From one of the best producers of Chianti and in Tuscany, this wine was showing great.  It kept improving all night long.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has dusty cherries with some tea leaves and a bit of spice.  On the palate, slight tannins.  Lots of concentrated cherry fruit.  Medium bodied.  Very nice acidity.  Almost a smoked cherry flavor on the palate which is very interesting along with fresh cherries and a bit of tea.  Good acidity.  This wine should continue to improve for a few years and be good for another ten to twenty after that depending on your tastes.  It is very food fr

This is the second label of Sassicaia.  It is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.  Tasted at a tasting with more Sangiovese grapes did not help this wine.  Nor did the fact that this was from a not very good vintage in Tuscany and many of the others were from better vintages.  Still, this wine was a favorite of some.  Deep garnet in color.  The nose has tart cherries, some cassis, some tobacco and green bell pepper.  On the palate, the tannins are fully resolved.  Good acidity.  Slightly bitter cherries with some forest floor.  Short finish.  It is a good reason to drink wines

This is a very nice Sangiovese from Tuscany and from a good vintage.  Garnet in color.  The nose is dusty with cherries and a bit of soy.  On the palate, this has medium tannins.  Nice sour cherry fruit over a bit of forest floor.  Slight complexity, this should continue to develop a bit more.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  It is ripe and has an almost sweet quality about it but not.  This will work with a wide variety of food.  Obviously pasta and pizza are go to dishes.  This might get a bit better but should last for another five to seven years if well stored.  

An interesting white wine for a reasonable price.  Gold/green in color.  The nose is nice with a sort of creamy lemon vanilla note along with a bit of honey and slight pears.  On the palate, this has a lemon candy quality.  Not sweet but heading in that direction.  Then the finish has a bit of almond turning bitter at the end.  There is some acidity but not as much as typical for VdSG.  This went well with food although heavier foods would over power it.  A nice value but probably should be consumed within five years of vintage.  

So, I am in Chicago on vacation and stop by a local wine store.  This is on sale and having never tried it, bought a bottle.  Good move as this is a really nice Zin.  While it seems like it will age and get more claret like, it was delicious and accessible now.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, some bramble, a bit of dark chocolate and cherries.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.

This is a Syrah from Washington state.  I am not up on my Washington vintages but I don't recall 2011 as being special.  Hopefully, this wine shows better in better vintages.  Purple in color.  The nose has some generic black fruit.  On the palate, there is some boysenberry.  Not much depth.  A bit bitter on the finish.  It seems like it might be a bit past its prime.  If you have any, hopefully it shows a bit better.  

This was possibly the oldest EdB I have had and it was great.  Showing a bit of age but certainly not over the top.  Pop and pour, it improved on opening and then held constant for the evening.  Purple in color, some bricking at the rim.  The nose has cherries, some black cherries and baking spices.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  Still lively but balanced acidity.  Cherries with a bit of earthiness and the baking spice finishes the palate.  I doubt it gets better from here but it certainly seems like it would have at least five more years before a slow decline.  This will go grea

I love the Andremily Syrah, but this was my first time trying the Mourvedre.  It was sensational.  It does contain 14% Syrah.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is great with grilled meats and slightly gamey meats (a good thing) along with black pepper, lavender and spice.  On the palate, this has a lush wonderful texture.  Plenty of acidity behind the fruit.  Very primary today.  Consumed over a few days, there really wasn't much difference.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with some black cherries and an underlying earthiness.  This will certainly take at least five and closer to ten years to

This is absolutely the best sparkling Greco di Tufo I have ever had.  It is also the only one.  Very interesting wine.  Made in the Metodo Classico or the traditional way that Champagne is made.  A fun wine for sure but also a very nice sparkling wine.  Greco di Tufo is the area making white wine from the Greco grape.  Popping the cork, the wine is white/green/gold in color.  There is a nice mousse with small-ish bubbles.  On the nose, there is some nice minerality along with a slight lemon-lime quality.  Those flavors carry thru to the palate along with a salinity.  This is broader and jus