Two Oceans Merlot 2009

once again i am visiting a wine from south africa. and once again, i am impressed with the flavor and the price. south africa is one wine region that is really starting to turn out some nice wines. this merlot sells for about $9 and is definitely worth a try. the nose has nice fruit aromas of strawberry and some earthy notes. the palate has blackberry, black cherry, some nice chocolate and some smokey earth notes. i also got a little green pepper note in the finish. this is a good wine with red sauce pasta dishes and hard cheeses. or try it after dinner with some dark chocolate.

Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz 2009

south african reds are interesting, to say the least. this one has been getting quite a bit of press lately. i tasted this some time back at my local wine store and got the opportunity to revisit it recently. this is not your typical shiraz. this is a semi-sweet red that begs for a cheeseburger or a pizza. the nose has lots of blueberry, blackberry and a little chocolate. because this wine spends little time in oak (30% of the wine spends 5 months in american oak) the palate is extremely fruity. fruit bomb comes to mind. lots of red raspberries, juicy blackberries and hints of chocolate. jammy! jam jar is just that, a jam jar full of fruit flavors. looking for a way to get into red wines? this might serve you well. sells for about $10.

Indaba Merlot 2009

the second south african wine is another offering from winemaker bruwer raats and his indaba collection. indaba is the zulu word for a meeting of the minds. indaba makes five different wines all priced at $10. the merlot spends 6 months in french oak and has a nose of cherry, dark chocolate, some plum and a little smoke. the palate is a nice burst of plum and cherries followed by some really nice dark chocolate flavors. there was a little earthy, spicy flavor too. i enjoyed this with some grilled bratwurst and corn on the cob. nice red wine for those friday nights with friends and pizza.

Evergreen Valley Vineyards 2003 Baco Noir

i love to visit wineries whenever i am traveling the country. i was in pennsylvania recently, discovering that they had about 100 wineries. the comely brunette and i visited several of these on the groundhog wine trail in the central part of the state. one stop was at evergreen valley vineyards. seems the buying public in pennsylvania like sweeter wines and all of the wineries we visited play to their audience. even the dry wines tend to be a little sweeter. the hybrid wine, baco noir, is no exception. the nose had cherries, raspberries, a little spice and some caramel notes. the palate was very fruit forward, with sweet raspberry and cherry, a little strawberry and a chocolate finish. very little in the way of tannins and the finish is not very long. if you are just beginning to try red wines, some of the offerings from pennsylvania might be the place to start. good pizza or friday night burger wine. sells for about $12.

Three Oaks Cellars Red 2008

every once in a while you get to try something unique. i tried this red wine a week or so ago that few will get to try and that you can't purchase in a store. produced at a do it yourself wine shop, makewinewithus.com, this wine is a blend of cab, amador zinfandel, and carignane. the nose was loaded with blackberry, cherry, earth and after the wine had been in the glass for a bit, some nice chocolate aromas. the palate was beautifully fruit forward, with raspberry, cherry, more of the earthy notes, and chocolate. the tannins were well balanced and the finish was long and lush. a good food wine, especially as we had it with a salad and left over slices of filet mignon over the top, and olive bread. the bread especially brought out some nice rye flavors in the wine. awesome job by three totowa, jersey guys: mario, jimmy and jason. thanks for the bottle! looking forward to trying more from you. keep up the great work.

Devil's Lair Fifth Leg Red 2006

another blend, this one from australia, combines cab, merlot and shiraz. not sure of the specific % of each (sorry). very fruity on the nose with cassis and black cherry aromas being very pronounced. i also got some nice chocolate aromas as well. on the palate a juicy cherry, blueberry experience. very fruit forward with some spice from the shiraz. soft tannins and hints of chocolate in the finish, this is a good wine for burgers, cheese or pizza. sells for about $14. good every day red blend.

Layer Cake Shiraz 2006

i purchased this wine back in november of 2007 and have had it laying in the cellar since that time. the weather outside was snowy and i wanted to just sit back and look outside watching the snow fall while i sipped a nice red wine. this one filled the need perfectly. the nose had a very pronounced chocolate note after it sat in the glass for a while, along with blackberry and spice. alcohol level was about 15% and you got that heat from the nose as well. the palate was much better and more complex after the wine opened up with time in the glass. raspberries and chocolate notes were very pronounced. this is a full, juicy, jammy red. lots of subtle tobacco and spice notes. velvet mouth feel with a long finish. sells for about $16-20 depending on where you shop. good red meat wine but i enjoyed this by itself.

Hardy's 2008 Shiraz

after a nice leap to the higher end side it is back to reality and the less expensive wine. i needed a red that i could enjoy and had not tried anything from the hardy's line of boxed wines. i read a few decent reviews in wine magazines about their wines and decided to give it a try. the nose was immediately full of fruit, with red raspberry and black cherry coming through. after a bit i started to get a little more spice notes, mostly cinnamon. on the palate, a very balanced fruit forward, jammy wine, with flavors of plums and black cherries, followed by pepper and after opening up, i got some really nice chocolate notes on the finish. this is not a complex wine. very easy drinking slightly tannic red. good wine for your friday night pizza or winter stew. sells for about $16 (that's the equivalent of $4 a bottle. a bargain you may not want to pass up for an every day red).

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.

Loios Red 2007

i tried this very nice budget red from portugal at my favorite wine merchant recently. for $10 this red really delivers. the blend is 35% aragones, 35% trincadeira and 30% castelão. the nose is jammy and full of fruit, with plum and bramble fruit notes coming through. the taste is full and well balanced, with flavors of plums and dark chocolate, followed by some nice subtle meaty notes. medium tannins and a nice long finish with some spice notes in it, this wine will work well with barbecue or even pizza.

Yalumba "The Octavious" Barossa Shiraz 2002

i tried this shiraz at a tasting and held off writing about it until i could find the words to describe it. i am still not sure i will do it justice, but here goes. wow. the nose was blackberry, plums, figs and chocolate with spice and pepper notes mixed in. huge, beautiful nose. i have smelled wines that were big on the nose and then disappointed with the taste. not this wine! the palate was exceptional, with flavors of blackberry, dark chocolate, some roasted meat flavor, and spice notes. a big, bold wine that was well balanced with medium tannins and a long finish. wow again. and you will have to pay for the wow factor as this sells for $85. thankfully, i was able to try this at a tasting. not quite in the budget, but i was glad i got the opportunity to try it. if you can afford this wine, buy it and lay it down for a special occasion. you won't be disappointed.

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.

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.

The Blog is One Year Old Today - Meeker 2002 Barberian

today i celebrate one year of blogging with a huge red blend from meeker. i thank all of you who have spread the word and helped this to grow. this is a true joy for me. now on to the review. i have had this bottle in the cellar for about a year or so waiting for a worthy time to bring it out. this occasion was perfect. from what i understand, this blend of barbera and zinfandel was a bit of a mistaken blend that turned out very well. the nose is huge with blueberry, blackberry, vanilla and a sweet pork or bacon note coming through. as the wine opened up i got more earthy notes that were almost animal like and very sexy. the taste was big and bold with the blueberry and blackberry flavors, dark chocolate and some slight licorice notes. the alcohol level is a bit warm at 15% when you first open the bottle, but the flavors shine through as the wine opens. medium tannins and a nice long balanced finish with hints of pepper and oak round out the drinking experience. the wine sells for $32 and at a recent visit to the meeker website, the 2003 could be purchased for $20, which is a steal. this wine is worth every penny. excellent big, bold red. think of a juicy steak meal and add this for a real treat.

Yellow Tail 2007 Shiraz Cabernet

back to the inexpensive wines again with another offering from the australian yellow tail label. i tasted this wine with pizza and it complemented the food well. aromas of plum, black cherry, eucalyptus or menthol notes and a little spice. the flavor was very fruity with black cherry and raspberry, followed by a nice chocolate flavor. i also got a bit of black pepper and a touch of licorice toward the back. medium tannins and a medium finish rounded out this very drinkable red which sells for about $7. not a great wine, but for the price, a fun wine that will go with the fast food menu quite well.

St. Clement Oroppas 2005

one of the fun things about a big wine festival is getting the opportunty to taste wines that you might not ordinarily try because they don't quite fit into your budget. oroppas, a napa valley cab, is one such wine selling for about $45-50 a bottle. the nose was very nice, with aromas of blueberries, cherries, chocolate and spice coming through. the palate was black cherries, raspberries and dark chocolate up front. the tannins are silky and the long finish is highlighted with hints of pepper and more dark chocolate. an exquisite red that left me wanting more. every once in a while i will spend a little extra to get a real nice wine, and this one will be on my list of wines i would like to buy when i can afford it.

Lindemans South Africa Merlot 2006

stepping away from the wine festival tastings, i opened this bottle of merlot last evening. this is another inexpensive wine that will be sure to please the casual wine drinker, especially when budget is a consideration. selling for about $7 a bottle, this merlot is a blend from several vineyards. the nose is fruity with cherries and dark chocolate. the taste was plums, chocolate and a little licorice. this is not a complex wine, but more of an every day red that you can enjoy with many different foods. if you want something complex, look elsewhere, but expect to pay a bit more.

Hardy's 2006 Shiraz

here is a nice australian shiraz in the under $10 price range. not a big bold shiraz, but a more fruit forward, friendly shiraz. the nose was raspberries and plums. i also got some pepper aromas (an australian shiraz staple in the aroma department) and a cordial/chocolate smell. on the palate, a fruity burst of blackberry and plum, with red licorice and chocolate flavors coming through as well. a slightly spicy finish which was a bit short to me. this is a drink now wine that will go with red meats and sells for about $7. a fun red wine that is not pretentious and would make a nice every day wine.

Gnarly Head Old Vines 2006 Zinfandel

here is another lower priced zinfandel that i tried recently. selling for about $10 a bottle, gnarly head is worth a try. the nose is raspberries and cherries, with hints of dark chocolate and spice. the palate is full and juicy, with flavors of plums and chocolate. i also got some really nice pepper notes and a licorice taste as well. the finish was a little weak, but not bad. if you are on a budget, this is a nice, drinkable zin. not a huge wine, but at $10 it is pretty good.

Rosenblum 2005 Paso Robles Zinfandel

i love the holidays because everyone breaks out many new wines. here is a nice zinfandel i offered to guests at the baldwinegeek home. the nose was earthy and full of black fruits and spice. the palate was exceptional. very full mouth feel, dominated by flavors of blackberry. there were flavors of chocolate, anise, herbal rosemary and cherry flavors as well. this was a big, bold, complex wine. sells for about $20 and is a bargain at that price.