Ruby/purple in color.  This is a red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot,Tannat, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah.  A sort of kitchen sink blend that costs around $15.  It's a nice wine for the money and easy to drink.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is a bit warm with alcohol but also some cherries, black raspberries and slight char.  On the palate, this is mostly cherry fruit.  Easy drinking.  Warm but not hot.  There is some varietal complexity.  Fun label.  Good party wine.  

This is an inexpensive crowd pleaser made from the Malbec grape.  Available for under $15 almost everywhere.  Purple in color.  The nose has plums and slight cherries.  On the palate, this has slight tannins.  Easy drinking.  Plums that are ripe and just a hint of sweetness.  Clean finish.  Solid all the way around and a great choice for parties.  This will last a few years but its not made for long term cellaring.  Friendly with hearty foods.  

Bonny Doon makes some fun wines!  This is Grenache for under $20.  It's a fun and great for parties.  Light ruby in color.  The nose is all about strawberries.  So is the palate.  This wine is light and easy drinking.  Some acidity but drinks more like a rose.  Food friendly-ish.  

Had a second bottle of this and it had some Brett (barnyard notes).  If that is an issue, look for well stored bottles.  

My second time trying this.  The first was with my dinner in the Barcelona train station from a 375ml.  We need more trains in the US.  Ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries.  On the palate, this has a slight amount of acid.  Cherries and slightly bitter cherries.  No real tannins.  Just a nice, little bot of fruit wine.  Drink in the next couple of years.  For under $15, this is a good value and may be the choice from time to time on a restaurant list.  

Light green gold in color.  The nose is clean and slightly grassy with minerals.  More minerals driven on the palate.  Not a lot of fruit here.  For under $20, this is a nice summer sipper.  Easy drinking on its own.

This is made from Garnacha Blanco.  Light golden in color.  The nose has minerals, steel and lemons.  On the palate this is crisp-ish.  Mostly minerals.  Slight fruit.  Good with food.  Inexpensive.  

Sadly, this wine was just about DOA.  The cork was good.  The wine was pale ruby and watery looking.  The wine was oxidized.  Oh well, I had hoped for better but that was a lot to ask.  

Gigondas is often thought of as a "poor man's" Chateauneuf du Pape and for a lot of reasons that is true.  But, the best Gigondas producers are certainly on a par with many of the better Chateauneufs and Saint-Cosme is certainly one of the best Gigondas producers.  At 12 years from vintage, this seems to be at about peak.  2006 was a very good if not remarkable vintage.  Being caught between the classic 2005 and the ostentatious 2007, it got a bit over looked.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, spice, minerals, slight tobacco/dried leaves and dried cherries.  On the palate, this

Back in November of 2007 I was putting together a wine tasting of wines from Andalusia.  It was the final region of Spain from a series of Spain; the Food and the Wines - Region by region.  It was almost impossible to find any table wines from this region (famous for Sherry and fortified wines).  I posted on the old Robert Parker web site's Mark Squire discussion Board looking for help.  In response, Nola Palomar said that she would be delighted to come and serve their wines.  I explained that first, we lived in Cleveland, Ohio and second, it was only ten or twelve of us.  Nola responded th

This is made from a vineyard planted originally in 1880.  96.8% Zinfandel and 3.2% Mixed Blacks 9field blend).  It comes in at 14.5% Alc.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is interesting.  Lanolin, and muted on opening.  With air, black raspberry fruit develops along with some dried floral notes.  Finally, black cherries and bramble emerge.  On the palate, there are medium tannins.  It presents a more feminine side to Zinfandel, at least on opening.  Red berries with slight earthiness.  With some air, it gets a bit wilder with some black cherries and more earthiness and spice coming out.  Sm