Tasting Notes for mouton cadet Bordeaux 2010

This is my first Bordeaux. I am definitely enjoying it. The nose of this was very inviting, throughout the glass. It held my interest until it hit my palate with its strong aromas of dark fruit and mild spice. This is a deep red wine. It tastes of dark red fruits, subtle flowers, and undefined spices. The tannins are extremely mild, coming from this blend. The cost of this bottle seemed well worth the time looking for the first experience, at $11, plus shipping fee. It uncorked with natural wood and was decanted; I happen to notice some sediment. I give this wine 85.

Tasting Notes for Five Rivers Winery Pinot Noir 2010

This was a great find, once it completely opened up! This young grape had a lot of POP, even well after it was consumed. The difference was astonishing, side by side a red wine glass and a Pinot Noir glass. The spice and complexity of fruits became apparent when using the Riedel's Pinot Noir glasses. 2 thumbs up Riedel! "The nose of this classic Pinot Noir is brimming with rhubarb, violets, and cardamom, with hibiscus flowers and notes of vanilla from the easy oak treatment. The palate will rejoice with the taste of wild starwberries, followed by tangy bright cherries. A stong acid backbone" - FiveRiversWinery.com Great Pinot Noirs and glasses can be found here: MyWineQuest.com/default.aspx?rd=22

Tasting Notes for If You See Kay Red Blend 2010

A Cabernet Sauvignon blend balanced black fruits with touch of acidity of Petit Verdot e Primitivo by artist winemaker-owner Jayson Woodbridge and partner Hundred Acre. At open there's a soft, slight bouquet of black raspberry. Smooth as liquid mercury, it flows as round edged like lush mercurial liqueur. Sips taste of sweet Bing cherry, full, pleasant and accessibly easy going lovable blackberry fizz without the fizz, I'd swear there are residual sugars, but is boldness and vibrant wine without over the top, exquisite leather, faint vanilla moss and linen flavor notes out to long soft finish that ends with hints of black cherry. Absolutely a treasured, luxurious blend.

Tasting Notes for Vina Concha y TORO Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon

This 2006 Don Melchor vintage is like the 2005 crew left the building and left someone else to carry on? Has a nose sharp acrid cran. After 2 hrs open in the glass, still the inky black oily viscous fluid of the monster power-house vin 2005, but tastes differ much. Strong bouquet in glass of still green crushed boysenberry, a most acrid fume. Tastes like soft Merlot, big black fruit notes in the glass, med wt, ghost hints of cigar, fainter still of leather, asphalt, a touch of grass. Like what it could/should be much more so. Ever so light monosyllabic structure flow across the palette to a smooth, under-whelmingly just okay, quiet finish.

Tasting Notes for Garnet Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010

And in the interest of full-disclosure, I am a friend of Alison's (Garnet Vienyards) and work for a company that powers her website. That does not mean I blindly plug our client's wines; only the ones I feel are deserving. For anyone who likes good Pinots that have a high QPR, I'd suggest looking into some of Garnet Vineyards' offerings. Alison Crowe is a well-known winemaker, and has produced three outstanding Pinots - one from Monteray for $15, another from Carneros for $19.99, and a really exceptional single-vineyard Rogers Creek one that's only $29.99. The Carneros Pinot opens with big ripe raspberry and plum, that distinct "funk" on the nose, and mild earthy/dust/chalk tones. The flavor is balanced throughout the palate, and lingers for a relatively long time afterwards. A very food-friendly wine for sure. I have not tasted the newly released Rogers Creek one, but have tried the other two. For the money, they are hard to beat. It's rare to find a good Sonoma Pinot for less than $20, let alone one that you might qualify as "great". It's big on flavor and finish, but doesn't have the huge alcohol that some Pinots (central coast especially) have. Not that I mind those big, 15+% examples, but this one is very drinkable and flexible for pairing with food. Have I had better Pinots? Yes, I have - but not for the price.

Tasting Notes for Domaine Sainte-Anne Red Blend 2010

Red lush blend from 30-50 year-old vines. Grenache 60%, Syrah 30%, Mourvèdre 10%. Ease y-peasey, nothing harsh, fresh, fruitful, e vivacious with intensity yet still accessible and soft with much to age potential from strength. Fresh yeasty bread nose. Tastes pomegranate, toasted soft fig, plum-raisin, cedar & leather balm, black fruits acid balance across the palette, full mouthfeel, easy white pepper Arugula like finish -nothing harsh, yet nice layering of multitudinous flavor profiles, Si?.

Tasting Notes for Cabernet Sauvignon

Edna Valley 2009 Cabernet. This Paso Robles Cabernet from San Luis Obispo County was, in one word, FABULOUS. Very rarely does the actual taste compare to the claims on the back of the bottle, but this time the description was spot on. "Blackberry pie with chocolate and coffee overtones". "Finish round with a hint of spicy oak". I especially noticed the coffee overtones. Less so the hint of spicy oak. To start, the aroma was rich and it sailed noticibly through the air upon pouring. (no this isn't a coffee review) The flavor matched the nose, rich and deep. The finish was round as the back of the bottle suggested, but I would also add that it was smooth like satin. This wine had no bitterness and was great right out of the bottle. No need to decant. Great on it's own. I bet it would be great with lamb. I discovered this wine at a local small town package store that does friday evening wine tastings, trying to catch the commuters as they come home from work. My first taste was actually several weeks ago in a small plastic cup! LOL Highly recommend.

Tasting Notes for OwenRoe.com Zinfandel 2010

LUSH red blend named "ABBOT'S TABLE", regardless of shortcomings of this site! Close clone sister of (2009) Red blend nearish to '09: blend 25% Zinfandel, 20% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, Grenache 13%, 7% Blaufrankish, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec,1% Merlot Best ever nose Bosenberry, and loveliest fluid tastes, round linear form on the palette (must be the 'blaufrankish'?), slick graphite. Young rich plum, round black cherry full mouthfeel, leather hints, persimmon finish oh so long 5-7 minutes lingering like favorite femalia friend? This stuff is great, accessible, smooth as, well, graphite (apparently the fluid to emulate? Si.) complex without killing acquaintances, i.e. due to your elevated sense of flavor profiles, they can gonna like it, too.

Tasting Notes for D 66 Vin de Pays Des Cotes Catalanes Orin Swift Grenache Noir 2009

Haleine fantastique de l'intrigue sombre de la France, par l'intermédiaire de Californie Orin Swift, merci! Region in France is Catalanes,ignore 'region' from drop-down on website, and is made in Maury, France. Blend of stout but accessibly soft 80% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 8% Carignan; nose of black currents and unsweetened Dutch chocolate. Soft mouthfeel tastes black raspberry jam, phosphate licorice tickle-fizz, pomegranate flavors with graphite fluid, concord black purple with slight pepper-cardamom back pallet edge, short clean finish. Pure exquisite silky exuberance in a glass...after glass. The creamy pepper satin smooth rolled-edge shape across the pallet -just by letting it open 1 hour, has sincerely pushed this non-plussed elegant wine to easily 96 pts. Exactly the complex conundrum I expect from others vin in 20 times this price point will offer. Bravissimo, Monsieur David Phinney.

Tasting Notes for Château La Tour de Bessan Bordeaux 2005

Cru Bordeaux, Margaux appellation; This is a rich perfectly balanced vintage that requires patience; I double decanted and removed sediment that had dropped out of suspension, so wait for proper opening of this well-made vintage. Though wine showed deep magenta youth, note also the care taken by winery as Ms. Marie-Laure Lurton directs this 2005 vintage aged in oak until bottled in 2007, but yet she holds and bottle ages further until she deemed suitable for sale! In this case, until 2011. Nose of anise-raisin liqueur. Rich black currant, boysenberry tastes, blueberry fullness, with velvety velour lush mouth-feel, silk-fine tannins, though initially may seem lightness, develops soft viscosity as flows across pallet to long, serene fading finish. A singular monolithic merlot presence and great wine experience. 62% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Cabernet Franc roundness to balance