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200 Selections tasted & rated to pick from $25 & way under
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Dombeya 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Stellenbosch South Africa
This is a fatter and richer style Sauvignon Blanc. The wine's nose shows flavor of green figs, granadilla and kiwifruit. The palate is full bodied and lingers with tropical fruit flavors with a good fruit acid balance. Winemaker's notes.
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Jessie's Grove 2008 Earth, Zin & Fire Lodi
This old vine Zinfandel is something special!! This wine has a deep opaque red-purple color and an intense nose. Loads of blackberry and strawberry flavors with notes of chocolate and spice. Soft tannins and a smooth, long finish. Aged for 10 months in both French and American Oak. Winery notes.
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Etude 2007 Pinot Noir Carneros
Light ruby red hue. Pretty bouquet of smoked meats, spearmint and forest floor. Round, juicy mouth-feel showcases cherry, coffee and black pepper. Spicy notes ring out in the close along with well-integrated tannins and pepper-tinged acids.
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William Fevre 2007 Chablis Champs Royaux Burgundy
Apple, melon and mineral notes mingle in this vibrant, balanced white, which lingers with a mouthwatering impression.
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Markus Huber 2007 Gruner Veltliner Alte Setzen Austria
Medium green-yellow. Inviting, attractive pear aroma along with nuances of wild meadow herbs and blossom honey. Concentrated and harmonious, with sweet fruit nicely balanced by a fine spine of acidity. Tobacco and pepper linger on the long finish. This elegantly styled wine should benefit substantially from further bottle aging. Drink 2010 to 2017.
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Stinger 2007 Zinfandel Paso Robles
Stinger is a blend of two separate clones from two different sides of "The Knoll" Vineyard on the Margarita Ranch in the very southern end of Paso Robles, where it is cooler. The wine is very deep in color, with bright magenta to the rim. The aroma jumps out with African violets, pomegranates and cinnamon. The flavor is rich, dense and fresh with vibrant flavors of red plum, pomegranates and five-spice powder. This is a wine with real flavor that hasn't been blended away. Winery notes.
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Marquis Philips 2007 Shiraz South Eastern Australia
Dense garnet hue. Appealing scents of black cherry, plum and sweet tobacco. Juicy flavors of sour cherry and raspberry. Powerful tannins and hints of espresso and orange pekoe tea in the juicy close.
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Wairau River 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand
Bright and lively, delivering an effusive mouthful of pineapple, lime and apricot flavors that remain refreshing and balanced through the finish. Drink now.
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Poet's Leap 2008 Riesling Columbia Valley
The one white wine in the portfolio is the 2008 Poet’s Leap Riesling made by Armin Diel of Schlossgut Diel in the Nahe River Valley of Germany. Medium straw-colored with a greenish tint, it offers up a fragrant nose of mineral, spring flowers, citrus, and apple blossom. Vibrant on the palate with outstanding concentration, it is just off-dry in a Kabinett style. It should evolve for several years and drink well for a decade.
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Marquis Philips 2007 Sarah's Blend South Eastern Australia
A blend of 62% Shiraz, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Super ripe plum jam with dark chocolate richness, black currant and briar fruit on the nose. Soft, round and gentle with aromas of marzipan, complex black currant fruit, and hints of peppermint and smoky sweet vanilla. On the palate, ripe red berries, vibrant, soft and round, gentle medium bodied structure and black fruit are found. Long, integrated tannins and some oak lactone influence also exist.
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Ridge Vineyards 2005 Syrah Lytton West Vineyard Dry Creek Valley
6% Viognier. There is a sense of refinement and pure precision about this bottling that not only moves it to the head of the class but sets it in a class all its own. Very deep and impeccably structured, it eschews runaway ripeness in favor of layered richness and real nuance, and it begs for comparison with the fine wines of Cote Rotie rather than its more blustery Californian kin. It is as classy and sophisticated as local Syrah is likely to get, and it is bound to age famously by dint of balance and depth.
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M. Chapoutier 2008 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Villages
A muscular red, with concentrated flavors of dark cherry, plum, raspberry tart and grilled fig. The dense finish of dark chocolate is firm and focused, with smoky notes. Best from 2010 through 2014.
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Villa Mt. Eden 2006 Grand Reserve Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley
Sweet oak abounds and serves as an equal partner to raspberries and cherries in this nicely plumped, moderately full-bodied look at Pinot Noir, and, while fairly ripe, the wine is not defined by its ripeness as much as it is by its very obvious varietal fruit. Its uncomplicated pleasures might come at the cost of complexity, but this is a tasty and eminently likeable wine that delivers the goods at a noteworthy price.
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Gloria Ferrer 2001 Brut Royal Cuvee Carneros
This sparkling wine is fresh and vibrant, yet offers a core of rich, luscious fruit. Aromas of Asian pear, rose water and lemon curd lead to layered flavors of fresh ginger, pippin apple and cinnamon that finish on a showy note. Drink now through 2013. Only 6,500 cases made.
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Livio Felluga 2007 Pinot Grigio Collio Italy
Rich and fruity, with pineapple, papaya and a hint of licorice. Full-bodied, with loads of fruit and a lively acidity. Goes on for a long time on the palate. Intensely fruity. Drink now.
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Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Merlot Indian Wells District Columbia Valley
19% Syrah. Here is a straightforward Merlot that gets everything right in terms of the agreeable fruit, open richness and supple texture that are the variety's principal virtues. It may not be the deepest or most complex example to be found, but it is eminently tasty with enough spine to keep for a while, and it ranks as nothing less than an out-and-out bargain.
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Bodegas Colome 2007 Malbec Calchaquí Valley Argentina
This Argentine red is quite ripe, with nearly exotic plum sauce, braised fig and crushed blueberry notes rolled together, while spice, mocha and incense hints help stretch out the juicy, dense finish. A flashy style, but well-balanced. Drink now through 2012. Only 5,500 cases imported.
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Landmark 2006 Overlook Chardonnay Sonoma, Santa Barbara & Monterey
Bright gold. Spicy melon, peach and orange aromas are complicated by smoked meat and floral honey. Leesy melon and pit fruit flavors are energized by zesty minerality, which adds focus and lift.
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Chateau St. Jean 2006 Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard Alexander Valley
Perfumed floral, tangerine, nectarine and vibrant green pear give this full-bodied wine lots of lively flavors, ending with a long, clean finish that picks up a nice vanilla and honeysuckle note. Drink now through 2011.
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Peirano Estate Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Lodi California
The rich, dark color of this wine catches you from the first pour. It exhibits a rich deep burgundy hue with perfect clarity. The aromas are a compendium of dark fruit - blackberry, black raspberry, and currant - with elements of toasty oak, chocolate, dark roasted coffee bean, sage and spices. A sip fills the mouth with blackberry pie, with hints of rich, ripe black cherries, sweet oak and white pepper, while maintaining absolute dryness and firm, yet supple, tannins. This delicious Cabernet is ready to drink now and will continue to age gracefully for the next 6 to 8 years. Winery notes.
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Goose Ridge Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Smooth and polished, delivering a lovely burst of red berry and savory herb flavors that find a harmonious balance and keep shining against fine tannins on the long, elegant finish. Drink now through 2014. Only 1,300 cases made
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Domaine De Nizas 2005 Coteaux du Languedoc Languedoc-Roussillon
A refined red from the south of France, with a core of concentrated raspberry, red plum and kirschlike flavors. There's plenty of fresh acidity as well, with a bright finish of pepper and spice. Should open up with time in the cellar. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. Drink now through 2015. Only 4,000 cases made.
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Handley Cellars 2007 Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley
So pure and refined, this Gewurtz shows how great Anderson Valley can ripen the variety. Throw in Handley's deft hand and you get an immensely flavorful, spicy white wine of tremendous balance and finesse.
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Domaine Andezon 2007 Cotes du Rhone Villages la Grancha Southern Rhone Valley
A brilliant 100% Grenache cuvee from old vines, the 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages La Granacha Signargues comes from an organically farmed parcel, and is bottled unfined and unfiltered with no SO2 additions. Deep ruby to the rim, with beautiful aromas of kirsch liqueur, melted licorice, ground pepper, and garrigue, it is a superb, full-bodied effort with terrific precision, definition, and concentration. This beauty should drink well for 5-6 years.
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Domiane Manciat-Poncet 2007 Macon-Charnay Macon Region
Though still young and tight, this is also bold and concentrated, with potent acidity that adds spice and a green floral tone to the fruit. The flavors of green apple, lime pith and ginger last with youthful compression. Give it three or four years in the cellar for the complexity to evolve.
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Ferrari-Carano 2008 Fume Blanc Sonoma County
Refreshingly crisp, with lemon-lime, ripe peach, green apple and subtle herb notes. There's good intensity and focus, with terrific acidity. Drink now.
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Benton-Lane 2008 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley
This racy gris tastes like biting into a crisp apple. It leads with scents of camellia blossoms, elegant and cool. Its green apple flavors show impressive energy and drive, with a talc-like texture and a fine, dusty stone finish that lasts. Ideal with roast pork and herbed potatoes.
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La Bastide Saint Dominique 2007 Cotes du Rhone Villages Southern Rhone Valley
The amazing 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages tastes like a first rate Chateauneuf du Pape. Abundant aromas of kirsch liqueur, raspberries, licorice, and garrigue emerge from this fruit-driven, medium to full-bodied, luscious, pure red. Consume it over the next 5-6 years.
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Sierra Cantabria 2003 Cuvee Especial Rioja Spain
Dark red. Highly expressive, exotic bouquet of fresh red berries, vanillin oak spice and yellow rose. A silky, fine-grained midweight with impressively bright red fruit flavors and round tannins. Nothing hot-year about this. Finishes firm, dry and very persistent.
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Creta Roble 2006 Tempranillo Ribera del Duero
The 2006 Roble is sourced from a single vineyard at 850 meters of elevation, the highest vineyard in Ribera del Duero. The wine was aged for 4 to 5 months in French and American oak. Purple/black in color, the nose reveals cedar, mineral, damp earth, and assorted black fruits. Powerful on the palate, this tannic, structured effort has superb depth and grip and should evolve for 3-4 years. Drink it from 2011 to 2020.
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Peirano Estate Vineyards 2006 Red Shorts Red Lodi
The color of this wine is a vibrant deep burgundy. The aromas of blackberries and plums are complimented by spice, toasty oak and cedar notes. The flavors are distinct sweet black cherries, blackberry and smoky boysenberry with a long seductive finish. The wine is ready to drink, but will continue to age over the next 5 to 8 years. Winery notes.
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Catena Alamos 2007 Seleccion Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Round and fleshy, with enticing spice, blueberry, fig and boysenberry flavors backed by hints of fruitcake and melted licorice. Stays fresh and vivid on the finish, with a lingering mocha hint. Drink now through 2009.
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Cantina Terlano 2008 Terlaner Classico Alto Adige
A pleasant young white, with sliced pear and apple character and clean mineral notes. Medium-bodied, balanced and fruity, with a tangy finish. Stylish. Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon. Drink now.
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Ciacci Piccolomini 2006 Rosso di Montalcino Tuscany
The 2006 Rosso di Montalcino is a knock-out effort bursting with dark red fruit, spices and earthiness. It flows onto the palate with remarkable density and plushness, with silky tannins that are beautifully integrated into the wine. Ciacci’s 2006 Rosso is a gem, and is not to be missed. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2011.
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Mollydooker 2008 The Boxer Shiraz South Australia
Bright and jazzy, offering an effusive mouthful of cherry, pomegranate and spice flavors that are as aromatic as they are long and vivid. This has density without great weight, and the finish keeps on going. Drink now through 2015.
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Joseph Phelps 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
Vivid, ripe and tropical, offering pineapple, dried mango, peach and apricot flavors, with mineral grace notes that gain momentum on the finish. Offers refreshing acidity and a light body. Drink now. Only 4,000 cases made.
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Chateau Les Grands Chenes 2006 Bordeaux Blend Medoc
A blend of 55% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 5% cabernet franc) Bright ruby-red. Complex aromas of musky currant, dark raspberry, tobacco and nutty oak. Lush and smooth but with lift and vinosity to the currant and tobacco flavors. A sweet, suave midweight with considerable immediate appeal.
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Chateau Pesquie 2007 Cuvee des Terrasses Cotes du Ventoux
A dense ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of cassis, kirsch, lavender, pepper, and spice. The sweetness of the tannins, abundant glycerin, razor sharp focus, and wonderful depth make for a wine that transcends its humble price and bucolic appellation.
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Mollydooker 2007 The Maitre d' Cabernet South Australia
The 2007 The Maitre D’ Cabernet Sauvignon is opaque purple-colored with legs that slowly ooze down the glass. It received the same elevage as The Scooter. It reveals an enticing nose of spice box, scorched earth, smoke, black currant, and blackberry followed by a velvety-textured, layered, savory Cabernet with excellent depth and balance. This lengthy effort will evolve for 1-2 years and provide pleasure through 2017.
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Ulithorne 2003 Shiraz Frux Frugis McLaren Vale Australia
This big, blockbuster Shiraz (100 cases produced) was aged in a combination of new and old French and American oak. Its deep purple color is accompanied by aromas of graphite, blackberries, cherry liqueur, cola, smoke, and damp earth. Full-bodied and chewy, with abundant glycerin, moderately sweet tannin, and an impressively long, packed finish, it can be drunk now, but will be even better in 2-3 years. It should last for a decade or more.
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Gordon Brothers 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Distinctly spicy, with cardamom and coriander seed notes prominent in the mix, riding over a supple core of black cherry and blackberry fruit, finishing with polish and real presence. Drink now through 2016. Only 3,000 cases made.
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Betts & Scholl 2004 The Chronique Grenache Barossa Valley
Not as dark as some, yet the aromas and flavors burst from the glass. This is a plush, generous, enveloping Grenache, with harmonious flavors of raspberry, cherry and blueberry. Hints at rhubarb as the finish rolls on and on. Drink now through 2012. 300 cases imported.
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Brancott B 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand
Dramatic, aromatic and elegantly proportioned, with vivid grapefruit, green apple, passion fruit and vaguely piney aromas and flavors competing for attention on a sleek frame that lets the finish reverberate nicely. Drink now. Only 500 cases imported.
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Columbia Crest 2007 H3 Merlot Columbia Valley
Dark, supple and generous with its blackberry and black currant flavors, playing against superfine tannins on an open-textured finish. Floral, savory overtones add depth. Best from 2011 through 2017.
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Ironstone Reserve 2007 Old Vines Zinfandel Lodi
Lusty and ripe, this big, exuberant Zinfandel brims with black currant, red cherry, plum, chocolate, anise and cedar flavors, leading to a long, spicy finish. It's an easy wine to drink, but also shows some real complexity.
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Errazuriz 2007 Chardonnay Casablanca Valley Chile
Green-tinged yellow. Strikingly complex aromas of spiced pear, apple, floral honey and smoky lees. Fleshy orchard fruit and orange flavors are given spine by tangy minerals and gain an intriguing herbal quality on the back end. The mineral note lingers on the long, juicy finish.
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d'Arenberg 2004 The Derelict Vineyard Grenache McLaren Vale Australia
A brilliant effort, the 2004 Grenache The Derelict Vineyard represents a Grenache on steroids. Its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is accompanied by a sweet kiss of kirsch liqueur intermixed with licorice, pepper, and a touch of lavender. Full-bodied with superb concentration, a beautiful, multilayered texture, sweet tannin, low acidity, and a long, supple finish, it should provide plenty of pleasure over the next 7-8 years.
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Hugo 2004 Reserve Shiraz McLaren Vale
Powerful and dramatic, but not a heavy wine by any means, offering sharply focused plum, blackberry, nutmeg and cedary oak gathering steam to zip through the fine-grained finish. Tempting now, but cellaring should add depth. Best from 2008 through 2016. Only 400 cases imported.
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Feudi di San Gregorio 2007 Falanghina Sannio Campania Italy
Aromas of banana, cream and mango follow through to the palate in this full-bodied white, with lots of fruit and a long finish. Drink now.
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Bodegas Emilio Moro 2007 Finca Resalso Ribera del Duero
The 2007 Finca Resalso was sourced from younger vines and aged in French oak for four months. Dark ruby-colored, it emits an enticing perfume of mineral, violets, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it reveals an elegant personality, savory, spicy flavors, good depth, and a fruit-filled finish. Drink this tasty effort over the next four years
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Tikal 2007 Patriota Bonarda/Malbec Mendoza Argentina
The 2007 Patriota is a blend of 60% Bonarda and 40% Malbec aged in 70% French oak (40% new) and 30% second use American oak. Purple-colored, it offers an alluring bouquet of spice box, black cherry, and blueberry. Supple and flavorful on the palate, additional notes of raspberry and chocolate emerge, accompanied by a complex, rich wine with good structure and length. It way over-delivers for its modest price.
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I Greppi 2007 Greppicante Bolgheri Italy
Deliver currant, toasty oak and coffee aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a lot of rich fruit. Very polished and attractive. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best after 2012. Only 5,265 cases made.
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Durigutti 2007 Malbec Classico Mendoza Argentina
Quite ripe and toasty, with a hefty dose of mocha and coffee laid over the fleshy dark plum, currant and blackberry fruit. Stays toasty through the finish, but this is well-integrated, with the fruit an equal match. Drink now through 2010.
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BenMarco 2007 Malbec Mendoza Argentina
At the suggested price, it is a steal. The 2007 Malbec contains 10% Bonarda. It received the same oak regimen as the Cabernet. Dark ruby/purple-colored, it exhibits a kinky perfume of black cherry, wild black raspberry, earth notes, and leather. On the palate there is plenty of jammy fruit, bright acidity, excellent balance, and a lengthy finish. While it may well evolve for 1-2 years, it can be enjoyed now. It too is a great value.
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Cavia Reserve 2007 Chardonnay Mendoza Argentina
Yellow-gold hue with a tinge of green. Grilled pineapple aromas with notes of butterscotch and toasted oak. Fresh peach and apricot flavors with a ripe banana-like consistency. The acids freshen-up in the finish balancing the lingering sweetness.
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Sbragia Family Vineyards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Home Ranch Dry Creek Valley
Yellow-amber hue. Exotic scents of kumquat and elderberry. Crisp acidity and juicy flavors of Meyer lemon and white grapefruit. Lemon notes resonate in the lingering close.
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Michel Dutour 2007 Pouilly Fuisse La Roche Maconnais
Very light in weight and color. Clean, round and smooth on the palate with pear and citrus undertones. An excellent food wine. The perfect light, summer, Chardonnay sipper.
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Kaesler 2006 Stonehorse GSM Barossa Valley
Smooth and velvety, with dusky tobacco nuances to the ripe blackberry and spice flavors, gliding nicely on a sleek frame. Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2016.
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Volver 2007 Tempranillo La Mancha Spain
The 2007 Volver is sourced from a single 72 acre vineyard that was planted in 1967 with head pruned Tempranillo. The wine was barrel-fermented and aged for 14 months in new French oak. Purple-colored, it offers up an alluring aromatic array of pain grille, smoke, violets, black cherry, and blackberry that jumps from the glass. On the palate it is medium- to full-bodied with gobs of ripe fruit, succulent flavors, soft tannins, and excellent balance. This lengthy effort over-delivers big-time and is a superb value.
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M. Chapoutier 2005 Crozes-Hermitage Petite Ruche Northern Rhone Valley
Focused and pure, with a racy beam of black cherry, mineral, floral and sanguine flavors. The nice tangy finish shows a touch of grip. Exhibits the vintage's purity and backbone. Drink now through 2008.
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Le Crema 2007 Chardonnay Monterey County
A beautiful Chardonnay, with achalky minerality that anchors and braces ripe fruit flavors of Bosc pears and pineapples, subtlely accented with new smoky oak. Bone dry, this polished wine shows lots of finesse and complexity.
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Chocolate Box 2007 Dark Chocolate Shiraz Barossa Valley
Impressive for its balance of soft, creamy richness with bright, juicy raspberries. Notes of brown sugar, cinnamon and espresso add a layer of decadence surprising at this price. EDITORS' CHOICE AWARD.
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De Lisio 2005 Quarterback Red McLaren Vale Australia
An intriguing blend of Shiraz, Grenache, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon aged in mostly old French wood, the deep ruby/purple-tinged 2005 Quarterback reveals notions of new saddle leather, black currants, licorice, and spice box. Full-bodied as well as elegant, restrained, and Eurocentric in character, it should be consumed over the following 6-10 years.
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Delas 2007 Cotes du Rhone St. Esprit Southern Rhone Valley
The amazing 2007 Cotes du Rhone St.-Esprit (75% Syrah and 25% Grenache) reveals a northern Rhone orientation, but it is loaded with spice and black fruits, and displays a beautiful opulent texture as well as a gorgeous finish with impressive purity. Chateauneuf du Pape has also benefitted from the new attention to detail and upgraded quality. The good news is that there are about 1,500 cases of this cuvee.
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Hugel 2007 Riesling Alsace
A quaffable white, with lip-smacking acidity and flavors of lemon peel, apricot and white pepper. Clean, briny finish. Drink now through 2012. Only 2,500 cases imported.
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Domaine Nicolas Maillet 2007 Macon Verze Burgundy
Light yellow-gold. Precise, high-pitched nose offers lemon, lime, fresh ginger and salty minerals. Incisive and pure, with finely etched citrus and green apple flavors and vivid minerality. Reminds me of a top-drawer Chablis for its energy, citrus expression and tanginess. Lucid and quite long on the aftertaste.
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Miner Family Vineyards 2007 Viognier Simpson Vineyard California
Sweetly spiced peaches merge with touches of honey, anise and kiwi in the deep, impressively filled aromas of this well-focused youngster, and the equally rich flavors that follow show lots of fruity substance and no let-up in depth. Full-bodied and quite well-balanced with Chardonnay-like richness and weight, it is a wine of considerable potential and should grow into better with a year or two of quiet time in your cellar.
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Bremerton 2006 Shiraz "Selkirk" Langhorne Creek South Australia
The 2006 Selkirk Shiraz was produced entirely from estate-grown fruit. It was aged for 18 months in 30% new American oak barriques. Purple in color, it has an attractive nose of cedar, spice box, pepper, blueberry, and blackberry. This leads to a savory Shiraz which exhibits some elegance, good grip, and a lengthy, pure finish. Give it 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2010 to 2018.
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Landmark Vineyards 2007 Steel Plow Syrah Sonoma Valley
Saturated ruby. Extremely primary nose displays dark berry and cherry skin scents, along with cracked pepper and black olive. Deep and sweet on the palate, with chewy dark fruit compote flavors, youthfully firm tannins and a late note of candied violet. Gains energy with air and finishes with impressive lift and cut.
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Licia 2007 Albarino Rias Biaxas Spain
The fresh flavors of this wine fall between nuts and fruit, hinting at loquat or kumquat. Its mouthwatering acidity has the briny character of sea spray. Harmonious in the middle, quiet and lasting in the end, this is a luscious white for Dover sole.
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Havens 2005 Reserve Merlot Carneros
A selection of the best lots of merlot, a majority from Hyde Vineyard. Bright ruby-red. Riper, wilder aromas of black raspberry, meat, dark chocolate and spices. Distinctly sweeter and silkier than the basic merlot, with well-integrated acidity contributing to an impression of energy. This spreads out nicely to coat the palate and finishes with sweeter tannins and greater length than the basic bottling.
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Bodegas Arrocal 2006 Tempranillo Ribera del Duero
Opaque ruby. Potent mulberry and blueberry aromas expand seductively, picking up baking spice and floral qualities. Suave, silky and impressively pure, with vibrant dark berry flavors saved from the brink of jamminess by bright acidity and fine-grained tannins. Impressively juicy and persistent, with excellent palate saturation and clarity.
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the Black Chook 2005 Shiraz-Viognier Langhorne Creek Australia
Deep violet. Powerful, ripe aromas of blackberry, candied licorice, tar, oak spice and fresh flower are precise and hugely seductive. Offers great intensity of raspberry and blackberry liqueur flavor, with sexy baking spice notes. For all this flavor, the wine is surprisingly elegant, with silky tannins and gently acids giving lift and freshness.
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St. Supery 2006 Virtu White Meritage Napa Valley
52% Sauvignon Blanc; 48% Semillon. This complex blending of ripe fig, honeyed melons, toasty oak and background grassy and stony notes is as outgoing in its round, slightly viscous flavors as it is in its first nose. A delight from front to back, and one of the most successful blends of these two varieties seen in California, Virtu is a wine that can as easily accompany a piece of grilled sea bass as a savory chicken dish.
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Domiane de la Noblaie 2006 Chinon "Les Chiens-Chiens" Loire Valley
This shows dense flavors of black fig, black cherry and cassis, yet its fresh acidity gives the wine a vibrant, energetic feel. It's delicious now, and should gain further harmony and complexity with time
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Bodegas Mano a Mano 2005 Venta La Ossa La Mancha Spain
Opaque violet. Sexy, oak-spiced cherry and cassis aromas offer an array of Asian spices, vanilla and mocha. Suave dark fruit liqueur flavors are velvety and seemingly tannin-free. Gains focus on the sappy, sweet finish. Oaky, yes, but also packed with concentrated fruit.
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Vina Godeval 2008 Godeval Valdeorras Spain
Green-tinged gold. Pungent, expressive bouquet evokes peach pit, almond, tarragon and white pepper. Deep, chewy pit and orchard fruit flavors are complemented by hints of spice and dried flowers, with the tarragon note repeating on the finish. This wine could stand up to strongly flavored foods.
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Vietti 2007 Roero Arneis Piedmont Italy
Pale straw color with a lovely, light aroma of white flowers. Soft and elegant on the palate with flavors of fig and pear given added dimension by a thread of light citrus. Excellent texture; shows fine structure with mineral notes emerging on the long finish.
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Decoy 2007 Red Blend Napa Valley
Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this is a dry, full-bodied wine that shows considerable sophistication and elegance. Fruit aficionados will find a wealth of blackberries, cherries and cocoa, while structuralists will like the firm tannins and acids. Quite good now and for a few years.
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Allegrini 2004 Palazzo della Torre Veneto Italy
Allegrini's Palazzo della Torre (70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Sangiovese) has long been one of my favorite ripasso-style wines and the 2004 is another winner. It reveals a plump, juicy personality loaded with perfumed, jammy fruit, roasted coffee beans and new leather. Although it is absolutely irresistible today, a few additional months of bottle age should help soften the wine further. It is a gorgeous effort at this level and a terrific value.
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Alkoomi 2004 Shiraz Viognier Frankland River
Dark violet. Exuberant and high-pitched on the nose, with scents of blackberry, blueberry, candied cherry, vanilla and floral oils, along with an exotic hint of apricot. Fine-grained, silky red and dark berry flavors are complicated by floral and oak spice notes, with subtle supporting tannic structure. A sexy wine, with a suave, velvety finish emphasizing sweet berry fruit.
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Vina Cobos 2006 LaGarto Merlot Mendoza Argentina
The 2006 La Garto Merlot spent 9 months in French and American oak, 21% new. It is dark ruby-colored with an expressive perfume of red and black currants. This is followed by a ripe, flavorful Merlot with a smooth texture, good concentration, and some elegance. This lengthy, pure wine is an excellent value.
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Llopart 2006 Brut Rose Cava Spain
The 2006 Llopart Brut Rose was produced by the traditional Champagne method and is composed of 60% Monastrell, 20% Garnacha, and 20% Pinot Noir. Salmon pink-colored, it has a lovely perfume of strawberry, rhubarb, and biscuit. Crisp on the palate with a persistent stream of small bubbles, this tasty Cava would be the ideal match for Spain’s legendary Joselito jamon when Dom Perignon Rose is unavailable.
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Melville 2008 Viognier Estate Santa Rita Hills
One of the freshest, most mineral-laced California Viogniers is Melville’s 2008 Viognier Verna’s Vineyard. Exotic, floral, peach, apricot, honeysuckle, crushed rock, and spring flower aromas jump from the glass of this medium-bodied, exuberantly fruity, delicious white wine. It is best consumed during its first 1-2 years of life.
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La Spinetta 2008 Moscato d'Asti Piedmont Italy
This Moscato d'Asti offers beautiful aromatic intensity to match its luminous golden color. The wine is fresh and zippy in the mouth but then that natural sweetness takes over and caresses the palate. This is an excellent example of Piedmont's favorite sparkling dessert wine.
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Brancott Vineyards Reserve 2006 Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand
Garnet red in color, this wine exhibits ripe cherry and spice accentuated with rich plum and savory highlights. It has a rich, sweet approach displaying ripe dark berry fruits, subtle oak spice, velvety tannins and a long, concentrated finish. This wine's structure and concentration make it an ideal match for a wide range of foods. It will match well with field mushroom pasta or risotto. It also lends itself to rare, grilled red meats or a variety of slow cookedcasseroles including game meats, such as rabbit or fowl.
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Torbreck 2008 Juveniles Barossa Valey
Supple and silky, this distinctive for and herbal edge to its dark cherry and chocolate flavors, lingering beautifully. Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro. Drink now through 2015.
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Cristina Ascheri 2007 Langhe Arneis Piedmont Italy
This wine has a beautiful bouquet of fresh, spring flowers. On the palate, it's a tiny bit spicy and the fruit flavors (green apple, citrus and lemon) area absolutely delightful. Crisp, fresh with a slight hint of nuttiness. A pure value in Arneis.
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Peachy Canyon Winery 2006 Zinfandel Old School House Paso Robles
This very well-constructed, medium-full-bodied Zin features fully ripened blackberry aromas that steer to fruity side of the varietal spectrum, and that mannerly approach continues in flavors that demonstrate plenty of depth to go along with both good, but not intrusive, tannic structure and firming latter-palate acidity. Drinkable now with savory pork roasts and pastas in red sauces, it can age a bit as well.
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Villa Mt. Eden 2006 Chardonnay Grand Reserve Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley
Shows a welcome return to form, with lush oak-inspired flavors of grilled pineapples, apricots and mulled green apple cider. This is a very good price for a Chardonnay of this quality.
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Onix 2007 Vinicola del Priorat Priorat Spain
The 2007 Onix is a blend of Garnacha old-vines and Carinena. It is medium ruby-colored with a bouquet of mineral, earth notes, leather, blueberry, and cherry. Elegant on the palate, it reveals a smooth-texture, excellent depth, and a pure close. Drink it over the next eight years.
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Lamadrid 2006 Malbec Reserva Mendoza Argentina
The dark ruby-colored 2006 Malbec Reserva offers a spicy, black cherry-scented perfume leading to a chunky wine with good depth, savory flavors, excellent balance, and a pure finish. Drink this excellent value over the next three years.
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Broglia 2008 Gavi La Meirana Piedmont Italy
Broglia's 2008 Gavi di Gavi La Meirana is wonderfully fresh and perfumed in its peaches, apricots, spices and flowers. This is an especially ripe style of Gavi with an almost-tropical expression of fruit wrapped into a medium-bodied frame. The wine's balance is simply impeccable. As is often the case, Broglia makes some of the finest wines in the Gavi appellation.
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Crios by Susana Balbo 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Argentina
The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon spent 9 months in one-year-old French and American oak and was bottled without fining or filtration. Purple-colored, it reveals an expressive perfume of cedar, spice box, black currant and black raspberry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied wine with lots of savory black fruit, enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years, excellent balance, and a long, fruit-filled finish. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.
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Castello di Bossi 2004 Chianti Classico Tuscany
Subtle aromas of rose and cherry bring a graceful aspect to this muscular sangiovese. The tannins feel flashy at first, the result of nearly a year spent in new French oak but recede to a supporting role after a day of air, the wine drawing power from the earthy, cool middle. Higher-toned cherry and wild strawberry flavors fora a refreshing contrast to the wine's massive structure.
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Robert Hall 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Paso Robles
The tall, green-tinged bottle is Hall's way of signaling that the wine is dry, and indeed it is. Really nice and crisp, it shows lime, pear, green apple, lemongrass and spice flavors, made clean with rich acidity. Sommeliers, scoop this one up.
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Cantina del Taburno 2008 Aglianico Rosato Albarosa Campania Italy
Cantine del Taburno's 2008 Aglianico del Taburno Rosato Albarosa is gorgeous in its layers of soft, perfumed fruit, all of which come together with superb harmony. There is plenty of Aglianico character in the glass, not to mention tons of personality. Simply put, the 2008 Albarossa is not to be missed.
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Bodegas Ramirez de la Piscina Crianza 2001 Tempranillo Rioja
Medium-deep red. Musky aromas of plum, currant, tobacco and earth, complicated by smoky oak and a flinty nuance. Dense, ripe and sappy, with slightly peppery flavors of currant and chocolate. Finishes with good length and sap. This bodega is now using higher-quality fresher oak barrels.
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Cleto Chiarli nv Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Villa Cialdini
Shimmery purple hue. Perfumed scents of black cherry skin and cedar shavings. Perfectly cleansing flavors of wild berries and black pepper. Supple close begs for a bolognese sauce.
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Domaine Cristia 2007 Vacqueyras Southern Rhone Valley
Reds from the Southern Rhone basically come a few different styles all of which have their place and when they're made well can be enjoyed for what they are. However, one of my favorite styles is this one: Big, rich, gamey and highly extracted and for all that going on the tannins are smooth and well behaved. This is what you can do with a Vacqueyras in a great vintage. It's as good as many Chateauneufs at a 1/3 the price.
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Saint Clair Vicar's ChoiceTerrunyo 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand
Initially tight, with a reductive scent of scallions, this opens with air, as it will with six months in bottle. The flavors are clean and rainwater-fresh, with the fruit richness of nectarine and litchi. The acidity is finely integrated, providing the kind of crisp finish that suits briny oysters.
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Terra RosaTerrunyo 2005 Old Vines Malbec Argentina
Good deep red. Redcurrant, plum, cherry, licorice, tobacco and smoke on the nose, complicated by a hint of minerality. Suave and sweet, with a chocolate truffle flavor lifted by spices and herbs. A fairly dense and serious wine, especially for the price. Finishes with sweet tannins and good length.
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Damilano 2007 Barbera d'Alba Piedmont Italy
A straightforward, chewy Barbera, this charms with its soft, primary flavors. It feels young and fresh, with lasting scents of blueberry and plum. A match for sausage pizza.
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True Grit 2004 Petite Sirah Mendocino
Paul Dolan and the Thornhill family joined forces to buy Parducci in 2004, converting this old Mendocino winery into a thoroughly modern one. This petite takes Parducci into a new league. It's a vibrant wine, saturated in it color and it s purple-black fruit, pure Mendocino petite in the redwood-frond character of the tannin and delicious for it. There's a bluesy tension right in the middle of the wine where acidity drive all the dark tones into a brighter riff. Check this out.
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Marcel Lapierre 2007 Morgon Morgon Region
Bottled unfiltered, this shows extravagant fruit, very rich, black cherry in character, with tannins that veer between serious structured concentration and balanced with the fruit. The texture is sweet, the fruit deliciously ripe, showing good concentration as well as an exuberant play between acidity and fruit.
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Domaine Lafage 2008 Cote d'Est Languedoc Roussillon
The wine is aged in tank on its fine lees and the result is not only irresistibly delicious but truly complex. Orange and lime zest, white pepper, narcissus, fennel, and mint in the nose lead to a juicy, bright palate with musky floral perfume and a shimmering interchange of citrus with wet stone, salt, iodine, and other ineffable mineral elements.
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Alois Lageder 2007 Chardonnay Alto Adige
Brilliant, light yellowish colour with green tints. The aroma is delicate with a pronounced notes of ripe subtropical fruit. Quite intense flavor and a good, medium-bodied structure, coupled with lively acidity. Winery notes.
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Gigondas la Cave 2003 Gigondas Signature Southern Rhone Valle
A deeply colored Gigondas that's medium to full in body. The aromas are driven by black cherry and herbs. Opens up in the glass and takes on some real nice plum and fig notes. Very well made and highly enjoyable at a great price!
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Finca Luzon 2005 Altos de Luzon Jumilla Spain
50% monastrell and 25% each of cabernet sauvignon and tempranillo) Dark red. Suave, oak-spiced cherry and cassis on the nose, with a gentle vanilla undertone. Sweet dark fruit flavors are round and supple, with soft tannins building on the back. Picks up a spicy quality on the long, juicy finish. The fruit and oak work very well together.
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Bodegas Artazu 2007 Artazuri Tinto Navarra
(100% garnacha from vines reportedly over 60 years of age) Vivid ruby-red. Bright, sharply focused nose offers spicy strawberry and raspberry aromas, with a tangy white pepper overtone. Deeper cherry and blackberry flavors stain the palate and gain sweetness with air, picking up dusty tannins. More ample than past vintages of this wine, with excellent finishing sweetness and energy. Terrific value.
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Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil 2007 Monastrell Jumilla
100% monastrell. Opaque purple. Blueberry, boysenberry and smoky Indian spices on the nose, with a sexy floral quality coming on with air. Juicy, sweet dark berry flavors are framed by velvety tannins and enlivened by zesty minerality. Gains depth and fleshiness with air, finishing on a strong boysenberry note, with excellent sappy persistence. This is delicious right now.
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Sebastiani 2007 Chardonnay Unoaked Russian River Valley
Here is happy proof that unoaked Chardonnay need not be thin and devoid of varietal character, for while not the most complex wine to be found, it is rounded and fruity and easy to drink. It will never be better than it is in its youth, and its bias to softness makes it a fine foil for simple chicken dishes.
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Jermann 2008 Chardonnay Venezia Italy
Its color is brilliant straw-yellow with greenish highlights, its aroma is intense and fruity (banana when young, golden delicious apple when mature), lightly aromatic and with excellent persistence.The wine noticeably exalts the natural aromas of the grape variety. Winery notes.
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Torres 2006 Celeste Ribera del Duero
Built on a solid base of black currant and cherry flavors, this 100 percent tinto fino slowly expands its flavor profile to a spicier tone, while the tannins remain firm. For roast baby lamb.
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Chateau La Baume 2007 Red Blend Costieres De Nimes
25% Syrah, 25% Grenache & 50% Carignan. Incredibly, deep purple in color...almost inky! The wine oozes with fruit. Flavors include; cassis, herbs, blackberry, dark chocolate and ripe cherry. This full-bodied wine drinks well now but could last at least 10 years.
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The Black Chook 2007 Shiraz Viognier South Australia
Highly perfumed nose offers an energetic bouquet of peppery dark berries, fresh violet and smoked meat. On the palate, this displays a real northern Rhonelike personality, with an array of dark berry and candied floral fl avors. Picks up vanilla and cola on the seductively sweet and very persistent fi nish. Leaves tangy minerality behind, along with a lively note of cracked pepper.
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Layer Cake 2008 Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Dense purple-colored with notes of blackberry, earth, roasted meats, and a hint of barbecue spice, this wine exhibits great fruit, delicious, full-bodied texture, silky tannins, and a long finish. It does taste more like a $30-50 bottle of Malbec than one that can be purchased for $15. It should drink nicely for at least 2-3 years.
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Stanley Lambert 2008 Chardonnay Barossa Valley
Distinctively clean and unadulterated, this refreshing unoaked Chardonnay displays soft fruit characters of apples, pears and soft ripe melon. A great wine for the afternoon or with chicken, seafood or any herb and citrus dish. Winery notes.
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Matanzas Creek 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County
This hits the pure passionfruit flavor of finely ripened sauvignon. It's mouthwatering and firmly structured, with umami flavors of oyster mushrooms and marrow to balance the fruit. A portion of the blend is sauvignon musque (13%) and a portion is fermented and aged in French oak barrels (21%). The result is delicious with roast fish.
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Perez Cruz 2008 Carmenere Reserva Limited Edition Maipo Valley Chile
Let this onet get some air for about 2 hours, after that it opens up beautifully. It offers up aromas of blueberry and cigar box. It's mouth-filling flavors coat the palate and the tannins are long and silky.
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Neyers 2006 Zinfandel Pato Ranch Contra Costa
As for the 2006 Zinfandel Pato Vineyard, this wine has a dark ruby color as well, with hints of bay leaf, tobacco, loamy soil notes, and some sweet cherry and strawberry notes. The wine is medium-bodied and spicy.
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Joseph Drouhin 2007 Chablis Burgundy
A ripe but completely classic green fruit nose that is exceptionally fresh leads to pure and relatively elegant middle weight flavors that culminate in a racy mineral suffused finish that is quite dry. This is not especially complex though it is certainly of solid overall quality.
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Bodegas Caro 2008 Amancaya Mendoza Argentina
(50/50 blend) Bright red-ruby. Subtle, fresh and wonderfully aromatic nose offers complex scents of redcurrant, blueberry, strawberry, tobacco, mocha, graphite, leather and cedar. Penetrating and claret-like, with superb delineation to the redcurrant and tobacco flavors. Perfectly integrated acidity and an intriguing herbal nuance give this wine a light touch. Finishes with tactile, dusty tannins and lovely lift and persistence. Offers compelling complexity and class for the price.
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Villa de Ontur 2006 Monastrell Jumilla
Enticing aromas of raspberry jam arouse your sense of smell. It has juicy flavors of red berries and dark fruits with a hint of mineral. There's simply no tannins here to get in the way. Finishes clean and fresh.
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Marques de Caceres 2004 Reserva Tempranillo Rioja Spain
This reflects the vintage in its beefy richness, while it follows Cáceres's modern style in the polish and elegance of its tannin. The fruit develops definition with air, tasting of tiny cherries and red currants. For the cellar, or give it time in a decanter for lamb chops off the grill.
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Eroica 2007 Riesling ColumbiaValley
Bright and juicy, with bracing acidity against lightly sweet, expressive pear, apricot and quince aromas and flavors, remaining vibrant as the finish persists. A slate character hovers in the background. Drink now through 2017.
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Ridge Vineyards 2007 Zinfandel Three Valleys Dry Creek Valley
8% Petite Sirah; 7% Syrah; 6% Grenache; 3% Carignane. When measured against its far riper cousins, this very well-balanced wine may seem a bit light on muscle, but what is really missing is fat, and, instead, it turns out to be both deep and quite long on bona fide fruity substance. Its careful composition and keen, claret-like structure mark it indelibly as an eminently food-worthy Zin for now and the next few years.
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Roederer Estate non Vintage Sparkling Brut Anderson Valley
Fully ready to drink now, this dry brut shows the classy elegance of a fine Champagne. The Chardonnay contributes white peaches and apples, while Pinot adds a subtle note of cherries with spicy, yeasty nuances.
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Chateau Coufran 2003 Bordeaux Blend Haut Medoc
This primarily Merlot-based wine represents an excellent effort from this property. This deep plum/ruby/purple-tinged hussy boasts plenty of jammy black cherry fruit interwoven with notions of smoke, vanilla, and white chocolate. It is a sexy, up-front, fleshy effort with low acidity as well as abundant fruit, glycerin, and texture. Consume it over the next 7-8 years.
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De Martino 2006 Syrah Legado Reserva Choapa Chile
This is alluring, with shaved vanilla and cocoa powder notes followed by a ripe beam of focused black cherry and currant fruit. The long, fine-grained finish stretches out nicely. Drink now through 2010. Only 6,000 cases made.
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Z-52 2005 Zinfandel Agnes Vineyard Lodi
Medium crimson hue. Pretty aromas of raisin, plum and redwood. Rich texture on entry with chewy cherry, rhubarb and sweet vanilla-laced tannins. Sweet/sour red fruit on the finish with a smooth integration of subtle oaky notes.
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Domaines des Chanssaud 2007 Cotes du Rhone Blanc Southern Rhone Valley
This Estate bottled Rhone Blanc is absolutely delicious.Very fresh and exciting with beautiful floral notes. Easy going flavors of honeysuckle, melon, peach and bit of orange blossom. Highly enjoyable.
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E. Guigal 2007 Cotes du Rhone Blanc Southern Rhone Valley
This starts out quietly, then builds with marzipan and quince flavors into an impressive Cotes du Rhone. An herbal note joins the acidity to cut through the richness, leaving a long, fresh finish.
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Rancho Zabaco 2004 Zinfandel Russian River Valley
The 2004 Zinfandel Russian River (1,500 cases) is stunning. Coming from a vineyard near Porter Creek, this wine has a dense ruby/purple color, a big nose of black tea, underbrush, sweet cherry jam, raspberry, and earth. Full-bodied, dense, chewy, and opulent, this is a stunner to drink over the next 3-4 years.
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Lost Angel 2006 Petite Sirah Central Coast
Raspberries, blackberries and cherries balanced by rose petals and lilacs. The palate is greeted by the bright fruit of raspberries and dark cherries similar to the nose rounded out with the subtle floral aromas filling in the edges. The darker characters of blueberry with hints of baker's chocolate and velvet travel across the mid-palate. Winemaker's notes.
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Casar de Burbia 2006 Tebaida Bierzo Castilla Leon Spain
Saturated violet color. Sexy dark berry preserve and candied plum aromas are brightened by Asian spices and floral scents. Pliant and concentrated, with lively black raspberry and cassis flavors, velvety tannins and a late jolt of vanilla and cola. Manages to be deep and succulent while maintaining energy and clarity, and finishes with noteworthy sweetness and length. A very seductive wine that is delicious now but built to age.
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Domiane Ostertag 2007 Sylvaner Alsace
Pale, green-tinged color. Pretty aromas and flavors of pear, lime, mint and flowers. Brisk and energetic, with good cut and precision. Very pure on the aftertaste.
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Helfrich 2007 Gewurztraminer Alsace
Pretty, tropical aromas of candied lychee, mango and hazelnut. Lovely mouth-feel frames ample, oily flavors of kiwi and honeysuckle. Floral close.
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Vinos Sin Ley 2006 G5 Garnacha Madrid Spain
The 2006 G5 from the D.O. of Madrid is purple-colored with a slightly roasted character featuring black cherry and black raspberry aromas and flavors. Plush and layered with a bit of underlying structure, this tasty Garnacha has 2-3 years of aging potential but will be hard to resist early on. This is an excellent value to drink over the next three years.
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Petra 2006 Zingari Tuscany
The entry-level 2006 Zingari (Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese) is a simple, easygoing wine with pretty aromatics and an attractive core of dark red fruit, smoke, tar and licorice. This tasty red captures the essence of the 2006 vintage and is a great value.
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Norman Vineyards 2006 Petite Sirah Paso Robles
Ripe and jammy with cherry and blackcherry aromas, it has complex, spicy notes of pepper, licorice and molasses. The ultra-full body is voluptuous with berry and mocha flavors, finishing with silky tannins. Winery notes.
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Feudi di San Gregorio 2007 Primitivo Ognissole Estate Puglia Italy
Medium-dark ruby. Bright, intensely vinous aromas of red berries, red cherry and flowers show an immensely appealing red fruit cocktail quality. Red cherry and redcurrant flavors put on weight in the glass, picking up a mineral tang and a seductive floral quality on the long, clean finish. This offers excellent energy and verve, and strikes me as the best-ever primitivo made by Feudi from their Ognissole estate in Puglia.
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Peachy Canyon Winery 2007 Zinfandel Incredible Red Paso Robles
We often look back with a real sense of nostalgia to the days when Zinfandel was a fruity, food-friendly quaff without peer in value, and this noteworthy offering is very much a link to that past. A fairly deep yet altogether easy-to-taste wine with a keen fix on berry-like fruit and sweetening accents of neatly placed oak, it eschews brawn and high ripeness in favor of table-wine balance, and it is an out-and-out steal in today's market.
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Chateau Saint Roch 2007 Chimeres Cotes du Roussillon
I want to re-emphasize its amazing quality (not even to mention for the price!) A blend of Grenache with a bit of Carignan from Maury’s schist and chalk with Syrah from high-altitude granite slopes in Saint Paul de Fenouillet, it was fermented and raised in 500-liter barrels and bottled at the very end of last year. Fresh and jam-like layers of black raspberry, rhubarb, and fresh cherry in the nose and mouth are tinged with resinous sage, rosemary, and lavender, while striking top notes of gentian and violet waft from the glass.
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Sierra Cantabria 2005 Tempranillo Crianza Rioja Spain
Saturated ruby. More powerful than the '04 on the nose, offering deep cherry preserve and plum scents. Displays zestier red fruits on the palate, which is firmed by fine-grained tannins. A suave mineral quality arrives with air, adding energy to the dark fruit qualities. The nicely focused finish is spicy and long.
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Thorne Clarke 2006 Shotfire Shiraz Barossa Valley
Aims for refinement and achieves a supple balance of ripe plum and currant fruit against a range of sweet spices and fine tannins. Lingers gently and expressively. A Smart Buys Designation.
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Mason Cellars 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
Always one of California’s better Sauvignon Blancs, Mason’s medium-bodied 2006 possesses exuberant tropical fruit, honeyed melon, and spice characteristics. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.
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Crios by Susana Balbo 2008 Torrontes Mendoza Argentina
This brilliant portfolio begins with the medium straw-colored 2008 Torrontes. It offers up an alluring perfume of spring flowers, peach, apricot, and a hint of citrus. On the palate the wine is dry, smooth textured, layered, and succulent while retaining a sense of elegance. This nicely balanced wine features a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.
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Morgenhof Estate 2004 Brut Reserve Stellenbosch South Africa
Not to mention getting four stars in John Platter Wine Guide 2007. This Methode Cap Classique has a nose that is a combination of biscuits, granny smith apples, peaches and orange blossom flavors. The palate has a good acidity which adds to a lot of freshness with undertones of peaches and citrus, quite full-bodied in style with a long finish. Winery notes.
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Hanna 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley
Grown at estate vineyards throughout Russian River Valley, this smooth, smoky sauvignon has citrus scents of orange blossom and orange zest, along with an almond-like nuttiness. For fish baked in salt.
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Domaine Rosier 2007 Brut Blanquette de Limoux
Made in the traditional Champage Methode, this Brut is the perfect sparkler to have around the house to share with family and friends. Let's call it the perfect aperitif. The nose is very floral and it's full of flavor in the mouth with a fine mousse. There's absolutely nothing not to like about this party sparkler. Enjoy!
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Domaine Des Cadastres 2008 Picpoul de Pinet Languedoc
Comprised of 100% Picpoul. This delightful white from the Languedoc region is very lively and refreshing. The acid/fruit balance is perfect for shellfish. The quality is in the bottle and Highly Enjoyable.
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Gary Farrell 2006 Chardonnay Russian River
A fine Chardonnay, marked by crisp, citrusy acidity that cleanses the mouth and makes the wine so refreshing. Flavorwise, it's a powerhouse, with pear, green apple, lemon meringue, buttered toast and smoky, vanilla flavors that finish in a swirl of cloves and pepper.
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Bodegas Atteca 2007 Atteca Calatayud Spain
100% garnacha, from vines reportedly 80 to 120 years of age) Inky purple. Ripe boysenberry and blueberry on the nose, with licorice and graphite adding complexity. Juicy dark berry preserve flavors show palate-saturating depth and impressive clarity, picking up smoky minerals with air. Energetic finishing notes of blackberry skin and candied licorice linger with impressive tenacity. According to the importer, the yield for this wine, made from vines reportedly 80 to 120 years of age, was less than one ton per hectare.
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D'Arenberg 2007 The Hermit Crab Marsanne & Viognier McLaren Vale
The 2007 The Hermit Crab is a blend of 58% Viognier and 42% Marsanne. It received a dollop of oak for a rounder texture. The alluring aromatics offer floral notes, candle wax, and pit fruits. Smooth-textured and ripe, the wine also has excellent depth and length. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years.
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Four Vines 2005 Zinfandel Maverick Sierra Foothills Amador County
A powerful Zinfandel with laserlike focus, this has wild berry and spice aromas and ripe, intense blackberry, fresh earth and bay leaf notes that finish with tightly wound tannins. Drink now through 2012.
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Lamadrid 2007 Single Vineyard Bonarda Reserva Argentina
Very ripe, with almost gushing layers of plum sauce, dark licorice, fig paste and mulled boysenberry fruit. Sweet fruit pumps through on the broad, toasty finish. For fans of the style. Drink now. Only 500 cases made.
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Andre Michel Bregeon 2007 Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Loire Valley
This is an excellent value in Muscadet from Kermit Lynch. Very floral in the nose. Bright and zesty along with refreshing minerality. Drinks well.
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Heartland 2007 Stickleback Red South Australia
Bright and jazzy, with a peppery note adding a nice accent to the cherry, cranberry and spice flavors, lingering on the polished finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Dolcetto and Grenache. Drink now through 2011.
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Fairview 2007 La Beryl Blanc Paarl Coastal Region South Africa
A round and forward style, with richly textured papaya, pineapple and creamed peach flavors that linger on the lush, sweet finish. For the hedonist crowd. Drink now through 2010. Only 200 cases made. (500 ml)
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Wagtail 2007 Shiraz Barossa Valley
Deep red/purple. An enticing bouquet of berries, plum, spice, hints of chocolate and toasty oak. Ripe, dark cherry and plum on the palate, a mouth-filling wine with excellent length. Winery notes
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Dominio de Eguren 2006 Codice Vino de la Tierra de Castilla
100% tempranillo. Bright ruby. Smoky cherry and black raspberry on the nose. Clean and brisk, with fresh red and dark berry flavors, no obvious tannins and good back-end minerality. Extremely easy to drink, offering impressive depth and purity of fruit for the money, as usual for this bottling.
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Feudo di San Nicola 2008 Nerosso Puglia
Fleshy and rich. Appealing for its upfront Cherry, plum and black fruit flavors. Attractive and accessible with long, smooth tannins.
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Gordon Brothers 2007 Chardonnay Columbia Valley
This Chardonnay rocks! Golden delicious apples and a hint of melon are the impression left on the nose. A rich satin mouth-feel with pleasant acids lingers on the palate. Can you say Crème Brulee’? The flavors of vanilla, burnt caramel and hazelnut make this wine almost seem like dessert in a glass. Pair this wine with cream-based pasta sauces, pork tenderloin and fowl.
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Unique 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley
This is classic Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc with the quality of Sancerre at a New Zealand price tag. Quaffable, sprightly, and bright, this wine jumps around your tongue like a fiddler's bow on strings. Importer's notes.
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De Martino 2008 Cabernet-Malbec Maipo Valley Chile
Starts off with an enticing bouquet of black cherry and other spicy black fruit. A very nice texture on the palate with a smooth, lengthy finish. Highly enjoyable. Made with certified organic grapes too.
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Allan Scott Family Winery 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand
A fragrant mix of pineapple and passionfruit, tropical aromas with underlying ripe citrus character adding complexity to the nose. On the palate, again a flavorsome array of pineapples and passionfruit, with a zesty citrus essence of orange and lime. Texture from the fruit concentration gives this wine great mouthfeel with a mouthwatering acid backbone creating an enduring, structured and well balanced finish. Winery notes.
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Cantina Del Taburno 2008 Amineo Coda Di Volpe Campania
The color is straw yellow, delicate aroma, complex and fruity. The taste is full and balanced and has a lingering finish of ripe tropical fruit. Winery notes.
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Bodegas Lan 2005 Crianza Rioja Spain
Light scents of crushed rose petals and frisky cherry tomato flavors give this a bright, zesty tone. The tannins are also light, with a gravelly feel. This is a versatile red for olives and jamon Serrano, or more substantial meats such as duck.
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Thomas Henry 2007 Meritage Sonoma County
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Sourced from the famed Chalk Hill, and Alexander Valley Appellations in Sonoma County, bringing longer grape maturity period, and therefore packs richer dark berry flavors. A Bordeaux style wine, with plenty of dark fruit and savory flavors. Aromatics of Casis, plum, and cherry. Wonderful with grilled meats, and vegetables. Winery notes.
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Charles Cimicky 2007 Trumps Shiraz Barossa Valley
Offers terrific presence. Supple in texture, this vibrates with black cherry, raspberry, red plum and subtle spice flavors, hinting at white pepper as the finish sails on and on. Drink now through 2017.
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Jinks Creek Winery 2005 Shiraz Longford Gippsland Victoria Australia
Deep, glass-staining ruby. Hugely aromatic nose displays suave red and dark berries, Asian spices, tapenade and smoky bacon; this could pass for a northern Rhone wine. Energetic black raspberry and blueberry flavors deliver solid punch but are surprisingly lithe, carrying no fat or excess ripeness. Turns brighter on the finish, leaving behind tangy strawberry and graphite flavors. Graceful and vibrant wine.
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Macrostie 2007 Chardonnay Carneros
Here is a deep and very nicely balanced Chardonnay that hits all the right varietal and winemaking markers without resorting to runaway ripeness, overdone oak or any enological tricks. Its very rich and well-composed flavors feature lots of energetic apple-like fruit juxtaposed with complementary touches of vanilla and spice, and its overall impression of depth and structural firmness argue for better to come if allowed a few years of cellar time.
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Viticcio 2006 Chianti Classico Tuscany
Exhibits lots of blackberry and vanilla character on the nose, with hints of flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a long, crisp finish. A beautiful wine. Best after 2011. A Smart Buys Designation.
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Armador 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Chile
A top-notch value Cabernet with no flaws. The fruit on the nose is pretty and stylish but doesn't force the issue, while the palate is juicy and fresh with flavors of cola, cassis and wild Berry. Not a complicated wine, but one that pushes all the right buttons. Ripe and friendly to the last drop. A lot of wine for the money.
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Chateau Ste. Michelle 2007 Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
The Indian Wells Cabernet is our warm climate ripe, jammy New World style of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine really typifies the Wahluke Slope region with up front, dark fruit aromas and flavors with hints of vanilla. Vineyards in the area are more than a decade old now and showing character and complexity. Bob Bertheau, Winemaker.
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Peirano Estate 2007 "Six Clones" Merlot Lodi
Aromas of rich ripe cherries, blackberries with hints of toast, and vanilla coalesce into a single sensation of olfactory bliss. The mouth is filled with an array of flavors, including cherry, plum, cranapple, sweet raspberries and strawberries with lingering hints of cocoa and cinnamon, while supple tannins leave a pleasing finish. Each juicy sip is more comforting than the last always leaving the palate to want more. Winery notes.
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Stanley Lambert Non Vintage Choc-a-Bloc South Australia
Choc-a-Bloc is a luscious dessert wine, made using a fortified Australian Tawny wine and seeping it with chocolate. A pleasant accompaniment with sweets or coffee. It's really dessert in itself. Great to sip on with friends. Chocoholics beware. Winery notes.
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Maso Canali 2008 Pinot Grigio Trentino Italy
Maso Canali Pinot Grigio has a brilliant golden color with aromas of tropical fruit and apricot. This wine is well-balanced with ripe flavors of apple and pear, leading into a clean finish. Winemaker's notes.
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Marti Fabra 2003 Seleccio Vinyes Velles Costa Brava Spain
The wine was aged 18 months in French oak prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered. A great expression of the appellation, it reveals terrific minerality along with wonderfully projected, even flamboyant sweet red and black fruits interwoven with notions of flowers and graphite. Deep purple-hued, rich, full-bodied, stunningly pure, and well-textured, this beauty can be drunk over the next 10-12 years.
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Helfrich 2007 Pinot Gris Alsace
Pretty yellow-gold hue. A touch of smoke ties together aromas of ripe apricot, pear and minerals. Pleasing, sweet-tart flavors of peach and apple display a banana-like texture. Balanced, fresh, cleansing close.
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Celler Can Blau 2007 Can Blau Red Monsant Spain
(A blend of carinena, syrah and garnacha) Dark purple. Sexy aromas of blackberry, blueberry, Asian spices and smoked meat. Supple and open-knit, with sweet dark berry preserve flavors, velvety texture and good mineral bite. Manages to be both nervy and concentrated, with very good finishing clarity and cut. Leaves strong blue fruit notes behind and repeats the spicy quality.
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Chateau Teyssier 2006 Bordeaux Blend St. Emilion
The 2006 is an outstanding success as well as a sleeper of the vintage. Its dark ruby color is accompanied by plenty of black fruit, licorice, earth, and spice characteristics. It should drink nicely for 8-10 years.
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Babich 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand
Bright and fruity, with pear and lime flavors most prominent. Shows a peppermint edge on the silky finish. Drink now.
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d'Arenberg 2006 The Cadenzia McLaren Vale
The Shiraz portion of The Cadenzia GSM comes from the Laughing Magpie selection. Purple-colored, it reveals an already complex aromatic array of cedar, mineral, underbrush, espresso, black cherry, and blueberry. Layered and succulent on the palate, it has loads of fruit, plenty of spice, and excellent length. Give it 2-3 years to round out and drink it from 2011 to 2021.
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O. Fournier 2006 Urban Ribera Ribera del Duero
The 2006 Urban Ribera is 100% Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo) aged for four months in French oak. Purple-colored, it offers up scents of cedar, leather, spice box, and blackberry. Sweetly fruited with underlying tannin, it has good flavors, several years of aging potential, and a lengthy finish.
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| Sarasota 941-926-WINE (9463) |
Please note that all wines in this category may not be in stock |
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