Villa San Juliette Petite Sirah 2007

Has a high-alcohol scent that I’m not too interested in. It’s 15% alc. hmmm. Very black and inky in color with a slight floral scent that is nice. Full bodied with decent flavor. Pass.

Villa San Juliette Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

With former winemaker from Hahn. Paso Robles. Dark berry colored with an intersting nose with a little clove and thyme. Has an elegant finish that is remarkable.

Line Shack Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Lots of fruit in the nose, black cherry black berry and blueberry. Non-descript in the center with a finish that is not memorable. Nah.

Line Shack Roussanne 2008

San Antonio Valley, Monterey. Husband and wife team that focus on Rhone and Bordeaux varietals. A freshly mango and peach scented wine. Straw-colored with a full body reminiscent of chardonnay and has a certain creaminess that would be good with garlicky food.

Crios 2007 Syrah-Bonarda

Looks black, like octopus ink. Bonarda, used mainly as a blending grape in Italy, flourishes well in Argentina. This blend has been highly regarded by the Wine Spectator. Smells of cassis and black cherry with garnet edges. Very lively and has ripe red plum and black raspberry flavors with a slightly spicy character and a long, juicy finish. Nice fruitiness and finishes with good structure.

Chateau LaRose-Trintaudon 2004

Haut-Medoc Deep brick and ruby colored with a deeply scented nose. The finish falls flat to me, as it did in a previos tasting. Maybe its because its just over-produced?

'Josh' Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Joseph Carr a California negociant. Predominately Lake County fruit. Very fruity with black berry and a toasted finish that can be very good with salty/grilled food.

Chateau Greysac 2004 Medoc

Bordeaux. Northern Medoc 45% merlot and cabernet sauvignon with a bit of cabernet franc. Garnet colored with a nicely fruited body with fresh raspberry and a leathery finish. The body has good structure and is drinking very well.

Corte alla Flora Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2005

Deep ruby with rich tobacco and blackberry scent. Medium bodied with a nice fruited finish. There is good acidity and has a light touch.

Acrobat Oregon Pinot Gris 2008

Made by King Estate in Eugene. Very fresh nose with grapefruit and citrus. Clean to the point with a full center and a very light finish. On the shelf for $12.99, sustainably grown.

Chateau L’Ermitage Blanc 2008

Rhône Valley Costieres de nïmes, easternmost Languedoc town of St. Gilles. Primarily roussane, with 20% grenache blanc and viognier. Very gravelly nose dry and acidic. Hints of grapefruit white peach. Would be a lovely compliment to cheese and pate appetizers.

Domaine Richou, Chauvigné 2007

Right across the river from Savennieres in Anjou ‘noir’, this area is know for its black slate soil that imparts a minerality that is absolutely fruity, while maintaining a bone-dry acidity. 100% chenin blanc. Fermented almost entirely in stainless steel, but spends some time in old oak. This gives an intense finish that is just incredible.

Chateau L’Ermitage Rouge 2007

50% syrah 30% mouvedre, 20% grenache. Toasty fruited nose from rocky soils and sees about 4 months in used oaks casks. Comes off light and dry has a rich black cherry finish. Very nice.

Domaine Richou, Les 4 Chemins 2008

Cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon blend. Deep garnet red. Harvested from some younger vines. Domaine managed by Didier and Damien Richou. Not certified, but this is farmed organically and hand-harvested. Nice cherry flavor with a dry mineral finish a hint of violet and licorice on the remarkable finish. Richou wines flaunt their purity and depth of fruit. Richou wines are beautifully transparent vis-à-vis their terroir: these are wines of Anjou; even more specifically, wines of Anjou’s schist soil.

Hillinger Zweigelt 2006

Austria's most widely planted red grape, zweigelt- a hybrid or blaufrankisch and saint laurent grapes, developed in 1922. Black cherry color; a little fennel in the scent with black berries and wood. Medium bodied with nice a fruity - maybe mapled finish. A contender!

A Diehl Dornfelder 2007

A new (1944) hybrid grape - all native German grapes, that we can think of as a 'pinot noir' or 'gamay' style. Liter bottle. Bright red cherry with a hint of ripe black berry that is very appealing. (I'm very interested in these German reds, mainly because I have no knowledge of them...). Very quaffable, but little residual sugar. Smells like firewood. I think it may be an acquired taste. But I like it.

St Ludwin Niersteiner Kabinett 2008

Germany white - that has roses and poached pears on the nose. Straw colored. This is neirsteiner the grape, that finishes clean and creamy with tight mineral and a little lime. Reinhessen.

A Diehl Gewürtztraminer 2007

Passionfruit and lychee sweet in the mouth. A little too loose for me.

A Diehl Riesling 2007

From Pfalz, Germany. This wine Arik calles a "porch pounder". Mineral and citrus-scented this wine is only 11% alcohol. Creamy with lychee and finishes with a nice light honeyed citrus flavor.

Felsner Grüner Veltliner 2008

Hand-harvested, Austrian grape. Musk melon nose with fruity body that comes off clean at the end. Wine guy, Arik says that the Austrians drink this in cafes with mineral water mixed in - a classic white wine spritzer, but is good enough on its own. It has a bottle cap, in lieu of a cork or screw-cap; I guess you have to drink it all in one sitting!