Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has a lot of Christmas spices on it with a bit of black cherry fruit.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, there are firm tannins.  Solid black cherry fruit.  This got better with a bit of air.  Nice balance.  Another very good un der $20 value wine from Chile.  Drink over the next five years.  This drinks well on its own and would work nice with a burger or ribs off the grill.  

We drank two bottles of this, blind and side by side, with consistent results.  One purchased in Washington D.C and one purchased in Cleveland, Ohio.  There wasn't a lot of bottle variation.  This wine is a great value in an easy drinking red.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, smoke, maybe a hint of rosemary.  Drinking nicely with no tannins.  A good wine for a large party or BBQ.  Drink over the next couple of years.  This will work well with a burger and drinks fine on its own.  

An interesting wine from a country not usually seen in the wine world (Uruguay) and a grape not usually tasted (Albarino).  Light golden in color with a slight copper hue.  The nose is all about minerality with some crushed shells, iron, diesel and sea air.  On the palate, this has a slightly oily texture.  Again, there isn't much fruit but plenty of minerality.  It is refreshing with good acidity.  It is a nice light wine that will make a good summer sipper with some soft cheeses on the back patio.  Drink over the next year.  

This is a lovely cooler climate Syrah made in a more elegant, lower alcohol style.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries, white pepper and slight char.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit with mild tannins.  Some underlying earthiness and char.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This seemed to be about at peak but shoudl drink well for another five to seven years.  It works better with food.  This will work well with pastrami or other "deli" meats.  

This took a while to come around, but it is finally showing the promise it showed on release.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, a touch of black olives and sandalwood.  Full bodied.  Lovely acidity.  On the palate, great black raspberry fruit with underlying earthiness.  Concentrated fruit that unwinds in the glass.  Nice finish.  This appears to be at or close to prime and should continue to  drink well for 8 to ten more years.  A nice wine on its own and will work well with roasted meats, fowl or veggies.  

I am a big fan of the RM Chardonnays.  This is the "generic" non-single vineyard offering.  It might be a hair less than those others but it is also less expensive and an outstanding wine on its own.  Light gold with some green swirls, shimmering bright.  The nose is classic with lemons, vanilla, slight chalk and a hint of mint.  Full bodied but with cut.  Lots of energy.  On the palate, this is delicious right from the go.  Lemons, vanilla, slight spice with a long finish.  Great texture.  Young, of course, but this should easily do another ten years as it matures.  Might even get better. 

This is a blend of 38% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre, and 29% Syrah.  Purple in color with ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black raspberries, slight char and a bit of anise.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is nice.  Not over done.  Notes of black cherries, black raspberries and plums with a slight underlying char.  Good energy.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now, it should continue to do so for the next seven to ten years.  A nice wine to have on its own or with a burger or ribs off the grill.  

From the Lake Balaton region of Hungary, this is made from Kadarka grapes.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and cranberries and a slight dustiness to it.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is semi-sweet.  Smooth, not cloying and easy to drink.  No bite.  Cherry and cranberry notes balanced by the sweetness.  A nice wine to offer those who like this style but at the end of a meal, this would be a nice wine to serve with a few bites of hard cheeses.  Drink over the next five years.  

All of Sauska's blends are named after prime numbers as a testament to their uniqueness.  The lower the number, the better the wine.  This one is a blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 21% Merlot.  It is aged 4 months in used French oak and two months is bottle prior to release.  Ruby in color with purple swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, tobacco, plums and black pepper.  14% ABV.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the cherries come thru along with the black pepper and slight tobacco underneath.  Nice balance.  Smooth and easy drinking.  Mild tannins.

Bikaver means Bull's Blood and is a red blend dating back at least to the 18th century.  The name comes from the comments of the defeated Ottoman soldiers who saw the dark red wines the Hungarians were drinking.  Today, they are having a rebirth of sorts.  Always a blend, it must contain a minimum of 45% Kékfrankos and 5% Kadarka and no more than 40% of the grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot can be used.  This one is 47% Kekfrankos, 27% Merlot, 10% Kadarka, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Sagrantino.  13% ABV.  Ruby in color with purple swirls, mostly opaq