Dark ruby/mulberry color. Big, galumphy, earthy nose: lots of spicy blackberry, olivey-vegetal scents, with some smoky earthy componenets too. Full-bodied, with broad flavors of mixed berries, granite, and lemon. Good, buoyant acidity helps prop up the large-boned physique (think Yao Ming). Fairly long finish. 88. Drink soon, as I think that this will become more angular with age. Was about $16 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.
Dark ruby garnet color. Medium intensity nose of ripe chokecherries and smoky stones. Broad, soft, lightish mouthfeel, with flavors of cherry, new leather, and spice. Lovely, long finish. Not a blockbuster, but very polished. 89. I would drink this now, as I'm not convinced it's going to improve over the next few years. $29 and change at Spec's on Smith.
Dark black ruby color with the barest hint of amber at the rim. Intense, low-toned nose of cassis, smoke, and a pencil lead/graphite component. Concentrated and medium full-bodies in the mouth, with flavors of dark cassis extract and minerals. Still lots of ripe tannins, which, in conjunction with the deep fruit, lead me to conclude that this guy could age for a few years further still. Impressive for an $8 bottle. 88. (Caveat: I've heard that the regular bottlings of this winery in more recent vintages are not up to the standards it set in 1999-2002 -- so more recent vintages might not measure up to this one.)
This wine was very light and lean, but had correct Nebbiolo scents and flavors.
Saturated black ruby, with some glints of purple still showing at the rim. Intense nose of blackberry and blueberry extract, with some sweet, spiced woodsmoke and hard lemon candy notes. Inky cassis and blackberry fruit, with a nice smoky, bacony component lurking in the background. Full and long in the mouth. Some very soft tannin in the finish augurs for the capability of 2 to 3 more years of aging. 90. Was $15.33 at Spec's on Smith.
Dark ruby-garnet. Complex nose of bright, sweet cherries, menthol, earth, and a sweet, high-toned woody component. Focused and concentrated cherry/mineral flavors, with a long, lean, youthful-feeling finish. There is some tannin for structure here, but it's ripe and soft, not gritty or chalky-textured. Will certainly soften and improve for a year or two. 88. Was $18.89 at Spec's on Smith.
Medium dark ruby with magenta at the rim. Very nice, straightforward nose of ripe berries and fur. Clean, focused fruit in the mouth, with a nice, stony-minerally component. Good persistence. Based on the 2004 and 2005, I'm guessing that this winery goes in for carbonic maceration fermentation -- like they use in Beaujolais -- for all or at least part of the fruit for this wine. Good value, and would match well with a wide variety of foods. I'm not sure, but I think I got this at Central Market for about $7 or $8. 86. 
Very light straw color. Light intensity nose of chalky minerals, apples, and peach pits. Precise, light-bodied flavors of pear and stones. Although light-bodied, it had an interesting pleasantly oily texture. Lots of minerals in a medium-long finish. 86. Was $12.79 at Richard's on Shepherd.
Nearly saturated brooding black ruby. Medium intensity nose of blackberries, graphite, and toasty balsa wood notes. More angular in the mouth than the nose would lead you to believe -- blackberry extract competing with equal intensity components of peppery minerals and an unusual, high-toned perfumey earthiness. 87. Was $13.49 at Central Market.
Saturated black ruby/purple color. Richly fruity nose of oozingly ripe spicy black raspberries and sweetly smoky scents. Round and soft on the palate, with great persistence of fruit -- mostly blackberry. Spicy and creamy components as well. Not the most complex or mach style of Zin, but very rich, flavorful, and hedonistic. Very nice balance too for a wine with 15.6 % alcohol. 89. Was $24 and change at Spec's on Smith.
Very light color. Delicate nose of herby gooseberries and chewy caramel, with a teensy amount of underlying earthiness. Broad mouthfeel, but with very understated, polite flavors -- the strongest being a metallic, minerally component, with bitter herbs too. 83. Nowhere near worth the 25 smackeroos I plunked down.
Dark very purply-ruby. Extremely tight nose of cherries, stony minerals, and hint of cinnamon in the background. Lots of tart cherries and stony flavors, with lots of acidity and some serious tannic structure. Long, austere finish. 87+. Was $18.99 at West Side Wines in West Hartford.
Started with a dark ruby purple color. Then the nose erupted out of the glass -- eucalyptus, ripe black cherries, fresh cinnamon stick, with a chalky earthiness in the background. Amazing. Haven't smelled anything quite like this in a long time -- bright, intense flavors of spicy cherry, minerals, and cinnamon. Long, long, concentrated finish, yet the wine retained a sense of lightness and balance throughout. I've never tasted a Veronese wine anything like this. Get some of this if you can find it (I've never seen it in Houston). 93. My brother got this for $15.99 at West Side Wines on Raymond Road in West Hartford -- an amazing value.
Deep ruby color with a tinge of purple. Almost overripe nose of spicy black raspberries, lemon juice, and rock dust. Soft, rich, and ripe in the mouth, with plenty of sweet, earthy blackberry juice flavors. The noticeable residual sugar, however, results in a certain cloyingness, though not enough to make the wine unpleasant, but only to keep it from reaching its full potential. 87. Was about $15 (which passes as cheap for Zinfandel these days) at Spec's on Smith.
Bright ruby color. Gorgeous nose of cola, melted brown sugar, oozingly ripe cherries, minerals, and gravel. Intense and earthy flavors, with black cherry and cola flavors at the core, and lots of warm stones in the long finish. Reminded me of a very good Nuits St. George. 88. I got this at Spec's on Smith awhile back, and I think it was around $24. 
Impenetrably saturated black purple/ruby color. Rich, chocolatey fruit, with dusty earth, graphite, and eucalyptus notes. Rich, weighty, and very concentrated, with dense flavors of minerals, highly extracted blackberries and cassis immediately enveloping the tongue. Long, intense, and ultimately peppery finish. Not quite as complex as the 2001, at least as I remember it. Loads of soft, ripe tannins. This wine will last, and possibly improve, for another 2-3 years . . . . but it's really nice now too. 88+ Was $19.99 at Spec's on Smith.
Light gold color. Beautiful and intense nose -- melted butter, pear, spice, and stony minerals. Rich and balanced in the mouth, with good weight and an excellent texture. Mineral and fruit (pear/peach/grape) flavors explode on entry and then taper into a lengthy pure pear finish that goes on and on. Superb white. 90. Was about $15 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.
Light ruby color with hints of both amber AND lavender at the rim. Phenomenal nose that seems to change with each sniff -- sappy cherries, musky fur, gingerbread, balsa wood, black peppercorns, caramel. Rich, deep, soft and full-bodied, though not as dense and concentrated as the last Martinelli Pinot I had. Lots of ripe berries, with musky minerals in the long finish. A little bit of alcoholic heat showing through at the end. Very powerful, yet seductive. 91. Was $48 at Flickinger Wines in the Chicago area.
Dark black ruby color. Extremely complex nose -- smoky wood, eucalyptus, tobacco leaf, oozingly ripe mountain berries, and a dusty gravel note. Very structured (for a Zinfandel) and intense flavors of cherry syrup and blackberry, together with a smoky iodine-y component. The flavors were almost Rhone-like (like a big Gigondas mixed with some Hermitage). Significant but well-integrated tannin in the very long, minerally finish. 90. Would be killer with mesquite-grilled lamb chops. I got this a while ago for around $26, but I'm not sure where. I do know that most stores are now carrying the 2004s and 2005 Ridge releases, however, so it may be hard to find this one.
Very dark ruby with purple highlights. Forceful nose of sweet blackberry and peach juice, together with sweet warm cream, and sharp scents of scorched earth, smoky graphite, and dried brambly notes.
Extremely light color -- light gold, with greenish and silvery glints. Inviting nose of peaches covered with freshly-squeezed lime and lemon juice, and a little pungent chalky/minerally stuff in the background. Lively and fruity in the mouth, with light body and refreshing crisp-appley fruit and a steely dry finish. I could drink this style of wine forever without tiring of it. 88. I think this was about $8 at Richard's. I got it at the one on Richmond (near Chimney Rock), but I've seen this wine at other Richard's as well. GET SOME!
Medium dark crystal ruby color. Lively, fruity nose: cleam plummy and boysenberry fruit, sweet cream, smoky, stony minerals. Fresh, lively, and fruity in the mouth, with bright cherry/berry fruit, and a crisp, balanced finish. A terrific everyday dinner wine with character, balance, and freshness. 87. A great buy at $6 at Spec's on Westheimer.
Deep bubble gum pink color. Deeply fruity nose, with plum juice, strawberry juice, and bubble gum scents. Lots of up-front fruit in the mouth -- mostly cherry and watermelon -- with a touch of tomato skin. Long steely finish. Fairly full-bodied. Very good value at about $6 at Whole Foods on Bellaire. 86.
Very light, bright brassy gold color. Beautiful, subtle nose of buttered minerals, caramel, and pear. Soft, medium-light bodied flavors of apples, lemons, chalky minerals, with an unbelievably soft mouthfeel. Medium-long finish, with very nice balance. Would be great with light-flavored fish such as flounder, sole, or red snapper. 87. Was $14.29 at Spec's on Westheimer.
Dark blood/mulberry color. Rich, earthy nose with lots of deep blackberry fruit and an earthy, almost composty, wet tobacco leafy component, as well as a strong graphite edge. Rich, earthy, chocolately flavors, again with the tobacco leaf thing going on. Long fruity finish, with substantial but very soft and well-integrated tannin. Got better with significant air time, indicating to me that it will improve with a year or two of bottle age. 88+. Was $14.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.
Light, bright greenish gold color. Exuberant nose of lemons, citrus oil, candied chalk dust, sweet flowers, and pungent minerals. Loads of soft, mouthwatering, crisp-apply fruit, with a bright mineral/herbal component taking over in the finish. Very refreshing. Lots of depth, if not complexity, with a long, clean finish. 88. Was about $16 at Spec's on Smith.
Medium dark crystal black ruby. Deeply minerally nose (powdered granite) with hard cherry/plum candy scents. Soft, but forceful flavors paralleling the nose. Beautiful balance, medium body, and a lengthy, stone-filled finish. Superb, old-style Beaujolais, emphasizing texture, crisp fruit, and minerality rather than the now ubiquitous ripe grape/banana candy stuff. 88. Was $16.80 at Spec's on Smith.
Saturated black ruby color, with purple at the rim. Rich, complex nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite, lemons, and smoky spices. Rich, deep flavors of salted cassis extract coated in smoky minerals. Some soft tannin in the long, dark finish. 91. Drink over the next year. Was $16 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.
Deep, rich black ruby color. Really fruity nose -- overripe raspberries, sweet cream, lemon juice, and smoky earth. Extraordinarily soft-textured and full in the mouth. Lush with ripe fruit, and minerals dancing quietly in the background. Long, full finish. 89. Was about $25 at Spec's on Smith.
Compare this to a big, ripe Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Medium dark ruby color with magenta highlights. Big, galumphy nose of spicy raspberries, black olives, and smoky balsa wood. Intense, earthy "garrigue" and black raspberry flavors, with lots of body and a soft, rich texture. Long, dark fruit and iodine-laced finish. Not elegant, but lots of character. 88. Was about $14 at Spec's on Smith.
Impenetrable black ruby color. Ridiculously rich nose of liquid dark chocolate, earth, toast, cassis and blackberries. Dense and deep, featuring rich flavors of chocolate, toasty oak, and ripe cassis. Long and quite full-bodied, with lots of soft, ripe tannins in the finish. 90. In addition to being excellent, it's an excellent value at $12.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.
Dark soft ruby color. Massively fruity nose erupts from the glass, with ripe fresh raspberries and crushed, smoky stones. Soft, dense, and ripe in the mouth, with lots of concentration, soft, spicy raspberry fruit, transitioning to minerals in the long finish. Great balance too. A knock-out value at $5.99 at World Marketplace on Richmond (where it was tucked away in a corner of the wine section). 89. Drink in the next few months for the soft, rich fruit.
Very bright ruby. Intensely fruity nose: grapes, plum, strawberry, rhubarb, with some steely minerals and spearmint leaves waaay in the background. Bright flavors of cherry, root beer, and high-toned woody notes. Not burgundian at all, but lots of flavor and character. Was about $8 at Spec's on Smith. 87.
Very light, bright straw gold. Broad nose of earth, ripe honeydew melons, and mowed grass and herbs. Broad, dry, and deeply flavored, with concentrated herby, minerally, peachy flavors, and an almost oily texture. Very long finish. Maybe not for everybody, but I thought this to be a very good value in a character-filled white made from a rare varietal. 89. Was $11.50 at Spec's on Smith.
Dark black ruby color. Big fruity nose with lots of berries and pungent stony minerals. Straightforward, big, fruity flavors. Good concentration but not a lot of complexity. At this price, however ($10), who really cares? Would be good with a very slight chill, and will go with lots of summer dishes and cookouts. 87. Available at Spec's on Smith. Drink this right away, as this style of wine is best for immediate consumption.
This is a very youthful, vibrant, aggressive Chianti.
Dark ruby color. Sweet, fruity nose of fruit salad and milky, earthy scents. Soft, ripe, straightforward flavors, with good concentration for this price point, but not much complexity. This wine would be great for summer cookouts and parties, and could take a little chill. 86. Was about $7 at Spec's on Smith.
Deep ruby purple color. Luxurious, complex nose of rich, spiced blackberries, smoky creosote (clay-ey, earthy), and stony minerals. Deep, forward flavors of blackberry, cassis, graphite, and metallic minerals. Long, powerful finish, with lots of very fine, soft, integrated tannins. A superb wine at a bargain price. Was $9.79 at Richard's on Shepherd, but I've seen this at other places too. 90.
Dark, black ruby. Fairly saturated color. Intensely grapey-blackberry scents leap from the glass, with undertones of smoke and stony, steely minerals. Forceful flavors too, with intense minerals and dry blackberry extract. Medium-full body, and a long pure finish. A nicely, balanced, athletic wine with plenty of soft, ripe, well-integrated tannins. 89. Was $11.93 at Spec's on Smith, but I've seen this available in lots of other stores at about the same price. 
Dense, saturated black ruby with purple highlights. Rich, sweet nose of charcoal, fragrant high-toned (balsa?) wood smoke, and spicy blackberry and cassis extract. Rich, densely concentrated flavors delivered in a light, almost weightless chassis. The almost inky flavors were redolent of balckberries and hot sandstone. Long, soft, perfectly balanced finish. 91. Was $16 at Spec's on Richmond.
Light, bright pink color. Lively, yet subdued nose of strawberries, flowers, and tomato skins. Fairly rich and minerally in the mouth, with deep flavors, and bass notes of strawberry and watermelon. Long, pure finish. 87. Was $13 and change at Spec's on Smith.
Dark blackish ruby garnet. Deep, reserved nose of spicy blackberries, charcoal, and rock dust. Ripe, round, deep fruit in the mouth, with lots of concentration, length, and body. Not the most complex Zin I've drunk, but for around $14, this is an excellent buy, particularly in face of the trend toward ever-thinner Zins with ever-higher prices. 87. Available at wine shops, supermarkets, Midas Muffler shops, doctors' offices, and FedEx/Kinko's everywhere.
This wine is stylistically akin to a high quality Beaujolais. Blackish crystalline ruby color. Bright nose of grape and raspberry jam, granite, and sweet cream. Lots of crunchy fruit and stony minerals in the mouth, with a long, dry finish containing only a wisp of soft tannin. Very nice wine for summer cookouts and tomato-ey pasta dishes. 87. Was about $8 at Central Market. 
Dark black ruby. Sweet nose of fresh plum and blackberry juice, lemon peel, charcoal, and sweet cream. Concentrated, medium-bodied, with ripe, balanced flavors of black fruit and smoky, chalky minerals. Long, balanced finish. An elegant wine at a bargain price: $9 at Central Market. 88.
Deep pink/garnet color. Terrific, forceful nose of strawberries and cold plums, tomato skins, and minerals. Vigorous, lively flavors of cherries and chalky minerals. Big but balanced, this wine was also crisp, dry, and refreshing. Loaded with character. 88. Great for summer cookouts.
Deep black ruby. Nose roars out of the glass with deep scents of vanilla and gingerbread, fragrant woodsmoke, and richly oozing blackberries and raspberries. Rich, massive, and balanced in the mouth, all at once. Intense flavors of ripe cassis and blackberry, roasted coffee beans and smoke, and a minerally undercurrent. Very long finish.
Reminded me of a top-notch Pomerol (yes, I know those are largely Merlot, but that's what this tasted like). This is a very special wine for the price (around $20 at Spec's on Richmond). 93.
Deep ruby garnet. Enthralling nose of wood smoke, freshly roasted coffee beans, and dark current jam. Deep and flavorful in the mouth, with some noticeable but fairly soft (for Malbec, anyway) tannin. Deep, long flavors of earth, crushed rocks, coffee, and dry cassis extract. Very, very nice, and has such nice depth that a year or two of cellaring will probably soften it a bit without drying up. Was $12.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire a couple of months ago (so I'm not sure whether it's still there). 89.
Exceedingly pale gold color. Gorgeously vibrant nose of grass, sweet spices with a hint of butter, stony minerals, and appley/pear-like fruit. Soft, sensually-textured mouthfeel, with gentle but concentrated, persistent flavors of citrus oil, stones, and crisp apples. A very elegant Chardonnay done in a style that is the antithesis of its often flabby, buttery, oaky, cloying California cousins. 90. Was about $21 at Spec's on Smith.
