Volver-Tempranillo-La Mancha-Spain-2007-$13.25-A nose of dark fruit and spice, dark purple in color.  A interesting full bodied red,  black cherry, blueberry, smoked meat, spice with a good finish.   A very good value.                RP-90-           WS-90           WE-85            CR-4-4.5     Good with meats, chicken, pasta.

Quinta and Vineyard Bottlers-Croft-Distinction Porto-Special Reserve-Portugal-NV-$15.99-A sweet nose of raisins, dark black in color.  A full bodied port, raisins, chocolate, figs, long flavors, lasted a month in frig.              WE-88                CR-4-4.5                     Good with desert, ice cream.

Geo Wines-Chono-Reserva-Cabernet Sauvignon-Maipo Valley-Chile-2006-$11.99-A nose of dark fruit and roasted meat, dark amber in color.  A ripe, easy drinking full bodied Cab, good structure for a wine this price, dark fruits, some spice, currants.             RP-88            CR-3.5-4              Good with pork, chicken, pasta.

Symington Family Estates-Warre’s-Warrior-Special Reserve-Porto-NV-Portugal-$11.99-A ripe nose of spice and dark fruit, very dark, blackish in color.  A sweet full bodied port, dark fruit, spice, a good value for it’s price range, a bottle will last up to one month in frig after opening.               WE-87           WS-82             CR-3.5-4             Good with desert or alone.

Symington Family Estates-Warre’s-Late Bottled Vintage-Porto—Portugal-1999-$18.99-A rich nose of dark fruit and sweet spice, dark, almost black in color.  A very smooch enjoyable desert wine, spice, blackberries and chocolate.         NR         CR-4-4.5       Good with deserts, cheese and ice cream.

Chateau Haut Bergeron-Chateau La Fleur-Des Pins-Graves Superieures-France-2006-$15.99-A nose of sweet apricots, golden in color.  A very nice desert wine, honey, spice.       NR     CR-4-4.5 Good with ice cream, deserts.

Bogle Vineyards-Petite Sirah Port-Clarksburg-California-2006-$13.99-A big sweet rich nose, very dark in color.  Concentration of raspberries, blackberries and chocolate flavors, a great desert wine, even better at this price.         NR         CR-4-4.5        Good with ice cream, cake.

Symington Family Estates-Dow’s-Crusted Porto-Port-Portugal-2002-$17.99-A big nose of spice and dark fruit, black in color.  Black cherries, chocolate, sweet spice, a very enjoyable desert wine, smooth.  I am a big port fan, just a little at end of closing time is perfect to sip.               NR CR-4-4.5        Good with deserts, ice cream and if I smoked a cigar.

St. Francis Winery & Vineyard-Port-Sonoma County-California-2006-$18.00-A big spicy nose of dark fruit, dark black in color.  A smooth, enjoyable Port, dark berries, plum, caramel, vanilla and spice.   Unusual blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel for a port.   I visited their winery a few years back, beautiful property, great tasting room.              NR          CR-4.5          Good with deserts, ice cream, cigars.

Tait Wines-The Ball Buster-Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Barossa Valley-Australia-

2007-$14.01-Big plum nose, spice.  Very dark, purple in color.  A little more sour than a previous

vintage that I liked much more.  Currant, spice, big wine that was maybe to young to drink. Did not

enjoy as much as the critics did.          RP-92      WS-88     CR-3.5     Good with burgers, pasta,

chicken. 

Symington Family Estates-Dow’s-Crusted Porto-Port-Portugal-2002-$17.99-A big nose of

spice and dark fruit, black in color.  Black cherries, chocolate, sweet spice, a very enjoyable desert

wine, smooth.  I am a big port fan, just a little at end of closing time is perfect to sip.       NR

CR-4-4.5      Good with deserts, ice cream and if I smoked a cigar.

Odfjell Vineyards.cl-Armador-Carmenere-Central Valley-Chile-2007$7.99-Nose of plum, a

little spice.  Dark in color.  Blueberry, chocolate and a little spice.  I liked the 2005 vintage better,

since it had more flavor, but not a bad wine since it’s so inexpensive.      RP-86     WS-84

CR-3.5    Good with meats, chicken.

Symington Family Estates-Warre’s-Late Bottled Vintage-Porto—Portugal-1999-$18.99-

A rich nose of dark fruit and sweet spice, dark, almost black in color.  A very smooch enjoyable

desert wine, spice, blackberries and chocolate.    NR    CR-4-4.5     Good with deserts, cheese

and ice cream.

Bodega Catena Zapata-Catena-Malbec-Mendoza-Argentina-2006-$18.35-A little funky nose, dark in color, it was ok, not as smooth as I expected since it was rated high.  The grapes come from vineyards that are located in high altitudes which are selected concentrated grapes.  I reviewed another Malbec in the past month or so which I enjoyed allot more.  WS-91  RP-87   CR-3-3.5    Ok with steak, pasta.

Calem-Porto-Old Friends Tawny-NV-Portugal-$8.99-Nice sweet raisin nose, not as dark in color as a ruby port. It was ok, I just like a ruby or a zin port better.  A tawny port reminds me more of a brandy, a sipping wine at the end of the night, a desert wine.  For the price it’s good since most ports are double the price.   WS-85  CR-3-3.5  Good with desert, ice cream, or I guess if I smoked a cigar.

Three Loose Screws-B Side-From The Flip Side-Cabernet Sauvignon-

Napa Valley-California-2005-$21.99-Good nose of dark fruit, nice color,

more of a Bordeaux style Cab, not as bold as some Cabs I like. Was good but

have had better Cabs recently that I reviewed for $5 to $8 less.  WS81

CR3.5   Good with meats, pasta.

Warre’s-Late Bottled Vintage-Porto-Portugal-1999-$19.99-Typical big

sweet nose, very dark color, spice and dark fruit, great at end of night.  I am a

big ruby port fan.  The white paint mark in the first picture at the bottom of the

bottle is the to let bottler know that they turned the bottle during aging.   NR

CR4-4.5     Good with desert, ice cream.

Fattoria Vignavecchia-Chianti Classico-Italy-2004-$14.25-This wine

had a sweet nose, hard to describe favor, bit tannic, was ok not great.  Label

was better than the wine.     WS91    CR3     Good with pasta, chicken.

Dow’s-Porto-Late Bottled Vintage-Portugal-2003-$15.99-I have

become a big Port fan, not as much Tawny Port (more like a brandy) but Ruby

Ports.  All Ports have that wonderful nose of a spice box, rich color, dark fruit,

full bodied. I enjoy a small glass some nights as a nightcap (since Ports are so

high in alcohol they can put you to sleep), a bottle can last up to a month in the

frig. Unlike some Ports this one does not need to be decanted.     NR    CR4

Good with desert, ice cream.

EAGLEPOINT RANCH-PETITE SIRAH-CALIFORNIA-2005-$22.50.  Thick full bodied, dark fruit,

spice, great with a steak or without food. This wine is from Mendocino County which is North Coast

area above Sonoma, its wines are up and coming, allot of natural winemaking methods.  Wine will

cellar for another few years.  WE-93  WS-84   CR-4-4-4.5  Good with steak, pasta, chicken.

W & J GRAHAM’S-NV (NON VINTAGE)-SIX GRAPES RESERVE-PORTO-PORTUGAL-$15.99.  I

have become a big port fan, not as much the tawny port which are more like a brandy and lighter in

color. This port is dark red, great dark fruit, meant to drank at the end of the night and a small glass is

plenty, a true sipping desert wine. A bottle once opened is good for a month in the frig.   NR  CR-4

Good with desert, ice cream, cigar.