BEAUX FRERES RIBBON RIDGE PINOT NOIR - 2006

14.8% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark ruby color with red berries, oak and vanilla on the nose. Wonderful ripping acidity on the back-end. The acidity is so intense at first that it almost creates a carbonated effect in the mouth. Spice, red raspberry, cherry and strawberries. As the wine opens up more oak emerges but early on it is very subtle and underscores the wine. There's a sweetness to the wine that really balances it.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

93 PTS

Amazing acidity is what drives this wine into excellence. This is a terrific bottle with great structure. There's a simplicity underneath it all that makes it seem effortless, but this wine is far from simple. Purchased for $63. Retails for as much as $99.

BOGLE PHANTOM - 2005

A blend of 54% Petite Sirah, 43% Old Vine Zinfandel, and 3% Old Vine Mouvedre. The black magic is back! 14.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Transparent ruby red color. Nose of cranberry and pomegranate. Lots of black currant and plum on the palate. Hints of oak, chocolate and spice. A 30 second black cherry Tootsie Roll pop finish. Tremendous length, structure. Solid backbone yet smooth.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

This wine is not only a crowd pleaser it is a wine lover's wine. Lots of red and black fruit with complexity mixed in. Style and substance. Year after year this wine delivers. I call it my Halloween wine because of the label and also because it pairs well with chocolate. Retails for $17 a bottle and worth every penny.

FLOWERS SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR - 2004

14.1% alcohol

TASTING NOTES:

Medium transparent red color with wonderful red berries, spice and oak on the nose. Cherry, raspberries and strawberries with minerality and hints of leather. Very soft and smooth but lacking a some complexity.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

I really like this wine and have had great experiences with Flowers Pinots in the past. I think the alcohol creeps up on the finish a tad and makes this wine not as enjoyable as it could be. Still, this is a very good effort. The brightness of the fruit and the bouquet are its strengths. Retails for $40 - $50 which makes this a very expensive offering and a questionable purchase.

CHATEAU FEUILLET FUMIN - 2005

100% Fumin.

TASTING NOTES:

Syrah meets Lagrein in this unique varietal. Light to medium-bodied with violets, blueberry and barnyard on the nose. Hints of leather underscore flavors of black currant, licorice, blackberry and smoky/meaty spice and pepper.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

Very complex and delicious. I bought this in LA at Wine Expo. What a terrific Italian wine shop with endless selections you've never heard of. Retails for $37 which makes it a bit pricey, but well worth the experience.

POESIA TORRONTES - 2007

From Mendoza, Argentina with over 14% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Yellow color with wonderful aromatics. Tremendous nose full of floral, tropical fruit, and honeysuckle. On the palate, some apple underneath. Lots of acidity with honey on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

This is a great wine with one major flaw. The back-end is too hot. It chokes the finish and seriously detracts from the wine. Without the heat, it would be an 89 PT wine for me. For $10, there's still good value here but I'm not as high on it as I would have liked to be.

CHATEAU MALMAISON BARONNE NADINE DE ROTHSCHILD - 2000

75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. 12.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark garnet color with leather, pencil and barnyard on the nose. Lots of sediment in the wine with earth, floral and dark berries being the predominant flavors. Somewhat monolithic and mellow.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

Average effort. Not very exciting. Chewy tannins that lean a toward the bitter side. Drinkable wine but questionable QPR at $30.

PINE RIDGE RUTHERFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON - 2003

From Napa Valley. Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec blended in. 14.4% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Rich red color and vibrant nose of raspberries and creamy oak. Loads of cherry and pomegranate are underscored by nice vanilla oak notes and a cranberry finish. Some tobacco, black fruits and minerality on the mid-palate. Somewhat chewy with great complexity as this wine evolves in the glass. Very smooth.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

Retails for around $45 a bottle. Very impressive wine that took me by surprise. I was not expecting as much depth and character based on some previous Pine Ridge Cabs I had recently tasted. Very pleased with this effort and worth the price tag.