Il Bastardo Sangiovese 2008

i have to admit, i bought this one solely because of the name and the label. and the price was right too. selling for about $8, this tuscan wine is actually quite nice. the nose had some cherry and blackberry, a little earth and some light spice notes. the palate had most of the same, with blackberry and cherry flavors and just a little earth. the tannins were medium and the finish was long and fruity. this is a good pizza or pasta wine, especially at this price. this won't knock your socks off by any means. it is a fun, easy drinking every day table wine.

Chateau La Croix du Duc 2009 Bordeaux

2009 bordeaux's are getting rave reviews for good reason. sometimes it pays to let them get some bottle time, like this one. this is mostly merlot, about 90%, with the rest split between cab and cab franc. selling for about $10-12, la croix du duc has some really nice aromas of earth, blackberry, and some chocolate. the palate was not yet fully developed, perhaps a little too young to drink it. there were hints of what is to come, with black currant and coffee, and subtle earth and some cedar. but mostly it was just not as pronounced as it probably will be in a few years. so if you have a place to store wine, pick up a couple of bottles of this and wait patiently. i think you will reap the benefits with time.

Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2008

i wrote about a couple of varietals (chenin blanc and merlot) from this south african producer a while back and had the opportunity to try their sauvignon blanc recently. for a maker of wines at this price range ($8), these folks know how to do it right. i have not had anything from indaba that has been disappointing. the sauv blanc is no exception. the nose had citrus, some pineapple and a little spicy pepper. the palate was an interesting combination of citrus and spice. nothing like the new zealand grapefruit bombs. this had a juicy mouth feel and a little zing in the finish. good summer time patio pounder. try it with seafood or sushi.

Domaine du Chateau d'Eau Sauvignon Blanc 2007

i tried this nice suavignon blanc from france recently. when compared to some of the grapefruit heavy new zealand styles, this one is very nice. it sells for about $12 and has a nose of cirtus and tropical fruit, with some slightly grassy notes and a little floral aroma. the palate was somewhat grassy, with tropical fruit undertones. nice mineral notes and a crisp, elegant finish. this is a great wine for sushi and other seafood or fish dishes.

Oxford Landing Viognier 2008

the comely brunette and i enjoyed a valentine dinner of crab cakes, red potatoes and asparagus with this beautiful viognier from australia. selling for about $9, this white has an expressive nose of stone fruits, minerals, some nice floral aromas and a little musky note. the palate is full and slightly creamy in the mouth with peach and mineral flavors, followed by some very interesting floral notes. think of lily of the valley. the wine ended with a very crisp finish. a wonderful complement to our meal. try this one the next time you have seafood on the menu. you won't be disappointed.

Vino de Eyzaguirre 2008 Merlot

here is another recent find at a local wine shop from chile for under $10. (easy to spot this one as the bottle is wrapped in burlap). i know many people shy away from merlot these days. but you really need to give this one a try. nice nose of berry and earth, with some hints of leather. the palate is a mix of plum and black currant, with some excellent earth and tobacco flavors coming through in the finish. medium tannins and soft mouth feel make this one a worthy wine for a variety of foods, but try it by itself too. i will definitely give this a return visit, especially at this price.

Enotria Barbera 2006

enotria, which means 'the land of wine' is an off shoot from the graziano family of wines. this label is dedicated to varieties from the piemonte region of italy. the barbera sells for about $15 a bottle and does very well in the medocino region of california. this is a fairly bold red and will go well with many foods, including pizza. the nose has nice cherry and red raspberry notes, some earth and sweet tobacco, and just a hint of violet. the palate is medium-bodied with tart cherry and plum, and raspberry flavors, nice earth notes, and some cedar. all in a wine that delivers boldness with nice, soft tannins. this is a very nice wine and at this price, a real steal. i highly recommend giving this one a try.

Paumanok Merlot 2005

it is always fun to try new wines in different areas of the country. since relocating to new york, i have been able to try some wines from the area that are very nice. this merlot is definitely in that category. the wine has a little bottle age on it and stands up very well. the nose has lots of black cherry, some nice earth and a little cedar. the palate was fruit forward with bing cherry and some plum dominating. after a little air, the flavor profile changed a bit with some nice earth and dark chocolate flavors. good food wine. try with some nice cheese, chicken or meat dishes, or maybe a pasta with red sauce. sells for about $20.

Sandeman 10 Year Tawny Port

i love a good port and for some reason it is more enjoyable to me when the weather is cold. i love the way it warms me from the inside. sandeman makes a really nice port and you can spend a little or quite a bit, depending on how old a tawny port you are willing to buy. the 10 year is a good place to start as it sells for about $30. the nose has lots of ripe fruit and vanilla, candied fruit and raisins. the palate has more of the candied fruit and some nice butterscotch, vanilla and nutty flavors. excellent by itself, but try this with some blue cheese or chocolate!