Alice White 2008 Pinot Noir

australian pinots can be interesting and fun wines. and you can find nice bargains also, like this one for $8. the nose is strawberry and raspberry with some vanilla notes as well. the palate was not bad with flavors of cherry and toasted oak. i also picked up a little tobacco as well. tannins were medium and the finish was medium in length. a drinkable every day pinot noir that will pair well with many foods. if you are trying to impress someone, this would not be the wine i would buy. just want an easy drinking red on a budget, this is worth a look.

Bay Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon (nv)

i wrote about the chardonnay from this california vintage and was not very impressed. i had purchased the cab at the same time on a whim. same price of about $4. most folks give two buck chuck pretty high marks. i am not a huge fan but the wine is drinkable. how does this compare? the nose was somewhat floral with black cherry and blackberry notes. it was a bit green in the aroma as well. the taste was unfortunately very thin and young. i don't know if time in the bottle would be of much help. blackberry flavors followed by a little oak and spice but not much finish and not much in the way of tannins or complexity. it was drinkable, but i wouldn't serve it with anything but pizza or fast food. not on the top of my list for good low priced reds.

Black Box Monterey County Chardonnay 2007

we head back to the bargain aisle after the lush red from a couple days ago. another offering from the box wine category. black box chardonnay is a nice bargain wine when you want to keep some white chilled for that after work sip. the nose is citrus and pineapple. the taste was tropical fruit, most notably mango, and some toasty oak notes in the long finish. for the nice price of about $23, you get four bottles of wine and it can stay in the refrigerator for as long as it takes to empty the box. not the best chardonnay you will try, not too complex and not over the top buttery, but it is worth the money as an every day, drinkable white.

Meeker 2002 Petite Sirah

it's a special and historic week for me and for our country. time to break out some bottles that i have been holding onto for a while. some are more expensive, but you only turn 50 once. meeker winery, known best for their handprint merlot, is also rather good at producing some other wines. their petite sirah is no exception. the nose is plum, earthy mushroom and wet forest floor, spice of pepper. really begs you to taste it right away, but be patient and just take in the aromas of this wine. let it breathe a bit. you won't be disappointed. the palate is blackberry, oak and a bit of leather thrown in. a fairly big wine that defies the word petite in its name. medium tannins and a nice long, smooth finish round this wine out. a sheer joy. sells for about $24-28, depending on where you buy your wines.

Quara 2005 Chardonnay

every now and then you feel the need to just try something based on price and an interesting label. this had the low price of $6.99 and the label was different. the comely brunette and i have been drinking a lot of sauvignon blanc and decided to get away from that and try this chardonnay from argentina. this one really delivered for as little as we paid for it. nose of pears and green apples, a little pineapple and maybe a little spice note, like a cinnamon. the pears flavor continued on the palate, although it was more like a baked pear taste. creamy textures and oak, with a spice finish. a very nice white that will pair well with many foods like chicken or pasta dishes.

Sterling Vintner's Collection 2006 Chardonnay

food wine. that would best describe this chardonnay. i actually had this with a steak, corn on the cob, and grilled veggies, and it worked very well. nose of honey, vanilla and toast. taste were typical chardonnay. floral fruit, buttery but not too much, with some oak and vanilla. nice creamy mouth feel that went well with the food, especially the corn. all for the nice price of about $11. and well worth it. i'm not a huge fan of chardonnay's, but this one was very nice.

Yalumba 2006 Eden Valley Wild Ferment Chardonnay

this is a very nice chardonnay from australia if you can get past the long name. if you like oaked chardonnays, this one is for you. nose of citrus, and toasted nuts. on the palate, bright lemon and creamy fruit, and some stone and mineral notes. nice long finish. all for the nice price of $12-14.

Pepperwood Groves 2005 Chardonnay

this ones for lucie. i enjoyed this tonight with a vegan dinner. nose of tropical fruit, a little something floral, and a slight oaky aroma. on the palate, a crisp slightly buttery, brown sugar, oaky flavor. for only about $6-8, this is a very nice chardonnay. pepperwood does a very nice job with quite a few of their varietals.