2006 Remo Farina "RIPASSO" Valpolicella Classico Superiore (Veneto, Italy)

The best old-school Ripasso-method* Valpo I've had in years.

Very dark blackish ruby-garnet. Utterly classic Ripasso nose of earthy, brandy-macerated fresh and dried cherries, with a hint of tar and eucalyptus. Dense, full-bodied, yet with lively, almost prickly acidity. Intensely "winey" and dry flavors of dried chokecherries with a hint of prune (in a good way!). Lengthy, minerally finish. Very very nice. 90. Imported by Banville & Jones Wine Merchants (NJ). Was $18.95 at Central Market, making it a very good value for a Ripasso.

* Ripasso refers to the dual fermentation this wine gets. In Valpolicella, they make both straight Valpo and Amarone di Valpolicella. Straight Valpo is usually fairly light and refreshing. Amarone is made from grapes left to dry for a few weeks before crushing. It makes a rich, high-alcohol wine with deep, dark, dried fruit and tar flavors. Ripasso Valpos are regular Valpos to which the crushed, used skins of the grapes used for Amarone are added just after the Valpo has fully fermented. This triggers additional fermentation and extraction of some of the flavors of the Amarone style wine.

2008 Viña Borgia (100% Grenache) (Campo de Borja, Spain)

Just an insane value. A really good wine for under $6.

Deep ruby with loads of youthful violet hues. Nose jumps out of the glass with fresh raspberry liqueur, flowers, and a hint of stone. Pure and intense, with tangy flavors of crushed back raspberries and minerals. Full-bodied, with lively acidity and a little pleasant pepperiness in the finish. A really lively mouthful of fruity goodness. 88. Imported by Jorge Ordoñez. Was $5.19 at Spec's, and is also currently on sale at Whole Foods on Bellaire for $5.99.

Thanksgiving wine #2: 2006 Louis M. Martini "Gnarly Vine" ZINFANDEL "Monte Rosso Vineyard" (Sonoma County, Cal.)

A dynamite Zin from arguably the single greatest Zinfandel vineyard in the world.

Vibrant, deep and dark ruby with violet highlights. Almost overwhelming nose of ripe, tangy blackberry and boysenberry fruit, with prominent smoke and crushed stone notes. Thick flavors that attach themselves to every corner of the inside of your mouth and don't quit -- loads of dark, port-like (but dry) blackberry fruit, a rich meatiness, and hot sandstone flavors. Lots of fine-grained tannins, but they are smothered by the richness of fruit. Very full bodied, with a finish that stays with you for well over a minute. Ridiculous. 93. Was about $36 at Spec's on Smith.

Thanksgiving wine #1: 2007 Argyle PINOT NOIR (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

An incredibly fragrant Pinot Noir, but lacking just a bit of concentration on the palate.

Shockingly light ruby color. Very fragrant nose of sappy, earthy cherries, pomegranate, and smoky peat. Low-toned attack in the mouth, with dark, macerated cherries and scorched earthy, iodiney minerals. A bit thinner in the mid-palate than the extraordinary nose would lead one to believe. Fairly long, resiny, minerally finish. 90 for the nose, 87 for the palate. Was $29 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2007 Morande CARMENERE Reserva (Maipo Valley, Chile)

Yet ANOTHER delicious Carmenere at a very good price.

Nearly fully-saturated black ruby with violet highlights. Incredibly fruity nose -- loads of ripe blackberry and cassis fruit, with background components of smoky gravel and bell pepper (just a touch). Round, rich, full, with deep, lingering fruit and very nice balance. This is a full-bodied, potent wine that goes down way too easily. Maybe lacking a bit of complexity but at this price no one can complain. 89. Was $11.99 at Spec's on Richmond (near West Loop).

2007 Domaine de la Chanteleuserie BOURGEUIL "Cuvee Alouettes" (Loire Valley, France)

A lighter, leaner style of Cabernet France. Went very well with a simple roast chicken.

Light, bright, crystalline ruby. High-toned nose of herby cassis, dried leaves, and machine oil. Bone dry and lively flavors of liquid minerals and cherry skins, with light body and terrific acidity. Very food-friendly. Finish is long, but light, lean, and dry. 86. Was $19.99 at Houston Wine Merchant (South Shepherd). Imported by Kermit Lynch.

2007 Hahn Estate "MERITAGE" (Central Coast, Cal.)

This was a soft, pleasurable red. I'm guessing there is a lot of Merlot in the blend (the label doesn't say what it is).

Nearly saturated black ruby. Soft, sweet, ripe nose of blackberry syrup and smoky balsa wood. Round, ripe, and soft, with mouthfilling and satisfying (if not complex) flavors of blackberries and smoke, with a tad bit of pencil lead. Long, soft, ripe finish with a barely noticeable level of very soft tannin. 87. Not sure how much this cost as it was a gift.

PS -- Hahn website indicates this is blend of 31% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, 12% Malbec, and 9% Cabernet Franc.

2006 Domaine Brusset COTES DE VENTOUX "Les Boudalles" (Rhone, France)

A decent but generic tasting red.

Very dark black ruby. Medium intensity, plummy nose. Good concentration of straightforward, plummy/berry fruit. Substantial, medium-soft tannin to give some structure. Good balance, but so middle-of-the-road in character as to lack any indication whatsoever where it came from or what grapes were in it. Clean finish. 83. Was $11 at Spec's on Westheimer (between Hillcroft and Dunvale). New Castle Imports, S.C.

2007 Erik Banti MORELLINO DI SCANSANO (Southern Tuscany, Italy)

This is a typical, solid Sangiovese from this reliable Morellino producer.

Dark, blackish ruby. Earthy, deep-toned nose of dark black cherries macerated in cherry eau-de-vie, with charcoal and balsa wood notes. Concentrated, medium-full bodied, with some rustic tannin, this wine is ripe, with good fruit/acid/alcohol balance and moathcoating, smoky dark fruit flavors. Very nice finish. Not elegant, but a satisfying mouthful. 87. Imported by Margaux and Associates. Once again, no receipt, but I think I got this one at Central Market for around $19.

(Sorry, 2005 label shown)

UPDATE -- Got this at Spec's on Smith for $14.99, so disregard the guess above.

2006 Domaine Seguin POUILLY-FUMÉ (Loire Valley, France)

This Sauvignon Blanc started out unimpressive and over time opened up into a very, very good wine.

Very light gold color. Nose weak at first, but then developed into a very "biological" nose of ripe gooseberries, earthy, crushed, wet limestone, and fresh oregano leaves (a lemony/herbal streak). Soft and mouthfilling, yet with sparklingly bright flavors -- great minerality and zesty lemon-lime fruit. Lots of length. You might even think about decanting this one to get it to open up quicker! 89.

Was $22.99 at Richard's on Voss and San Felipe. Imported by Robert Kacher.

2007 Jean Francois Merieau TOURAINE GAMAY "Le Bois Jacou" (Loire Valley, France)

A light and refreshing red.

Medium ruby garnet. Very Beaujolais-like nose (Gamay is the grape that is used in Beaujolais) but with a higher-toned minerality. I am guessing this has to do with the differences in the soil. In very broad generalities, Beaujolais is known for its granite rich soil, while the Loire is more known for its chalky, limestoney soil.

Crisp and light in the mouth, with a good initial attack that falls away quickly, leaving mostly crisp acids and some minerality in the finish. A palate-cleansing style for hot days (put a light chill on this wine for extra refreshment) or to cut through garlicky, tomatoey dishes. 85. Imported by Jon David Headrick Selections (a relatively new but very good importer). Don't quote me on this, but I think I got this at Central Market for around $15.

2005 "Volver" (100% Tempranillo) (La Mancha, Spain)

I'm usually not a huge Tempranillo fan, but this really impressed me.

Completely saturated, youthful ruby/violet color. With air, the nose displayed a lovely combination of sweet baking spices and vanilla, along with ripe raspberry syrup and gravel. Ripe, mouthfilling, and still a bit tannic, the flavors started off with dense, rich fruit (blackberry and blueberry) but then tapered off into a lean, long iodine and dry berry extract finish. Lots of alcohol, acidity, and structure. A large-scale, formidable wine. Still could use a year or two of cellaring, at which point it may be even better. 89+. Was a great buy at $14.88 at Whole Foods on Bellaire. Imported by Jorge Ordonez Selections.

2006 Domaine Durand CORNAS "Premices" (Northern Rhone, France)

A large-scaled and rustic Syrah.

Dark, vivid plum-ruby color. Although closed and giving up nothing but scorched earth scents initially, after significant air time it yielded scents of sweet, plummy fruit, smoky, meaty, almost bacon-y notes, and lemon-cream spices. Compact and tannic in the mouth, with lots of pencil shaving and scorched earth flavors, along with youthful and not-so-soft tannin and peppery piquancy obscuring some nice but shy cassis fruit. Long, dry finish. Needs another 2 - 4 years to drop out some of the tannin and open up a bit. 85+. Imported by Fruit of the Vine, Inc. Was $26 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

(Sorry -- this label looks a little different than the one I got, but it's close).

2006 Steele ZINFANDEL (Mendocino County, Cal.)

A good value, classy Zin. Not a ripe mouthfilling behemoth, but everything in nice harmony.

Bright, medium dark ruby. An initial, sharp acetate whiff on the nose blew off after about 20 minutes to reveal exuberant, focused, and fruity aromas of mixed wild berries, sweet cream, and caramelized baking spices. Full-bodied, with a soft texture, good concentration, and excellent balance of fruit, acids, and alcohol. Long, refreshing finish. 88. Will keep for another year or so, and was a pretty good value to boot. $16 at Spec's on Smith.

2007 Brigaldara VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

A good, solid Valpo from this reliable producer.

Dark ruby/garnet color. The nose needed lots of time to open up, but then gave up pretty, medium intensity scents of sweet cherries and red berries, along with a touch of cinnamon and crushed stone. Medium-to-full bodied, with macerated, sweet/tart cherry flavors that pounce on the palate along with some slightly bitter, stony minerals. Some tannin perceptible, which is kind of unusual for basic entry-level Valpolicella. Decent finish. More of a palate-cleansing style that would counter highly-flavored rustic dishes. Drink over the next year. 86. Imported by Vinifera Imports. Was $19 at Spec's.

2006 Domaine de Cabasse SEGURET Côtes du Rhône Villages "Cuvée Garnacho" (Southern France)

Nice, but a bit disappointing for its pedigree. I usually expect individual village wines from the Rhône to have a bit more concentration and character than this one did.

Medium dark ruby color. Medium intensity, fruity nose of ripe raspberry and blackberry, with a little bit of sweet fruitcake and stone components way in the background. Low register, dark, almost bitter, medium intensity flavors of scorched earth and iodine, with some dry raspberry skin fruit taking a back seat. Peppery but pleasant finish with a bit of length and some barely-perceptible tannin too. 84. Was about $16 at Spec's on Richmond.

2006 Meia Encosta DÃO (Portugal)

A pretty solid $10 red.

Dark ruby garnet color.

Forthright nose of tangy mixed berries and spicy powdered rock. Medium full bodied and soft textured, with reasonably concentrated plum and pomegranate fruit and powdered stone flavors. Clean, balanced, medium length finish. While it's hard to get really excited about this wine, this is a wine that few people can dislike, making it a good choice for large, casual events. 86. Was around $10 at Spec's on Smith.

2007 Stinger ZINFANDEL (Paso Robles, Cal.)

Alliteration time: this was one zingy, zesty Zin. Talk about tangy acidity! But in a good way.

Dark black ruby with youthful violet highlights. Very good color extraction. Lively nose of spicy raspberry, pomegranate, and crushed rock. Rich in fruit, yet loaded with crisp acids to give it some true zing, this wine is tailor-made for rich meat braises. Full-bodied, smooth-textured, and featuring a long, lively finish. 87. Another purchase ($9.99) I made at a great sale that was going on at Houston Wine Merchant a couple of weeks ago.

2006 Lake Breeze "Langhorne Creek" GRENACHE (Australia)

A really nice Grenache. Loaded with ripe fruit, but with everything in balance.

Medium-bright ruby garnet. Vibrant, exuberant nose of sweet crushed raspberries, slightly smoky sandstone, and gingerbread. Mouthfilling flavors of black pepper, lusty raspberry syrup, and a bit of an iodine-y/minerally thing going on in the finish. Avoids the jamminess that one can get with a lot of Aussie reds while still displaying lots of ripeness and richness. 88. Drink over the next year before the pepperiness (from the alcohol) starts to burn through the fruit. I think I paid about $19 for this at Whole Foods on Bellaire several months ago.

2005 Georges Viorney COTE DE BROUILLY "Cuvée Vieilles Vignes" (Beaujolais, France)

This 4-year old Beaujolais tasted remarkably vibrant and refreshing for its age.

Youthful, crystalline dark black ruby. Great, classic Beaujolais nose of sweet, crunchy plums and cherries, along with lots of granite-y minerality. Zest and vibrant in the mouth, with peppery, clean cherry / berry fruit and lots of clean, stony minerals. Some very fine-grained, rounded tannins still noticeable, amazingly enough. This wine has aged beautifully for a Beaujolais. Only thing it lacked was just a tad more concentration to take it to that highest level. 87. Imported by North Berkeley Imports, I got it direct from them for about $15 several months ago.

2007 Sebastiani PINOT NOIR "Sonoma Coast" (Cal.)

A very good value at the ridiculously low price I paid ($9.99, on sale) at Houston Wine Merchant (South Shepherd).

Bright, medium dark ruby. Lots of sweet, sappy cherry and plum fruit on the nose along with a hint of smoky gravel. Rich, ripe flavors attack the palate (in a soft-textured frame) with juicy mulled cherries and root beer/cola components, tapering off with baking spice-laced earth notes. Very nice. I'll take this over 90% of the $30 burgundies out there any day. 88.

(Certain "terroirist" bloggers would, I'm sure, poo-poo my obviously pedestrian tastes claiming that "this biodynamic french microproducer and that organic microproducer make much more genuine a product" -- and their wines probably are really good, but where the heck does anyone not living in New York City find such wines without taking off two weeks from work to "seek the Grail"? So I'll happily find and drink this much more easily found "people's burg.")

2006 Qupé GRENACHE "Purisima Vineyard" (Santa Ynez Valley, Cal.)

Showing the herbal side of Grenache, this was a distinctive wine.

Medium dark ruby/garnet color. Scents of rhubarb, raspberry, herbs, and intense powdered stone notes. Lean but intense in the mouth, with herby, minerally raspberry flavors and a very noticeable peppery component. Long, minerally, peppery finish. 87. Was $19.99 on sale at Houston Wine Merchant (on South Shepherd).

2005 Charles Koehly RIESLING "Saint Hippolyte" (Alsace, France)

Aaaah -- good Riesling from Alsace. Always one of my favorite types of whites. This Riesling, while dry in the typical Alsace style, is actually a bit more fruit-forward, and less austere, than many Alsace Rieslings.

Light gold color. Beautiful, yet somewhat reserved nose of crushed white grapes, slate, and a hint of yeasty-cinnamon. Soft-textured and medium-bodied, it has ripe, almost exotic flavors of grape, peach, gingerbread, and milky tea. Good balancing acidity as well. Will easily hold for another 1-2 years. 88. Imported by Neal Rosenthal.

2007 Domaine de Colette RÉGNIÉ "Séléction Vieilles Vignes" (Beaujolais, France)

This is consistently one of my favorite estates for crisp, intense, refreshing old-school Beaujolais.

The 2007 has a beautiful, crystal clear dark ruby color. Pure, piercing nose of sweet cherries and plums, along with freshly-cracked stones -- but this emerges only after it's been opened for over an hour. At first, the nose was quite closed.


Silky-smooth textured in the mouth, but with nervous, bone-dry flavors of crisp cherry, loads of stony minerals, and bit of cracked black peppercorns. A very lively mouthful of wine. 87. Imported by Charles Neal Selections, I got this for $18.99 at Central Market.

(Non-vintage) Duval-Leroy "Rosé de Saignée" CHAMPAGNE (France)

This is one of my very favorite non-vintage champagnes year in and year out. It always has a gorgeous color, an accessible Pinot Noir-fruit driven nose, and good concentration, good balance, and persistent bubbles. This latest iteration did not disappoint.

Gorgeous pale salmon color with pink glints. Fresh, pretty nose of yeasty bread, minerals, cherries and tart apples. Crisp, dry, and full-flavored, with a long, zesty finish. I love this stuff. 90. Was $45 at Spec's on Smith a few months ago, but I think the price has gone up. (Why can Champagne defy the recession?)

2005 Casanova di Neri ROSSO DI MONTALCINO (Tuscany, Italy)

A very classy Sangiovese Grosso from southern Tuscany.

Dark black ruby garnet. Deep-toned nose of dark, earthy, macerated black cherries, incense, and smoky embers. Densely-fruited, but tightly-wound, it featured rich, dark cherry fruit, with loads of crushed stone and gravel notes. Full and bone-dry, with excellent acid balance. Lots of soft tannin still resides in the long finish. Drink over the next two years. 88. Was $25 and change at Richard's on Richmond just west of Chimney Rock. Sorry, forgot to note the importer.

2006 Finca Flichman MALBEC (Mendoza, Argentina)

Call this ridiculous value "Recession Red." $4.99 for a solid, well-made red with some real character.

Dark ruby garnet. Interesting nose of plums, sweet lemon juice, and angel food cake crust. Medium full-bodied, with medium intensity flavors of blackberry, brambly earth, and minerals, with a long, dry, slightly tannic finish. Drink over the next year. 86. Got is, as I said, for $4.99 on sale at Fiesta (Old Spanish Trail and Kirby), but I think the regular price is $5.99, which still qualifies as an excellent value.

(Sorry -- 2008 pictured).

2006 Domaine des Ormousseaux COTEAUX DU GIENNOIS PINOT NOIR (Loire Valley, France)

This was a very light but flavorful Pinot Noir from a backwater region in the Loire (near Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé).

Extremely light ruby with garnet highlights. Nose of spiced, sweet/tart cherry candy, with some high-toned, smoky minerality. Light-bodied, crisp, yet flavorful, with loads of sweet/tart cherry fruit and mineral flavors. Not complex, but good, straightforward Pinot Noir flavors in a refreshing, balanced style. It paired very well with Liz's fabulous roast chicken. 87. I can't remember where I got this, and I can't find the receipt, dammit. Will update when I remember. Imported by Fruit of the Vine, NYC.

Sorry, no photo.

UPDATE -- I paid about $25 at Spec's on Smith for this. So it's not a particularly good buy, although it still was quite nice.

10/15/09 UPDATE: Whole Foods on Bellaire has this on sale for $12.99 -- making it a GREAT BUY! (Maybe that's where I got it -- I don't remember paying $25 for it . . . .)

2007 Altovinum EVODIA "Old Vines Garnacha" (Calatayud, Spain)

This was a very tight but concentrated red.

Dark black ruby. Lots of steely and stony minerals in the nose, accenting deep, spiced black raspberry fruit. Seemed both lean and weighty in the mouth, with tight-knit scorched earth, dark raspberry, and mineral flavors. Displays a much more stony and minerally side of Grenache. It paired very well with a rich, Florentine beef stew. 88. Should keep for a couple of years. Was $9 and change at Spec's Warehouse on Westheimer in Montrose, making it a great buy. Imported by Eric Solomon European Cellars.

2006 Tormaresca "NEPRICA" (40% Negroamaro, 30% Primitivo, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon) (Puglia, Italy)

Usually I shy away from non-DOC blends that include non-indigenous varietals like Cabernet, so I'm not sure what prompted me to get this, but it was surprisingly good after it aired out several hours. It had a gorgeously focused and unique fruitiness to it.

Fully saturated bloody-rich black ruby. The nose was closed for quite a wile, giving up only closed, dry earthy scents until a few hours later it developed a lovely, focused, freshly-crushed spiced blackberriness, with a hint of smoky gravel in the background. Full-bodied, but balanced and smooth, it featured tightly-wound blackberry fruit with a bit of a dark licorice note, along with a steely minerality. A fair amount of smooth tannins. 89 (after it blossomed). Be sure to give this lots of air time. Was a great value at $10.71 -- I'll call it "under $10, since it's close enough -- at Spec's on Richmond. Imported by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

2007 Cline "Ancient Vines" MOURVEDRE (Contra Costa County, Cal.)

This winery really has hit a consistent groove over the last several years with its "Ancient Vines" Zins and Mourvedres. This latest iteration of the Mourvedre is excellent and a very good value. Again.

Youthfully bright, dark black ruby. Deeply fruity nose, with loads of dark plums, blackberries, and even a hint of peach, along with a sweet, high-toned balsa smoke note. Rich, fruity, and balanced in the mouth, with concentrated plummy fruit accented with a vaguely bitter dark chocolate note. Lots of soft tannins in the long fruit-and-spice finish. 89. Widely available, I got mine for under $14 at Spec's on Westheimer near Montrose.

2007 Mas Carlot ROSÉ (VDP de Pays d'Oc, Southern France)

A flavorful but simple rosé.

Bubble gum pink color with orangey highlights. Big but simple, fruity nose -- lots of cherry juice, grapes, and fruit salad. Full-flavored and direct, with refreshing acidity for such a big, juicy wine. A nice, relatively cheap quaffer. Drink soon. 86. Was $9 at Richard's on San Felipe. Imported by Robert Kacher.

2008 Domaine des Cassagnoles VDP Cotes de Gascogne (SW France)

This was an outstanding buy in a fresh, crisp, character-filled dry white. Worth buying by the case if you like to have a fair amount of everyday white wine on hand.

Exceedingly pale, greenish straw gold. Beautifully fresh nose of herbs, pear, stones, and clover blossoms. Smells like there's a fair amount of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. Crisp, lip-smacking mouthfeel, with loads of focused, green appley fruit and a lightly chalky minerality. A ridiculously refreshing, light-bodied dry white. 88. Was $8.76 at Spec's on Westheimer (outside the Loop near Fogo de Chao). Imported by Weygandt-Metzler.

(Sorry: 2005 label shown)

2006 Wine Guerilla "Forchini Vineyards - Old Vines" ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

Another terrific, hedonistically-styled Zin from this relatively new Zinfandel specialist.

Sultry, dark black ruby, though not fully-saturated. Decadent, rich, incredibly ripe, fruity nose of crushed, sweet mixed berries, with peach, lemon, and spice notes. Mouthfilling flavors of blackberry/cassis liqueur, crushed sandstone, and carmelized baking spices. Lots of body, lots of soft tannin, and a bit of alcohol showing through on the finish. But I can't get all dogmatic about the high alcohol (I think it was 16.5% or something like that), despite the fact that it's all trendy these days to denigrate wines like this as "Parkerized" fruit bombs. This wine was just too much fun and too tasty. 89. I think this was around $30 at Spec's on Smith, but given that there were only 48 cases made (what's that, one barrel?), that's not too bad.

(Sorry: 2007 shown)

2007 Viu Manent CARMENERE Reserva (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

Jeez, I'm really getting to LOVE this varietal. Carmeneres mostly fall in the $10 - 15 range, and have a flavor profile that goes well with the stews, braises, and pasta dishes I love to cook.

This is yet another winner from Viu Manent, although it is a little less overtly fruity than other vintages, maybe due to the slightly cooler year Chile had in '07.

Fully saturated black black ruby color. Intensely low-toned nose that got sweeter with air time, displaying cassis, iodine notes, pencil lead, and sweetish, smoky cinnamon component. Soft, ripe, mouthcoating flavors of cassis, blackberry, and lightly scorched earth. Extremely long, rich finish, displaying lots of soft tannin. This wine could benefit from another 2-4 years of cellaring. 89+. Was $14.99 at Whole Foods. Imported by Bacchus International (Longview, TX).

2005 Montebuena RIOJA (Spain)

This was a very straightforward, middle-of-the-road red. It's hard to get up any emotion to write about.

Had a nice, vibrant dark ruby color. Pleasant, low intensity nose of crushed, nameless berries. Medium-bodied, decently balanced and structured, but really devoid of any interesting flavors in the mouth. The finish consists more of the feeling of the physical structure of the wine than any memorable flavors. Quintessentially forgettable. 70. Was $14.99 at Whole Foods.

2004 Michele Castellani CORVINA ROSSO VERONESE "Seral" (Veneto, Italy)

This is a single varietal wine made from the dominant varietal in the Valpolicella blend (and therefore cannot be called Valpolicella). A year ago, it would have been a bit better. As it is, it's still pretty good, but it needs to be drunk up.

Medium dark ruby with some amber at the rim. Big, earthy nose, with lots of blackberry extract, and pungent, smoky balsa wood. Also, incongruously, a squeeze of lemon juice. Low-toned and intense in the mouth, with cassis fruit and woody flavors vying for attention, with a vaguely tarry note in the background. Seemed a bit flat-feeling at first, but then developed a bit more vibrancy with air. 87. Imported by Bedford International. Lost the receipt, but I think this was about $20 at Central Market.

2008 Domaine La Suffrene BANDOL ROSÉ (Provence, France)

A crisp, dry, and unique rosé. Not to mention expensive.

Gorgeously bright, light copper-tangerine color. Refreshing nose of flowers, peaches, fruit salad, and earthy minerals. Round and silky in the mouth, with flavors of mixed, ripe fruit skins and lots of stony minerals. Long finish. Bone dry, full-bodied, and had decent acidity too. (Just a tad more acidity would have catapulted this one into the 90s.) As it is, I gave it an 88. $21.99 at Spec's on Richmond. Imported by Bandol Wines LLC of Houston.

2006 Felsina-Berardenga CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

This "entry-level" Chianti from a respected producer is very nice. A classic-styled Sangiovese from a classic terroir.

Youthful, medium-saturation black ruby. Nice, exuberant nose of sweet cream, macerated, tangy bu ripe cherries, and gravelly minerals. Nicely-focused, medium weight flavors of winey cherries and dried gravelly earth. A fair amount of tannin and a tight core of fruit augur for 1-2 more years of beneficial cellaring to soften and expand. 87+. Was $18.99 at Spec's on Smith, making it a fairly good value for a Chianti Classico. (Sorry, forgot to make a note of the importer.)

2005 Verget MACON-CHARNAY "Les Clos St-Pierre" (Burgundy, France)

Yet another terrific 2005 from Verget. This unoaked Chardonnay was round, minerally, vibrant, complex.

Crystal clear, almost luminescent light gold with greenish glints. Interesting and complex nose of creamed crushed stones, and spiced pear juice. Round and flavorful, with bright acidity and a nice, insistent but subtle minerality over dry pear and apply fruit. Long finish. Refreshing and satisfying. 89. Was $18.46 at Spec's on Smith.

2005 Villa Matilde AGLIANICO "Rocca dei Leoni" (Campania, Italy)

A big, but austere and tannic red. Just missed the mark.

Sultry black ruby. Deeply earthy, gravelly nose, with high-toned minerality and some macerated dark cherry fruit. Weighty but austere in the mouth. Lots of tannin and acidity, with little fruit, and lean, minerally flavors. Despite not being the friendliest style, it actually went pretty well with stracotto (Italian pot roast braised in red wine), though it wasn't nearly as good on its own. 85. Imported by Empson. Was $24.95 at Central Market (which, judging for what it goes for on the Internet, was a rip-off).

2004 Fire Block Old Vines GRENACHE (Clare Valley, Australia)

This was a terrific, full-flavored, soft, and balanced Grenache. Yummy.

Medium dark ruby. Rich, ripe nose of oozingly sweet raspberries and dusty, spicy, hot sandstone. Luscious and rich in the mouth, but not an over-the-top fruit bomb. Lots of rich blackberry fruit and a sweet, minerally smokiness. A long, rich finish, with some just-perceptible alcoholic warmth (at 16.5% I would have thought there would be more hotness). Paired beautifully with homemade mac-and-cheese, and would be dynamite with grilled steaks too. 91. Was $21.59 at Richard's on San Felipe & Voss.

2005 Teira ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County, Cal.)

A pretty good, leaner style Zin that won't break the bank.

Medium saturation black ruby color. Medium intensity nose of crushed plums and sweet cream. Not a fleshy style Zin, but with medium-full body and a tight core of dusty berry fruit. Finish is refreshing and a little tangy, although a bit clipped. A fairly food-flexible wine. 86. Was $15 at Spec's on Smith. (Don't believe the shelf talker on this one. It portrays this wine as fleshy and lush, which is exactly what it is not.)

2007 Domaine des Herbauges MUSCADET "Cotes de Grandlieu Sur Lie" "Classic" (Loire Valley, France)

Zingy, zesty, and terrific, from one of the lesser known subregions in the Muscadet appellation.

Very pale straw gold. Stunning, intensely minerally/stony nose, with creamed pear and apple scents. Bone dry, with razor-sharply defined minerally, green apple and lemon-lime fruit. Mouthwatering acidity and great intensity, yet carrying only medium-light body. One of the best Muscadets I've ever had. Will easily last another year or two. 90. Unfortunately, I can't remember where the heck I got this. I'll update this post if I find the receipt or otherwise remember. Imported by The Stacole Company.

2007 Domaine Sauvette TOURAINE "Les Gravouilles" (Loire Valley, France)

A Gamay-based wine from the Loire -- think of it as the Loire's Beaujolais -- that is both cheap and really good. A superbly-refreshing wine.

Medium dark dusty ruby color. Bright nose of cold stones, candied tart cherries, and fresh, ripe grapes. Crystal clean Beaujolais-style mouthfeel, with zero tannins. Lots of tangy, stony, tartish berry/cherry flavors. Very nice acid balance. Maybe a bit higher-toned stoniness, but same refreshing appeal, as top-notch Beaujolais. 88. North Berkeley Imports sells this direct for $13.50, making it a great buy.

(Sorry: Sauvignon label shown.)

2005 Cuvee des Messes Basses COTES DE VENTOUX (Rhone Valley, France)

Nothing wrong with this wine, but not much to recommend either.

Medium dark ruby. Straightforward, vaguely earthy, plummy nose. In the mouth, the will is relatively light, with the fruit seemingly on the decline. Decent balance, and relatively soft. 79. $13 at Spec's on Westheimer.

2007 La Playa "Block Selection" CARMENERE (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

This was an excellent value in a full-flavored, complex red.

Almost completely saturated black ruby color. Great nose of sweet cigar smoke, gravel, ripe blackberries, and cassis. Very much like a really good red from the Pessac-Leognan/Graves area of Bordeaux. Rich and weighty in the mouth, with deep, dark berry and earth flavors. Full-bodies, but not overly alcoholic. Lots of tannin, of the medium-soft variety, in the long, rich finish. Will clearly improve over the next 1-2 years. 88. Was $10.99 at Spec's on Westheimer. Imported by Cabernet Corporation (whatever that is).

2004 Meo-Camuzet MOREY-ST.-DENIS (Burgundy, France)

This was marked down by half (from $52 to $26) at Richard's on Voss so I thought I'd try it. Not bad, but kind of loose and starting to fade a bit (as are a lot of 2004 red burgundies I've tried -- they're clearly to be drunk up).

Light amberish ruby. Initially intensely earthy (in a barnyard-y kind of way), but with air more fruit emerged and the earthiness took a back seat. Lots of soft, flowing, schisty-minerally flavors, with mushrooms and baking-spice laced mulled cherries. Tightened up on the finish, with hard, dry cherry extract flavors the last to leave. Zero tannin. 80.

(Note: Fixin shown, but label design same for the Morey)

2007 Domaine Cabirau GRENACHE "Serge & Tony" (VDP Cotes de Catalanes, SW France)

I liked this a lot. Lots of ripe grenache fruit, but with some earthy complexity and a soft texture.

Deep, luminescent black ruby. Rich and deep-toned nose of spiced raspberry syrup, baking spices, and crushed stones. Round, rich, full, and lively, with concentrated black raspberry and mineral flavors. Lots of soft tannin in the long finish. This will keep and soften for 1-2 years in a cool cellar or storage place. 90. $15 at Spec's on Westheimer. Importer by Dan Kravitz Hand-Picked Selections.

2004 ColdiSole ROSSO DI MONTALCINO (Tuscany, Italy)

This wine was, to my mind, clearly heat-damaged at some point.

Very advanced brownish-ruby color. Intensely "winey" nose of sweet-and-sour cherry liqueur (some volatile acidity, i.e., acetic acid, lurking in the background), vanilla, and old leather. Extremely tannic, with a very flat, dead feel in the mouth. Slightly stewed flavor of flat old cherry juice and old leaves. What a shame, particularly since I dropped $26 smackers on this at Spec's.

And now for something completely different: A personal list of my 13 favorite jazz discs of the 1990s and 2000s

I love jazz. But in a kind of idiosyncratic way. Not free-form dissonant stuff. No Dixieland. I know there are names (like post-bop or whatever) that jazz geeks use for various genres, but I don't know what any of them mean. I just like what I like. And here are some of my favorites of the last two decades:

Joshua Redman -- "Elastic" -- This trio recording with Sam Yahel and Brian Blade has some riveting sax solos, funky changes, and catchy melodies. These guys click.

Mark Isham -- "Blue Sun" -- Mark Isham is a spooky trumpet player, and this album catches an "L.A. late at night" kind of vibe. I love Doug Lunn's electric bass lines.

Arild Andersen w/ Vassilis Tsabropoulos and John Marshall -- "The Triangle" -- A piano trio that rumbles like tectonic plates moving. I'm not sure how they manage such a powerful yet melodic sound.

Marc Johnson -- "Shades of Jade" -- Some really haunting melodies, with the unique piano style of his wife, Eliane Elias, and Joey Baron's ridiculous drumming.

Pat Metheny -- "Secret Story" -- Really ambitious, complex waves of sound, drawing from classical, world music, and modern jazz, yet always melodic, with some really quiet, emotional numbers changing the mood just before it gets to be too much.

Peter Erskine, Palle Danielsson, and John Taylor -- "You Never Know" -- This piano trio does a lot of somewhat free-form stuff, but they mostly maintain a sense of structure and melody. This was the first of this trio's four discs, and to my ears the best.

Steve Khan -- "Got My Mental" -- I love Steve Khan's unique guitar playing, and in this trio setting (with some additional percussion giving it a slightly Latin feel at times) with Jack Dejohnette and John Patitucci, it's like a sound convoy.

Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua, and Dave Carpenter -- "Badlands" -- Another piano trio featuring the amazingly tasteful drumming of Peter Erskine, this disc features Alan Pasqua's unique piano playing and compositions, which are at once incredibly melodic yet have surprising changes.

John Scofield -- "Bump" -- I love John Scofield's guitar playing. His style changes from album to album, ranging from classic jazz guitar to distorted electrified funk. This is more on the electric side, and kind of brings up images of a funky jazz bar in a distant galaxy.

Marc Johnson -- "Sounds of Summer Running" -- This disc conjures up exactly what the titles says. It sounds like a gorgeously sunny morning in a beautiful small farm town somewhere in the heartland of America. Featuring two great and very different guitarists meshing surprisingly well together (Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell). Plus Joey Baron on drums. 'Nuff said.

Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and Michal Miskiewicz -- "Trio" -- This young Polish piano trio's first album is quietly sublime. As delicate as a butterfly's wings.

Jonathan Kreisberg -- "The South of Everywhere" -- One of my very favorite young jazz guitarists, this album has drive, melody, and fantastic musicianship.

2005 "Nectar du Terroir" GIGONDAS (Rhone, France)

Gigondas can be one of the tougher Rhone wines to love. It's a higher altitude, cooler appellation than the other Southern Rhone villages that have their own appellation (e.g., Chateauneuf, Beaumes-de-Venise). So the wines can be a bit leaner, less overtly fruity, and more on the austere, minerally side. But when they're on, they're really good dinner wines.

This one was really good, and produced not by a private estate, but by a co-op no less.

Dark black ruby. Intensely garrigue-y nose -- lots of dry, minerally, gravel & herb scents, but in equal measure with nicely focused, spicy raspberry fruit. Lively, concentrated, and with Gigondas's typical sense of structure. Loads of minerals, iodine-y notes, and concentrated dry black cherry fruit. Lots of tannin, but it's more of the soft, rather than coarse variety. Long, lean finish. 88. Was $19.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

Imported by Fruit Of The Vine, NYC, NY.

2006 Summers Napa Valley ZINFANDEL "Villa Andriana Vineyard" (Cal.)

WARNING: Pompously-written tasting notes that do a disservice to all who love wine to follow (according to one commenter whose comment I chose not to publish*).

I really loved this Zin. Texturally, it was structured and restrained enough that it reminded me of a really good classified growth Bordeaux, but flavor-wise it was all Zin.

Mostly saturated black ruby. The nose was awesome and complex. Deep-toned, laid-back plummy, blackberry fruit, augmented with lots of sweet, dusty, smoky gravelly scents. Concentrated and nicely-structured in the mouth, lots of deep but not over-the-top blackberry fruit. Full-bodied, but just barely. Not a massive, fruit bomb style (although I occasionally like those too.) Long, ripe, and smoky finish. 91. Was $23 at Spec's on Smith.

* I probably should have published the comment, but since I mostly do this blog for family and friends, I figured what's the point? If the person doesn't want to read it, he or she doesn't have to.

2007 MontGras "QUATRO" (30% Cabernet Suavignon, 30% Malbec, 25% Carmenere, 15% Syrah) (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

Outstanding. I believe this is the third vintage I've had of this wine, and they've all been excellent. Stylistically, it seems to be a hybrid of New World and Europe.

Almost completely saturated black ruby. Big, rich, ripe chocolatey nose filled with deep-toned cassis and blackberry fruit. Mouthfilling flavors of dark chocolate, ripe blackberry, and smoky, dusty gravel. It had a hair less weight and jamminess in the mouth than the nose led me to expect, but avoiding "fruit bombiness" is not a bad thing. It's flavorful, concentrated, with everything seemingly in balance. Long finish. 90. I believe I got his one at Whole Foods on Bellaire a while back for about $15, and I recently saw it at Kroger's on Buffalo Speedway and Westpark for the same price. (Spec's doesn't stock any MontGras wines.)

2008 Bonterra Vineyards ROSÉ (Mendocino County, Cal.)

A solid, relatively full-bodied, dry rosé. Fuller and riper than many Provencal rosés, but very nice.

Bright, light, bubble-gum pink color. Flowers, minerals, watermelon juice, and strawberry/cherry fruit on the nose. Full-flavored and full-bodied, with lots of oomphy ripe, tangy red fruit and light mineral flavors. Not complex, but gutsy, dry, and refreshing. With all that flavor it can even take a good cold chill to make it extra refreshing on a hot day. Adequate acidity to keep it in balance. Good value. 87. I lost the receipt but I believe I got this for around $10 at Whole Foods on Bellaire. It's also widely available in other supermarkets and wine shops.

2005 Quinta do Valdoeiro BAIRRADA (Portugal)

Bairrada is in my view an underrated region in Portugal, with lots of good values to be had. This is one.

Dark black ruby. Subtle nose of ripe, red fruit (cherry, plum), smoky balsa wood, baking spices, and dry gravel. Ripe, lively entry, with medium body, and an elegant personality. Spritely acidity lends to a lively mouthfeel, with equal measures of tangy plummy fruit and crushed stone flavors. 88. Was $11.40 at Spec's. Imported by Direct Wines Imports of Texas.

(Hat tip to VINEgeek for the photo.)

2007 Tres Ojos Old Vines GARNACHA (Calatayud, Spain)

A very good value in a cheap red.

Dense black ruby. Intense nose of meaty, stoney notes over dry raspberry powder. Full, bone dry, and very minerally in the mouth, with somewhat bitterish raspberry fruit, and a fair amount of fine-grained tannin. This will be better in a year or two as the tannin settles out. At present, though, it's a muscular companion for chunky, meaty stews and pastas. 86. Was $7.99 at Spec's. Imported by Kysela Pere Fils.

2006 Frey-Sohler RIESLING "Rittersberg" (Alsace, France)

A decent starter Riesling from Alsace.

Crystal light gold with greenish glints. Identifiably Alsace Riesling nose of apply fruit (hint of peach too), sweet Earl Grey tea leaves, and deep-toned minerals. Intensely minerally in the mouth -- a lot more austere than the nose would indicate. Long and zesty, but too lean and unidimensionally minerally in the finish. 86 (based primarily on the strength of the nose). Was $19 and change at Spec's on Smith. Importer: J&R Selections.

2004 Domaine de la Garenne BANDOL (Provence, France)

A very good but not great Bandol (an appellation that is a personal favorite of mine). Worth the price ($26)? I'm on the fence.

Dark ruby garnet. Color looks kind of advanced for its type (Bandol can be a notoriously slow ager), but everything else says cellar a few more years. Classic Mourvedre nose of sweet, fragrant tree bark with lots of black raspberry fruit underneath. Ripe and round in the mouth, with lots of soft tannin still to shed. There's a lot of ripe blackberry and iodine-y/earthy flavors, with a long though not especially elegant finish. Note: This wine needed to be decanted several hours before it really showed its stuff. 88. Got it at Spec's on Smith. Imported by Bandol Wines LLC, of Houston -- I haven't heard of this company before but (a) I've recently purchased several of their wines here and am looking forward to trying them, and (b) I'm glad to see a new importer that appears to be focusing on this unique but underpublicized region.

2007 Barrel 27 GRENACHE "Rock and a Hard Place" (Santa Barbara County, Cal.)

Very nearly outstanding. A very big, full flavored mouthful.

Nearly fully-saturated blood/ruby. Fragrant nose of dry raspberry syrup, yeasty notes, toasty baking spices, and dry stones. Concentrated, full-bodied, with focused flavors of port-like fruit (but dry) and tons of crushed stones. Excellent length. If these grapes had been harvested just a hair earlier, this wine would have been even better. I think the fruit would have veered away from its port-like quality more towards raspberry and it would have been even better with just a bit more acidity. What the heck do I know, though? I'm just a dang lawyer. I still liked it enough to give it a 90.

Was $24 at Spec's on Smith.

2007 Domaine Perraud ST. VÉRAN "Vieilles Vines" (White Burgundy, France)

I believe this is the best St. Véran I've ever had. St. Véran is one of the few villages in the Maconnais region in southern Burgundy whose wines are distinctive enough so that they can be called soley by the village itself without the prefix Macon-_____. (Pouilly-Fuissé and Viré-Clessé are two other examples). St. Vérans are usually good values in white burgundy; this was a great value.

Bright, vivid gold. Rich nose filled with yellow peach, pear, and loads of chalky, oceanic minerals. Soft, round, and ripe, with loads of ripe yellow fruit and intense stony flavors in the mouth. Excellent balancing acidity too. Not a subtle wine, but intense and vigorous. A big mouthful of pure, vibrant, unoaked Chardonnay. 90. Was $17 direct from North Berkeley Imports.

(Sorry, 2005 shown since I couldn't find an image of the 2007)

2006 Poderi Elia DOLCETTO D'ALBA (Piemonte, Italy)

Overextraction made this potentially excellent wine into a merely good one.

Black ruby color with some garnet. Piercing blackberry jam and mineral aromas are promising, but in the mouth the wine was overly tannic and astringent (particularly for a Dolcetto, which, at its best, is, to my mind, like the Italian sibling of a cru Beaujolais). Still, the wine had good depth and flavors, and was enjoyable. 82. Imported by Small Vineyards. Was $15 and change at Spec's on Smith.

(SORRY, I know the photo is of the Barbera, but it's very similar to the label for the Dolcetto, which I couldn't find).

2006 Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois FLEURIE (Beaujolais, France)

This wine was substantially better after three days under a vacuum wine plug, which indicates to me it would benefit from decanting several hours ahead of time (unusual, for a Beaujolais).

Bright dark ruby. Initially rustic smelling, it offered a tight nose of dry cherry extract, intense, sharp-edged stonyness, and some blueberry notes. Tight and earthy in the mouth, with intensely concentrated dry earthiness and lean cherry fruit. Slightly tannic finish. Days later, the lean-ness and angularity was gone, and the cherryish fruit had grown and smoothed out the rough edges. Perplexing. 84 on first opening, 87 three days later. Neal Rosenthal Vineyard Selections, importer. $22 at Spec's on Smith.

2007 August Kesseler SPATBURGUNDER (Pinot Noir rosé QBA) (Rheingau, Germany)

A very unusual, but very good, rosé.

Extremely light copper color (almost like a white wine color, but tinged with copper instead of gold). Spritely nose of ripe grapes, apple, and a hint of strawberry, along with creamed minerals. Bright, medium full bodied flavors, with a slight sweetness (Halbtrocken in style, I'd say). Zesty fruit with a very elegant, very minerally finish. 87. Was about $17 at Spec's on Smith. Imported by Vineyard Brands.

A sausage-making party at Angy & Susan's in West Hartford

We had a family Italian sausage making party at Angy & Susan's house in West Hartford toward the end of my stay, and what a feast it was. And, of course, Angy brought up some really good wines from his cellar.

2006 Donna Ginevra VERDICCHIO DI CASTELLI DI JESI (Marche, Italy) -- A big, fat, bruiser of a Verdicchio. Lots of minerals and pear skins on the nose. Broad, fat, low-acid flavors fill the mouth. Weighty and minerally.

2007 Costalgo ROSSO VERONESE (Veneto, Italy) -- This was a very drinkable "international style" red from the area near where Valpolicella, Bardolino, and Soave are grown. Medium deep colored, with magenta highlights, this wine sported aromas and flavors of cigar box, ashes, and sweet, spiced cherries. Soft and round, with a sweet earthiness in the finish.

2007 DASCHE "L'Enfant Terrible" (McFadden Farms, Potter Valley ZINFANDEL) -- this organically grown and naturally made wine tasted -- to me at least -- like a dead ringer for an Australian Grenache. Without the label, I would never have picked it out as a Zinfandel. That said, it was very nice. Light ruby color, with a ripe, fruit salad (yes, fruit salad) nose. Lots of ripe, pure-tasting fruit in a medium-full bodied package.

2005 Tenuta San Leone Montesalionze BARDOLINO SUPERIORE (Veneto, Italy) -- Every time I'm at Angy and Susan's house, I ask them to bring up a bottle of this from the cellar (they had purchased a case). It remains the best Bardolino, by far, I've ever had. I reviewed this twice before, so I won't bore you with another recapitulation.

2006 Mazzocco "Kenneth Carl" Reserve Dry Creek Valley ZINFANDEL -- the culmination of the wines was this monster Zin, which they bought directly from the winery. Dense, powerful, and almost portlike in its richness. Would shine best with rich cheese at the end of a meal. A week after the meal, I can still taste it!

A second dinner in Massachusetts

I must be getting old. I can't remember the food we had with the following wines at another family dinner. Good thing I took notes on the wines.

2004 Piantate Lunghe ROSSO CONERO (Marche, Italy) -- this wine was primarily (or maybe all) derived from the dark-colored Montepulciano grape. Saturated color. Deep-toned nose of earthy, winey blackberries. Lots of soft tannins and good balance.

2004 Mas de Boislauzon CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE (Rhone Vally, France) -- Textbook Chateauneuf du Pape aromas of garrigue, stones, and spicy raspberries. Great length and balance. Could benefit from another 1-2 years of cellaring.

2004 Don Ramon CAMPO DE BORJA (75% Garnacha, 25% Tempranillo) (Spain) -- loads of sweet, ripe raspberry fruit. Not great complexity but very nice.

Wines from a steak dinner in Massachusetts

I recently returned from a trip back to New England to visit family and friends. The first night there, we had a steak cook-out and some excellent (and one very old) wines.

2005 Rijckaert POUILLY-FUISSE (White Burgundy, France) -- a fragrant, lively, chalky/minerally Chardonnay with peach pit fruit. Very nice balance and great length.

2007 Terra Vignata VERDICCHIO DI MATELICA (Marche, Italy) -- inexpensive, yet one of the best Verdicchios I ever had: crisp, zesty, with very persistent and focused minerally, lemon-lime flavors. Very refreshing!

1978 Chateau de Beaucastel CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE (Rhone Valley, France) -- Yes, that's right, 1978. My brother Angy and I bought this for my Dad for Christmas (in 1981?). I remember we shelled out $12.99 for it, which I thought was expensive at the time. It has held up remarkably well (my Dad has a very cool wine cellar). Intensely earthy but still with a core of vinous fruit. Not as mouthfilling as many young Beaucastels I've had, but holding its own. Like an old professor emeritus who still knows his sh*t even if the tweed jacket is frayed.

2000 Domain Tempier BANDOL "Cuvee Speciale La Migoua" (Provence, France) -- Still youthful, this wine was lean but concentrated, with typically Bandol-ish tree barky earthiness and a core of deep-toned berry fruit underneath. Classic Mourvedre with great length.

2007 Rancho Zabaco Dry Creek Valley Reserve ZINFANDEL (Cal.)

Here's a really fine Zin that should be relatively easy to find because of the wide distribution of Rancho Zabaco wines. On the 4th of July, what better wine to drink than the uniquely American Zinfandel. (Yeah, yeah, I know there's a theory that it's related to the Croatian Plavic Mali (sp.?), but nowhere else on earth does this grape taste as great as from California.)

Almost fully saturated luminescent violet ruby. Richly fragrant nose of ripe, sweet spiced blackberries and sweet stony minerals. Mouth-filling, ripe, and full, with concentrated fruit and very good balance for such a ripe wine. very long, spicy, richly-fruited finish, with a bit of gravel making itself known at the end. Has a fair amount of soft tannin to add a bit of structure. 90. Got this for $16 and change at Spec's on Smith, making it an excellent buy.

NOTE: Rancho Zabaco makes several different grades of Zin, so be careful to look for the Dry Creek Valley appellation if you're looking for this one.

(Sorry, can't find a photo of the label, but it's all black and more elegant looking than Rancho Zabaco's usual labels).

2007 "Petit Caprice" Vin de Pays de Vaucluse (75% Grenache, 25% Syrah) (Rhone Valley, France)

What a great buy! Apparently made by a "sustainable agriculture" co-op, this is a really good wine to buy in bulk for summer parties or cook-outs.

Dark crystal ruby. Beautifully forthright and fruity nose: ripe blackberries and plum juice, with sweet cream and caramel notes. Round, ripe, and soft, this wine has got lots of up-front berry fruit, medium-full body, and a clean, balanced finish. Got this at Whole Foods on Bellaire for (I think) around $8. Whatever it was, it was definitely under 10 bucks. Imported by Fruit Of The Vine, NYC, NY. 88.

2006 Fattoria di Vetrice CHIANTI RUFINA (Tuscany, Italy)

This wine, which is the basic, entry-level non-Riserva from this winery, is usually a good buy. The 2006 is good, but a bit earthier than usual.

Very dark blackish ruby. Very earthy but identifiably "Chianti" nose of spicy, gravelly earth, sour dried cherries, and cedar. Lean but flavorful, with lots of earthy, dark cherry fruit up front, but quickly leading to a drying, fairly rustic finish. Gutsy and a bit rough around the edges, but not bad. 85. Was $14 and change from Spec's on Smith. Imported by Ideal Wines and Spirits.

(Sorry, 2002 vintage shown)

2005 Jackie Preys "Cuvée de Fié Gris" TOURAINE "Vieilles Vigne" (Loire Valley, France)

The Fié Gris is a varietal I've had neither heard of nor tried before, but apparently is an old variety still made in minuscule quantities in the Loire Valley. It was really good, and had a truly unique set of flavors and nice complexity.

Extremely pale gold. Enormously fun nose -- ripe grapes and peaches, lemon-lime, spearmint leaves, and chalky stones. Soft, dry, and light-textured, the wine featured focused, youthful (and remember, this is a 4-year old white!) grapey-herbal flavors, and a long chalky/stoney finish. Very nice sipper for this heat wave we're enduring. 89. Was $18 direct from North Berkeley Imports.

(Sorry, 2006 pictured).

Coupla Interesting Reds Drunk in Virginia

Was in DC for a deposition, had dinner with Liz's family there (thanks for the great pot roast, Jane!), and brought over a couple of interesting reds I picked up at Arrowine in Arlington (a store I love to visit when I'm in town).

2005 Domaine du Bel Air BOURGUEIL "Les Vingt Lieux Dits" (Loire Valley, France) -- a beautifully fragrant, flavorful, yet ethereally light-textured red, with scents of herby cassis and walnut oil and great length and balance. (Thomas Calder Imports). (Sorry, 2006 shown).

2006 Inama Carmenere "Piu" (Veneto, Italy) -- the French-born Carmenere grape isn't grown in France anymore, and probably reached its highest expression in Chile, but there are a few growers in this region of Italy that grow it. Herbal, dried leaves and dry blackberry scents. Full, deep, and featuring a fair amount of soft tannin, this wine had lengthy, low-toned flavors. Unique and flavorful. Imported by Dalla Terra Winery Direct.

NV Lolonis "Ladybug Red" Old Vines Cuvee VIII (Redwood Valley, Mendocino County, Cal.)

This non-vintage blend of Zinfandel, Carignane, and several other varietals is really fun to drink, just as previous editions of this wine had been.

Vibrant, dense dark ruby. Fun-loving, fruity nose -- shows a lot of Zinfandel spicy black raspberry, with sweet cream and smoky balsa accents. Round, lively, and mouthfilling. Loads of ripe, red fruit flavors. Good length, great balance and texture, with a bit of soft tannin to structure it. 89. Kind of like a California version of a ripe, lively Chianti Classico. $14 and change at Spec's on Smith. (Sorry, could only find a picture of Cuvee V).

2008 Espelt "Corali" GARNACHA ROSE (Emporda, Spain)

This is your dry rosé for what will be the long, hot Texas summer of 2009!! Really flavorful and refreshing.

Gorgeously vibrant bubble gum pink color. Exuberant nose of watermelon, cherries, sweet minerals and flowers. Round and full, yet lively and dry in the mouth, with great purity of flavors -- ripe mixed fruits and stony minerals. Refreshing as all get-out. 90. Was $13 at Central Market. Imported by Eric Solomon European Cellars.

2005 "Le Paradou" COTES DE LUBERON (60% Grenache, 40% Syrah) (Rhone Valley, France)

Yum! My kind of Rhone. Modestly-priced, full of flavor, and balanced.

Dark ruby with some garnet hues.

Intense, deep nose of fruitcake, sweet earthy/stony scents, and blackberry juice.Full, ripe, structured, and lively in the mouth. Intense, mouth-coating flavors of spicy, ripe blackberry/raspberry and balsa wood.Good acidity to balance, and a long, somewhat tannic (but not overly so) finish. Very good. Kind of a synthesis between old-style and modern-style Rhones. Drink before the year is up. 89. Although I lost the receipt, I think this was around $15 at Central Market. Imported by Jon David Headrick Selections, who seems like an up-and-coming young importer of naturally-made wines.

2007 Beckman Vineyards CUVEE LE BEC (44% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 8% Counoise (Santa Ynez Valley, Cal.)

This perennial good buy is a great buy in this vintage.

Dark blackish ruby violet. Big southern Rhone-like nose of earthy herbal scents over blackberries and pungent minerals. Big, deep-toned, and fleshy in the mouth, with intense "garrigue" (that's the French way of saying "earthy-herbal") and iodine/mineral-tinged blackberry fruit. Long, peppery finish with substantial but soft tannin. A big, satisfying mouthful of red. 89. Was about $17 at Spec's on Holcombe.

2007 La Quercia MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO (Central Italy)

This was a more modern-styled, but delicious, Montepulciano. Would pair well with lots of pasta and meat dishes.

Nearly saturated black ruby with vivid violet highlights. Deep and at the same time bright scents of ripe, tangy red and black berries and flinty minerals. Ripe, deep, and focused flavors of cherry and blackberry, with a clean minerals and balsa wood component. Gorgeous balance of ripeness and acidity. Not at all your typical rustic bruiser of a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, nor is it like some of the innocuous cheaper Montepulcianos that have recently appeared on the market. 89. Was under $8.99 on sale at Whole Foods on Bellaire. Imported by Small Vineyards Discovery Wines.

2005 Gerard Valee ST. NICOLAS DE BOURGUEIL "Les Perruches" (Loire Valley, France)

This wine was loaded with character. Not for everyone, but very good!

Dark blackish garnet. Intense nose of walnut oil/machine oil, tree bark, and black cherry skins. Bone dry, yet with concentrated, razor-sharp, focused and low-toned flavors of dark minerals and dry blackberry extract, with a hint of iodine. Excellent length, with some substantial yet soft tannin to provide structure. 88. Was $21 direct from North Berkeley Imports. (Yes, there have been a lot of North Berkeley wines on the blog recently. Yes, I bought a mixed case from them and am working through it.)

2005 Domaine Michel Rey JULIENAS "Tres Vieilles Vignes" (Beaujolais, France)

Very good, old-school Beaujolais.

Light garnet ruby color. Tart, intense cherry fruit and stoney minerals on the nose. Tight cherry and stone flavors too, with great balance and a very refreshing quality to it. Nice concentration and focus. Would be very good with a wide variety of foods. 87. Was $21 directly from North Berkeley Imports.

2007 Terrazas de los Andes MALBEC (Mendoza, Argentina)

Pretty good Malbec, with this varietal's trademark coarseness pretty well in check.

Very dark, mulled ruby color. Lots of ripe, plummy-blackberry fruit in the nose, with a sweet, earthy/woody note. Rich, deep-toned flavors, nice ripeness, with lots of tannic structure, veering over only slightly to the coarse side. Would be very good with rich stews and braises, which would tend to smooth out the tannins. 87. Got this at Whole Foods on Bellaire, I think, for around $14.

2005 Domaine de L'Espigouette COTES DU RHONE "Vieilles Vignes" (France)

A terrific, traditional styled Cotes du Rhone. Tastes like a baby Chateauneuf du Pape.

Black ruby color. Earthy, gravelly scents with spicy blackberry and raspberry fruit. Deep flavors of spicy, dark berries, earth, and iodine-tinged minerals. Lots of soft tannins and loads of minerals and herby-fruit in the long finish. 89. Good value at $15 at Spec's Outlet on Westheimer in Montrose. Imported by J et R Selections Mt. Pleasant, MI (an excellent importer specializing, I think, in Rhone wines).

2006 Willakenzie Estate "Pierre Leon" PINOT NOIR (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Too much oak, too little concentration. At this price, I want some depth of fruit.

Black ruby with garnet highlights. Lots of high quality, toasty sweet oak, with sweet, earthy, caramelly scents. Sniffing carefully you can also pick up a little ripe, sappy cherry juice too. Soft and loaded with oaky flavors, but not that much in the way of fruit concentration. Pretty good finish. 86. Was $35 at Richard's on Weslayan and Bissonnet.

2007 "Velt.1" GRUNER VELTLINER (Koenigsegg, Austria)

Very minerally, crisp, citrusy, and refreshing.

Light straw gold. Demure nose of minerals, melted butter, dried herbs, and grapefruit peel. Crisp ans steely in the mouth, with a pleasant roundness. Bone -- and I mean bone --dry. Linear minerally and lemon-lime flavors. A hint of bitterness in the minerally, medium length finish. Refreshing with food on a hot day, but a little severe on its own. 86. I think I paid around $9 or $10 at Whole Foods on Bellaire for this. Imported by Winesellers Inc., Skokie, Ill.

(Sorry -- 2005 shown)

2006 Salinas "Mo" MONASTRELL (Alicante, Spain)

A rich, deep-toned wine.

Very dark black ruby. Meaty, beefy aromas with ripe blackberry and tomato juice scents. Round balsa wood and cigar box flavors overlay some ripe plummy fruit. Very deep-toned flavor profile. Low acidity and a long, softly tannic finish. 87. Was about $15 at Central Market. Imported by European Cellars (Eric Solomon).

2007 Casa d'Ambra AGLIANICO (Irpinia, Campania, Italy)

A bit on the thin, not-yet-ripe, and short side.

Black ruby color. Reticent nose of lemon-coated minerals and scorched earth, with a little (not much) spiced cherry fruit. Lean, almost spare in the mouth. Bitterish, peppery mineral flavors predominate. Some cherry brandy fruit underneath if you concentrate on it enough. Medium-bodied, with a short finish. 81. Was $15 from North Berkeley Imports (direct).

2005 Domaine Calot MORGON "Vieilles Vignes" (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France)

A pretty good Beaujolais.

Deep black garnet. Earthy, stony, hard cherry candy/plum candy scents. Lots of direct cherry fruit and hard stony flavors, bone dry, and very soft textured yet, strangely, tightly wound and austere feeling. Fully mature. 86. $23 from North Berkeley Imports (direct).

2005 Trimbach GEWURZTRAMINER (Alsace, France)

It's really hard to find a bad Trimbach white. They're not the upper echelon of Alsace, but they are consistently good and typical of their varietal and region. This was a good, flavorful, and classic Gewurz at a fair price.

Bright brassy gold color. Rich nose of lychee nuts, essence of pear, and sweet minerals. Full and broadly-flavored, with pear, lychee, rose petal and grapefruit components and a slight (but pleasant) bitterness in the long finish. Drink now, as this is an open, low acid gulper. 88. (A tad more acidity and this would have been a superstar.) Was $21 at Spec's. (Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines).

2005 Wine Guerrilla ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County)

Another winner from this Zinner. Boatloads of ripe Zin fruit.

Dark, sultry black ruby. Ridiculously fruity nose, with gobs of ripe, spicy, lush berry juice, a squeeze of ripe lemon, and some tangy spice. Broad, expansive mouthfeel, with a richness of flavor at odds with its light mouth weight. Lots of red fruit and gravelly earth flavors. Not very complex, but wonderfully fun to drink. 88. Was $20 at Spec's on Smith.

(Sorry, 2007 pictured)

2006 Rodney Strong "Chalk Hill Vineyard" CHARDONNAY (Sonoma County, Cal.)

Good, solid example of the basic, old-fashioned, oaky California Chardonnay.

Deep gold color. On the nose, spicy vanilla, intense ripe pear and apple skin fruit. Soft, viscous texture, with a bit of peppery heat, and featuring flavors of vanilla, caramel, and slightly bitter melon. Good acid balance. 87. Was a gift, but I think it's available for around $15 at Spec's.

2006 Fattoria Laila ROSSO PICENO (Marche, Italy)

Dang it. I expected more from this wine from my Italian ancestral region. It was overextracted and a bit pruney.

Fully saturated blackish blood plasma color. Pungent, sweet earthy scent over pruney fruit. Full and highly extracted, but also showing a bit of oxidation in the mouth. C. About $12 from North Berkeley Imports.