Keesha Rosé 2008

i am always searching for decent rosés' and i think i found one in this little $10 gem from california. it is a blend of mostly zinfandel, (which may be why it appealed to me), along with pinot noir, syrah, and petite sirah. the nose has some nice tropical notes as well as some floral aromas. the palate is a little bolder than many of the rosés' i have tried. lots of cranberry and a little bit of floral (rose petal). this is definitely dry and it has a nice finish. could be a nice food companion, but give it a try alone first. it was excellent as an after dinner glass!

Le Lapin Paso Robles Multiplicity (NV)

the final rabbit ridge le lapin entry and i will move on to some other wines. multiplicity is a blend of grapes that rabbit ridge is keeping under wraps for now. i would guess that it has zinfandel and syrah and some petite sirah in it based on the nose and the palate. the nose is black cherry, blackberry, a little plum and some spice. i get a little earth note, like forest floor as well. the palate is full of fruit and spice, with flavors of black cherry and a slight cranberry note. nice firm tannins and a medium finish. not the least bit disappointed in any of these four wines from rabbit ridge and at this $7-8 price point, good every day reds.

Mauro Molino 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo

i first discovered this one by accident a few years ago. i was interested in trying a barolo that i had tasted at a wine festival. then i found out how much a barolo was, and had someone point me in the direction of this wine. same grape, cheaper price. i took some time with this one to let it open up, decanting it for at least an hour. nose of blackberry, spicy cinnamon and a minty herbal note, like rosemary. i also picked up a hint of chocolate after the wine sat for a while. on the palate, somewhat sour cherries, tea, bold tannins, and some cranberry notes toward the finish, which was not as long as i would hope. i seem to remember this wine being a whole lot more interesting the first time i tried it, which is why i decided to get another bottle and write about it here. i can't say i was really disappointed, it was an interesting wine. but it was almost a bit too tannic for me. it did soften as it sat and opened up, so maybe a good couple of hours decanting is what is required for this wine. sells for about $17, so considerably cheaper than a $50+ bottle of barolo.