Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has ripe plums, black raspberries, violets and a nice earthy note.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good energy.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Black raspberry and raspberry fruits with some earthiness.  Good finish.  This drinks easy but should gain some complexity as it ages.  Drink over the next ten years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with comfort food dishes such as Beef Stroganoff.  Outstanding value!

Gini is one of the top producers of Soave white wines from Northeastern Italy.  This is 100% Gargenega grapes made from vines that are over 100 years old.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has a floral quality (yellow and white flowers) with a touch of lemons and a bit of minerality/salinity.  Light to medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Nice, lean but firm texture.  On the palate, the lemony notes come out more with a touch of minerality.  Long finish.  There is come depth and concentration.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would be great with a plate of past

As Pinot Noir goes, this is quite simply a very pretty wine. Sure, that’s not the sort of descriptor that most reviews use, but it is accurate. Subtle, soft, almost subversive, this is a Pinot that doesn’t announce itself, it doesn’t brag, it simply waits in the glass for you to try it. There is noticeable but subdued fruit; black cherry, pomegranate, Rainer cherry, light strawberry, pomegranate but they are wonderfully melded together so that nothing stands out – except for the quality of the wine in your glass at that moment.

This is 100% Xynisteri grapes from Greece.  Really interesting.  The grapes come from ungrafted vines that are close to forty years old.  The wine has just a touch of residual sugar.  Light gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with peaches, slight lemons and a bit of salinity.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, this has some spritz to it (presumably trapped CO2).  Flavors of peach and minerals.  Nice finish.  This is a refreshing, easy drinking white wine.  It works nice on its own and would work very well with shell fish.  Drink over the next few years.  

This is made from the Étraire de la Dhuy grape of which there are only 5 Hectares under vine in the World.  Country wines/IGP Coteaux du Grésivaudan is a designation that is east of Burgundy, south of Savoie and north of the Rhone and close to the Italian border to the east.  Obviously a different wine.  It was nice on day one but seemed very reticent so after drinking a glass, the cork was put back in and tried the following evening when it was much more open.  Ruby in color with some purple swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight sour cherries, slight ch

California is making some very nice Albarinos these days.  At four years from vintage it might be worrying but this was sealed with a screw cap and the wine inside from fresh and bright.  Light green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with apples, peach and a stony minerality.  Medium bodied.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, this is more about fruit and some minerality than its crisper Spanish siblings.  It is filled with ripeness and body.  Flavors of red apples and peaches.  Good finish.  This works very nice on its own and would work well with lighter foods.  A nic

This is a blend of 86% Zinfandel with 14% other varietals from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma.  Of course, it is Mike Officer and Carlisle's home vineyard.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is energetic with black raspberries, black cherries, bramble, black pepper and spice (cloves?).  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is young but really opens with an hour or two air.  Plenty of depth.  Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, char and spice.  Juicy.  Long finish.  This is delicious on its own and will work

The Santa Cruz Mountains are the home to many of my favorite Chardonnays and this is definitely one of them.  Light gold in color with some hay yellow swirls, clear and bright.  The nose is big but lovely with lemon peel, slight lime, slight apples, vanilla, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Creamy texture countered with crisp acidity.  On the palate, this is crisp, satisfying and delicious.  Deep and complex, it unwinds with a bit of air in the glass.  Flavors of lemon peel, slight vanilla, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is great on its own but better with food.  This would work so well

This continues to be my favorite Chardonnay!  It drinks great young and ages nicely.  With just a kiss of vanilla showing, there is some oak but not enough to be an issue even for many of the most oak adverse drinkers.  Light green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with lemon creme, a touch of vanilla, spice and slight char.  Full bodied.  Very light tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Great texture.  Flavors of lemons, slight cooked apples, vanilla and spice.  A bit of char on the long finish.  This drinks great on its own and will work well with

This is 100% Nebbiolo from the Piedmont in Italy.  This is a soft accessible version of Nebbiolo.  Ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries along with some mustiness, ash and mint.  Soft texture but firm tannins.  It comes alive on the palate with cherries and a hard cherry candy note along with a slight earthiness.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Very open and drinking well.  This was a hot vintage but the fruit is not raisined or under ripe.  It drinks well on its own but will be better with food.  A great choice for a weekday pasta or pizza night.  Drink over the nex