Piccolo Cru 2007 Napa Valley

this red blend comes from paoletti vineyards in napa. the blend is 42% cabernet sauvignon, 38% malbec, 14% merlot, and 6% cabernet franc. the price is about $20. i don't know if this particular vintage is still available but bases on some research i did, other vintages will be a similar bordeaux blend. the nose is very big with the first aroma that i picked up being an inky, almost like a sharpie marker note. this is followed by black currant and black cherry, spice and some cedar. as the wine opened up i got some musty notes too. the palate had lots of fruit, with black raspberry and black cherry, some spice and some cedar. finished with black licorice flavors. tannins were pretty big at the start but began to soften some. this worked well with the leftover red meat and smashed potato dish we had from a couple nights ago. bold enough to stand up to other medium spiced dishes too. excellent red blend.

Urban Uco Malbec 2008

i tasted this argentinian malbec in the summer and picked up a bottle for both the taste and the price of $11. it is always great to find a really nice wine at this price point and this one is a keeper. the nose is boysenberry and black raspberry, with some licorice notes. the palate was big and chewy, with black raspberry and more boysenberry. the wine spends only a little time (3 months) in oak so it is very fruit forward, but there is some nice floral and licorice notes as well as a little earth in the flavor that really makes the wine more interesting. had this with pizza, and it will work with red meat dishes too.

Ramirez de Velazco Malbec 2008 Reserva

thanks to our good friend vic, the wife and i were given this bottle of malbec from argentina, which we have had laying down for a year or more. we recently opened it to enjoy as an after dinner treat. the nose had lots of black fruit and spice notes, as well as some vanilla. the palate was loaded with bramble fruits of blackberry and black raspberry, followed by some plum and dark chocolate flavors. a little tannic at first, this red opened up nicely and was a very enjoyable wine. sells for about $15 and will work with lots of spicy pasta and red meat dishes. or enjoy it all by itself like we did.

Longhop Shiraz 2006

longhop shiraz from australia is a wine i tried some time back at a tasting at my local wine shop. i enjoyed the tasting so much that i bought a bottle to lay down. i opened it up to find exactly what i remembered from the original tasting. beautiful nose of dark fruits, like black cherry, blackberry and blueberry. there are also some tar and earth notes in the nose too. the palate has a nice burst of fruit up front, with black raspberry and black cherry leading the way. more nice earth flavors and some coffee and smokey tar on the palate too. this lovely red sells for about $15. try it with pizza, you won't be disappointed.

Saint Gregory Pinot Noir 2006

i have tried this pinot noir in the past and got to revisit it at a recent tasting at my local wine store. this wine is from the umbrella of selections from graziano wines, and comes from 4 vineyards in 3 distinct appellations in mendocino county. a burgundian style wine, this pinot has a nose of black cherry, some spice, and some nice earthy notes. the palate is very velvety and has flavors of black cherry, black raspberry, and earth. medium tannins and a long finish. for the nice price of $18-19 (my purchase was on sale for $15), this is worth a try. and get out the grill and pick up some salmon to pair with this one.

Millbrook Hunt Country Red (NV)

one more from millbrook winery in new york's hudson valley region. hunt country red is a blend of 58% merlot, 26% cab franc, 8% zinfandel, 8% cab sauvignon. this was a wine we tried on our tour and purchased a couple bottles. i thought it was good at the tasting but was even more impressed with the bottle we opened last night. interesting nose of blackberry, spice, earth and tobacco. the palate was full of black raspberry, a little plum, and nice earth notes. very tannic to begin with, the wine mellowed a great deal as we enjoyed this with a nice filet mignon, baked potato and asparagus dinner. excellent red meat wine that will stand up to bigger foods. very fruit forward and jammy. sells for about $16.

Wishing Tree Shiraz 2006

from western australia, this shiraz sells for about $12. the nose is very fruity with red and black fruits and some typical aussie pepper and spice notes. nice and juicy on the palate with black raspberry and black pepper leading the way. tannins were silky and the finish was medium in length. a good food wine that you could grill some shrimp and enjoy with. also would work with burgers or pizza. very much what you would expect from an australian shiraz.

Girard Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

thanks to the crabby grape and the feisty tomato for inviting me over to try this napa valley cab. i in turn brought a bottle of cab which i will review also in my next entry. the 97 cab was purchased in 2001 for about $40. the nose was musty, like old library books, with subtle fruit aromas of black cherry and blackberry. we did a quick taste to see whether the wine needed to be decanted, and the decision to decant was made. on the palate this beautiful old cab was delicate, with what i called a pretty flavor. nothing overpowering, with beautifully subtle flavors of black fruits like black raspberry and blackberry. there was some very nice leather and earth flavors and nice medium tannins, and a very nice finish. we were enjoying this wine with some nice hearty cheeses and salami, and it held up very well, complementing the food nicely. this wine was most likely near it's peak and was a true joy to taste after being in the bottle for 13 years!

Midnight Full Moon Red 2006

here is another nice red blend i tried at a tasting recently. the wine comes from paso robles, california and is a blend of 50% syrah, 40% zinfandel, 10% cabernet sauvignon. the nose is full of fruit and spice, with strawberry aromas and some spicy cinnamon notes. i got a little dirty earth note as well after the wine had opened up. on the palate, lots of black raspberry flavors up front and sage notes at mid-palate and in the finish which became much more pronounced as the wine opened up. the second day i tasted this, the earthy herbal notes were really coming through and i liked the flavor even more. word to the wise, decant this wine. you won't be disappointed. this is a lighter bodied red that will pair well with every day foods like red meat dishes and pastas. sells for about $11. a great value wine.

Small Gully Robert's Shiraz 2004

tried this interesting shiraz from australia. pretty wine. aromas of blueberries, pepper, and some interesting pencil shaving notes that also carried over into the palate. flavors of blueberry, black raspberry, the pencil shavings, leather and spicy pepper all in a well balanced, long finish. very full mouth feel, but not so bold and overpowering that your taste buds are overwhelmed. try this with a nice steak or stew, or just sit back in front of a fire place and enjoy it on its own. sells for about $16…but two and lay one for a few years, you won't be disappointed.

Hook & Ladder "The Tillerman" 2006

at me favorite wine merchant recently i tasted this red blend from the russian river valley in california. the blend is 52% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet franc, 16% merlot and 17% sangiovese. i love good blends and this one is very nice, and worth a try if you like red blends. the nose was raspberry and chocolate and spice, especially clove and a little pepper. the palate was loaded with fruit, with black raspberry and blackberry, followed by a really nice spice note of cloves. i then got the chocolate flavor. very nice, well balanced tannins and a nice, long juicy finish. all for about $15-17. a good wine for anything slightly spicy like barbecue, or for that grilled steak.

Legado Munoz Merlot 2006

merlot has gotten an unfortunate bad rap since 'sideways', but i have always found it to be an nice food wine. i have heard that it is making a little comeback and this offering from spain is a good reason to try merlot again. the nose is raspberries and cherries and some spice. on the palate, a good burst of black fruit, like black raspberries and a little black cherry. i got some real nice pepper and smoke flavors as well. very smooth with a medium length finish, this wine sells for about $10 and will go with a wide variety of foods, including steaks and even the simple pizza or burgers. cheers!

McManis Petite Sirah 2007

another offering from mcmanis that i recently tried was their petite sirah. the nose was blackberry, boysenberry, leather and pepper. off to a nice start. couldn't wait to taste it. the flavor was black raspberry with smoky oak and chocolate flavors mixed in. also got some nice cedar notes as well. the tannins were a bit powerful at first but mellowed as the wine opened up while a swirled it in the glass. this is a nice big wine for a not so big price of about $12. two wines now from mcmanis that have been well worth the money. you gotta try this one. excellent.

Granacha de Fuego 2007

off to spain for this nicely priced ($9 a bottle) grenache. the nose was blackberries, blueberries and spice and earthy, wet leaves. the taste was quite surprising given the low price. it can be hard to find grenache that is worth while at this price point, but this one works well. black raspberries, pepper and licorice flavors with a nice long finish. this is a very fruit forward grenache with medium tannins and will work well with pizza, burgers or a good steak dinner. a very easy drinking wine that is well worth the price.

Sterling Vintner's Collection 2007 Meritage

back to the states with this meritage from sonoma. a blend of 52% cabernet sauvignon, 44% merlot, 3% malbec, 1% petit verdot, this red has a nose of black cherry, rose petals and chocolate. the nose was not very big and it took a while for the wine to open up, so i would suggest decanting this one for an hour or so before drinking. the taste was black raspberry, cherry, spice, with hints of chocolate and floral flavors of rose and violet and very firm tannins. the tannins softened a bit as it opened up in the glass, once again suggesting that the wine needs to be decanted. the best part is the price, selling for about $10 a bottle. this is a fairly dry red that will match up nicely with a veal or beef dinner.

McNab Ridge 2006 Merlot

i had the pleasure to meet mcnab ridge wine maker rich parducci at the cincinnati wine festival. passionate about his craft. his wines won a few medals at the festival. i will be tasting several of his offerings over the course of the next few months. first is his mendocino merlot, which he wasn't pouring at the festival. the nose was ripe blueberries, spicy licorice and pepper. the taste was black raspberry and licorice. i also got a little bit of a black olive note. the wine had medium tannins and a medium finish. the price was about $16. not a bad merlot for that price point.

Alta Vista 2005 Malbec

i received this as a gift. i'm a big fan of argentina malbecs and finding them at low price points is usually not too difficult. this one falls into that $10 range and it is a keeper. the nose was a very interesting combination of black cherry, spice, chocolate and earth. the palate, black raspberry, and the spicy flavors you would expect in a malbec. there were chocolate notes and hints of figs at the end. this had a very nice, long finish. enjoyed this with a barbecue dinner with red beans and rice. very nice wine. worth a second look.

2004 Bergevin Lane "Alder Ridge Vineyard" Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

here is another cabernet, although not in the ultra-low price region. but it is a beauty. from washington state, this cab has a little merlot (16%), cab franc (3%), and petit verdot (3%) mixed in. the nose is black currant, and an earthy, leathery, rich aroma. some spice and cedar. wow. if the taste is anything like the nose, this will be a treat. the flavor was black raspberry, licorice, vanilla, earthy tones. medium tannins with a long, velvety finish. this sells for about $30, although if you shop around you can find it for less. this cab will benefit from time in the bottle. well worth the price. a very complex, delicious cab!

the Little Penguin 2007 Merlot

for the budget conscious wine buyer, the folks a little penguin offer up an array of different wines. their merlot, which sells for about $6 or 7 a bottle, is a nice drinkable wine. when i first started drinking wine on a fairly regular basis, merlot was my wine of choice. i liked the bolder flavored merlots. this is not your big, bold merlot. much more of a fruity variety that would go with barbeque or burgers. the nose was blueberry and cherry and a little rubbing alcohol-like aroma. the palate was black raspberry, dark cherry, chocolate. sweet with very soft tannins. the finish was a little weak, but not bad. on a budget, then go for this, especially if you like a sweeter, fruitier wine. if you are looking for a serious merlot, look elsewhere. (i believe i blogged about one some time back called bocage, which is excellent)

Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2005

seghesio vineyards are noted for their zinfandels. this is one of the lowered priced offerings at about $25. i will be visiting another of their more expensive zins in the near future. as for the sonoma county zin, the nose was dark fruits, black pepper and a little alcohol burn on the nose. the alcohol in zins is usually higher than in other varietals. this one is no exception with an alcohol content of 15.2%. the flavor was of black raspberry, black pepper, and a little anise. the tannins were not overwhelming and the finish was long, somewhat sweet, and satisfying. this would pair well with a nice filet.