Frontera Carmenere 2007

another offering from chile. i tried the sauvignon blanc recently and it was not bad for the price so i decided to go red this time. the nose of the carmenere was blackberry, black pepper, and vanilla. i also picked up a slightly minty, eucalyptus aroma as well. the palate was black cherry and anise, with pepper notes coming through also. the wine was a bit tight and green, but overall, it was not bad. sells for about $7 and worth another try.

Bohemian Highway Sauvignon Blanc 2007

i tried their chardonnay about a couple years ago and it was not bad so the comely brunette and i decided to give the sauv blanc a whirl. we've tried a few of these varietals at this price point and had some luck, most notably with barefoot. the bohemian highway is a nice comparison. the nose was tropical, mostly guava, but it had hints of grapefruit and pineapple. i also got some grassy notes on the nose as well. the taste was very fruit forward with flavors of lemon and tropical fruits. the finish was very crisp and clean and lingered on the palate for quite some time. and at a price of about $7, well worth it. this is another one to remember for the coming summer season.

Stone Cellars by Beringer 2006 Merlot

here is another offering from the beringer stone cellars group. this is a nice, inexpensive merlot that should please most red wine drinkers. the nose is cherries, spicy notes and earth. the flavor was strawberries and blackberries. i also got a bacon note and a spice note of cinnamon. this wine got better the second day, getting more complex, with more earthy flavors coming through. all for the nice price of about $8 a bottle. well worth the price when you are looking for budget wines that are worth more than their selling price.

Stone Cellars by Beringer 2007 Chardonnay

if you like a nice, fruit forward, crisp chardonnay at a reasonable price, give this one a try. this is not a big, buttery chardonnay. the nose is tropical fruits, citrus and a little spice from the oak. the taste was full of apples and tropical fruits with a nice long finish. sells for about $9 and i will remember to have some of this on hand for this summer. it will be a nice deck wine to enjoy with warm weather foods.

Frontera Sauvignon Blanc 2007

here is an inexpensive white from chile that i had with a spicy curry chicken dinner. the nose is peaches and citrus. the palate was citrus, and not the big grapefruit flavor you get from New Zealand Sauv Blancs. i also got melon flavors and a nice crisp finish. for a price around $8, this was a nice surprise. it complemented the meal really well, bringing out some spice notes in the wine. i will have to remember this one later this year when the warm weather returns and sitting on the deck to enjoy a crisp white is in the plans.

Beringer Founders' Estate 2007 Pinot Noir

here is another lower priced pinot noir that i tried recently. as i have said before, finding a nice pinot in the under $10 range can be difficult, but this one should be on the list of one to try. the nose was cherries, red licorice and subtle spice notes. the taste was very fruit forward with black cherry as the dominant flavor. i also picked up plum and spice notes. the finish was medium length and very pleasing to the palate. a very nice pinot for around $8-10 depending on where you shop.

Funky Llama 2007 Malbec

i tried this cheap malbec over the weekend and i use "cheap" as the descriptor instead of inexpensive for a reason. i have tried several lower priced malbecs and only a few were really good, like alamos. this one sells for about $6 a bottle and is probably worth less than that. the nose was red berries. the taste was very fruity cherry and maybe a slight hint of licorice. slightly tannic but not very interesting otherwise. i would rather spend a dollar or two more to get something a little better (although the alamos malbec sells for about the same price and is way better). i don't think the funky llama will be making an appearance at the baldwinegeek home again any time soon.

Talus Collection 2006 Pinot Noir

the quest for a good pinot noir under $10 is always difficult. saw this one at my local grocer and decided to plunk down the $7 for the bottle and give it a try. nose was cherries and floral notes of violet and a little earth. the taste was actually not bad, with strawberry and spice as the main highlights. tannins were medium and the finish was fairly long. the wine was subtle and a bit green, but opened up nicely as i drank it. if you are looking for a decent pinot at a low price, this is one to start with. you will find better pinots at higher price points, but this is not a bad every day wine.

Duxoup Syrah 2005

this syrah was something the comely brunette and i tried at a wine tasting last fall and we purchased a bottle to lay for a bit. the nose was black cherry, licorice, and earthy, smokey notes. after some of the disappointing, mediocre wines of late, i was looking forward to something that really knocked my socks off and the nose on this one had me thinking i was in for a treat. i was not disappointed. the taste was black cherry, pepper, licorice and some dark chocolate notes. a bit tannic, but softened with time. this one does not fall into the really tight budget wine, selling for about $25, but it is very nice, very complex, very bold. a keeper and worth another try in the future.

Bolla Sangiovese di Romagna 2007

this sangiovese was purchased recently at the local grocer for about $9. i was looking for food wines that went with colder weather foods, stews, hearty soups. gave this one a try. i mentioned how sangiovese tends to lean toward the tar like taste after aging in oak. this one maybe didn't spend as much time in oak, because it was more fruity than anything else. the nose was black cherry and a little bit of leather. the taste was raspberry and black cherry with some hints of anise. and it was very tight and very tannic. even after pouring a glass, swirling and leaving it sit for almost an hour, it was still very tight and tannic. overall impression was mediocre and i'm not sure if more time in the bottle would benefit this one.