DOMAINE WACHAU FEDERSPEIL "TERRASSEN" GRUNER VELTLINER - 2008

From Austria with 12% alcohol. 100% Gruner Veltliner.

TASTING NOTES:

Pale gold tinted hue with lychee, apples and pears on the nose. Medium-bodied with citrus and dominant candy banana "circus peanuts" on the mid-palate. Good acidity and great depth of flavor.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88+ PTS

This is a very solid offering for this varietal. Gruner Veltliner can sometimes be too thin or drift into sour acidity. This has a great balance of ripe fruit and acid. Clean, dry but with a touch of sweetness. Retails for somewhere around $16 making it a good value for the quality in the bottle.

BOGLE PHANTOM 2007

A blend of 54% Petite Sirah, 43% Zinfandel, and 3% Mourvedre. 14.8% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Deep red color with aromas of chocolate, oak, cranberry-blackberry and charred oak. On the palate lots of black and red fruits, spice and vanilla oak. Plum on the finish. Big tannins and a weighty wine with some serious backbone.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89 PTS

Not sure if this vintage is as good as the past two. Always a Halloween wine for me that pairs well with hearty dishes or even chocolate. Still a solid effort for $17 a bottle but not as robust and had me longing for the past.

PARAISO SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS PINOT NOIR - 2007

14.3% alcohol. Monterey County.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark red color with concentrated wild berries and cherries on the nose. Black cherry pie filling, smoke, spice and oak. Some minerality.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

Defintiely not as delicate as I traditionally prefer from Pinot. This has some weight and alcohol to boot. The alcohol gets a little in the way but is not completely out of balance. Good ripe fruit and well-made. Retails for around $22.

GROONER GRUNER VELTLINER - 2008

100% Gruner Veltliner from Austria. 12% alcohol. A Meinhard Forstreiter wine.

TASTING NOTES:

Pale gold color with sour apples, flowers and lemon on the nose. Grapefruit and green apple/pear on the palate. Lots of citrus with sharp acidity and sweet hints of honey on the finish. Crisp and clean.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

86 PTS

Meinhard Forstreiter makes great Gruner. I have always been a fan of their Tabor. This lower priced entry is a great value. Pairs great with salads, stir fried vegetables or light fish dishes. Well-balanced acidity and flavor. Suggested retail is around $15 but you can find this as low as $10 making it a real steal. A good starter wine for Thanksgiving.

COLUMBIA-CREST RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON - 2006

From Columbia Valley, Washington State. Blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark red color. Very smooth with aromas of cocoa, dark cherries, and vanilla oak. On the palate there's lots of sweet tannins, mint, dusty cocoa, black cherry candy finish. Not a huge Cabernet by California or Washington standards. Medium bodied but still has some boldness.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89+PTS

The 2005 vintage of this wine received a 95 point score from Wine Spectator and is most likely in contention for a spot among the Top 10 wines of year on their forthcoming list. This effort is clearly not the same as the prior vintage but still enjoyable. For $25 a bottle, there's still great value here. I found the wine to be a bit too fruit forward and sweet at times. It begs for food and is not as enjoyable on its own.

ARGYLE BRUT SPARKLING WINE - 2002

12% alcohol. 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir. Oregon.

TASTING NOTES:

Pale yellow color with a nose of apple, yeast, custard and green tea. On the palate, apple, citrus and toast dominate. As it evolves in the glass the wine takes on beer-like flavors on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88+ PTS

Good acidity and value. For $20 this is a solid offering in the sparkling wine/Champagne category. Has some finesse and craft like a grower's Champagne without the hefty price tag. A really nice leap above the low-mid level sparkling wines. A welcomed surprise.

ERATH PINOT NOIR - 2007

13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Translucent cherry red color. Nose of oak, damp earth and berries. Black cherry, charred oak, and vanilla on the palate. Simple, straightforward with decent acidity.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

85 PTS

Looks and feels like a better Pinot Noir than it actually is. The alcohol doesn't quite seem in balance with the fruit. A somewhat lackluster effort. The bouquet is muted and the fruit is masked by faint oak. Wish this had more biting acidity or more upfront fruit. It is a drinkable Pinot but at $18 a bottle it is a disappointment. Pass.

CHATEAU DE FONBEL - 2005

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. 13.5% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark vibrant purple color with a black/blue fruit and pencil lead on the nose. Lots of black currant, cassis, pencil shavings, minerality and a hint of smoke. Very bitter mouth-drying tannins. Astringent with plum notes on the finish as wine opens up.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88 - 90+ PTS

This is a very good wine but its too young right now. Loads of potential but needs time in the bottle. Give it a few years and this wine could be a tremendous steal at $19 a bottle.

ALBERT MANN PINOT BLANC AUXERROIS - 2007

12.5% alcohol. Vin D'Alsace.

TASTING NOTES:

Cool gold color with grapefruit, lime and Riesling aromas. Crisp lemon-lime-orange citrus, flowers, definitive acidity, yet smooth and lush. Some sweetness on the mid-palate. Great minerality, peach notes, and sharp-bitter hints on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

What a sensational wine. The is a Riesling disguised as a Pinot Blanc. The peach, citrus, minerality is like a Riesling lurking underneath. Yet this wine has its own distinct style and character that keeps revealing itself. Drank over several days and paired with food it always delivered. At $15 a bottle, this is simply excellent.

POGGIO AL TESORA MEDITERRA TOSCANA - 2006

14% alcohol. Super Tuscan blend of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark cherry red color. Aromas of cherries and black currants. Sweet tannins, with a hint of oak, black currants and cherry cola. Charred oak on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88 PTS

For $18 this is a great Super Tuscan at an affordable price. Wine Spectator gave this wine a 92 point score, which I'm not sure it delivers. That said, it is difficult to find this kind of quality in Super Tuscan without paying a lot more. Well worth the price tag.