BANSHEE MORDECAI PROPRIETARY RED - 2010

A blend of varietals sourced from some California mystery vineyards. 14.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Red and black fruit. Smooth, dark, Cab driven with berries, licorice, black cherries and earth. Pretty balanced although some alcohol shows through.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89 PTS
A great wine with excellent fruit.  It does not possess tremendous depth but has an easy drinking feel to it. Despite some heat the wine is very balanced. Retails for around $21.

LA FLEUR DE BOUARD - 2005

Lalande-de-Pomerol. 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Seductive aromas. Tannic, oaky, sleek. Rich black fruit of plums, blackberries, black currant, creme-de-cassis, licorice. Distinctive Pomerol smoked earth.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS
I love good Pomerol wines and this wine seems to deliver year after year. 2005 is a great vintage and this one pops dynamically in the glass.  Getting up there in price near $40 although this was a steal on futures when acquired.

MONSANTO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA - 2008

90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, 3% Colorino with 14% alcohol. Instead of large Slavonian casks the wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barriques.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark red and black fruit, with lots of tobacco, cherries and leather. Plum and spice round out the ends with soft, ripe tannin.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91+PTS
Balance, structure and finesse. This is a great wine that flies under the radar.  Previous vintage made the Wine Spectator Top 100 list, yet the price on this one did not escalate. Retails for around $17 making it a solid buy.

RUFFINO MODUS TOSCANA IGT - 2009

A blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet and 25% Merlot.

TASTING NOTES: 

Cedar oak leaps from the glass with earth, cherries, tobacco and dark fruit emerging.  On the palate there's elegant fruit and oak, lots of leather, dark blackberries, plum, black currant and herbs. Hints of asphalt and spices lurk beneath. 

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

94 PTS

Great acidity and balance. Delicious cedar oak.  A wine that evolves in the glass with complexity. Ripe and ready to drink but will only get better with some time in the bottle. Retails for around $25 and worth every penny.

MOVIA SAUVIGNON - 2010

You've probably had Sauvignon Blanc from California or New Zealand, but what about Slovenia?  12.5% alcohol and 100% unique.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark amber-gold color with aromas of elderflower, citrus and herbs.  On the palate, there's lemon, an herbaciousness and honey on the finish.  More viscosity than your typical Sauvignon and drifts into an area of wet stones and minerality.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS
A really intriguing white wine that is not driven by fruit. It fits into more of a dry, floral, slate category.  Good acidity, a heavier bodied white with just a bit of oxidation. Retails for around $25.