FRANCISCAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON - 2004

Napa Valley Cabernet from Oakville with 13.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark ruby red color with aromas of blackberry, vanilla and toasty/smoked oak. Flavors of plum, black currant, toasted oak, coffee and high notes of black cherry on the mid-palate. Dry, mouth-puckering tannins.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

Built like a Bordeaux. There's enough complexity and mid-palate fruit to keep both Old World and New World fans happy. Attacks the palate upfront where most of the intensity of flavor lives before dissolving into the finish. A solid offering. Retails for around $18 a bottle.

NEYERS SYRAH - 2002

From Hudson Vineyards in Napa Valley with 14.8% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark color with meat, smoke, and perfume on the nose. An initial hit of white chocolate upfront is followed by flavors of smoked pork, black and blue fruit, cherry, Sweet Tarts, oregano, black currant and fresh plum on the finish. Incredibly smooth, juicy and complex.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

93 PTS

This is phenomenal Syrah. It now retails for an expensive $25 - $35 a bottle although I purchased it for much less years ago. The kind of wine that you won't forget. Very memorable with lots of evolution in the glass. Love this one!

FRITZ HAAG BRAUNEBERGER JUFFER RIESLING KABINETT - 2005

German semi-sweet Riesling with 8.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Pale yellow water color with wet rock, apple and pear on the nose. Lots of frizzante with lemon-lime, honey, yeasty bread notes and vanilla on the finish. Light weight but solid acidity helps keep the wine in balance.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88 PTS

Wine Spectator gave this wine a 92 point rating but it falls quite short of that rating for me. This is a good Riesling with a decent amount of residual sugar at $15 - $20 a bottle, I think it becomes a questionable purchase. There are lots of Rieslings in this price range that bring more enjoyment.

PETER LEHMANN BAROSSA CHARDONNAY - 2006

Australian Chardonnay made from a blend of fruit from vineyards in the lower Barossa Valley and higher, cooler Edna Valley. Half of the fruit was fermented in French oak and rest was fermented cold in stainless steel. 13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Light straw gold color with peach and apple on the nose. Exceptionally smooth with hints of buttered oak and flinty minerality. Very clean and youthful.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

A very straightforward easy drinking Chardonnay for $11. Those who love huge buttered popcorn and oak Chards will be disappointed. If you are tired of that style, this is a nice departure. There's just enough oak to accent the wine, sort of like a counter-melody played under the main score. There's not much complexity here but it is very smooth and round which should make this a crowd-pleaser. It has weight so it doesn't come off as thin, but the fruit is a bit subdued.

PETER LEHMANN BAROSSA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - 2005

This Australian PL Cabernet with 14.5% alcohol was fermented on skins for 7 days and matured in French and American oak hogsheads for 12 months prior to bottling.

TASTING NOTES:

Purple-red color with spice, sandlewood and black fruit on the nose. After popping and pouring the tannins are tight with a grip but are surprisingly soft. As the wine opens, black currant dominates the mid-palate and finish with accents of mint/menthol, cherry, vanilla, oak and cocoa.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

Some early heat and astringency blows off giving way to a pretty interesting Cabernet. Although the mouthfeel is soft, the wine is still young and rough. Lacks the depth and wow factor of a California or Washington Cabernet, but still delivers enough complexity to make this a solid food wine. Retails for around $15 a bottle making this an affordable wine for the category.

DELILLE DOYENNE SYRAH - 2004

A huge Washington State Syrah with a hefty alcohol content of 15.4%. There is also 3% Viognier in the blend.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark cherry color with tremendous blueberry jam and flowers on the nose. Flavors of toasty oak, cocoa and game are offset by massive blackberry and black fruit flavors. Extremely concentrated and ripe.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

Built like an Australian fruit bomb, this wine is enormous. I'm not sure it is drinking at its best right now because there's some heat here that detracts from the experience. Retails for $40 making this an expensive option but it is the kind of wine you'll be glad you have if you stash it away and open it years from now.

FRANCOIS PINON VOUVRAY CUVEE TRADITION - 2006

Loire white made from Chenin Blanc with 12% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Light gold color with a delicate mouthfeel. Sour apple, oak, lemon and lime notes with Vanillin (artificial vanilla) on the finish. Smooth and sleek.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

Light and easy to drink but lacking in depth and character. This is a straight forward effort that won't excite but is palatable. Limited sweetness. Retails for around $15 a bottle making this a questionable purchase.

DOMAINE DE BEAURENARD CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE - 1999

From the Coulon brothers and 7 generations of winegrowers. This Rhone red is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault. 14% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Medium purple-red color. Nose of black currant and licorice with very juicy and smooth black fruit. Medium-bodied with ripe blackberry, and subtle undertones of leather, earth and white pepper. The finish exhibits a long and extraordinarily fresh taste of plums.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

A really smooth black fruit pie of a wine. Bought this for about $25 several years ago. It is drinking very nicely now. If you own it, you may want to pop it open. Not sure what this retails for today, but if it is significantly more, I'm not sure I'd advise seeking it out.

CORE ELEVATION SENSATION - 2005

From Alta Mesa, Santa Barbara County. 60% Mourvedre and 40% Grenache with 15% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Medium red color with aromas and flavors of blueberry jam, strawberry and spicy oak. There is a very well-defined fresh plum finish that is backed by black fruits. Smooth with a big backbone full of black currant, cassis, and earth.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

An excellent wine but expensive at $35 a bottle. I feel like you can get this kind of depth and character from a good $20 - $25 California Syrah. On the bubble for a recommendation. There's no doubting that this is good stuff and it won't disappoint, I'm just not convinced the value is quite there.