CONCANNON CONSERVANCY CHARDONNAY - 2008

From Livermore Valley, California. 100% Chardonnay with 13.5% alcohol. Aged in French and American oak barrels.

TASTING NOTES:

Light golden color with minerality and apple on the nose. Clean, crisp, creamy, smooth, very balanced. Pear, citrus and tropical fruits up front with apple, charred oak, coconut and creme brulee caramel on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89+ PTS

Let me start out by saying that I've lost a lot of love for Chardonnay over the years. Mainly because they are over-oaked, flat and not very exciting wines. This Concannon Chardonnay helped me remember what I love most about this varietal. Depth of flavor, great mouthfeel, balance, pairs well with food, creamy, oak is in check, subtle yet surprising. This is just a terrific effort for $15 a bottle. This is a wine with some real finesse. Worth noting that this wine tasted as good or better on day two and three.

CONCANNON CONSERVANCY PETITE SIRAH - 2007

From Livermore Valley in California. 13.5% alcohol. 97% Petite Sirah, 3% Petit Verdot. Aged in French and American oak barrels.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark purple color with a huge nose of blackberries and blueberry pie. Some alcohol on the nose as well. On the palate lots of black fruit, wild berries, mocha and plum notes. Charred oak on the finish overpowers the fruit.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

A well-made wine but the alcohol seems to be showing through a little too much. Perhaps some time in the bottle will settle this wine down. I have to say that the alcohol detracted from the wine and effected my score. Otherwise, I would have rated this wine higher. It is a supple and rich wine with good fruit and character. Retails around $15 a bottle. Concannon also makes a Limited Release Petite Sirah and each year it is one of my favorite value wines on the market as the quality is consistently there vintage after vintage.

YEALANDS PINOT NOIR - 2008

From Marlborough, New Zealand. 13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Transparent red (the way Pinot Noir should be). Huge nose of ripe strawberries. Red fruit explodes on the palate. Delicate with strawberries and raspberries upfront. Good acidity, spice, vanilla and some oak. Bright, pointed flavors. Good structure. Strong finish with some black cherry notes.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

Let's get right to the point. This is an amazing little wine that retails for $12. Not only is this wine extremely well-made it also delivers at a fraction of the price. More expensive Pinots from California and Burgundy fall way short of what is in this bottle. This may be my value wine of the year. As this wine opens up it even gets significantly better. Wonderfully delicate and structured with some solid acidity underneath. Amisfield used to be the steal from New Zealand delivering tremendous Pinot Noir, but that now retails for $25+ a bottle. This is the new player in town. The wine to beat. Like George Mason making it to the final four years ago in the NCAA Tourney, this is the little guy blowing past the ranked Pinots. As an added bonus, the alcohol is kept in check around 13% instead of the monster 15% Pinots that seem to dominate the marketplace.

CHATEAU TANUNDA GRAND BAROSSA SHIRAZ - 2007

Barossa Valley, Australia. 95% Shiraz, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. Grown in Shallow, pale loam over clay, dark loams with ironstone. 14.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark red color with berries, creamy oak and a hint of alcohol on the nose. Big creamy oak and spice upfront with black currant and raspberry on the mid-palate. The finish is all charred oak, pepper and berries. Fairly smooth but a big wine.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

The initial attack on this wine is great. Quick vanilla creamy oak followed by a huge but very short-lived burst of spice. But the mid-palate is also short and the oak and alcohol are both out of control on this wine. I think those who love big Aussie Shiraz and California Cabs might like this quite a bit. However, for my palate it just doesn't have enough finesse. Retails for around $19.

CHATEAU TANUNDA GRAND BAROSSA RIESLING - 2009

Barossa Valley, Australia. 11.5% alcohol. 100% Riesling grown in sandy loam over limestone soil.

TASTING NOTES:

Light yellow color with aromas of lime and citrus fruits. Lemon, lime, minerality and a crisp tartness dominate the mid-palate. Refreshing and an excellent Riesling to pair with food. Melon and citrus flavors round out the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

A very good Riesling especially for those looking to escape some of the more sweet Rieslings that dominate the marketplace. This is a drier and more linear expression of the grape that is clear, crisp and on point. An enjoyable offering that retails for around $16.