This is made from the Kalecik Karasi grape which is native to Turkey.  14.5% alcohol.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and strawberries, with slight sweaty sock notes (just enough to  give it an earthy feel).  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this comes off much cleaner than the nose.  Nice cherry fruit with some strawberries and  light orange peel.  It improved with about an hour of air.  Some depth.  Good finish.  This is a very nice value in a "middle of the road" style of red (for a grape few have ever tried).  It seems like it will drink we

This is a certified Organic wine made from 100% Ner d'Avola grapes in Sicily. 13.5% ABV.

This is 100% Certified Organic Nero Mascalese grapes from Sicily grown in sandy soils in western Sicily.  A really great value.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with cherries, black cherries, slight smoke and slight herbal note (chervil?).  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has black cherry fruit with underlying char.  Also a bit of pepperiness.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Somewhat like a mythical blend of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.  This was a real crowd pleaser among friends I served it to.  Drinking quite well on its own, this would work great with pas

A Sauvignon Blanc from Austria, this was produced using sustainable farming methods.  12.5% ABV.  Silvery gold in color with a slight copper hue.  Clear and bright.  The nose is initially mineral driven but with a bit of air, some green pepper notes emerge.  With a bit more air, some lemons come out.  Finally, after almost two hours of air, there are some grassy notes along with some tropical fruit (papaya).  Fascinating to observe the evolution of the nose.

This is a Sauvignon Blanc from Turkey.  While obviously this has some age on it, it showed well and improved with air over the course of a few hours.  13.5% ABV.  Golden color, slightly on the deeper gold side (probably due to some age).  Clear and bright.  The nose is reticent at first but with air shows minerals, slight hay, and a slight winter-green note.  After an hour or two, it shows some fruit - melon and slight tropical fruit.  It has a lovely, slightly oily texture.  On the palate, this is a lively wine.  Nice minerality if not a lot of fruit.  Some depth.  Good finish.  It would b

This is a white wine made in Sicily from Certified Organic Grillo (pronounced GREE-lo) grapes at a Co-Op.  12.5% ABV.  Golden in color with a very slight copper hue, clear and bright.  The nose is nice, minerals, quince, and a very slight minty note.  Slightly viscous with a medium body.  On the palate, the minerality comes thru along with lemons, and quince.  There is a slightly bitter note (lemon pith?) on the finish.  The finish is of moderate length.  Overall, this is a very refreshing wine that was quite a  hit with a few friends I shared the remains of the bottle with.  It got better

Great showing for this wine.  Young, but tasty.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, graphite, and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is a big wine.  It is jammy and full of fruit, so make sure you share it with people who like that style.  I did, and they loved it.  Lots of cassis, some blueberries with some spice and graphite as well.  This is still primary with a lovely texture.  Delicious.  Long finish.  This probably drinks better on its own right now but would work with a grilled steak.  Drink over the next ten years or so.  

California Syrah bottled in Oregon by Maggie Harrison.  Some of the best Syrah out there.  I last had this about ten years ago.  At age 16, this was at peak and gorgeous.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, slight roasted herbs, and a hint of gamey meat.  Full bodied.  Lots of vibrancy and energy.  Great lush texture.  On the palate, still plenty of fruit, light tannins with depth and complexity.  Black raspberries over pepper and gravel.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and is perfect with roasted meats, fowl or veggies.  This prob

Another great vintage in the southern Rhone valley in France.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, black cherries, slight anise and floral notes (Violets?).  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the cherries and dark cherries come thru with underlying spices and roasted herbs.  Nice texture.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue to do so for the next seven to ten years.  It drinks well on its own but will work better with foods.  Ribs off the grill would be a nice choice.  

I don't drink a lot of wines from South Africa, but that is not for any particular reason.  When I drink ones, such as this, it raises the issue as this is a delightful Syrah that is prices fairly.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with boysenberries, slight mint and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Nice depth.  Delicious.  On the palate, boysenberries over a char base.  Clean.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and would be a nice match with Indian cuisine.  Drink over the next 15 years.