Caceres 2004 Gran Reserva. This wine still surprises by its freshness. The nose displays vanilla and wet leather notes. The palate is round and fleshy with aromas of plum, dark cherries and tobacco. The acidity level of this wine is quite pleasant and balances the mouth feel very well. 

The Marques de Caceres 2005 Reserva offers a very complex nose with notes of oak blend with dark berries aromas. On the palate the Reseva impresses for its softness and elegance. Aromas of figs, plums, licorice come to mind.

The Marques de Caceres Crianza 2008 delivers a powerful bouquet of red berries, floral notes and a hint of spice and coffee. The palate is fleshy with aromas of dark cherries and spice. A fresh and harmonious wine.

This wine is a far cry from the the countless generic jammy Malbecs from Argentina. A bit smoky on the nose, it opens up with aromas of dark berries and cocoa. On the palate it is quite elegant, soft and polished with raspberries and wood notes combining nicely. 

I love this wine! It is different, on the nose I delivers notes of plum and black licorice. It is a bit hot and offers aromas cherries and wild herbs. It shows quite acidic and high in alcohol without being overwhelming; and this impression carries thru all the way to the finish. Overall I found this wine to be very enjoyable.

This is a nice Rioja made with old vines Tempranillo. Lots of Mocha, violet and grilled meat aromas on the nose. The palate is medium weight and delivers notes of berry and raisin. The tannins are fine and polished and the experience ends on a woody note. A very elegant wine for under $20 bucks!

A Stag's Leap red at $25! and it is really good too. The blend is The blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, and 3% Syrah. I found this wine to deliver red currents and a hint of vanilla notes on the nose. The palate is solid, round and soft with plenty of elegant red fruit aromas leading to a touch of oak and a bit of a spicy finish (as if Petit Verdot was part of the mix). The overall impression is that of an elegant wine, still quite tannic. Anyway, at that price I can't think of a better Cab blend?

The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape are going to be more traditional in Character than the 2010 because they will display more acidity and tannins that their 2009 siblings. Brunel's Chateauneuf offers notes of Cola and tobacco on the nose with a hint of alcohol. On the palate it is round, rich and very polished with aromas of dried red berries, currents with a mild tartness and notes of oak. Vivacious tannins indicates that this wine should be aged a few more years. 

A fresh and balanced rose made from Pinot Noir.Its color is pink with an orange hue and the bouquet reveals light strawberry and almond liqueur notes. The palate is mild as it should be and delivers tamed red fruit aromas and vibrant acidity. A great Rose dry and acidic that will complement your summer dishes very well. 

Super complex on the nose with notes of violet flower, oak, lavender and fig! On the palate notes of bacon fat and black pepper come thru sustained by a mild acidity and soft tannins. This wine at $20.00 is a real bargain!

2008 was a cool vintage in the Rhone appellation and we can expect the northern Rhone wines to be peppery. This Croze Hermitage by Chapoutier is right in line with a very peppery nose and a hint of orange zest. The palate is medium weight and aromas of bitter cherry and notes of flint stones. For any true Syrah lover, here is your chance to experience a pure Northern Rhone, cool climate expression of the varietal.

very harmonious wine, with a dark garnet color and a smoky nose with notes of burning sage. On the palate is delivers some black licorice and fig aromas wrapped up in soft tannins. a real treat.

This super dark old vines Carignan leaves no doubt about its lineage. Carignan has been blended with Grenache and Syrah to ad color, tannins and spice. This 100% varietal is musky on the nose with notes of plum. On the palate it is quite dry and exudes raspberries aromas with a hint of tartness. A great food wine especially at that price!

I have enjoyed the last 5 vintages of the Petrolo and this one is lovely too. Deep dark in color. On the nose it exudes aromas of cassis and cedar wrapped in alcohol. The palate is medium bodied displaying aromas of dried cheries, tobacco and bitter cocoa. The acidity is quite present and balancing out nicely the fruits. This is an elegant wine that will pair nicely with food and will ravish most cab lovers.

One taste and I was sold on this cab because I found it to be so soft and elegant! No big over extracted, over alcoholic cab here, with "only" 14% abv this wine is quite classic in character. On the nose it shows notes of oplum,figs and black licorice once opened. On the palate it is all plumpy fruits with aromas of violet, chocolate, blackberries wrapped in firm but sift tannins. This is the most balanced and elegant cab I have tasted this year. delicious!

This limited production Cab (500 cases) is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on the volcanic soil from the Mayacama Mountains in Napa. This wine is truly fine and elegant. On the nose it reveals notes of dark berries and cedar. On the palate it displays layers of black current supported by a noticeable mineral structure. This wine is very clean and dry and ends with sharp tannins. All main character traits of this wine are in balanced with the others contributing to its elegance.

This cab surprised me by its complexity and multi layered fruit notes. The color is deep purple and the bouquet is full of bramble and dark fruits. On the palate, black current, smoke and vanilla come together to deliver a wine that is well balanced. The finish is not over alcoholic or over oaked which came to me as a pleasant surprise considering the wine style Paul Hobbs is known for. 

Aglianico is an very interesting grape, in Campania where it thrives, it often grows on tuffo (volcanic material)and exudes smoky and black licorice aromas. In Taurasi, the Aglianico transforms itself into a very elegant and classy wine, loaded with tertiary flavors of plum, fig, leather and musty woods. Taurasi is a special AVA in Campania, believed to produce wines of superior stature and finess. The Terredora 05 taurasi is complex, with big fig, cedar,tobacco on the nose and dried plum and musty wood aromas on the palate. The finish is long and somewhat reminiscent of an aged Bordeaux. This wine is an incredible value at $25.00!

This Pinot Noir is simply delightful; it reminds me of a very nice Hautes Cotes de Nuits. First this Pinot displays a color that is more common in Bourgogne that in Napa hinting at the prospect that this wine may not be another over-extracted, over-oaked fruit bomb! The bouquet reassures us with pretty aromas of Cassis, dark berries and a hint of smoke. On the palate, this wine delivers velvety black Cherry and Cassis notes balanced by just enough mineral and acidity. A true Pinot Noir lover's wine.

This wine is very reminiscent of a right bank Bordeaux with superb currents,licorice and cedar box notes on the nose. the palate displays a great structure with complex aromas of coffee, green olives,orange peals wrapped in very soft tannins. The long mouth feel and the balance between acidity and fruit notes really contributes to this wine's superb elegance.

Red wines from Chinon are always pure Cab Francs known for their rustic character. A good Chinon will deliver a great bouquet with scents of violet and pepper. The palate is fresh, with a deep red berry aroma leading to the expected gooseberry tart finish. Amateurs of pure Cab Francs will certainly appreciate this value priced Chinon for its quality and low,low price.

This St.Joseph is on the elegant side, the nose is spicy,fruity and displays some notes of old wood. The palate is very conventional with deep, supple and soft tannins, with bacon fat and leathery aromas. A very well balanced wine that will complement strong meats such as lamb,games and powerful cheeses.

The Pinot Noir grape is one of those varietals that seem to truly capture the essence of its terroir, just to reveal it in our glasses. This one comes from Switzerland, near Neuchatel and delivers a postcard perfect picture of what I am expecting from a great Pinot Noir: Elegance, Softness, aromas of black berries balanced with soft tannins and subtle acid notes. Raised at 1500 feet on the rocky slopes of the Alpes, this deep dark colored Pinot will surprise you by its elegant and bold stature.

Fendants are the best known Swiss whites and those coming from Sion are believed to be the best ones! That is,according to the Swiss who have adopted this wine as their aperitif of choice. It is made with the Chasselas grape, a varietal believed to have originated near the Leman Lake, north east of Sion. Gilliard's Fendant offers plenty of floral notes and some fat on the palate. Round and soft at first, with aromas of citrus and almonds. The mouth feel soon evolves into mineral notes and acidity. Perfect complement to any lake or river fishes and to dishes with a white sauces. It will superbly pair with a cheese fondue or a Raclette naturally.

Another great Cotes du Rhone under $10,00. This wine is so soft, elegant and aromatic that one would never guess its low,low price. Expect violet and fig on the nose and pretty aromas of dark berries and plum on the palate. Cotes du Rhone are very versatile and pair well with all kinds of food. A superb value from highly recognized winery.

There are still debates in the wine world as to the origin of the Sylvaner varietal. Some claim that it came from Trans-Sylvania as its name tends to suggest. What is certain is that a Cistercian monk first planted this varietal in Alsace in the early 1600. Since that time,the Sylvaner has been gaining in popularity in Alsace and has now overtaken the Chasselas varietal in volume of production. Kuentz-Bas' Sylvaner has a slight greenish color and displays aromas of pear and quince that tend to fade into the background. On the palate it is somewhat thick and viscous and it closes with a bright acidity. A great aperitif wine and a superb alternative to all generic Sauvignon Blanc on the market today.

Excellent Rose de Provence exuding subtle notes of strawberries leading your palate gently toward a vibrant acidity and crispness. What a refreshing and awakening experience to any palate! Truly,this delicious wine has an addictive property built in. So many people would dismiss any "pink" wines based on the assumption they have to be sweet. What a mistake! Two oceans separate a Rose de Provence from a California blush wine and these two wine styles could not be more different.So,Stop discriminating pink wines this summer and discover the beauty of a great Rose de Provence. 

This is the best wine value I have tasted so far this year. This little Cotes du Rhone as it all: a great mouth feel, pretty fruit, softness, big character and a low price. Ferraton produces great Northern Rhone wines including Hermitages, Saint Josephs and Crozes-Hermitage which are all of premium quality. Having tasted them all, I can trace the Samorens Cotes du Rhone's lineage back to the aromatic profile of the Syrah that all Ferraton's red contain.

Another incredible value from Ferraton! While it may seem questionable to refer to a $60 dollar as a value, a look at the prices of Chapoutier's Hermitage listed on this web site will justify my comment. 2007 was a very good vintage in Northern Rhone and Les Miaux 2007 is a beauty. The bouquet exudes cassis and cherry in alcohol. The palate is soft with dry cocoa powder like aromas and a slight bitterness. Bacon fat and pepper notes soon follow, all wrapped up in solid but smooth tannins to conclude the experience. A superb introduction to the magical terroir of Hermitage.

Amazing value, this great Croze-Hermitage displays notes of dark berries and bacon fat on the nose. The palate is round and firm with again bacon, berries and tobacco aromas. Tannins, acid and alcohol levels are on par. What a bargain!

Superbe vin tres concentre a la robe noir/pourpre. Le nez est fin et offre des aromes de fruit rouge et de the. Le palait est rich et profond sur des notes de cassis,framboise, fig et lavande. L'impression final est remarquable car elle offre des aromes fondus et tertiaires se rapprochant de ceux que l'on attend d'un Bordeaux millesime. Impressionant!

Ce vin est un assemblage de trois Ermitages: Le Meal, Les Bessards et Le Greffieux. Ce vin offre une abondance de fruit rouge avec des notes poivrees. Le palais est rond et moelleux fondant sur des tannins extrenement soyeux. Un peu minerale mais moins complexe et moins structure que ces grands freres issuent de selection parcellaire, ce vin et cependant tres genereux et chaleureux a la maniere d'un vin du sud de Valence.  

Magnificent wine with a bit more of a Southern Rhone character than Le Pavillon or L'Ermite. On the nose a hint of smoke and tons of red berries come out. The palate is incredibly soft and smooth with aromas of blackberries and strong tannins. Incredibly elegant wine that would leave anyone with a lasting impression.

Lots of ripe berries and plum on the nose with hints of vanilla- Light to medium palate structure displaying light raisiny aromas. Heavy oak and tannic finish.

Spicy noze with hints of vanilla. Mild on the palate with light berry aromas. This wine is fairly tannic and reminiscent to old world wines in its tamed fruit character. The finich is dry.

Magnificent wine, the bouquet exudes aromas of fig, black olives, paprika and some mustiness. Superbly smooth wine with big notes of bacon fat, leather,black olives and tar. There is a coating. greasy mouth feel to complete the palate sensation that extends the finish for a really long time. Definitely a great St. Emilion.

This wine is superb! Light vanilla and butterscotch. Raisiny and plummy on the palate with a slightly chalky texture. Great balance between fruit and acid with a finish on the alcohol (slightly hot).

Hint of vanilla on the noze with notes of fig. This wine is extremely fine and elegant on the palate with aromas of blackberries. It finish dry and clean.

Cherry, violet and chocolate on the nose, reminiscent of a Chianti Classico but with less wood notes. A bit of acidic metallic powder on the palate with light berries aromas. The finish is dry and ends on light tannins and acid. Overall a very pleasant food wine.

Loved this wine, it is warm,round,plumpy, soft and generous as many wines from the south of France, Grenach based can be. The Carignan comes out on the finish with herbal notes and some Tannins. At $20.00 it is a great value.

Love this Macon. The bouquet is a bit reminiscent of a Meursault with waxy, warm pine aromas. The mouth feel of this Solutre is much heavier than what can be expected from a Pouilly Fuisse and its mineral structure is also more prononced. Acidity, fruit and alcohol notes are well balanced in this wine. A great Chardonnay.

I am a big fan of Baudry's Cabernet Franc from Chinon because I find them to be rustic and yet not overly "puckery" or tart as some pure Cab Franc can be. La Croix Boissee opens with an enticing nose reminiscent of violet flowers, mushrooms and underwood notes. The palate texture is on the heavy side for a Chinon and delivers the expected red berry tartness wrapped in plummy and peperry aromas. 

This wine is one of my favorite because it offers what I expect from a great Pinot Noir: finesse,elegance and great red berries aromas. The bouquet reveals notes of Cassis while on the palate aromas of Raspberry and Strawberry dominate. While extremely soft on the palate, this wine is carried by a strong "minerality". Alcohol, fruit and acidity are in perfect harmony in this wine.