Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2007

California 14.5% alcohol. Medium to big and jammy ripe fruits with cedary flavor and a mouthful of berries. Very drinkable, pair with salty foods and nuts.

Cline Syrah Sonoma County 2007

A mouth full of blackberry and a nice back flavors of pepper, cassis with a dry finish.

Andre Brunel Côtes du Rhône 2007

75% grenache 15% cinsault 10% syrah: fresh cinnamon buns and cherry tobacco on the nose. Medium-bodied with jammy mouth feel and a silky finish. Very good.

Domaine Andre Brunel 2008 Grenache

Medium bodied color and has a warm baked raspberry nose. Bright acidity and cherry notes lead to a not very complex wine that would be good with fatty meats and creamy cheeses.

Double T by Trefethen 2008

Napa Valley Chardonnay lime-hued straw barrel-fermented Very oaky nose with light body and simple finish. Perhaps I am missing something. Perhaps the wine is?

Domaine la Guintrandy Côtes du Rhône 2008

Try this delicious Côtes du Rhône by Marie-Claire and Olivier Cuilleras. It's made from 70 % Grenache, 20 % old vine Carignan and 10 % Syrah in the commune of Tulette. From sandy marl and cobalt, stony soil. This wine has a medium-ruby color and is non-fined or filtered. The grapes are hand-harvested and are non-certified organic. Flavors are of rich cherry and cola- a hint of licorice and has a nice, dry cedar-kissed red-raspberry finish. Drink this with pork or veal stews, grilled lamb or braised beef.

Comes in a 3-liter box ($29.99) or a 750 ml bottle.

My response to Matt Kramer's Killer Wine App

I think that having information explaining the wine is VERY useful- but I am SHOCKED that a critic like MK didn't even buy a bottle in a shop that carried so much "unknown" wines. Wheres the sense of adventure? If you truly love wine, you go to a shop, read (or don't read) the labels/the reviews and 'take a chance'. Isn't that what life is all about? What if you knew all the 'pertinent' details about your spouse before you married her? If she were pre-labeled (by her Mother- or an expert), would you take the risk to go out on that first date? Information is good- but wine criticism is -at best- only opinion, whatever your level of expertise.

I say: if you don't have enough information, buy it anyway. There are SO MANY incredible wines out there that there's too little time to really worry about the details. Think: 'blind date'. It can be a dud, or the start of a hot affair!

I, and my staff, do our best to know what the 'tags' in our store don't. I think this needs to be said: anyone who solely relies on WS or Tanzer reviews needs to live a little and trust their own tastes!

Read Matt Kramer's Killer Wine App Post: http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/41588

Naire Tempranillo 2008

Bright black cherry with hints of richer cocoa and spice. This is a medium-bodied wine with an easy-drinking loft. Try it as an aperitif, with stews, lasagna, and braised meats. Delish!

Naire Verdejo 2008

100% Verdejo this wine is straw-yellow with a pear and almond scent. It has a touch of minerality and is medium-bodied and has a pleasing, clean finish. It has nice citrus flavors and a slightly creamy texture. A fantastic steal of a deal at $7.99!

Renaissance Domaine Rotier 2006

Grape varietals include: duras 30%, braucol 25%, syrah 25% and cabernet sauvignon 20%. The 'odd' grapes are local varietals that impart tannic structure and wildness, respectively. The Gaillac area is in southwestern France, west of the Languedoc. Its overall effect is a polished raisin-tinged, velvety wine that has medium-to-full bodied fruit with bracken, tar, raspberry and plum to the finish. Very nice.

Les Sarments Vin de Pays 2007

40% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, with 20% Tannat. 100% stainless steel. Meant to be a fresh wine with the color a violet-hued black. The wine is from southwest France and is a Vin de Pays Comte de Tolosan. Smells juicy and full-bodied. The style is very Spanish to me because of a forward tar and leather nose and plummy, dry fruit in the mouth. The finish has juicy black cherry style and nice backbone.

Domaine Doudet Bourgogne 2007 Le Petit Chemin

Also with dried cranberry on the nose and has a beautiful, long finish and a wide array of flavors including cherry, tar, cassis, clove and lavender. Light bodied and fine. Very enjoyable.

Doudet Naudin Vicomtee Bourgogne 2007

Fragrant dried cranberry and cherry on the nose. There isn't enough presence in the mid-palate and finish to be remarkable. I love their other (higher priced) Nuits St. George, though.