From the venerable Chateau Haut Brion, this is an inexpensive rose. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Light salmon in color. Strawberries on the nose. The palate is clean with "red berries", mostly strawberries. This is easy and drinks well. Perhaps not the energy or brightness it had last year, so these should probably be drunk sooner than later. Works well with food.
39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 14% Malbec and 9% Petit Verdot. This is a Bordeaux styled wine from South Africa. It sells for under $20 making it a very nice buy. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is very nice; dusty and complex with cassis, tobacco, some bell pepper. On the palate, this has a chewy texture. Nice complexity. Cassis, dark cherries with enough acid. Good finish. Drinking well now and won't get better but should hold for another five years at least.
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.
Salmon pink in color. The nose is very nice with watermelon, slight celery note and with air, a bit or rhubarb. Not under ripe though. On the palate, there are some slight cherry notes on the attack. Watermelon on the mid-palate and finishing with some strawberry notes. Not a ton of acidity but some. Works fine with lighter foods but make a great refreshing drink on the patio. There is some complexity here as well. This is an equal blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Shiraz and Mourvedre. It is dry. Retails for under $20 making this well priced. Probably should be drunk by 2020.
From the heart of the historic To Kalon vineyard on the Napa Valley floor. This is made in limited quantities although they also make an even more limited version. This is $80 which is pretty fair for one of the best Cab Francs that Napa produces. Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, slight cigar box, and some anise. On the palate, this is young but drinking well. Black cherries, some cherries, forest floor and spice layered in the glass. Medium tannins. Good balance. Nice finish. Certainly some upside to this as this should mature and age for another decade or more.
This is always a great value in wine. Its basically, the ends of the myriad of bottlings that are produced here all blended into one wine. It costs under $25 and every vintage, though a bit different is tasty. It also lasts for at least five years probably at least ten. This one is purple in color. The nose has dark cherries, some chocolate, sour cherries and spice. On the palate, this has a nice complexity. Slight depth. Slight tannins. Juicy acidity. Works well with food or on its own. Long finish. A crowd pleaser every time.
This is Cabernet Franc from Italy. It is really quite good if a bit on the riper side. Purple in color. The nose has dark cherries, roasted herbs, and slight cigar box. On the palate, this has a juicy acidity. Plenty of dark cherry fruit. Some tannins. It is just getting to maturity at this point but not quite. Certainly plenty of life left. Food friendly. Showing some complexity, it unwinds in the glass. Has some upside for improvement.
Some of the older standards of California wine get short shifted by the new comers. Pride is one of those whose wines stand the test of time and over a variety of great wine makers. This wine is purple in color. The nose has dark cherries, dark chocolate, spice and cedar. On the palate, there is plenty of dark cherry fruit layered with brown tobacco notes. There are firm tannins that seem to grow in the glass. Despite being 11 years from vintage, this really needs time or air. There appears to be enough fruit to outlast the tannins. There is certainly more upside on this wine.
Pop and pour and consumed over two nights. Much better on night 2. I know many people say 2003 was such a warm vintage that the wines are already mature. That might be true, but this one's best days are still to come. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, graphite, cedar, and smoked cigar. On the palate, this is full bodied with medium tannins. Lush cassis and black cherry fruit layered with forest floor, damp earth and tobacco. Tightly layered. Long finish. This is delicious but very much from Bordeaux a
