynez Valley-California-2008-$18.98-A funky nose of honey, a cloudy yellow color. A mess, a bad Californian try at a Italian white, honey, bitter, just awful, maybe someone would like it, not me. NR CR-70 Good if you move onto the next bottle.
Peirano Estate Vineyards-The Immortal Zin-Old Vine-Lodi-California-2008-$9.99-A big nose of over the top dark fruit, dark purple in color. Blackberry, Blueberry, spice, a bit overdone, a little hot, but for $10 bucks and a midweek day it’s ok. NR CR-80 Good with burgers, ribs, pasta.
Viti Santa Maria-Brazilo-Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon-Brazil-2006-$6.99-A nose of sweet dark fruit, dark ruby in color. I had tried some Brazilian wines recently at a wine tasting event and was surprised at how good they were…this was not one of them, a bit disjointed, initial taste is ok but then leaves a funky aftertaste. NR CR-75 Good with meats, chicken, pasta.
Casa Lapostolle-Cuvee Alexandre-Apalta Vineyard-Merlot-Carmenere-Colchagua Valley-Chile-2007-$17.99-A nose of dark sweet fruit, medium dark amber in color. Currants, plum, spice, tannic, has rough spots, average at best. I usually enjoy all the Cuvee Alexandre varietals, not this one. NR CR-75 Good with meats, chicken, pasta.
E-70788-Ave-Gran Riserva-Malbec-Mendoza-Argentina-2007-$21.98-A nose of funky figs, dark black in color, needed to be decanted for hours to get fid of funky smell. A full bodied Malbec, fig, licorice, coffee, just did not enjoy the mouth feel, got a little better as it opened..but not that much. WS-91 CR-80 Good with meats, chicken, pasta.
Kilikanoon Wines-The Lackey-Shiraz-Australia-2006-$11.99-A over the top big fake fruit bomb nose, kind of artificial, dark purple in color. I enjoy most Australian Shiraz, don’t mind a big fruit bomb..as long as it tastes real, this one for me was a lost lab experiment. Blackberry, plum and bacon, awkward taste, I did not get what the critics got. RP-89 WS-89 CR-70 Good with a big steak that can mask the taste of the wine.
Casella Wines-Yellow Tail-The Reserve-Cabernet Sauvignon-Australia-2007-$12.99-A disjointed nose of dark fruit, dark amber in color. I tried this at a wine stores recommendation…and to give this wine a fair chance, it was the opposite of what the label stated, not velvety, not complex, no structure, not enjoyable. WS-87 WE-86 CR-79 Good as a cooking wine.
Tulip Hill Winery-Cellar Select-Cabernet Sauvignon-Tracy Hills-Mount Oso Vineyard-California-$12.75-A nose of musty dark fruit, dark amber in color. A rather harsh Cab, currants, red berries, but not smooch, hard finish. NR CR-76 Good with meats, chicken, pasta.
Domaine D’ Andezon-Cotes-Du-Rhone-Les Vignerons D’Estezargues-France-2007-$9.99-A sour nose of cherry, dark amber in color. Sour black cherry, like spice, licorice, tried 3 times over a weekend, enjoyed it more early last year..and I love wines from the Southern Rhone, maybe it was just this bottle. NR CR-78 Good with pasta, chicken, veal.
Arnot-Roberts-Clary Ranch-Syrah-Sonoma Coast-California-2006-$30.00-A nose of sour cherry, dark purple in color. I had always wanted to try a bottle from this winery of very small production wines, but… Sour cherry, sage, tea, tried three different times, just did not enjoy the flavor, too sour. RP-91 CR-76 Good with burgers, pasta, steak.
Philippe Gimel-Saint Jean Du Barroux-L’Oligocene-Red Grenache-Syrah-Carignan-Cinsault-Cotes Du Ventoux-France-2004-$23.99-A distinct smell of brandy, kind of funky, amber in color. I am not sure if something happened to the wine, I usually enjoy any Southern Rhone wine but that distinct brandy smell also was what the favor was, dark fruit, spice, kept trying to enjoy it but could not. RP-90 CR-70 Good with another open bottle of wine to kill the taste.
Les Cretes-Coteau La Tour-Vino da Tavola-Italy-2005-$34.99-Not sure of the real price I paid since it was in a 3 pack and was the throw in bottle..funky nose, ok terrible nose, only thing normal was color, a ruby red. A terrible wine, made it past a couple sips, not sure what RP was thinking, somehow turned out to be a decent cooking wine. RP-92 CR-50 Good as cooking wine.
Vavasour Wines-Dashwood-Sauvignon Blanc-Marlborough-New Zealand-2009-$11.99-A light nose of citrus, pale straw in color. Green apple, grapefruit, a little lien, flat on the finish, not as refreshing as I would like. I enjoyed the 2008 a lot more, one more example on how much the same wine be so different each year. WS-87 CR-82 Good with seafood, cheeses, salad.
DiMajo Norante-Sangiovese-Terra Degli Osci-Italy-2006-$10.99-A sweet floral fruit nose, medium in color. Blackberry, strawberry, earth, was better last year. NR CR-81 Good with pasta, salad, chicken.
Primarius Winery-Pinot Noir-Walla Walla-Oregon-2007-$18.00-A light nose of cherry and spice, medium ruby in color. A light bodied, thin, cherry, spice, nothing special, not much length to the finish. WS-81 CR-3 Good with chicken, cheese, pasta.
