($13).
Appealing for its clean, refreshing balance
of grassy, citrus and juicy melon fruit
flavors and aromas. Stays juicy straight
through to the finish. Ready to drink
now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($36). An elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon
(60%), Merlot (22%), Petite Verdot and
Cabernet Franc. Offering smooth, deep
plum and blackberry aromas and flavors
laced with warm spices, black tea, and
just a touch of rich chocolate. Nicely
integrated oak; good balance all around.
Pretty, focused finish. Ready to drink
now and over the next two or three years.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($85). Smooth and lush, with concentrated
blackberry and black currant fruit laced
with exotic spices, licorice, coffee and
toast that unfold slowly throught the
long finish. Very nice now and over the
next six or seven years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($40). Really pretty and
entirely drinkable now (though it will
also nice nicely), offering aromatic red
cherry fruit laced with touches of sage,
tobacco, baking spices and toast that
fold into a smooth finish. Ready to drink
now and over the next four or five years.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($90). Dense and rich, with intense blackberry
aromas and flavors layered with warm spice,
bittersweet chocolate and a touch of smoke.
Loads of tannic structure supports a plummy,
focused finish. Delicious now but will
age well for 10+ years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($135). Eddy only produces
this Reserve wine occasionally - in exceptional
vintage years like 2002. This has everything
that the 2002 Cabernet offers, but with
even more concentration, body and tannins.
Somehow, though, it still manages to have
an appealingly refreshing aspect to it.
Best after 2010, then drink for another
15+ years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15). Moderate
black cherry aromas and flavors pick up
dried herbs, chocolate and spice, staying
smooth through the finish. Ready to drink
now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($20). Pretty aromas and mouthwatering
tropical citrus flavors are the star here,
with juicy apple, toast and cream playing
a subtle role in the background. Long,
juicy finish. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($35). Lovely balance here, with rich
pear and baked apple fruit on the one
hand, and bright citrus, mineral and spice
on the other - all folding into a smooth,
complex, vanilla-laced finish. Ready to
drink now and over the next couple of
years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($40). Truly a luscious wine, with rich
lemon curd, ripe fig, caramelized vanilla,
pear, roasted hazelnut, cream and spicy
oak notes that are all supported by enough
brightness and acidity to carry it off.
Long, complex finish. Ready to drink now
and over the next couple of years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($25).
Quite stylish, offering rich, elegant,
ripe pear laced with fig, lemon zest,
mineral and toasty hazelnut notes that
linger on the generous finish. Rich, but
nicely balanced. Ready to drink now and
over the next couple of years. (Robyn's
Picks 06/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($56). Smooth, opulent, aromatic tropical
melon is laced with bright citrus zest,
wet stone, and spicy oak that all linger
on the long, fleshy finish. Very nice
now and over the next couple of years.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($21).
Bright and juicy, and not at all heavy,
with tropical citrus and melon fruit accented
with tart lime zest and a dash of mineral.
Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($35).
Fresh and crisp, offering lemon zest and
distinct minerality accents to the focused
green pear and fig fruit, picking up subtle
touches of spice on the concentrated finish.
Appealing now but will age nicely for
at least another five years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($45). Very pretty, floral and tropical
fruit aromas and flavors, including melon,
mango and honeysuckle that are full-bodied
and evolve through the generous finish.
Rich but clean style. Ready to drink now
and over the next couple of years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($33). Pretty nectarine
aromas and flavors are layered with lemon
curd, toasty oak and a touch of fresh
mineral on the smooth finish. Ready to
drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($26). Beautifully
aromatic, offering fresh-cut citrus, ripe
pear, marzipan and light smoky notes that
repeat on the palate, along with fig and
spicy vanilla that linger on the full
finish. Ready to drink now and over the
next couple of years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15). Pretty apple
and spice aromas and flavors are displayed
in a medium-bodied, fresh style. Not overly
complex, but easy to drink - well chilled
on a patio, please. Ready to drink now.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15).
Likeable for its ripe, lipsmacking red
cherry and blueberry fruit aromas and
flavors that pick up spicy chocolate,
vanilla bean and toast. A blend of Zinfandel,
Syrah, Petite Sirah and Malbec. Ready
to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($7). Aromatic
tangerine, sweet peach and floral notes,
an appealing prickle, and a smooth, honeyed
finish. Unabashedly sweet - try with a
summer fruit dessert! Ready to drink now.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15). Pretty and aromatic, with rose
and apple aromas introducing silky lychee
and apricot flavors. Grapey, fresh finish.
Worked well with spicy Chinese food! A
blend of Chenin Blanc, Princess, Chardonnay,
Roussanne and Viognier. Ready to drink
now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($23). Appealing for its nicely balanced
brightness on the one hand, and richness
on the other. With ripe melon and fig
flavors and aromas accented with citrus,
toast and vanilla. Long, smooth, elegant
finish. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (65%)
and Semillon. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($7). Easy
to like, with some crisp green apple,
generous juicy tropical citrus fruit,
and a touch of stone. Ready to drink now.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($11). Concentrated grapefruit aromas
and flavors are accented with grassy and
herbal notes that stay direct through
the finish. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($22). Fresh lime, grapefruit
and litchi aromas and flavors are fresh
and crisp and stay mouthwatering through
the finish, picking up smooth fig mid-palate
that adds balance and richness. Ready
to drink now and over the next year or
two. (Weekend Wine 07/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($28). Ripe and lovely,
with smooth peach and honeysuckle aromas
and flavors, rounded out with pretty pear
and mineral notes that linger on the full
finish. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine
05/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($32). Yup,
that Clif Bar. Nice - with pretty cassis
and blackberry jam fruit accented with
spice, chocolate and toast, staying polished
through the smooth finish. Ready to drink
now and over the next couple of years.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($35). Opulent blackberry and warm spice
aromas introduce ripe blackberry and blueberry
jam flavors laced with an array of warm
spices, sweet tobacco, fig and a touch
of cocoa, with a long, smooth finish.
Ready to drink now and over the next three
or four years. (Weekend Wine 01/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($45). Beautifully integrated and balanced,
with blackberry and black cherry fruit
laced with candied violet, spicy dark
chocolate and cedar that build through
the long, rich finish. Ready to drink
now and over the next three years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($27). Lovely, aromatic baking spices
and violets accent pretty blackberry and
plum jam fruit, with a lush, generous
finish. Nice structure and balance, too.
Ready to drink now and over the next three
of four years. (Weekend Wine 01/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($36). Rich black cherry and raspberry
aromas and flavors pick up creamy, toasted
caramel, bittersweet chocolate and black
pepper spice notes through the long finish.
Ready to drink now and over the next two
or three years. (Weekend Wine 01/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($40). Full bodied,
with weighty blueberry and blackberry
jam laced with healthy kicks of black
pepper and alcohol, finishing with a touch
of molasses. Ready to drink now and over
the next couple of years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($40). Really liked,
despite the substantial alcohol. With
slick, sleek blackberry and cherry flavors
that stay tangy and lively through the
finish, picking up creamy chocolate and
loads of pepper-spice. Ready to drink
now and over the next couple of years.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($50). Lovely, ripe red cherry and berry
fruit is layered with aromatic chocolate,
mocha and baking spices, with a long,
fine-grained finish. Ready to drink now
and over the next couple of years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($60). Deliciously smooth
and ripe, with blueberry and black plum
flavors and aromas laced with toasty vanilla,
light spices and a touch of espresso that
fold together beautifully on the lush,
full, smooth finish. Ready to drink now
and over the next two or three years.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($28). Intense
blackberry and currant fruit stays polished
through the long finish, picking up dried
herbal notes, brown spices, smoke and
pepper along the way. Lots of depth here.
Ready to drink now and over the next couple
of years. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15). Smooth and jammy, with plenty of
cherry and berry fruit character alongside
toasty oak. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($32).
Spicy pepper, smoke and tar accent dark
plum and cherry fruit, picking up more
baking spices through the moderate finish.
Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine 03/08)
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($40). Very nice, with
layers of aromatic, ripe berry and juicy
plum playing off deep chocolate, sweet
tobacco, black pepper, toasted vanilla
and warm spices. Folds into a full, ripe
finish. Ready to drink now and over the
next two or three years. (Weekend Wine
03/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($25). Appealing for its full-bodied,
ripe strawberry, blueberry, black pepper
and toasty spice notes, with a jammy,
lipsmacking finish. Ready to drink now
and over the next two or three years.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($17). Appealing for its
aromatic black plum and rich chocolate
notes, which repeat on the palate, along
with smooth blueberry, toast and mineral.
Tasty finish, too. 75% Sangiovese, 25%
Merlot. Ready to drink now and over the
next couple of years. This would work
with virtually any kind of meat off the
grill! Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($17). This Toscana is a Sangiovese-Syrah
blend (60%-40%, respectively) and is new
(to us, anyway) from one of our favorite
Italian wineries. It offers concentrated
blackberry and raspberry fruit on a silky
frame, with aromatic peppery spice, black
tea and mineral accents. Ready to drink
now and over the next couple of years.
Would work now with summer grilling, or
save for wintery stews. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($10).
Completely and enthusiastically enjoyed
this wine - best $10 white wine in recent
memory, even! Bright, ripe tropical and
citrus fruit flavors are laced with wet
stone and a splash of bitter orange that
add complexity and balance. Long finish.
Delish! Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($14). Anyone
who's ever been convinced to chuck the
rules and do it your own way should love
this wine. (As should anyone else who
simply wanted great wine!) We get some
lush apricot fruit supporting the crisp
citrus, with hazelnut and bread notes
on the bright finish. Medium-bodied, this
would be delicious with creamy seafood
pasta or risotto. Ready to drink now.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15). Appealing for its delicate dried
apple, peach and fresh citrus flavors
that stay pretty and pick up touches of
fresh herbs and mineral through the finish.
Lovely as an aperitif or paired with shellfish
starters or antipasti. Ready to drink
now. (Weekend Wine 02/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($14). Insolia
is another indigenous Sicily grape, and
this one offers some of the body and palate
weight of a Chardonnay with the aromatic
intensity of a Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp
apple, ripe tropical citrus, maybe a hint
of fig, and a dash of mineral combine
nicely, with a long, fruity finish. Ready
to drink now. (Italian Connection 04/08)
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($14). Here, 30% Chardonnay is blended
in, and the result is even more body and
richness, with crisp apple and stonefruit
leading the way, and cream and citrus
zest accenting the full finish. Ready
to drink now. Great deal! (Italian Connection
04/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area
($14). Medium-bodied, with tropical melon,
lemon zest, fig and mineral notes that
finish fresh and bright. Ready to drink
now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($10). A heck
of a deal on a well-made everyday white,
with ripe peach and melon balanced with
juicy citrus and pear compote. Clean,
fruity finish. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($15).
Really loved this one, too, for its pretty
honeysuckle aromas and ripe peach, apple,
lemon and stone notes that fold together
on a bright, juicy finish. Ready to drink
now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($13). Easygoing, with
light peach and lemony citrus that mingles
with toasted almond and just a touch of
mineral, with a fresh finish. Ready to
drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($14). Crisp and dry, with
juicy grapefruit, lime and mineral notes
that linger on the finish. Worked well
with a summery tomato and goat cheese
salad. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($9).
A new label from Fonseca, this offers
crisp, juicy citrus and green apple that
stay fresh on the spritzy finish. Ready
to drink now. (Weekend Wine 04/08) Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($17), a sleek South African Sauvignon
Blanc that offers zesty lime and crisp
herbal notes balanced against green fig
and melon fruit, with a fresh, elegant
finish. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($13). Fresh and aromatic, with pretty
nectarine, citrus and toasty notes that
mingle on the finish. Ready to drink now.
Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($23). Lovely aromas of peach and poundcake
introduce ripe peach and melon flavors
that stay concentrated through the fresh
finish. Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
($11). Bright and tangy, with crisp lemon,
tangerine, apple and wildflower honey
notes that stay juicy through the finish.
Ready to drink now. Locate
this wine online or in your area.
Taltarni
2007 Sauvignon Blanc Victoria
Tom
Eddy 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Alma
Rosa 2006 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County
Far
Niente 2006 Chardonnay Napa Valley
Mayacamas
2005 Chardonnay Napa Valley
Pine
Ridge 2006 Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros
Dijon Clones
Clayhouse
Vineyard 2007 Adobe White Central Coast
Tom
Eddy 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
TENZ
Clif
Bar Family Winery 2005 Zinfandel Napa
Valley Gary's Improv
Mazzocco
2005 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Maple
Mazzocco
2005 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley West Dry
Creek Reserve
Sbragia
Family 2005 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
Gino's Vineyard
Castello
di Fonterutoli 2006 Poggio alla Badiola
Toscana
Ajello
2006 Majus Bianco Sicilia
Anselmi
2007 San Vincenzo
Cusumano
2006 Insolia Sicilia
Feudo
Principi di Butera 2006 Insolia Sicilia