2009 BORSAO (75% Garnacha, 25% Tempranillo) (Campo de Borja, Spain)

This is a perennial great value and is widely available to boot. The 2009 is very good, as usual.

Dark violet-tinged ruby. Rich, open nose of ripe raspberry syrup and dark, roasted green herbs. Dark, ripe flavors of black raspberry and scorched gravel. The barest hint of bitterness in the back half of the palate and a bit less acidity than I like are the only detracting factors, but there's a lot to like at the price. B. $6 and change at Spec's (probably all of them). Imported by Jorge Ordonez Selections.

Two mediocre wines and one OK one

A disappointing week of wine. I blog about stuff I wouldn't buy again so anyone stumbling on this blog won't waste their money. These all seemed like they would be interesting to try but weren't worth buying.

2007 Les Claux Delorme VALENCAY Rouge (Loire Valley, France) -- this 40% Gamay, 30% Malbec (Cot), 20% Cab Franc, 10% Pinot Noir stank like manure the first night. As seems to frequently be the case (with wines that have this stink), two nights later the barnyard was nowhere to be smelled, and it was replaced by fresh, light flavors of crisp berries and minerals. It's quaffable, and went well with take-out Chinese. B- (after significant airing blows off the stank). Was about $20 from Zachys.

2008 Altano DOURO (Portugal) -- This organic Portuguese blend lacked concentration and tasted a bit overcropped and overextracted. Saturated color, Nose of high-toned blackberries, powdered rocks, burnt balsa wood and scorched earth. Lean, slightly undernourished fruit but nice minerally flavors, with a tannic, astringent finish. C.

2009 La Clotiere COTEAUX D'ANCENIS GAMAY (Loire Valley, France) -- Lean and underripe, this watery wine was more of a palate cleanser (good crisp acids) than an accompaniment to dinner. D+ Was about $9 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2007 Chateau Saint Roch "Chimeres" Cotes du Roussillon Villages (Southwest France)

This was a superb wine. Great depth, complexity, and balance. I was not expecting such quality from the Roussillon area, which is known for its earthy, chunky wines. It's a blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Carignane, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre -- mostly very old vines.

Black ruby with violet highlights. Unique and very fragrant nose, featuring perfume (yes, like women's perfume), grilled steak, rock dust, and trippy black raspberry. Round, deeply-concentrated, and mouthfilling. Smoky, stony notes lead to dark, low-toned, sappy, ripe berry fruit and charcoal. Lots of micro-chalky tannin in the long finish. Excellent and extraordinarily distinctive wine. A. Imported by Eric Solomon, I got the wine for $16 from B-21 Wines in Florida, making it a great value.

2009 Domaine de Colette BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES (France)

This small estate makes consistently excellent Beaujolais. (See prior reviews here and here.) This is one of the best I've had. Textbook old-school Beaujolais.

Very dark ruby with magenta highlights. Ridiculous ripe, tangy nose of crunchy, grapey cherries and berries, laced with cracked rocks and minerals. Flavorful and athletic in the mouth, with loads of ripe, zesty red fruit and minerals, along with a little tannin. Fairly full-bodied, yet with great acids keeping it fresh. A vibrant mouthful. A-. Was around $18 at Central Market. Imported by Charles Neal Selections.

2007 Pezzi King ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

A textbook Dry Creek Zin. Loads of ripe fruit, good minerality and balance. Excellent value too. Whenever I get that Zin itch, a Dry Creeker like this one scratches it.

Very luminescent dark ruby. Richly fruited nose of spiced black cherry and black raspberry fruit, along with some classic Dry Creek earthy, stony notes. Full-bodied, concentrated ripe flavors of spicy blackberry and cherry. Good acids too for a wine this ripe. Very nice. A-. Drink over the next year. Was $16.99 at Spec's on Richmond.

2006 Domaine Grand Veneur CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE (Southern Rhone, France)

This was classic Chateauneuf! Very traditionally styled both in flavors and structure.

Dark black ruby. Intensely earthy, roasted dark herbs and iodine-infused nose, with notes of rich blackberry and cocoa powder underneath. Richly-flavored, with mouthcoating, dense, earthy, dry gravel and herb flavors masking some highly-concentrated blackberry extract fruit. Long, very clingy finish with some nice soft tannin. Great now, this will improve over the next 2-3 years. Amazingly, this is the "least" of the three Chateauneufs this producer makes. A. Imported by Kysela Pere et fils. I think this was around $35 from Zachy's in Scarsdale, NY, several months ago.

(Sorry, 2007 depicted.)

2009 Domaine La Suffrene BANDOL Blanc (Provence, France)

A very distinctive white that, while not possessing great depth or complexity, is a real kick to drink because of its unique flavors. Try brown-bagging this on your friends. No one will come even close to guessing what it is. As for the components, it's a blend of Clairette and Ugni Blanc grapes.

Very pale, bright gold. Loads of grassy, fresh herbs and bitter pear skins on the nose. Up-front fruit smacks the palate with very direct, low-toned bitter pear fruit and a huge herbal streak. Clingy, herbal finish, with medium body and decent acidity. Drink over the next few months. B. Was $25 at Spec's on Weslayan/Bissonnet.

2006 Anglim "CERISE" 39% Mourvedre, 32% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 4% Viognier "French Camp Vineyard" (Paso Robles, Cal.)

This Rhone blend was almost Pinot Noir-like not only in its gentle, feminine nature, but also in its flavor profile.

Medium dark ruby. Earthy, complex almost Pinot-like nose of sappy cherries, warm, smoky gravel, and lemony spice. A streak of intensely minerally, dark winey cherry fruit up front, along with some peppery heat, but in the finish an interesting note of ripe peach/peach pit. Lots of minerals in the finish. Decent acidity. Ready to drink right now. B. Was $14.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2009 ZESTOS (Madrid, Spain)

This 50% Garnacha, 50% Tempranillo was grown just outside of Madrid, and is a fantastic value. It's got gorgeously fresh fruit, good concentration, and great balance.

Youthful dark black ruby. Vivid dark cherry/berry aromas leap from the glass, mixed with stones and baby powder. Lively, rich fruit attacks the palate, with excellent ripeness and acid balance juxtaposing body and freshness. Some refined tannin adds textural interest. Very direct and satisfying. I would be very hard-pressed to think of a better value in a weekday dinner (or casual party) wine. B+. Was $7.99 at World Marketplace at Richmond and West Loop. Imported by Patrick Mata's Olé Imports.

2008 Domaine Sarrabelle GAILLAC "Croix Blanche" (Southwest France)

This is the best value I've had in many months! And from an area of France I know little about, and from two varietals (80% Duras, 20% Braucol) that I know nothing about. (Braucol is also known elsewhere as Fer Servadou.)
I love making discoveries like this!

Dark black ruby with bright magenta highlights. Poured through a Vinturi, it displayed a gorgeous nose of high-toned, spiced berries with dense plumes of wispy rock microdust. Lively and fairly concentrated, with crisp yet ripe berry fruit in the mouth, along with the cleanest, most refreshing and pure-tasting stony finish. This was fantastic with roast chicken, and would also pair nicely with grilled red or white meats. Bone dry, and with still some unresolved tannin, this wine is wonderful now and should last nicely another year or two. A. Imported by Jon-David Headrick Selections, this wine was only $9.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire. Get some!

2009 Villa Ponciago FLEURIE "La Reserve" (Beaujolais, France)

A good, solid cru Beaujolais. Pretty decent value for its pedigree.

Dark, vivid ruby with magenta highlights. Initially, a low-toned, very "animal" nose. The next day (after being under a Vacu-Vin closure), loads of very juicy fruit led off, with grapey berries, mixed with earthy, stony dust, and a spiced lemon component. Round, direct flavors ripe cherry fruit and liquid minerals. The finish is all minerals. Make sure to let this puppy breathe to get the fruit to come through. B+. Imported by Henriot Imports. Was $16.99 at Spec's on Richmond.

Going from numeric scores to A+, A, A-, B+, B, etc.

You know, I'm just not sure I really can consistently cut it quite that fine. About the only real difference for me between what I consider to be an 87 point wine and an 88 point wine is that I usually am willing to buy an 88 point wine again if it's a good value. Beyond that, who knows what the difference is? But that's just me. It's way more important to read the tasting notes and see if that sounds like something that would taste good to you.

On a related note, I've been asked why I don't have many wines in the C range or below. Many times, if the wine really sucks, I won't blog on it. But if the wine really should have been good but wasn't, I'll try to let my 7 readers know so they won't make the same mistake I did. Also, from experience, I'm pretty good at making educated guesses at what's going to be good or not. (Turning the label around and checking for a top-flight importer is a big headstart.)

Anyway, so long numeric scores. Hello, slightly-fudgier letter grades. (Anything A- or higher I will continue to label as "90 or better.")

2009 M5 Monastrell (Yecla, Spain)

A very good value, ripe, soft, concentrated red -- in the smoother, lower-acid style.

Vivid dark black ruby. Ripe, low-toned, friendly aromas of woodsy blackberry juice and crushed rocks. Soft, concentrated, and juicy in the mouth. loads of very pure blackberry fruit and a finish that morphs into cocoa-y, clingy, smoky, gravelly flavors. Loads of very soft tannin. Very drinkable right now, it will last another year or so at this level. A sure crowd-pleaser. B+/A-. Imported by Patrick Mata's Olé Imports. Was $12 at World Market Place (Richmond/West Loop).

2008 Speri "Vigneto La Roverina" VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

Another textbook, flavorful, light-ish, food-friendly Valpo.

Medium dark ruby garnet. Nice nose of almond paste and ripe, winey cherries, along with crushed stones. High-toned, bright flavors of crisp cherries and minerals. Medium light bodied, with refreshing acids. Bone dry, minerally finish. B+/A-. I think this was around $16 at Central market, but I can't find the receipt. Imported by Empson USA.

2007 Marietta CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Alexander Valley, Cal.)

Very nice example of the big, ripe, earthy Alexander Valley style, but not overblown or overoaked, as so many California Cabernets are these days.

Saturated black ruby. Rich and intense nose: ripe cassis syrup, pungent graphite and liquid minerals. Attacks the palate with almost overripe dark berry and cassis fruit, giving way to smoky, sweet earth and tobacco notes. Lots of mouthcoating but fairly soft tannin. Very full-bodied. 88. Was $25.99 at Central Market.

2008 Casal Farneto LACRIMA DI MORRO D'ALBA "Rosae" (Marche, Italy)

Unfamiliar with this wine, I wrongly assumed it was from Piemonte because of the word "Alba" in the name, but my brother set me straight: it's from the Marche, where my ancestors are from, so I should have known!

In any event, this is a unique and really good wine.

Dense purple-tinged ruby. Big, crunchy, grapey nose with fair amount of minerals. Massive amounts of dense, crunchy, richly grapey fruit in a very outgoing style. Direct and mouthfilling. Dry, but as fruit-filled as can be. This would be really fun to drink in the summertime with a little chill on it. Loads of pure fruit in the finish but with a touch of bitterness to offset all that fruit. Nice change of pace! 88. Imported by Enotec Imports, Denver. Was $15.99 at Houston Wine Merchant. (We'll just click on "under $15" so I can get you to try it.)

2007 Albert Seltz RIESLING (Alsace, France)

A chunky, dry style of Riesling. Not elegant, but full of flavor.

Medium gold color. Earthy, peach pit and dark mineral nose. Round, mouthfilling, and ripe. Loads of peach/pear fruit and lots of earthy/chalky minerals. Full-bodied. Dry, or nearly so, with a long finish. Very good value -- this was about $18 at Central Market, if I remember correctly. 88. Domaine Select Imports.

2007 Isole e Olena CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

A ripe, earthy, fleshy style of Chianti. Not what I normally go for, but I liked it a lot anyway.

Medium ruby garnet. Fragrant nose of wet gravel, sandstone, smoky balsa wood, blackberries, and sweet, dried cherries. Rich, ripe, and complex -- a lower acid, riper style -- with broad flavors of sweet cherri liqueur, smoke, tobacco, and minerally earth. Very good concentration. Very long finish. 90. Drink over the next 18 months. Was $17.99 from B-21 Wines in Florida. Imported by Stacole Wines.

2009 Artazuri GARNACHA (Navarra, Spain)

A ripe, flavorful, soft, food-friendly bargain for drinking over the next year.

Dark ruby with magenta highlights. After airing, a vividly ripe nose featuring ripe raspberries, tomatoes, and wet stones. Mouthfilling, ripe, direct fruit coats the mouth, with some briary earthiness in the back half of the palate. Not a complex wine, but soft and flavorful. Medium length, clean finish. A very good value and would work with lots of foods (pastas with red sauces, pizza, grilled burgers, fajitas, etc.) Nice weekday wine. 87. Was about $10 at Spec's. Imported by Eric Solomon.

2009 Nobilo Icon PINOT NOIR (Marlborough, New Zealand)

An open, flavorful P.N. that was slightly marred by a flat-feeling vegetal component in the back half of the palate.

Dark ruby garnet. Ripe, open, inviting nose of sweet, sappy cherries (identifiably P.N.), brown sugar, crushed rocks, and a freshly-mowed weeds component. Mouthfilling, direct Pinot flavors on entry (ripe cherry and subtle, minerally earth), but developing the aforementioned slightly flat, vegetal component as the seconds went by. Still, hard to complain at this price point (under $20 at Central Market), since modestly-priced, good P.N.s are very hard to find. 86.