HESS CABERNET SAUVIGNON - 2006

A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvgnon, 8% Syrah, 4% Merlot. 45% Mendocino Country, 30% Lake County, 25% Napa County. 13.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark red color with ripe berries and red cherries on the nose. Solid mouth-drying tannins, tart cherries and cranberries, black currant, vanilla, oak and spice on the palate. Black cherry with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Medium-bodied with a smooth mouthfeel.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

A very good entry level Cabernet. Good fruit, structure and easy to pair with foods. Suggested retail is around $17 which means if you can find this wine on sale for around $15 I think it is a decent buy. It is a little simplistic lacking some complexity but both the alcohol and oak are in check. Definitely the kind of wine that will be an easy crowd-pleaser but at the same time it won't wow anyone.

NICOLAS COLE GRAEAGLE RED WING - 2005

From Columbia Valley, Washington State. 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 15% Petit Verdot.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark color with chocolate dust and mocha on the nose. Relatively smooth with black currant, blackberry and dark fruits on the palate. Lots of vanilla. Fairly well balanced despite its whopping 14.8% alcohol.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88+PTS

Very solid effort but for $22 a bottle I think this doesn't quite deliver. It just doesn't pack the punch of other Washington meritages in this price category. If you've got the money to spend it might be worth a taste, otherwise I'd pass on this one.

MEINHARD FORSTREITER GRUNER VELTLINER SCHIEFER - 2006

Dry white Gruner Veltliner from Austria with 13.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Pale gold color with complex nose of lime, citrus, pear, orange and hints of petrol. On the palate there's honeydew melon, sour apples, pears, orange creamsicle and banana on the finish. Some frizzante in the glass. Oak and honey-caramel emerge on the second day.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

Packed with flavors and complexity. This is a superb Gruner. Retails for around $17 making this a tremendous offering. I love this wine and highly recommend it.

CHATEAU REIGNAC BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR - 2000

Made from 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark purple color with a beautiful charcoal-smoked oak nose. Lots of barnyard on the nose as well on pop and pour. Medium-bodied with lush dark fruits, hints of chalk and chocolate, earth and flowers, tobacco and vanilla. Great plum finish. High acidity suggests this wine has many years to go ahead of it.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

Simply terrific and beautiful effort. Gorgeous fruit and balance. Wonderful character and smoke. Bought this wine for around $20 on release. It is worth twice that price if you can find it. Love this wine.

D'ARENBERG THE STUMP JUMP WHITE - 2006

McLaren Vale, Australia blend of 63% Riesling, 16% Sauvignon Blanc, 13% Roussanne and 8% Marsanne. 13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Light yellow color with a nose of petrol, apple and grassy-floral notes. Somewhat oily with clean crisp flavors of citrus, pear, and minerality. Bright fruit and acidity.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

Retails for around $9 making this an affordable and enjoyable white meritage. Australia, best known for its Shiraz and over-the-tops reds, is really starting to gain attention with its white wines. Nothing surprising here, but rich and well-defined with Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc flavors and aromas dominating the lesser varietals. A good effort that pairs well with light summer dishes.

KELLEREI GRIES LAGREIN GRIESER RISERVA - 2005

Lagrein is an red grape from Northern Italy. It is a relative of Syrah and a relatively hard varietal to find since not too many wineries grow it. This bottle has 13.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Extremely dark color (almost black) with a plastic assembly line/mechanical nose. Loads of black currant, black plums, blackberries and blueberries. A bit of a rough wine with huge mouth drying tannins and lots of acidity. Some cherry on the mid-palate. A very big, boisterous wine.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89+PTS

This is a very rough and tumble wine with a huge tannic backbone but it has rich black fruits. This is not an elegant wine and it more for Chianti lovers who are used to high acidity and high tannins. Retailing for around $27 a bottle, I'd recommend this one only if you have a curiosity to taste a new varietal. Otherwise, there's much better value out there.

SAINT JEAN DU BARROUX L'OLIGOCENE - 2003

Located in Provence, this wine is 63% Red Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Carignan and 10% Cinsault. Aged 24 months in tank and barrel with 15% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Purple-black color with lots of sediment. Huge port-like flavors and aromas. Red meat, paint-thinner and creme-de-cassis on the nose. Lots of black fruit, black currant, and cherry with hints of black pepper, fresh herbs and vanilla underneath. Incredibly concentrated - almost fortified in a liqueur-kirsch kind of way.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90+ PTS

A valiant and original effort. There's some heat and the alcohol is a bit heavy at 15%, but this is a unique wine with extraordinary depth and character. Retails for around $24 which makes this wine a good value in comparison to Chateauneuf-du-Papes in this price range.

CRISTINI ASCHERI ARNEIS, LANGHE - 2007

Italian white wine from Piemonte with 13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Light golden color with aromas and flavors of apples, melon, almond and citrus. Medium-bodied that is reminiscent of a Sauvignon Blanc-Pinot Grigio-Chardonnay with clean flavors and well-defined acidity.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

And interesting varietal that isn't easily found. Not that vibrant or impressive of a bottle, but a decent food wine. Hard to recommend at $19 a bottle.