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.

Gato Negro 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

this is the third wine i have tried from this chilean winery. at $3.99 a bottle, you have to at least give it a shot to see whether it is worth buying as a nice everyday red to have around. much like the now famous two-buck chuck, this wine is not bad for a drinkable red, but if you are looking for bold, complex, hearty cabs, steer clear of gato negro. the nose was blackberry and spice. the taste was raspberry, cherry and spice with medium tannins. the wine was a bit young and green, not nearly as bold as it could have been. not impressed with this one.

DaVinci 2006 Chianti

another chianti from the homemade minestrone soup night. this one was not nearly as full-bodied and complex as the first one we tried. the nose was cherries, plums and some pepper notes. the taste was more plum than cherry, but i didn't get the complex licorice, tar and earthy flavors that i expected. mostly fruity with a little spicy pepper near the end. worked okay with the meal but didn't quite stand up to the full flavors of the soup as the first chianti did. this was actually the more expensive of the two wines, selling for about $15, although i did happen to find it on sale for $12. which just goes to show you that you can get better wines some times for cheaper prices.

Cecchi 2006 Chianti

we were having some friends over for a dinner of home-made minestrone soup, and i picked up a couple bottles of wine to go with the meal. this chianti was one of them. the nose was violets, black licorice, and black cherry. on the palate, cherry, earthy tones, followed by soft, medium tannins and licorice. i haven't had many chiantis so this was an interesting wine for me to try. i am a fan of sangiovese with its tar-like flavors after aging in barrels. this wine was a bit more fruit forward. the wine sells for about $10-11, and really goes well with many foods, including the soup we enjoyed on this cold winter evening. i will definitely try another bottle of this in the future.

Beaulieu Vineyards Pinot Noir 2006

finding a really good pinot noir for under $10 can be difficult. BV from france is not bad at about $8, but it isn't great. the nose is black cherry, plum and spice. not too complex on the nose. the palate is cherries, earthy, slightly mushroom notes and some hints of cocoa and spice in the finish. a very subtle pinot. like i said, not bad, just not great. if you are new to red wines, this might be a nice way to get started, as it won't scare you off with a big, huge taste and a nice price.

Kono Barú 2006 Valle Central Unwooded Chardonnay

here is a chilean chardonnay i tried recently. they refer to it as unwooded, which the general public calls unoaked. it sells for about $7 a bottle, which is a nice price. the nose is tropical fruit, especially pineapple and maybe a little grapefruit. i also got a sweaty note that was a bit surprising. the palate was more tropical, dominated by passion fruit. i picked up some asparagus flavors in the mid palate and a slight apple note in the finish. there were also mineral notes in the medium finish. slightly crisp, very nice white for the price. a definite revisit for this summer. and remember when looking for this wine the label is upside-down.
a sad note on this wine. it is no longer being produced by the don and sons branch of sebatiani. not sure why, but found this out recently. they are apparently going to do an unoaked chard under the pepperwood label from chilean grapes to replace this.

Simi 2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

got this california cab as a gift. always love the free wine. i have had bigger and bolder cabs, but this one was not too bad. the nose was blackberry, spice and hints of cedar. the taste was very fruit forward with loads of blackberries. this was followed by leather and spice. the tannins were fairly powerful and they softened just a bit as the wine opened up, but not enough for my taste. my first taste, the impression was positive, but i curbed my enthusiasm the more i tasted this one. like i said, not a huge wine and probably a lot more fruit forward than your typical california cab, but a little too tannic for me. sells for about $20.

Burnet Ridge 2004 Super Tuscan

back to another outstanding wine from burnet ridge. this is the first time i have tried this wine from chip emmerich. this is 78% sangiovese and 22% of chip's purple trillium blend, which is an excellent wine all its own. the nose was plums, vanilla, and a really nice herbal note. the taste was very complex, with blackberry, licorice, cedar and and some floral notes. i'm sure this wine would pair well with food, but enjoy it by itself first. the tannins were medium and the wine got more complex as it was exposed to air. long, excellent finish and well worth the $25 price.