JOH. JOS. PRUM GRAACHER HIMMELREICH RIESLING SPATLESE - 2005

8% alcohol German Riesling from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer.

TASTING NOTES:

Golden color with tons of frizzante. Citrus, petroleum and minerals on the nose. Perfect balance, weight and acidity. Wonderful minerality and a terrific mouthfeel. Flavors of pastry, minerals and a cherry vanilla finish underscore a solid body of fruit.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

96 PTS

Sweetness, structure and balance. This is an amazing Riesling. Retails for around $30-$35 a bottle and worth every penny. Exceptional.

BOARDING PASS SHIRAZ - 2005

From Chris Ringland, 100% Shiraz, 15.7% alcohol, aged in French and American Oak, Australia. You have to love the look of an airline boarding pass that the label emulates, with a checked luggage tag on top and a spoof of an in-flight safety booklet on the back.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark, dark red color with plum on the nose. Lots of black and red fruit, super lush and smooth. Hints of toast and long plum finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89+PTS

A very solid wine for around $16. Not too over-the-top, but a little one-note. Simple, straight-forward quality that leaves you yearning for a little bit more complexity. Enjoyable.

LONGBOARD MERLOT DAKINE- 2005

Grown in prime Pinot Noir country, this California Merlot is 14.5% alcohol. DaKine Vineyard, is nestled at the bottom of an east-facing hill on Westside Road in Healdsburg. This is the first vintage Longboard made from these grapes.“DaKine” (pronounced Dah-kine) comes from the Pidgin Hawaiian language and is often used to describe a great event.

TASTING NOTES:

Medium red ruby color with burnt barbecue and berries on the nose. Lots of toast, black currant, creme-de-cassis upfront with cranberry/pomegranate on the hot finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

83 PTS

This effort really didn't come together. There's a lot of tannin and heat. The wine felt overpowered by the tannin and alcohol. Some interesting flavors lurk underneath but not enough to warrant purchasing. Retails for $16 a bottle.

CHATEAU CANTEMERLE - 2003

A 5th Growth Bordeaux from Haut Medoc with 12.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Garnet color with aromas and flavors of barnyard and bittersweet chocolate upfront followed by toast, black currant, grape jelly, blueberry and blackberry. Strong plum notes pop on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

This is an excellent Bordeaux for around $20 - $25. Tons of complexity, ever evolving in the glass, big smells, vibrant fruit and Old World panache as well. Thumbs up!

SCHILD ESTATE BAROSSA SHIRAZ - 2005

This 14.5% alcohol Shiraz from Australia scored 93 points from Wine Spectator and was #16 on the Top 100 List.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark color with aromas of cherry and toast. Extremely concentrated with a grilled black fruit undercurrent. Plum, licorice and cherry notes dominate a very smooth and balanced fruit bomb where the alcohol is nicely integrated.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91+ PTS

This wine reminds me of big saturated and explosive Spanish reds like the Clio. It is well put together and not the crazy out of whack fruit attacks that usually come from Australia. A much more polished effort with nice balance. Retails for around $25.

ELYSE ZINFANDEL MORISOLI VINEYARD - 2001

From Napa Valley with 15.2% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark purple-red color but starting to show some brown age around the rim. Aromas and flavors of black fruit, raisins, prunes and plums with a hint of leather. Smooth and sweet, almost port-like in its structure.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

This wine is definitely past its prime. It is no longer a fruit forward vibrant Zin. Instead it resembles a well-aged Italian wine or dessert wine with old world prunes and leather. Subdued but still enjoyable. An interesting evolution from the cellar.

ROSENBLUM CELLARS HERITAGE CLONES PETITE SIRAH - 2004

San Francisco Bay Petite Sirah with 15.4% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES

Deep, dark purple color with Bubblicious grape bubblegum and cherry liqueur on the nose. Zesty berry, coffee, creme de cassis, vanilla, cocoa, herbs and black fruit round out a very complex palate and finish. Creamy mouthfeel with a backbone.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

There's some heat on this wine. It does eventually calms down giving way to an impressive effort. This is a big Syrah with a lot of punch. Big flavors, big mouthfeel, big tannins, lots of intensity. A great wine for $15 that should improve with age.

BERHARD OTT GRUNER VELTLINER DER OTT - 2006

Austrian white wine with 14% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Bright yellow color with floral and tropical fruit aromas. Flavors of honeydew, watermelon, spiced oak, and honey transition into a beautiful apricot finish. Wonderful structure, acidity, mouthfeel and balance.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

93 PTS

This is a wonderful GV with flavors that pop on the mid-palate. The nose is clean. There is a crispness and focus to the wine that is exceptional. This would be a great introduction wine for people who like sweet white and are looking to experiment with dry white wines. Even though it is dry there is so much tropical and melon zinging around that it would please those with a sweet tooth. A fantastic effort for only $19.

MALGRA' CUGNEXIO MOSCATO D'ASTI - 2005

Moscato Bianco dessert white from Italy with 5% alcohol. Made from 100% Muscat grapes.

TASTING NOTES:

Straw yellow color with intense peach and apricot on the nose. Tastes like a peach-apple sparkling cider with lively acidity and a crisp finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

An excellent sweet wine with rich fruit flavors and aromas. Retails for around $14 and comes in a 750ML bottle making this a tremendous value for a dessert wine.

CHATEAU VALROSE CUVEE ALIENOR - 2004

A blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc from St. Estephe, Bordeaux.

TASTING NOTES:

Extremely dark color with toasty oak and black fruit on the nose. Very lush, soft and sleek mouthfeel with ultrafine tannins. Black currant with a hint of licorice and charred oak.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATIONS:

88 PTS

Not as enjoyable as the 2002. This wine was actually a bit of a disappointment. The mouthfeel is outstanding but the aromas and flavors are a bit one dimensional. Leaves you wanting more. The wine also breaks down very fast. It tastes best when popped and poured. On the second day, the wine had lost its luster. Retails for around $20 making this a pass.

PELLER CABERNET FRANC ICE WINE - 2004

Happy New Year! This delicious elixir welcomed in 2008. It has an alcohol content of 11%.

TASTING NOTES:

Cranberry red color with red fruit and raisins on the nose. Prunes, apricots, cherries and goji flavors are underscored by a sweet yet slightly tart finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

A delicious dessert wine that pairs beautifully with chocolate. A nice change from the typical Vidal or Riesling Ice Wines from Ontario. Retails for around $50 in Canada although can be a lot more expensive to purchase in the U.S.