2004 Poggio Salvi CHIANTI COLLI SENESI (Tuscany, Italy)

This is a terrific, rustic Tuscan wine -- loaded with flavor -- from the region in Chianti that is closest to the adjoining and much more prestigious Brunello di Montalcino DOC.

Color: Opaque dark black ruby.

Nose: Big, deep, fruity/earthy. Cherries, balsamic notes, old barrels and gravel.

Mouth: Lots of dark chokecherry syrup flavors upon entry, with earthy minerals and iodine flavors. Full-bodied, with some fairly soft tannins making themselves known.

Cellar or drink?: With air, this wine drinks well now, but should keep and perhaps improve for another 2 years.

Score: 90.

Price/store: This wine was a gift from my friend Robert Finley, and I’m not sure where he got it, but Spec’s on Smith lists this one for $12 and change.

2006 Pascual Toso MALBEC (Maipu Vineyards, Mendoza, Argentina)

An outstanding value, this wine had loads of flavor for under $10.

Color: Dense purple-tinged ruby.

Nose: Interesting nose of buttered wheat toast, gravel, and ripe plums and cassis.

Mouth: Round, ripe, soft, and concentrated. Persistent flavors of blackberries and sandstone. Full-bodied, with a long, balanced finish, and lots of soft, ripe tannin.

Cellar or drink?: Drinking very well now, but will age nicely for the next three years or so.

Score: 90.

Price/store: Was $9 and change at Spec’s on Westheimer.

2006 Steele Vineyard "Pacini Vineyard" "Old Vine" ZINFANDEL (Mendocino County, California)

This was a terrific youthful Zin that is really good now but will benefit from another year in the bottle.

Color: Very dark black ruby color.

Nose: Gorgeous and intense -- spicy black raspberry fruit, sweet cream, and a background note of pine forest.

Mouth: Intensely concentrated, but not overblown, with a youthful angularity in the mouthfeel. Lots of focused fruit and black pepper flavors. Some heat in the long finish (which didn't seem to jibe with the relatively low 13.5% alcohol listed on the label).

Cellar or drink?: It will be hard to resist this focused, yummy, concentrated Zin now, but the angularity should settle down over the next year or so.

Score: 90+.

Price/store: Was $16.99 at Spec's on Smith, making it an excellent value in the brave new world of inflated-price Zins.

2005 Domaine Massamier La Mignarde "Cuvée des Oliviers" (Southwest France)

This wine, from the Coteaux des Peyriac region in southwest France near Minervois, was cheap but just so-so.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Cinsault, and Grenache, this wine has a dark ruby color, but only a medium-intensity nose of very bland berry fruit and stones. Medium-bodied and balanced, but with almost non-descript flavors of generic berries and minerals. Not bad swigging at a party (it was only $7 a bottle), but little else. Got it at Spec's on Richmond. 79.

2005 Domaine du Bouqueteau CHINON (Loire, France)

Just when I finish a post about how unusually ripe the 2005 Loire reds are , I get an unripe one. Figures.

This 100% Cabernet Franc was too unripe and vegetal for my taste.

Dark black ruby color. Interesting but not altogether pleasant nose. On the good side, there were some nice cherry and underbrush scents. On the bad side, there was a persistent vegetal (bell peppers and green beans). Surprisingly full and concentrated given its unripeness. Soft-textured as well, but the overriding impression is that of the unripe flavors. With several hours of air the vegetal scents receded just a tad, but still was disappointing. 79. I believe this was about $14 at Central Market.

2006 Commanderie de la Bargemone COTEAUX D'AIX EN PROVENCE ROSÉ (France)

This was a light, fresh, but very austere rosé.

Very light coppery/cantaloupe color. Light intensity nose of tomato skins, tropical fruit and bananas, and some pungent briny stones. Crisp and very minerally in the mouth, with fruit in the background instead of in the fore. Focused and austere, this rosé isn't so great on its own, but would be a nice foil to a sweet, unctuous seafood like scallops. 84. Was $9 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2004 San Felice CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

This wine is downright cranky at first, but after a few hours of air time, really opened up into a very high class Sangiovese.

Very dark ruby garnet. Nose very closed at first, but after it opened, it displayed some real elegance, with scents of spiced, sweet balsa wood, cherry, granite, and earth. Concentrated, medium-bodied flavors of cherry liqueur, menthol, and lots of liquid minerals. Long finish, with substantial, but fine-grained, tannins. 89. This will will likely age and improve over the next 3-4 years. Was $18 at Spec's on Smith.

2006 Domaine Dupeuble BEAUJOLAIS (France)

Nice nose, but a bit thin in the mouth.

Crystalline ruby with bright magenta highlights. Lively nose of crunchy, grapey cherry fruit and smokey granite. Crisp and light in the mouth, with dry, dry cherry and stone flavors. Lacking concentration, even for a Beaujolais, which is supposed to be somewhat lighter in style. Lean, medium length finish. This was refreshing to drink with a meal, but was meager on its own. 82. Was about $14 at Central Market.

2006 Doña Paula MALBEC "Los Cardos" (Mendoza, Argentina)

This was a very ripe, well-balanced red with a lot of character.

Saturated black ruby/mulberry color. The nose needs a lot of air time to develop, but then displays deep fruit (crushed, oozing blackberries, sweet cream, coffee and balsa wood. Rich, spicy black raspberry fruit, with a smokey granite component as well. Full-bodioes and mouthfilling. Substantial tannin in the finish, but it's relatively ripe for Malbec. Reminded me of a very ripe, old vine Zin from Contra Costa County like Rosenblum or Cline make. Very nice. 89. Was about $14 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2005 Frederic Mabileau ST. NICOLAS DE BOURGUEIL "Les Roullieres" (Loire Valley, France)

2005 looks to have been a terrific year for the Cabernet Franc-based reds (Chinon, St. Nicolas de Bourgueil) of the Loire Valley. This is a region where, traditionally, the reds struggled (not always succesfully) to fully ripen. But one convenient truth about global warming is that recently, this region has experienced warmer summers, and, consequently, the reds have been more consistent (and good!). There are still many good reds under $20 to try, and I have a few in my wine closet I'm going to be opening in the next few weeks.

This one is very good -- lots of flavor but with alcohol levels much lower than reds from other regions around the world. The lower alcohol levels create a really elegant, almost ethereal mouthfeel.

Black ruby color with bright purple highlights. Medium intensity but gorgeously perfumey nose of black cherries, stony minerals, and a briary/walnut-oily scent in the background. Concentrated and bright, with flavors of dry cassis extract and briary underbrush. Very light-feeling in the mouth, but with good concentration nonetheless. Long, balanced, lithe finish. Very distinctive. 88. Was $16.99 at Central Market.

2005 Morgan PINOT GRIS "R & D Franscioni Vineyard" (Santa Lucia Highlands, Cal.)

California Pinot Gris -- which is sometimes called Pinot Grigio -- to my taste can frequently feel and taste too flat and lifeless to me. From Italy, they're a bit livelier, but frequently have virtually no taste. From Alsace, they have lots of flavor, but can be overbearing buttery or cloyingly fruity. I've had quite a few from Oregon that I've liked over the years, however (like this WillaKenzie one).

This here's one of the classic California flat ones.

Very light and amazingly transparent gold color. Interesting nose of creamed minerals, spiced pear, and quince. Broad, flat mouthfeel, with almost cloying flavors of earthy marzipan and pear, that grows more bitter in the long, but not particularly pleasant, finish. 78. Not gonna tell you what I paid for this -- it's embarassing.

2006 Castaño MONASTRELL (Yecla, Spain)

Made from organically-grown grapes, this wine is a steal -- a gutsy, full-bodied, soft red for $8.

Dark black purply-ruby color. Needs a bit of air time after opening, but then reveals big, fruity nose of crushed blueberries, with strong minerally scents in the background. Soft, round, ripe, and full, this wine sports flavors of smoky, loamy raspberries, underbrush, and iodine. Lots of soft tannins indicate that this wine will last and improve over the next 2 years or so. Tremendous value. 88. I got this at Whole Foods on Bellaire (case stacking near the meat counter).

2003 Domaine Ehrhart RIESLING GRAND CRU HENGST (Alsace, France)

This was a fully mature, complex white.

Medium dark brassy gold color -- which led me to think this might be past its prime. But it wasn't. Deeply honeyed nose, with minerally, marzipan-y, overripe pear and honeysuckle flavors. Excellent concentration, yet in a medium-light bodied frame, with nice acidity to keep things tasting fresh. Long finish, showing just the barest hint of oxidation at the tail end. Drink this right away, as it is certainly at or just past its peak. Very nice. 88. Got this several months ago at Richard's on South Shepherd for $24.

2006 Milton Park SHIRAZ (South Australia)

This was a good value in a soft, ripe, reasonably complex red.

Very dark black ruby with violet highlights at the rim. Ripe, soft nose of spiced, sweet plums and warm cream, with some sweet, toasty oak as well. Soft, round, and balanced, this wine featured very minerally flavors (hot, salty stones) together with cassis and graphite. Pure, long, but somewhat warm finish, with no discernible tannin. 87. Was about $12 at Central Market.

"LITLLE JAMES' BASKET PRESS" (non-vintage, Domaine St. Cosme) (Rhône, France)

This was a gutsy, relatively inexpensive Rhône wine.

Dark ruby garnet. Spicy nose of sweet-and-sour berries, lemon peel, and earthy chalk dust. Concentrated, dense flavors of blackberry extract, with earthy/iodine notes. Full-bodied, with lots of fairly soft tannins, building in the long finish. A gutsy, straightforward, earthy Grenache. Good value at $11.13 at Spec's on Holcombe. 87.

2004 Barone Cornacchia MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO (Italy)

Great color saturation but disappointing in smell and taste.

Saturated black ruby with crystalline ruby highlights. Introverted nose reluctantly gives up scents of chokecherries, ashes, and a hint of Ivory soap (in a good way). Dense but very low-toned flavors of chokecherry syrup and charcoal. So low toned, in fact, that you actually have to concentrate to taste it. It feels like it should have more taste but, curiously, it doesn't. I don't like having to work to get my Montepulciano flavors -- they should roughly kind of bang around in your mouth like they're trying to escape, not try to slunk down your throat hoping you don't notice. 79. Was $10.99 at Spec's on Smith.

Plea to Houston wine stores: Please get some (1) Aglianico-based reds, and (2) reds from the Marche region of Italy!

When I left the northeast almost 10 years ago, I was a tad concerned that it would be harder to find good wine down here. I was dead wrong: Houston is a great wine town, generally speaking.

But almost every place I regularly shop (Spec's, Richard's, Whole Foods, and Central Market) have Italian sections that do not do Italy justice. Spec's, especially, has oodles of wines from Piemonte, the Veneto, Sicily, and, especially, Tuscany, but is spotty as to other areas in Italy.

In particular, these stores seem NEVER to have any reds from the Marche region, where my grandparents were born. The Marche has many excellent reds, most common among which are the kissin' cousins, Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno. They are made from the Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes. Typically, Conero has more Montepulciano, Piceno has more Sangiovese. Rosso Conero tends to be far more elegant than its rustic cousin to the south, the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. They're not exactly common in the stores I used to troll in New England and New York, but they are completely non-existent in Houston.

The Aglianico grape is also M.I.A. from Houston wine stores. In my opinion, this is the very best grape grown in the southern half of Italy. Its most famous DOCs are Taurasi and Aglianico di Vulture. When done right, the Aglianico grape can go toe-to-toe with the Nebbiolo grape for weight, complexity, and balance (especially at present, since the overwhelming majority of big-name Nebbiolo wines, like Barolo and Barbaresco, are now made in the so-called "international style," which means it's hard to tell them apart from $%&^!# merlots) (well, actually, you can tell them apart from $%&^!# merlots by their $50-$100 pricetags).

Marche reds and Aglianico-based wines shouldn't be that hard to find, as the stores I've listed obtain their Italian wines from the same excellent importers who also offer Marche reds and Aglianico-based wines. Heck, Spec's, for example, stocks the Sangiovese, Cabernet, and Ramitello from the southern Italian winery Da Majo Norante -- but fails to stock this winery's very best wine: its "Contado" Aglianico. So it's not like Houston stores can't get these wines, they just aren't doing it.

So please, someone, start looking for and stocking these unjustly overlooked reds.

Two recipes featuring olives

Had a hankerin' for the olive-based flavors of Provencal cuisine yesterday, so I cooked up a Provencal pasta dish and a Provencal-inspired chicken dish created by our friend (and excellent cook) Robert Finley.

Rosemary Pasta with Black Olives and Carrots

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion (or mixture of onions & shallots) chopped
1 to 3 carrots (depending on size), peeled, sliced into very thin discs
1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives
1 lb. pasta (penne, fusilli, or something else along those lines)
fresh grated parmigiano (to taste)
salt
pepper

Bring large pot of salted water to boil.

Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add half the garlic, all of the onion and carrot, and saute for 7 to 10 minutes (until carrots start to soften).

Add remaining garlic, generous grinding of black pepper, half of the rosemary, and the olives. Continue to saute about 3 or 4 minutes more. Add remaining rosemary, then turn off heat and cover pan until your pasta is ready.

Water for the pasta should be boiling by now, so add pasta and boil until al dente. Drain, place in serving bowl. Add sauteed veggies and pan juices, season with salt and more pepper to taste, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil (or more if you like) and toss. Grate parmigiano on top as desired.

The above recipe was adapted from The Foods and Flavors of Haute Provence, by Georgeanne Brennan.


Whole Chicken Braised with Garlic, Calamata Olives, Lemon, and Rosemary (Here's the link to Robert's blog)

1 whole chicken (take out the stuff in the cavity!)
1 med. yellow onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic.
1 cup pitted calamatas (Don't be lazy! Get the best olives you can find and pit them right before you prepare)

1/4 cup ground calamata or olive tapenade.
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (don't be lazy here either.)
6 inch sprig of rosemary cleaned and chopped
2 cups dry wine (Robert suggests a dry rose, and that's what I used)

Prepare in a solid braiser, Dutch oven, or rondeau that fits the size of the chicken fairly snugly (so that the braising liquid rises up to a level that covers most of the bird -- I used my trusty oval Le Creuset dutch oven.)



1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. With your finger loosen the skin of the bird and spread ground calamata under it, reaching as far as you can. Season outside of bird with salt and pepper.

3. Brown that bird....all over. Remove from pan.

4. Cook onions and garlic till soft.

5. Return the bird along with everything else and place in medium oven for no less than an hour!
Serve bird, olives, garlic and braising liquid over a plate of fresh polenta.

NB: Robert's unusual technique of braising the chicken WHOLE results in an incredibly flavorful braising liquid and a falling-apart, remarkably tender bird.

2006 Yalumba SANGIOVESE ROSÉ (South Australia)

This excellent value is from Yalumba's bargain-priced "Y-Series." Lots of bright, balanced fruit in a fairly full and soft frame.


Beautiful watermelon-pink color. Ripe nose of watermelon, cherry, and strawberry, with a pleasantly pungent minerally component in the background. Round, soft, and ripe in the mouth, with cherry-strawberry fruit and lots of steely minerals providing a nice counterpoint to the ripeness. Just barely off-dry, which probably helps avoid the sometimes bitter finish that full-flavored rosés sometimes can have. This will hold for the next several months. 89. Widely available (Spec's, and Whole foods too I think) for under $9.

2004 Sella & Mosca CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA "Riserva" (Sardinia, Italy)

This was a disappointment. Cannonau is what the Sardinians call the Grenache grape, and what I like about Grenaches -- and the Cannonaus I've had in the past from another Sardinian winery, Argiolas -- is the soft, fleshy texture and spicy raspberryish fruit it frequently gives. This had neither.

Medium ruby garnet. Very light intensity nose of cherries, balsa wood, and pungently metallic minerals. Rather meagerly-endowed in the mouth -- thin cherryish fruit, followed by an increasingly drying finish than veered toward dried old leather. 74. Around $12 at Spec's and at Whole Foods, if you need to know for some reason.

2004 Luis Felipe Edwards CARMENERE "Gran Reserva" (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

An unusually elegant rendition of a Carmenere (a Chilean varietal that is fast becoming one of my favorites).


Is there really an explosion of different Chilean Carmeneres appearing in the market over the last two years or so, or am I just paying more attention these days?


This one is very polished (it even comes wrapped in paper!). Saturated, soft black ruby with violet highlights. Closed nose at first, but with significant air time, it burgeoned, opening up with scents of dark cassis and blackberry, and a scorched earth/smoky graphite component. Unlike a lot of the wines I've had recently, the flavors were even better than the nose on this one: dense, soft, lush sweet cassis, smoky earth, and subtle wood. Very long, perfectly balanced finish. 90. Was about $14 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2006 Atteca "Old Vines" GARNACHA (Calatayud, Spain)

This was a powerful wine, loaded with character.

Crystal black ruby with a magenta edge. Focused, intense nose of spicy, ripe raspberries and hot stones. Tightly packed and massive in the mouth, with dense black raspberry fruit and the barest hint of chalky earth. Not complex, but a real bruiser, like a 6'6", 300 lb. defensive tackle of a wine. Will probably improve over the next year. 89+. Was about $14 at Spec's on Smith.

2005 Domaine de Fenouillet COTES DE VENTOUX (Rhone, France)

This wine had a really nice nose but fell short in the mouth.

Dark ruby color with purple highlights. Very elegant, gentle nose of sweet plum juice, cinnamon, powdered sugar and almonds. Soft, but lean, however, in the mouth. Flavors of steely minerals and a small amount of dry, bright fruit flavors, with crisp acidity. Seems like this is another in a recent spate I've experienced of wines whose noses make promises their flavors can't fill. Nose 90, flavors 83, for an overall score of around 86. Was $11 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2005 Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley ZINFANDEL "Mother Clone" (California)

This was a terrific value.


Dark ruby color with purple highlights. Very nice nose of blackberries, cocoa powder, and scorched earth. Deep-toned and rich in the mouth with flavors of blackberry extract, toasty oak, iodine, and forest floor. Long, balanced, and somewhat tannic finish, though the tannins are ripe and soft. A rare excellent value in a Zinfandel. Was $10 and change -- I'll use blogger's license and call it "under $10" -- at Spec's on Smith. 89.

2005 Rosenblum Cellars "Chateau La Paws" Red (California)

This is a moderately priced blend of Rhone varietals. It had a nice nose, but was kind of hollow on the palate.

Dark black ruby color. Nose tight and astringent at first, but with air time it opens up to reveal ripe, plummy-cranberry fruit with a little gingerbread spice. Full bodied, but with a sense of hollowness in the mouth. Quite a bit of blackberry fruit and iodine flavors, as well as some scorched earthiness, but it's simply not nearly as fleshy and concentrated as the nose would lead you to believe. Decent length and balance, though. Was $12.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire. 83.

2006 MacMurray Ranch PINOT NOIR (Central Coast, Calif.)

This was leftover from a holiday party Liz attended. I've seen it at virtually every supermarket in town, and it's a correct, cheap Pinot.

Bright ruby with magenta highlights. Lively but very simple nose of cherries, cola spices, and nutmeg. Direct cherry/earth flavors on entry, leading to a flat, somewhat metallic, cherry-ish finish. Not bad. 83. Widely available for around $10 to $14.

2005 Domaine Les Grands Bois CÔTES DU RHÔNE "Cuvée Les Trois Soeurs" (France)

This wine had terrific color, a terrific nose, but flavors that did not meet the expectations instilled by the color and nose.

Gorgeous saturated purple ruby color. Wonderfully fruity nose of boisterous blueberries and blackberries, with citrus oil and powdered rock dust scents as well. Medium-bodied and lacking weight and concentration of flavor in the mouth, however. What flavors were there were of bone dry blackberry extract, and they led quickly to a rather chalky-textured finish. Nose 90, flavors 76, for an average of 83 (throwing out the score of the Russian judge!).

2004 Martinelli "Zio Tony Ranch" PINOT NOIR (Russian River Valley, Cal.)

This was a tremendous, full-throttle Pinot Noir. We were lucky to be able to share this one with the Hughens while they were visiting us over New Years.



Sultry, medium dark ruby. Intensely fruity nose: sweet, oozing cherries and berries, with tart pectin-like notes and a sweetly musky component. Deep, concentrated, and full bodied, with an almost port-like texture and weightiness. Overripe cherry and plum extract in the mouth, with lots of peppery, steely minerals in the long, but warm (15.6% alc.) finish. Not the most subtle or complex wine, but a big, voluptuous, Raquel Welch of a Pinot Noir. 90. I got this from Flickinger Wines in Chicago several months ago -- I don't remember how much it was (I think around $45).

2005 CAN BLAU (Montsant, Spain)

This is good, but not as good as the 2004 was.

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.

2001 Badia a Coltibuono CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

This was a very elegant, restrained, yet characterful Chianti we enjoyed while entertaining our friends from Austin, the Hughens.



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.

2002 Casa Lapostolle CABERNET SAUVUGNON (Rapel Valley, Chile)

This had been tucked away unseen in a corner of my wine closet for the last three years, forgotten. It had actually aged very well and was quite a surprise for an entry-level, cheap Cabernet.

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.)

2005 Las Rocas GARNACHA "El Renegado" (Calatayud, Spain)

This was a relatively large-scaled but bony Grenache.

Black ruby color. Medium intensity nose of spicy raspberries, smoky gingerbread, and lemons. Very structured (for a Grenache) in the mouth, with big but kinda austere flavors of raspberry, briary underbrush, and earth. Substantial tannin in the fairly long finish. I'm not sure this is going to flesh out or get any better, so I'd drink it now. 85. Was $13.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2001 Triacca VALTELLINA SUPERIORE RISERVA "La Gatta" (Lombardy, Italy)

In the early 1980s, Nebbiolo wines from the four towns comprising the Valtellina (Inferno, Grumella, Sassella, and Valgella) used to be some of my favorites -- they were cheap (always under $10), they were great examples of a lighter, leaner style of Nebbiolo, and, at least in NYC, where I lived, they were fairly widely available. Until I saw this one, I hadn't seen a Valtellina wine in literally decades.

This wine was very light and lean, but had correct Nebbiolo scents and flavors.

Very light ruby/garnet, with a hint of amber at the rim. Sweet, candied cherries and lemons on the nose, with a backdrop of smoky stones. Medium-light bodied, but with persistent flavors tart cherries, old oak barrels, and minerals, leading to a fairly long, but lean and somewhat tannic finish. It would be nice to age this to have the tannin drop out, but I think that the fruit is on the decline, so drink this now. 86. Was about $30 at Spec's on Smith. On its merits, definitely not worth the price, but for a personal trip down memory lane, not bad.

2005 Heartland South Australia SHIRAZ

This was a balanced, full-flavored, complex red.


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.

2004 Fattoria Selvapiana CHIANTI RUFINA (Tuscany, Italy)

This was a very elegant, medium-bodied Sangiovese.

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.

2005 Cortijo III Rioja (Spain)

Like the 2004, the 2005 version of this Rioja reminded me of a Beaujolais.

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.

2006 A to Z Oregon PINOT NOIR

This was disappointing in view of the successful 2005 this winery produced.

Garnet color. Muted nose, giving up only vague whiffs of hard cherry candy and metallic minerals. Soft and light, with tart cherry fruit and a lean, acidic finish. 78. I think this was around $15.

2006 Alois Lageder PINOT BIANCO (Alto Adige, Italy)

This is Italy's version of a good Maconnais white.


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.

2005 Piping Shrike SHIRAZ (Barossa Valley, Australia)

This was a decent value Shiraz, though showing more of an angular (rather than fleshy) side of the grape.


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.

2005 Domaine la Montagnette COTES DU RHONE (France)

A very modern style, fruity, clean, and cheap, but uninspiring, Cotes du Rhone.

Dark ruby color. Straightforward, bright fruity nose -- lots of plum and boysenberry, with a barely discernible graphite-minerally component. Balanced, clean, gulpable, with pretty good concentration and length. No complexity or soul here, however, just lots of red berry flavors, leaving the taster wondering where this generic-tasting wine is from and what varietals it's made from. 85. Was $11.92 at Spec's on Holcombe.

2005 Rosenblum Paso Robles ZINFANDEL "Richard Sauret Vineyard" (California)

A ripe, concentrated, flavorful Zin.

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.

2005 Gary Farrell Sonoma County SAUVIGNON BLANC "Redwood Ranch" (California)

OK, but disappointing for the price.


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.


Nice label though.

2005 Pascal Granger JULIENAS "Cuvee Speciale" (Beaujolais, France)

This was a VERY TIGHT wine that needs -- atypically for a Beaujolais -- a year or two in a cool cellar.

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.

2005 Tenuta San Leone BARDOLINO SUPERIORE "Montesalionze" (Veneto, Italy)

This was one of the best, if not the best, wines I've ever had from the Veneto region -- which encompasses not only the Bardolino appellation, but the Valpolicella (and Amarone) appellation. Just amazing. Bardolino is usually a light, watery, faintly bitterish wine for uncritical guzzling. Not this one.

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.

2002 Jean & Sebastien Dauvissat CHABLIS PREMIER CRU "Lechet" (France)

This was a very minerally, almost austere, but character-filled Chablis.

Very minerally, earthy nose, with lemony fruit opening up after a half hour or so. Very long, lean, bright finish.

Had this at my brother's house in West Hartford, CT. He got it for $38 at West Side Wines on Raymond Road in West Hartford.

2005 Cousino-Macul CABERNET SAUVIGNON "Antiguas Reservas" (Maipo Valley, Chile)

This wine varies significantly in style from vintage to vintage in my experience. The 2005 is good, but somewhat lighter than usual and a bit on the herbal side.

Black ruby-garnet color. Lots of earthy, herbal scents -- verging on vegetal -- which overlay some ripe, plummy fruit. Medium bodied in the mouth, with lots of dark, earthy, graphite flavors up front, then morphing into herbal and black cherry flavors in the back end. Pretty good length, but not as concentrated as in other vintages. Some soft tannin as well may support a year or two of ageing. 85. This was about $12 and change at Spec's, but is widely available in other wine shops and bigger supermarkets.

2005 Mutt Lynch Winery "Portrait of a Mutt" ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County)

If it weren't for just a tad of noticeable residual sugar, this wine would have been outstanding.


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.

2005 "MAROLA" (Emporda-Costa Brava, Spain)

This 65% Carinena/35% Garnacha was pretty good, in a funky way, but not worth a repeat purchase.

Deep, clear, dark ruby color with purple highlights. The nose was fruity but slightly medicinal, with deep grapey and blackberry jam scents. There was a whiff of a pungent, somewhat raw woody note (even though this wine isn't oak-aged), and another component in the background that reminded me of pickled fruit. It was round and soft, with decent concentration, but with moderately high levels of acidity. Not a bad quaffer with tomato-sauce based dishes. 85. Was $8 at Spec's on Smith.

Foley 2005 Rancho Santa Rosa PINOT NOIR (Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County)

I had this at America's restaurant, so these notes are from memory.

And my memory is that this was very, very good.

It had very focused, precise, and persistent cherry/pomegranate fruit, with very nice balancing acidity and a long, pure finish. Reminded me of an elegant Volnay or Pommard.

As to the food, my seared "Chilean Sea Bass" was immersed in too much of the clarified butter (or other fat) that the fish was sauteed in, but otherwise it was fresh and flavorful. Either as a result of my getting more sensitive to this as I get older, or because this is a trick that cooks use to get more flavor our of a dish, I notice more and more that fancy restaurants seem to leave way too much of the cooking fat in their finished dishes. Enough already!

2004 Castello di Selvole CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

This was a bit too light for my taste, but it went well with the Provencal braised chicken we had with it.

Medium dark, with garnet at the rim. Loads of high-toned cherry scents jump out of the glass, with notes of spicy sandalwood and granite. Precise, focused cherry/mineral flavors in the mouth, in a lively, medium-bodied frame. Some noticeable tannin, along with buoyant acidity lend a lean tactile impression, but the finish is pretty long. $25 at Spec's on Holcombe. 86.

2004 Hartford Sonoma Coast PINOT NOIR (California)

A very together Pinot Noir.

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.

2004 Altos de Luzon JUMILLA (Spain)

This reserve bottling of 50% Monastrell, 25% Cabernet, and 25% Tempranillo is excellent. I had the amazing 2001 a while back, and while this is top notch, it's not quite up to that benchmark wine.

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.

2004 Forchini ZINFANDEL Dry Creek Valley "Proprietor's Reserve" (California)

Disappointing. A hard, ungenerous style of Zin.

Black ruby with some purple highlights. Not entirely saturated color. The nose was tight and peppery, with lots of dry rock dust scents, hiding some nice spicy berry fruit. Tight and tannic in the mouth too, with astringent rock dust flavors overpowering the fruit. Very structured -- too structured -- at the expense of the ripe fleshiness I look for in Zins. 82. Was $23.40 at Spec's on Smith.

2004 Palacio de Eza (Navarra, Spain)

This Merlot/Garnacha blend was uninspiring.

A dense, saturated black ruby color was promising, but gave way to a tight nose, with pungent earthy, minerally scents overpowering some nice ripe blueberry/cassis fruit underneath. Tight and dense in the mouth to, but again with the pungent, almost bitterish minerals going on. Some fairly hard tannins coat the mouth as well. Maybe time will soften it a bit, but I wouldn't count on it. 78. I can't remember where I got this, but I think it was around $10.

2003 vs. 2004 in Tuscany (and Valpolicella)

I've drunk my last 2003 Tuscan wine. I've concluded that this vintage is a loser.

If you recall the news reports, this was the year that Europe sweltered under unprecedented, record-breaking heat. I've read some reports about how this affected the grapes' ripening, but the main thing I've noticed about every single bottle I've had from anywhere in Central Italy -- regardless of producer or appellation -- is the short, lean, drying and astringent finish. Some of the wines actually had nice noses; the noses of others were astringent and lacking fruit. Regardless of how they smelled and how they tasted on entry, however, they all finished lean and mean.

I had the same observations about several Valpolicellas (and other wines from the Veneto region ) I've had from that vintage too.

Now 2004, at least in Tuscany (I haven't had enough '04 Valpos to draw any tentative conclusions), seems to be a whole 'nuther story. Every '04 I've tasted has been bursting with fruit, concentrated and ripe from entry through the finish. But they've also had superb balance. They've not been New World fruit bombs, but quintessential, European-styled dinner wines. I've got a bunch more in the closet and I am looking forward to trying them.

2004 Santa Ema CABERNET SAUVIGNON Reserve (Maipo Valley, Chile)

Because the 2004 Merlot Reserve was outstanding, I gave its brother, the Cab, a shot. It was very good, but not up to the Merlot's level.

Saturated black ruby color. Sweet, medium intensity nose of cassis, blackberries, and a whiff of rhubarb, along with smoky, gravelly, graphite notes. Balanced, ripe, and decently concentrated, in a medium-bodied frame. Loads of very soft, well-integrated tannins. Very much Bordeaux, rather than New World, in style. 87. A good buy at $10 at Spec's on Smith.

2005 Cline "CASHMERE" (Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache) (California)

Beautiful, dark ruby color with a hint of purple. Very forward fruity nose -- lots of black raspberry jam (replete with the tart pectin) with a hint of rock dust underneath. Lots of clean, peppery blackberry fruit in the mouth -- not complex, but fairly gutsy. Soft texture. Full-bodied, with some iodine-y notes in the finish. I think, however, it may have been a little over-enthusiastically sulfured, as my wife had her familiar flushed cheeks reaction to wines that have lots of sulfites. On taste, I'd give it an 85, but with the caveat about the possibly high level of sulfites. Was $13.99 at World Marketplace on Richmond.

2003 Frescobaldi CHIANTI RUFINA RESERVA "Nipozanno" (Tuscany, Italy)

Another disappointing 2003 -- which I have now all but concluded is a vintage to avoid in central Italy.

Deep translucent black ruby color. Medium intensity nose of gingerbread spices, leather, and winey berries. Good weight and richness upon entry, with flavors of pencil lead and cassis, but as with many 2003s I've tried from this region, it fades in a flash to a clipped finish that is astringent, lean, and minerally. 82. Was about $19 at Spec's on Smith.

2004 Jean-Luc Columbo CÔTES DU RHÔNE "Les Abeilles" (France)

A decent, inexpensive Côtes du Rhône, but nothing to write home about. A little disappointing given the reputation of this Cornas producer.

Medium dark ruby. Mid-intensity nose of lively cherry-raspberry fruit, not-quite-ripe peaches, and rock dust. Medium bodied in the mouth, with crisp cherry fruit and stony notes. 82. Was $8.50 at World Marketplace on Richmond.

2005 WillaKenzie Estate PINOT GRIS (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

This was a really good white -- loaded with flavor. A white wine acting like a red wine.

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.

2004 Martinelli "Seven Mules Vineyard" PINOT NOIR (Russian River Valley, California)

This was only the second Pinot Noir I've ever had from this vaunted producer, and it was excellent.

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.

2002 Louis Latour MEURSAULT-CHARMES (Burgundy, France)

A terrific, but rather restrained, white burgundy.

Very light silvery-brass color. Gorgeous nose of sweet grapes, talcum powder, vanillin spice, and flowers. Medium bodied, with persistent flavors of marzipan, stones, and pear skins. Long, minerally finish. I usually expect Meursaults to have more buttery, hazelnutty richness than this one, but although this one was atypical, it was very distinctive and elegant. 89. I ordered this one from Flickinger Wines for $39 -- a very good price for a top notch premier cru white burgundy.

2004 Luigi Righetti "Campolieti" VALPOLICELLA Classico Superiore (Veneto, Italy)

This wine isn't bad, but it doesn't taste like Valpolicella -- whether Ripasso style or regular style.

Crystalline dark ruby color. Boisterous nose of very tightly-wound fruit (berries, cherries, and plums) and pungent minerally scents (almost verging into acetate). Tight, simple, and crisp in the mouth, , with focused fruit on entry, fading quickly into a metallic/minerally finish. 81. Was $10.65 at Spec's on Smith.

2003 Ridge York Creek ZINFANDEL (Napa Valley, California)

This was a terrific, Bordeaux-styled Zinfandel.

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.

2005 Cellier Pinol LUDOVICUS (Tierra Alta, Spain)

A good wine with an unusual texture.

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.

Ripe, but with lots of seemingly large-grained, yet not coarse, tannins in the mouth, creating an unusual mouthfeel. Full bodied, with a long, fruity finish, but with lots of the tannins remaining on the tongue. Maybe these tannins will drop out with a year or so in a cool cellar. 85+. Was $9.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2005 Fournier SAUVIGNON (Blanc) (VDP, Loire, France)

This was a great buy in a crisp, flavorful, refreshing white. Tastes like a baby Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume, but at 1/3 the price.

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!

2005 CUVÉE DE PEÑA (VDP, Southwest France)

This cheap red -- which I am guessing has a lot of Grenache in it -- is a GREAT buy.


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.

Nonvintage TARANTAS Rosé (Spain)

This is a cheap, organic, generic, and, most importantly, GOOD Spanish rose.

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.

2005 Verget BOURGOGNE "Terroirs de Cote d'Or" (White Burgundy)

A very subtle, balanced, unoaked Chardonnay with Verget's typically minerality in check.



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.

2004 Brigaldara VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO (Veneto, Italy)

Not very Valpolicella-like and disappointing. I haven't been impressed with a regular Valpo from this producer since the outstanding 2001.

Mostly crystalline black with ruby highlights. Pungent nose of tar, scorched earth, burnt gingerbread, prunes, and blackberries. Dark, mostly bass-note flavors of prunes, old oak, and scorched earth, with a fairly long, although somewhat hot, minerally finish. 83. Too big-boned for its own good. Was $16 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2005 Viu Manent CARMENERE Reserve (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

This was a deep, rich, complex red at a fair price.

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.

2005 Paul Zinck RIESLING (Alsace, France)

A very flavorful dry Riesling.

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.

2005 Pascal Granger JULIENAS (Beaujolais, France)

This was a terrific, traditionally styled Beaujolais.


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.

2004 Kilikanoon SHIRAZ "Killerman's Run" (South Australia)

This was outstanding.


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.

UPDATE (9/19): Whole Foods has jacked the price on this to $22 and change.

UPDATE (12/8): Price back down to $16.99!

2005 La Posta MALBEC "Pizzella Family Vineyard" (Mendoza, Argentina)

Avoid this one. Earthy, sour, old leather nose. Tart, overly earthy and leathery flavors. Very austere. 70.

2004 Zenato VALPOLICELLA RIPASSA (Veneto, Italy)

My brother told me this was good, and he was right. This was big, soft, ripe, and rich.

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.

2005 Pierre Riffault SANCERRE "Domaine du Carroir Perrin" (Loire, France)

This was a classic grassy, minerally Sancerre.

Very light, bright gold with greenish glints. Nose of bright, tart gooseberries, lemons, and creamed grassy/chalky scents. Lively and focused in the mouth, with refreshing lemony/mineral flavors, and a long, crisp finish. Would be fantastic with shellfish. 87. Was $19 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2004 Curtis "HERITAGE CUVEE" (50% Grenache, 19% Syrah, 18% Mourvedre, 13% Cinsault (Santa Barbara County, Cal.)

I knew nothing about this winery, but it looked interesting, so I tried a bottle. What a nice surprise!

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.

2004 Avignonesi VINO NOBILE DE MONTEPULCIANO (Tuscany)

This was a bit disappointing.

Medium ruby color. Big, earthy nose -- barnyard, gingerbready, old leather, sour cherries. Medium-bodied, with modest cherry/strawberry fruit, along with dried underbrush and minerals. Lean but reasonably long finish. Not bad, but I expected more ripeness and density. 84. Available at Spec's ($19) and Central Market ($21).

2004 MontGras "Quatro" Reserva (35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Malbec, 22% Merlot, 15% Carmenere) (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

For the second vintage in a row -- the 2003 was excellent -- this wine is tremendous.


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.

2005 Almira "Los Dos" GRENACHE/SYRAH (Campo de Borja)

This was an outrageous value.

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.

2005 XYZin California ZINFANDEL "10 Year Old Vines"

This was a fruity, straightforward Zinfandel.

Deep black garnet color. Deeply fruity nose -- blackberries, loamy earth, and sweet malty scents. (This nose would indicate lots of Lodi fruit, to me.) Good concentration and flesh, if not a lot of definition or complexity. Lots of "oomph." It was a gift, so I don't know where it came from, but a quick Internet search shows that many stores sell this at arounf $15. 87.

2006 Cono Sur PINOT NOIR (Central Valley, Chile)

A great value in Pinot Noir. Not very complex, but true Pinot flavors and texture for under $10 -- unheard of.

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.

2002 Domaine Billaud-Simon CHABLIS PREMIER CRU MONT DE MILIEU "Vieilles Vignes" (Burgundy, France)

(Unscored notes from memory). This was a primo example of the 2002 vintage in Chablis: bright, focused, minerally, stony, lemony flavors, with a weightless texture and tremendous length. Tremendous. Got this one from Flickinger Wines in Chicago.