CHATEAU MUSAR - 1997

Lebanon in a bottle. Made by a legend. Serge Hochar continues to make dynamic wines with tremendous depth that are forever memorable. From the Bekaa Valley, where wine was born.

13.5% alcohol. Cabernet, Cinsault, Carignan.

TASTING NOTES:

Light, transparent ruby red. Barolo meets Pinot Noir with Bordeaux elegance and structure. The nose is evolved, immersed oak, cherry and cranberry. On the palate there is tobacco, fig, sour cherry, strawberry, raisin, earth, and endless other descriptors that gradually reveal themselves in the glass. Silky smooth. Pretty much as smooth as it gets.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

96 PTS

There's wine. And there's wine. In a world full of big over oaked California Cabernets and bold Aussie reds exploding with saturation and sugar, it takes a wine like this to put them to shame. Seriously. If there's ever been a wine that encapsulates the word "authentic," this is it. This is the kind of wine that reminds me why I'm so passionate about wine. Craft and originality almost push the cork out of the bottle. Chateau Musar isn't trying to be anything but the best that it can be. The recommendation is to not drink Chateau Musar until 7 years after its vintage. Age definitely has a magical impact on this wine. It gets better and better. The same thing happens once you open the bottle. It keeps changing in the glass and revealing more of itself moment by moment.

Post Apocalypse, Desert Island, you can only bring one bottle...Chateau Musar will always enter into that discussion. It is that kind of wine.

PETER LEHMANN EDEN VALLEY DRY RIESLING - 2009

11% alcohol. Barossa, Australia Riesling.

TASTING NOTES:

Pale yellow color with a nose of petrol and lime. On the palate, there's plenty of citrus, tropical fruits and minerality. Lots of tart acidity on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

I am actually a fan of dry Riesling. When it is crisp and bold on the tongue with sharp, detailed acidity it can be a thing of wonder and it does amazing things to the right food. This wine doesn't hit a home run for me. It isn't bad. It just lacks a delicious factor. I think the flavors are not prominent or harmonious enough to keep up with the tart acidity that it has in clubs. Wine Spectator scored this wine 90 points but I'm in a very different place. Retails for around $17.

BAROSSA CLANCY'S RED - 2008

50% Shiraz, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot from Barossa, Australia. 14.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Vibrant red color with berries, raspberries, plum, and cranberry-mulberry. Soft, smooth and robust.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

85 PTS

There have been better vintages of the Clancy in the past. This one is serviceable with lots of clearly defined flavors but it didn't come together for me. I enjoyed the 2007 a lot more, perhaps because there was less Shiraz in the blend and some Cabernet Franc that really seemed to bring out nice black fruit notes. Retails for around $17.

CUPCAKE VINEYARDS CHARDONNAY - 2009

100% Chardonnay. 14% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Light gold color. Creamy, buttery, vanilla, oak. Soft on the palate. Some citrus emerges but is overwhelmed by oak.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

84 PTS

Simple, easy drinking Chardonnay. Nothing too special here but approachable. Retails for around $12 a bottle.

CUPCAKE VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC - 2010

100% Sauvignon Blanc. 13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Light yellow color with signature cat pee and citrus aromas. Tropical notes with lots of lemon, grapefruit, peach and lychee. Good acidity. Clean and soft.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

85 PTS

A pretty solid effort. Some nice complexity for $12 a bottle. New Zealand really dominates the Sauvignon Blanc marketplace and its easy to see why.

BANFI CHIANTI DOCG SUPERIORE - 2008

75% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo Nero. 13.3% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Ripe red color with black cherry, oak, and very terroir driven nose. Dark berries, black currant, dark cherries and a hint of eucalyptus/mint on the palate. Very round and balanced.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

This is a good Chianti for $11 a bottle. Not too rough or tannic but still true to the region. Very enjoyable with some finesse as well.