This is a slightly spritzy wine from northwest Portugal.  It is a bit unique for Vinho Verde as it is 100% Laureiro grapes.  Straw colored with just a bit of smallish bubbles showing at the rim, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with a slight floral note, limes and lots of minerality.  Light bodied with a bit of a spritz still showing.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, flavors of limes and slight tangerines with underlying minerality.  Nice finish.  This is very refreshing on its own but is also very food friendly with lighter food.  Soft chesses or Quiche would be nice for brunch or lunch.

This is made in Solon, Ohio with purchased grapes from California.  It is a lighter styled, "Claret" Zinfandel.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has raspberries, cranberries and slight bramble.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is solid.  Raspberries and bramble.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This drinks easy on its own but is probably better with food.  It went well with just sitting around having mixed nuts and cheeses.  Drink over the next few years.  

This is really a nice wine.  This retails for $18 and that is a great value.  Light golden in color with a swirl of green hues, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with red apples, slight herbal note and nice minerality.  Light to medium bodied but with a slight viscosity in the glass.  On the palate, this is easy and refreshing.  Flavors of apples with underlying minerality.  Tasty.  Very nice on its own, this will make great summer sipping on the deck with light foods.  Drink over the next few years.  

Drank this bottle among friends at the end of an evening and it was perfect in that spot.  Refreshing and energetic.  Light golden in color with green hues, clear and bright.  The nose has green apples, slight quince, minerality and a tweak of lemons.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is crisp and refreshing on a beautiful summer evening.  Flavors of citrus and green apples with slight minerals.  Long finish.  Great on its own, this is food friendly and would work well with vegetarian or seafood dishes.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  

A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The cork was popped at 9:00 am, a half ounce poured off, then a neutral cork inserted before being transported and served at 7:00 pm.  The wine took about 30 minutes to really open and hit its stride.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose shows black cherries, cassis, smoke, slight chocolate, and leather.  With air, a subtle earthiness emerges that is classic Bordeaux.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is complex and deep.  Cassis, black cherries, chocolate cigar box notes and earth.  Layers that un

Great showing for this bottle.  This is a big, round white Burgundy that at age 21, is just about at peak.  Deep golden in color with some orange hues, clear and bright.  The color likely influenced by both the time spent in oak and the age of the wine, but certainly proper.  The nose is nice with red apples, with air, some lemon cream, just a very slight brown sugar note, and great minerality.  Almost viscous, but crisp at the same time gives this a nice texture.

Sherry represents some of the best values in Wine!  This is a $10 bottle that is complex, interesting and tasty.  Iced tea in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nutty (hazelnuts?) with a slight toffee note.  Viscous.  On the palate, this is off dry (just a bit of sweetness).  Hazelnuts.  The alcohol is noticeable but not overwhelming.  Smooth finish.  This was nice to end the evening although it would work nicely as a first course with some cheeses.  

From Magnum.  This is a blend of 65% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, and 7% Syrah.  Basically, this is the top wine offered by Tablas Creek.  Especially from Magnum, but even by bottle, this wine is still young.  That said, it also drinks well young, so don't be deterred.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, raspberries, roasted meats and herbs and just a bit of spices.  Full bodied.  Lush texture.  On the palate, plenty of fruit; raspberries, black raspberries, and plums, along with spice and some earthiness.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is delicious

Another classic Rioja albeit a slightly more modern style.  This is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha.  Ruby in color with a purple core, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, cedar, black cherries, forest floor, dust and chocolate.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black cherries, tobacco and spice with some underlying char.  Some chocolate comes out on the long finish.  This is still young but already great.  A couple more years in the cellar will be rewarded but this is fantastic drinking now.  Drink over th

This comes from the producer of Pingus, one of Spain's most revered wines.  Of course, it doesn't have the price tag of that one, but this is still an outstanding wine.  90% Tempranillo.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, spice and  minerality.  Lush texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, blueberries and slight cherries with underlying minerality.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is a more modern take on Tempranillo.  This drinks great on its own but will need bigger foods for now.  This would be nice