Wine Reviews for the Tampa Bay Times

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Wine of the Week, 1 February 2012

2009 MacMurray Ranch Central Coast Pinot Noir

     We're pairing a light red with Hollywood nostalgia today. The wine is a pinot noir produced by MacMurray Ranch -- as in Fred, the star of My Three Sons and the original Absent-Minded Professor. How we wanted Flubber of our own way back then! Today we'd rather have good wine, which is just what the 2009 MacMurray Ranch Central Coast Pinot Noir is. It also is easy to find, running about $18 on supermarket shelves.

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Wine of the Week, 25 January 2012

2010 Guenoc California Petite Sirah

     Guenoc California appellation wines are the third tier, everyday table wines produced by Langtry (as in Lillie) Estate & Vineyard in Lake County's Guenoc Valley. Unlike the top two bottlings, which draw grapes from single vineyards or from a geographically limited range, Guenoc California wines are sourced statewide. The 2010 Guenoc California Petite Sirah is a good example of this line and is widely available in the $10 to $12 range.

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Wine of the Week, 18 January 2012

2009 Joel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon

     Napa Valley's Joel Gott has become one of our favorite winemakers by virtue of the considerable finesse he brings to wines as dissimilar as his clean and crisp unoaked chardonnay and his luscious and feisty 2009 815 Cabernet Sauvignon, widely available at big box stores, wine shops and wine-savvy markets at prices ranging from about $13 to $17.

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Wine of the Week, 11 January 2012

2008 Castello D'Albola Chianti Classico

     We don't always agree with the estimable Wine Spectator's ratings but it's amazing how often we do. We find the magazine to be a reliable guide, at the very least to wines worth trying. WS gave the 2008 Castello D'Albola Chianti Classico from Tuscany 90 points, and it deserves it. Look for it in the $13 to $15 range at big box stores and some wine shops.

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Wine of the Week, 4 January 2012

2009 Chateau Grand Claret

     With a seasonable chill in the air it's a good time to turn our thoughts to chewy red wines and robust chow. A nice young everyday Cotes de Bordeaux from the slopes of the valleys of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers in France is the 2009 Chateau Grand Claret, available at wine-savvy markets for about $11.

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Wine of the Week, 28 December 2011

Graham's Six Grapes Reserve Porto

     Very dark chocolate and pungent runny cheeses are two of our favorite holiday desserts and nothing complements them better than a nice port. Port wines are fortified and carry an alcohol content of about 20 percent by volume, making them both a muscular match for assertively flavored after dinner treats and drinkable for six to eight weeks after opening. A good port also makes an excellent gift for hosts at this peak party season. One of the best values around, and one of our longtime favorites, is Graham's Six Grapes Reserve Porto (about $20 at big box stores and some wine shops) from Portugal's Douro Valley, the region best known for fine ports.

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Wine of the Week, 21 December 2011

2009 Urban Uco Torrontes

     One of the things we like best about wines made from the torrontes grape in Argentina's dazzling Mendoza region is their intensely floral quality. Those qualities are present in the 2009 Urban Uco Torrontes ($10 to $11 at wine savvy markets and wine shops), but the heady bouquet of violets one expects has been toned down and floral is no longer the top note on the tongue. It is a subtler, more sophisticated and nuanced torrontes than some, and thoroughly likable.

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Wine of the Week, 14 December 2011

2011 Beaujolais Nouveau

     Like the holidays at which it traditionally is quaffed, this year's Beaujolais Nouveau, the fresh new wine from the French region of that name, won't be around long. The 2011 was released on Nov. 17, the third Thursday of that month being its official debut date, and it is meant to be drunk while young and bumptious, the product of very short fermentation. It is thought by many to be a taste of what might be when the mature, aged gamay wines of the region eventually come to market.

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Wine of the Week, 7 December 2011

2009 Areo Malbe

     We've been happily aboard the refurbished malbec bandwagon since it rolled out of the mountains and foothills of Argentina a few years ago. It's still gathering speed, with new labels showing up regularly. Among them is Areo Malbec 2009 (about $15 at supermarkets and liquor stores), a luscious example of the breed from way down south in Argentine Patagonia.

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Wine of the Week, 16 November 2011

Oberon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

     On these deliciously cool evenings, we often crave the rich flavors of a cabernet sauvignon, and Oberon Napa Valley's 2008 vintage fills the bill nicely. It's not a huge or hugely complex cab, but for the price -- it goes for around $20 at big box stores -- it's a pleasing example of the varietal.

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Wine of the Week, 9 November 2011

KJ Avant Chardonnay 2009

     It's such a staple of mid-range wine lists around Tampa Bay that customers and waiters alike just say KJ when ordering Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, a steadfast example of the big oak and vanilla California style. Now the winemaker has added a new chard to cater to the growing preference among wine drinkers for a lighter, fresher style. KJ Avant Chardonnay (we tasted the 2009) delivers on that promise for anywhere from $10 to $15 retail and is widely available at supermarkets and liquor stores.

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Wine of the Week, 2 November 2011

Holiday Party Picks

     The lead item in any story we write about holiday party wines has to be Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava from Spain, that paragon of value among sparkling wines priced for entertaining. It is widely available at supermarkets and liquor stores for anywhere from $8 to $10 and often goes on sale at the holidays. To keep things in perspective, we also recommend three frisky whites and a trio of reds, all food friendly but also eminently quaffable on their own.

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Wine of the Week, 26 October 2011

2009 Incognito Red Wine Blend

     Constant readers know how much we admire the quirky boldness of growers and winemakers in California's Lodi region. One of its producers, Michael David Winery, is best known for its 7 Deadly Zins and 6th Sense Syrah, both of which we like a good bit. The 2009 vintage should bring similar recognition to its Incognito Red Wine Blend (about $17 at big box stores).

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Wine of the Week, 19 October 2011

2008 Ergo Tempranillo

     Our eye was caught by the 2008 Ergo Tempranillo on a local supermarket shelf when we noticed that the producer is Spain's Bodegas Martin Codax, which also produces one of our favorite Spanish whites, an albarino that really sings with seafood. The tempranillo is available at big box stores, too, and generally goes for $11 to $12.

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Wine of the Week, 12 October 2011

2008 Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red

     We're all in favor of enlightened, well-balanced and surprising red blends, of course, and we have come across one that knocks our socks off. The 2008 Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red (about $14 at big-box stores) is blended from grapes grown in various Lake County, Calif., vineyards, with zinfandel in the lead followed by syrah, petite syrah and smidges of barbera, mourvedre and tempranillo. This blend is heady stuff.

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Wine of the Week, 5 October 2011

2009 Bourgogne Chardonnay 'La Soeur Cadette'

     We return this week to two of our touchstones: Kermit Lynch, the wine importer with a truffle hound's supertalented nose, and flint, the first quality that pops to mind when we think of white Burgundies and Bordeaux. The 2009 Bourgogne Chardonnay "La Soeur Cadette" (about $17 at wine shops), has Lynch's fingerprints all over it, and every sip is anchored in the dry minerality of flint.

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Wine of the Week, 28 September 2011

2008 Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon

     The 2008 Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon (about $14 to $18 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) is well named. It is big and bold, not particularly subtle but complex and satisfying. It is sourced from North Coast California grapes, the majority from Sonoma's Alexander Valley.

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Wine of the Week, 21 September 2011

2010 Falernia Pedro Ximenez Reserva

     This week's wine is both an oddly agreeable white table wine or aperitif and a new varietal for us. The 2010 Falernia Pedro Ximenez Reserva from Chile's Elqui Valley (about $9 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) surprised us on two counts.

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Wine of the Week, 14 September 2011

2006 Abbaye de Saint-Ferme 'Les Vignes du Soir'

     Sometimes it's poetry that arrests our attention at the wine shop. Such is the case with the 2006 Abbaye de Saint-Ferme "Les Vignes du Soir," or "The Evening Vines," which we are told refers to those vines planted farthest from the abbey and receiving the last sun of the day. It's a nice image. That the wine goes for about $8 to $10 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets makes it even nicer.

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Wine of the Week, 7 September 2011

2009 Chardonnay de la Fruitiere

     Our unflagging (if not heat deranged) search for cool summer wines has once again paid off. The 2009 Chardonnay de la Fruitiere (about $11 at wine-savvy markets and wine shops) is a stone-cold stunner.

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Wine of the Week, 31 August 2011

2010 Mas Carlot

     We are nearly giddy over having discovered yet another perfect summer wine on local shelves, this one not a white but a peony-pink rose, the 2010 Mas Carlot (about $11 at wine-savvy markets and wine shops), a French Rhone blend of 60 percent grenache and syrah.

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Wine of the Week, 17 August 2011

La Maialina Gertrude

     Is Gertrude (a) a pink pig native to Tuscany or (b) a nonvintage red wine from the same gastronomically blessed region? The answer is both a and b. We have no firsthand acquaintance of the pig but La Maialina Gertrude is a rich and lively blend of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon that goes for about $12 a bottle at wine-savvy markets and wine shops.

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Wine of the Week, 10 August 2011

2010 Haras Sauvignon Blanc

     Given the intense heat of the summer of 2011, we are delighted to add yet another cooling, eminently refreshing wine to our list of recommended warm weather sippers. The 2010 Haras Sauvignon Blanc (about $12 at big box stores and some wine shops) is made from estate-grown grapes harvested in Chile's Maipo Valley and cold fermented in steel before aging on light fermentation lees.

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Wine of the Week, 3 August 2011

Raymond Vineyards 2009 R Collection Field Blend

     We seem to be on a blended wine kick of late, so why stop now? This week we turn to the red side of the ledger for a blend from well-respected California vintner Raymond Vineyards, whose big, juicy, boisterous St. Bernard puppy of a wine, the 2009 R Collection Field Blend (about $12 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets), is superb in every way.

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Wine of the Week, 27 July 2011

     The Graham Beck Winery consistently is one of South Africa's most interesting and reliable producers. In the charming 2010 Graham Beck Chenin Blanc-Sauvignon Blanc (about $11 at big-box stores and wine shops) the winery has another winner.

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Wine of the Week, 20 July 2011

La Marca Prosecco

     La Marca Prosecco (about $15 at big box stores and wine shops) has the distinction of being the only Prosecco from Italy's Veneto region to be named to Wine Spectator's Top 100 list (2007). It's easy to see why.

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Wine of the Week, 13 July 2011

2008 Sacred Hill Marlborough Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

     We usually try to keep the tech stuff on a tight leash, but some winemaking processes are worth noting as a guide to certain styles of varietals. A case in point is chilled fermentation of white grapes in stainless steel, which is the method of vinification employed in the making of the 2008 Sacred Hill Marlborough Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (about $15 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets; the 2010 is reported to be even better than the '08).

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Wine of the Week, 6 July 2011

2010 Project Paso Sauvignon Blanc

     Paso Robles is one of our favorite California wine districts, both for the quality of the fruit grown there and for the inventiveness of the winemakers who specialize in the region. Don Sebastiani and Sons of Napa have jumped on the bandwagon now with their 2010 Project Paso Sauvignon Blanc, a luscious sauv blanc with a hint of semillon widely available at about $15.

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Wine of the Week, 29 June 2011

Warre's Otima 10 Port

     It's summer and we want our desserts served cold. Ice cream, fruit sorbets and chocolate mousse are all faves, but how about a cool dessert you can drink? Warre's, a name synonymous with port wines, suggests that its Otima 10, a tawny port aged 10 years in oak (about $25 at big-box stores and wine shops), can be chilled for summer sipping without losing port's essential character. We decided to give it a try.

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Wine of the Week, 22 June 2011

2009 Altovinum Evodia Garnacha

     This week we turn again to the wine drinker's friend Eric Solomon, the guru behind European Cellars, whose imprimatur on a label is just about as good as gold. He carries his genius for discovery of undervalued wines from off the beaten tracks in Spain and France to a higher plane with the 2009 Altovinum Evodia Garnacha (about $11 at wine shops and wine savvy markets), a cuvee of selected old vine Spanish grapes blended to his specifications.

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Wine of the Week, 15 June 2011

2009 Concannon Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

     It isn't in the least sweet, but the richness of the 2009 Concannon Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon (widely available at $10 or less) would make a delicious dessert with a little nibble of artisanal sharp white cheddar. Of course it also will go well with a really herby pork roast with lots of rosemary or a nice spice-rubbed sirloin tip.

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Wine of the Week, 8 June 2011

2010 Vega Sindoa

     The viura grape, also known as macabeo, doesn't have much of a reputation in this country, although it is the dominant grape in many sparkling Spanish cavas. Viura also dominates in the 2010 Vega Sindoa blend (25 percent chardonnay added for body), a light and refreshing white wine made from grapes grown in Valdizarbe, the northernmost wine-growing region of Navarra and an important crossroads for pilgrims following the Way of St. James. It retails for about $9 at wine-savvy markets and wine shops.

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Wine of the Week, 1 June 2011

2009 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier

     Back in the dark ages of American wine consumption only the most enlightened seafood restaurants offered much beyond undistinguished, sweetish California chenin blanc and middling chardonnay. That early experience put us off domestic chenin blanc for a long time. Happily, we have been saved from ourselves by the 2009 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier (widely available for about $14), a felicitous blend from a winemaker who cares about these grapes.

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Wine of the Week, 25 May 2011

5 Wines for 5 Burgers

     Featured: 2008 Hey Mambo Sultry Red, 2008 Snoqualmie Whistle Stop Red, 2008 Dievolino Sangiovese di Toscana, 2010 Alamos Malbec and 2010 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

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Wine of the Week, 18 May 2011

2009 Green Bridge Zinfandel

     Even in the summer heat, zinfandel is one red wine that drinks smoothly and makes an excellent companion to robust meals of everything from grilled steak to fresh mushroom lasagna. Drink it at room temp or pop it into the fridge for no more than an hour before serving; its full savor will still come shining through.

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Wine of the Week, 11 May 2011

2007 Clos du Bois Alexander Valley Merlot

     Clos du Bois has long been a reliable label on restaurant wine lists and supermarket shelves, as well as in wine shops. Like many of its fellow Sonoma County wineries, it produces wines in multiple tiers: the value-priced Classics that are most common in supermarkets, the Reserve wines that are sourced from single appellations within the county, and the Proprietary series sourced from the best grapes of the harvest and made in smaller quantities than either of the other two tiers.

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Wine of the Week, 4 May 2011

2009 Four Vines Naked Chardonnay

     We won't bore you with another recitation of our reasons for preferring unoaked chards to the oak-aged variety, but instead introduce you to another sterling example of its kind: the 2009 Four Vines Naked Chardonnay from California's Santa Barbara County (about $14 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets).

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Wine of the Week, 27 April 2011

2010 Villa Maria Cellar Selection
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

     If you wonder why New Zealand's Marlborough sauv blancs have acquired such an enviable reputation among wine drinkers worldwide, you need look no further than the 2010 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (about $20 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) for the answer.

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Wine of the Week, 20 April 2011

2009 Green Truck Mendocino County Petite Sirah

     Friday is Earth Day, a good time for wine drinkers to reflect that without that magical combination of soil, climate, topography and associated plant cover we sometimes sum up as terroir we'd be denied the pleasures afforded by grapes artfully fermented. It might also be a good day to lift a glass of the 2009 Green Truck Mendocino County Petite Sirah, a wine made from grapes organically farmed in order to keep pesticides and other chemicals out of the natural loop.

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Wine of the Week, 13 April 2011

2009 Joel Gott Unoaked Chardonnay

     Joel Gott is our current hero among winemakers advancing the cause of unoaked chardonnay, fermented entirely in steel to produce an elegantly cool and crisp wine with an admirable balance of sugar and acidity. The result is a chardonnay much closer to the flinty French style than to the often top-heavy California style redolent of oak and vanilla. The 2009 Joel Gott Unoaked Chardonnay (about $16 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets), made from grapes grown in Monterey County, is a beautiful example of what happens when a winemaker chooses the lean and natural approach to this popular varietal, producing a wine with a light but intense body and real staying power.

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Wine of the Week, 6 April 2011

2009 Meiomi Pinot Noir

     When it comes to the 2009 Meiomi Pinot Noir (about $22 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets), there are two words you need to bear in mind from the outset: Fig Newtons.

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Wine of the Week, 30 March 2011

2009 Chateau Moulin de Mallet Bordeaux

     At about $10 to $12, you would expect the 2009 Chateau Moulin de Mallet Bordeaux to be a modest example of red wine from that celebrated region of France and you would be right. The big, full-blown wines of the region go way beyond our general price ceiling of $25 for wines reviewed here.

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Wine of the Week, 23 March 2011

2010 Lucinda & Millie Mendocino County Chardonnay

     Pear, pear, pear! The 2010 Lucinda & Millie Mendocino County Chardonnay (about $9 at wine-savvy markets) is one of the most luscious lightly oaked and fruit forward chards we've tasted in quite a while. This wine pressed from organic grapes and fermented 90 percent in stainless steel is an eminently social sipper, although it also will drink well with food.

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Wine of the Week, 16 March 2011

2008 Erath Oregon Pinot Gris

     Some of this country's best pinots -- noir, gris and blanc -- come from Oregon, which seems to have been tailor-made to bring this popular grape to its fullest expression. Erath Winery in the state's Dundee Hills has been making pinots since 1967, a depth of experience that shows in its 2008 Erath Oregon Pinot Gris (about $15 at big-box stores and wine shops), a wine rated 89 points by Wine Spectator.

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Wine of the Week, 9 March 2011

2009 Naia Rueda Verdejo

     There is good reason that Spain's Rueda wine-producing designation has gained traction here in recent years, and that reason is its distinctive verdejo grape, a rough and ready variety with a long history and a penchant for kicking up its heels. The 2009 Naia Rueda Verdejo from Bodegas Naia Winery (about $11 to $12 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) is a very fine example of its kind at an everyday price.

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Wine of the Week, 2 March 2011

2008 Dievolino Sangiovese di Toscana

     The Tuscan winemaker Dievole is best known for its top-shelf Chianti Classico. It also produces a line of value-priced wines like the 2008 Dievolino Sangiovese di Toscana (about $10 at wine-savvy markets), a vibrant and light-bodied red with a big burst of fruit that the winemaker describes as "Chianti Classico in its infancy."

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Wine of the Week, 23 February 2011

2008 Anything Goes Riesling

     There are some smart marketing types at Schmitt Sohne, a great big aggregator and exporter of mostly German wines. Some of the wines arrive here in traditionally labeled bottles reflecting a winery's heritage. Others appear on America's supermarket shelves sporting the plumage of the moment. Such is the case of the 2008 Anything Goes Riesling (about $9). Behind a whimsical label featuring cartoonish stacked food animals and iffy typography hides a very good example of this varietal from Germany's celebrated Mosel region.

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Wine of the Week, 16 February 2011

2009 Trivento Reserve Torrontes

     We've had our share of cold fronts and hard freezes this winter, so a bit of sympathetic magic seems in order to lure an early spring. The perfect elixir for the job is a torrontes from Argentina's justly celebrated Mendoza region, a straw-colored wine with a faint green tint that captures spring in a bottle.

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Wine of the Week, 9 February 2011

Chandon California Blanc de Noirs

     His mother wasn't a teetotaler, but if she drank more than three grasshoppers -- made with ice cream -- in the course of a year she could be considered to have indulged herself in a bender. For her, the height of putting on the Ritz, though, was Pink Champagne, always spoken as if capitalized. And if ever there was a holiday that called for the Ritz, it's Valentine's Day. Chandon California Blanc de Noirs (about $18 to $20 at big box stores, wine shops and wine-savvy markets) is actually a cool platinum in the glass, but this sparkler's personality is definitely pink. It is just a click to the sweet side of brut, too, which somehow seems fitting for the sweetest of occasions.

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Wine of the Week, 2 February 2011

2008 Hecula Monastrell

     It's unusual, but in the case of the 2008 Hecula Monastrell from Spain, the importer is of as much interest as the winemaker. He is Eric Solomon, founder of European Cellars and a wine aficionado of distinction. His imprimatur on a label carries heft and is widely trusted, one good reason being that his philosophy as an importer emphasizes sense of place over technique.

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Wine of the Week, 26 January 2011

2008 Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon

     The 2008 Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon (about $14 at big box stores and wine-savvy markets) is a pleasantly stern wine, its nearly militaristic structure marching it right along from subtly dark bouquet through a medium long, lightly spiced finish.

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Wine of the Week, 19 January 2011

2006 Water Wheel Bendigo Shiraz

     Imagine you have had a red-letter day foraging in your favorite specialty markets and have scored a beautiful pile of fresh morel mushrooms and a bag of tender fiddlehead ferns. You know just how you'll prepare them: sauteed, then sauced in sage brown butter and served over al dente fettuccine. But what to drink? It will take a special wine to complement your edible treasures. The 2006 Water Wheel Bendigo Shiraz (about $18 at big-box stores), from the Cumming family winery in the Bendigo region northwest of Melbourne, Australia, is the perfect match.

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Wine of the Week, 12 January 2011

2010 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose

     The 2010 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose (about $13 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) might well be nicknamed Strawberry Fields. This muscular rose from South Africa's coastal growing region fairly explodes with lush ripe berries on the tongue, an eruption barely hinted at by the subtle aroma of berries and meadow flowers on the nose. Despite a rich and creamy mouthfeel, this rose drinks and finishes clean and crisp, a trick accomplished with the connivance of just enough lime zest and grassy nuances to save it from sweetness.

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Wine of the Week, 5 January 2011

2009 Beringer Founder's Estate Pinot Noir

     Beringer Winery in California's Napa Valley makes an array of fine wines, some of them considered collectible. What we're considering today is a $10 pinot noir widely available in grocery stores. It is not a stunning wine, but the 2009 Beringer Founder's Estate Pinot Noir is a reliable and affordable table wine that can be drunk with satisfaction day in and day out.

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Wine of the Week, 29 December 2011

2009 The Show Malbec

     In the past few years wine made from the malbec grape, the crowning glory of Argentina's wine country, has become one of our favorite varietals. When a new one appears we cheer and cross our fingers. The 2009 The Show Malbec (about $10 at wine-savvy markets) is not the best malbec we've tasted recently but it is darn good and well priced. We confess that we liked the bronc-busting label, too, and figured it was worth a taste. (If this were a text message we'd toss a smiley in here.)

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Wine of the Week, 22 December 2010

2009 Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuisse

     Our tasting notes for the 2009 Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuisse are ebullient, the margins filled with way too many exclamation points. Gorgeous! Sublime! We love it! This wine knocks us out! And it goes for about $20 at wine shops and wine savvy markets!

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Wine of the Week, 15 December 2010

Piper Sonoma Brut

     It's the bubbly season, which is itself a cause for celebration. We can feel blessed, too, that there are so many options these days for excellent sparkling wines at every conceivable price point, which was not the case outside big cities just a couple of decades ago. We have many favorites, from the bargain-priced Spanish cava Cristalino to the New Mexico stunner Gruet Brut to the elegant Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label from Champagne. One of California's best is Piper Sonoma Brut from Sonoma County, which is widely available in the $15 to $20 range. We most recently paid $13.50 on sale at a big box store.

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Wine of the Week, 8 December 2010

2009 Estancia Monterey County Pinot Noir

     The 2009 Estancia Monterey County Pinot Noir is an edgy handmade lesson in varietals and a good deal at anywhere from $10 to $15. It is widely available.

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Wine of the Week, 30 November 2010

Paso A Paso Tempranillo

     Paso A Paso Tempranillo, a big-hearted red from Spain's La Mancha region, is just the ticket for holiday tables. It's priced right, too, usually about $11 to $13 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets.

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Wine of the Week, 10 November 2010

2007 Coopers Creek Gisborne Chardonnay

     New Zealand's enviable reputation as a wine producer rests solidly on a stellar collection of sauvignon blancs so tart and crisp that a first sip is like biting into a rain-washed green apple plucked from the tree on a cool autumn morning. That idyllic land produces other varietals, too, of course, a sterling example of which is the 2007 Coopers Creek Gisborne Chardonnay (about $15 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets).

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Wine of the Week, 3 November 2010

2007 Castle Rock Petite Sirah

     Think of the 2007 Castle Rock Petite Sirah from California's Russian River Valley (about $12 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) as a sort of bottled Napoleon -- not the short emperor, but the mile-high layered pastry.

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Wine of the Week, 20 October 2010

2009 Dependable White

     Single-grape varietal wines can be astonishing, even stunning, when harvest and winemaker are in perfect synch, as is the case with, say, cabernets made from especially good vintages. But we also admire the skills of those winemakers who blend superior wines, both white and red, no matter what curve the harvest might throw at them. Such is the case with a white wine from a single vineyard in the Languedoc region of southern France simply called Dependable (the 2009 goes for about $10 at wine shops).

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Wine of the Week, 13 October 2010

2009 Mohua Sauvignon Blanc

     The 2009 Mohua Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a classic Marlborough expression of the varietal: pale platinum in color, delightfully crisp and redolent of grapefruit and gooseberry. Widely available at about $14.

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Wine of the Week, 6 October 2010

2006 Chateau Cap de Faugeres Cotes-de-Castillon

     It was the first day that really felt like fall, and we went a little crazy. She began plotting a big red pasta sauce, rich with prosciutto, ground sirloin and seven veggies, while he headed off to a local wine merchant in search of a reasonably priced red Bordeaux instead of the light-as-air summery whites we've been drinking for months. The wine we found, a 2006 Chateau Cap de Faugeres Cotes-de-Castillon, from a fairly young appellation next door to Saint-Emilion, set us back $25 at a big box outlet, but we were giddy with the lack of humidity in the air and forked over the bills.

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Wine of the Week, 29 September 2010

2008 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Celestial Blue Label Malbec

     Malbec, Argentina's signature varietal wine, is experiencing a well deserved vogue. It is a superb food wine, nicely structured but approachable, and generally well priced. What's not to like? The same question appears to have motivated moviemaker, hotelier and winery owner Francis Ford Coppola in his introduction of a California malbec into his Diamond Collection of everyday table wines.

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Wine of the Week, 22 September 2010

2008 Saint M Riesling

     It is with good reason that Germany's Dr. Loosen wine estate is so highly regarded. Its reputation for exacting standards in the vineyard and in the winery was earned the old-fashioned way. Its own estate grapes are grown in the Mosel Valley, but its Villa Wolf label vinifies grapes from the Pfalz region. Now, Villa Wolf has produced a wine for Washington's Chateau Ste. Michelle, sold as Saint M Riesling, that knocks our socks off. The 2008 goes for about $14 to $15 at wine shops and big box stores and is a bargain at the price.

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Wine of the Week, 15 September 2010

2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes

     A whole field of violets blooms when you uncap and pour the 2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes from Argentina's high and dry wine country (expect to pay about $13 at wine shops and big box stores).

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Wine of the Week, 8 September 2010

2007 Guenoc Victorian Claret

     The well-named 2007 Guenoc Victorian Claret from California's North Coast (about $12 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) is no little slip of a thing. Like Lillie Langtry, the 19th century actor whose sepia likeness graces the label and who once owned the vineyard that supplied the grapes, this wine is sophisticated and multifaceted.

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Wine of the Week, 1 September 2010

2008 Snoqualmie Naked Chardonnay

     Picture yourself spreading a picnic blanket in the shade of a pear tree heavy with ripe fruit on a cool, sunny day in the Pacific Northwest. The air is rich with the scent of fruit and a hint of autumn. When you pull the cork on the chilled bottle of 2008 Snoqualmie Naked Chardonnay you picked up for about $12 at that big box store back in the city, the aroma does nothing but intensify.

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Wine of the Week, 25 August 2010

2009 Clos du Bois North Coast Sauvignon Blanc

     Crisp and cooling, saugivnon blanc is one of our favorite hot-weather wines, and Clos du Bois' 2009 release is a model of its kind. Although the ever-reliable Clos du Bois is a California vintner, with headquarters in Sonoma, this sauv blanc reminds us of its New Zealand cousins: It hits the tongue with a big gulp of grapefruit and a definite pong of gooseberry. That opens into lush melon, countered by bright lime and the green flavors of fresh herbs.

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Wine of the Week, 18 August 2010

2008 Cartlidge & Browne California Pinot Noir

     When we think of summer wines, we don't usually think of reds, unless you count the wine that goes into sangria with all that fruit and ice. An exception to the rule is the Cartlidge & Browne 2008 California Pinot Noir (about $13 at wine shops and big box stores), a fine food wine that drinks silky and clean.

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Wine of the Week, 18 August 2010

2008 Cartlidge & Browne California Pinot Noir

     When we think of summer wines, we don't usually think of reds, unless you count the wine that goes into sangria with all that fruit and ice. An exception to the rule is the Cartlidge & Browne 2008 California Pinot Noir (about $13 at wine shops and big box stores), a fine food wine that drinks silky and clean.

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Wine of the Week, 11 August 2010

2008 Francis Coppola Emerald Label Pinot Grigio

     As this long, hot summer wears on we continue to crave only the lightest and most refreshing beverages. Among the lightest of white wines are the pinot grigios, little wispy things with all the heft of an elusive cool breeze in August. The best of these weightless wines still manage to deliver on taste, and the 2008 Francis Coppola Emerald Label Pinot Grigio (about $13 at wine shops and supermarkets) is one of those.

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Wine of the Week, 4 August 2010

2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

     Fans of the many excellent New Zealand sauvignon blancs that have become ubiquitous in this country will notice a distinct difference in the style of the 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from Washington's Columbia River Valley (about $15 at big box stores and wine shops).

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Wine of the Week, 26 July 2010

2008 Hahn Estates Pinot Noir Monterey

     Good news is at hand for those who curse the movie Sideways for making pinot noirs inordinately popular and driving up prices. Hahn Estates Winery of California's Monterey Coast is offering its newest release, the 2008, at about $12 (check wine shops and big box stores).

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Wine of the Week, 21 July 2010

Presto Rose Brut

     Let's kick back and just have a pop by the pool. It's the middle of July and we don't want anything the least bit serious. That's where Presto Rose Brut, a spumante sparkler widely available at $8 or $9, comes in. It isn't kids' stuff, but the first words that enter your mind as you sip may well be "pink" and "cotton candy."

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Wine of the Week, 14 July 2010

2008 St. Francis Sonoma County Chardonnay

     Let's say you're throwing a party at which your famous shellfish buffet -- blue crab cakes, fresh local scallops and iced Key West pink shrimp -- will be the evening's centerpiece. With a lineup like that you'll need a sophisticated wine that also is a crisp and quaffable thirst quencher. The eminently food-friendly 2008 St. Francis Sonoma County Chardonnay (about $13 at big box stores, maybe a little more at wine shops) was made to order for the occasion.

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Wine of the Week, 7 July 2010

Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva

     Those of us who enjoy sparkling wines at any season, but especially on a sultry summer evening with lightning crackling over the gulf, ignore Spanish Cavas at our peril. One of the best -- and a best buy at about $10 -- is Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva from Penedes on the country's Mediterranean coast, a region renowned for three grapes (macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo), all of which are blended in this wine.

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Wine of the Week, 30 June 2010

2008 Artesa Carneros Chardonnay

     For those of us who have switched our allegiance to unoaked chardonnays, the 2008 Artesa Carneros Chardonnay, a mostly classic expression of the California style, comes as a pleasant surprise.

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Wine of the Week, 23 June 2010

2007 Red Guitar Tempranillo Garnacha

     We confess ourselves gobsmacked. It happened the other evening as we opened a bottle of one of our favorite everyday Spanish reds to go with a cold summer supper of barbecued turkey meatloaf with spinach-feta and yam-millet cakes on the side. As we took the first familiar and satisfying sip it hit us: We've been writing about wines in this space for a couple of years and we've yet to share our fondness for Red Guitar, a blend of old vines tempranillo and garnacha (grenache) from Navarra.

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Wine of the Week, 16 June 2010

2008 Carchelo

     We admit it: We're suckers for a pretty face. When the high-design label and near psychedelic foil of the 2008 Carchelo from Spain's Bodegas Carchelo (about $10 to $12 at big-box stores and wine-savvy markets) jumped at us from a specialty grocer's shelf, we fell hard for it and had to have a taste. What's behind a come-hither look isn't always what we hope for, of course, but in this case the wine proved to be as seductive as its packaging.

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Wine of the Week, 9 June 2010

2008 Angove Nine Vines Shiraz Viognier

     The blend in the 2008 Angove Nine Vines Shiraz Viognier from South Australia (about $12 at wine-savvy markets) surprised us and we had to have a taste. The red shiraz dominates at 94 percent while the white viognier serves largely as an intensifier, the wine's deep red color giving no inkling of the latter's presence.

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Wine of the Week, 2 June 2010

2007 Ghost Pines Winemaker's Blend Cabernet Sauvignon

     The name Louis M. Martini on a cabernet, even when visible only in the fine print on the back of the bottle, makes it a good bet that the wine will be worth drinking. Such is certainly the case for the 2007 Ghost Pines Winemaker's Blend Cabernet Sauvignon (about $17 at wine shops and big-box stores).

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Wine of the Week, 26 May 2010

2008 Marques de Riscal Rueda

     We wrap up our spring series on cooling summer wines this week with a frisky and elegant Spanish white, a blend of native verdejo (85 percent) and viura grapes fermented in stainless steel. The 2008 Marques de Riscal Rueda ($15 or less at wine-savvy markets and wine shops) is an excellent aperitif and shines as a treat for sipping in the shade. It also would be a fine companion for sushi or for a big seasonal fruit and greens salad with goat cheese.

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Wine of the Week, 19 May 2010

2007 Toad Hollow
Unoaked Chardonnay

     Like many wine drinkers of our acquaintance, when it comes to chardonnay we've shifted our allegiance from overblown vanilla monsters to crisply acidic versions that spend not a minute of their lives in oak barrels. A fine example of the style we've come to favor is the 2007 Toad Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay (widely available for about $13).

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Wine of the Week, 12 May 2010

2007 Echelon Pinot Grigio

     The 2007 Echelon Pinot Grigio from California's Clarksburg region (about $9 at wine savvy markets and wine shops) is a big fruit salad of a wine. This bottling from the Esperanza Vineyard bordering the Sacramento River is styled a "special release" and is indeed a very handsome example of its kind.

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Wine of the Week, 5 May 2010

2008 Lucky Star Chardonnay

     We love to find summery white wines with backbone for less than $10. The 2008 Lucky Star Chardonnay (about $9 at wine-savvy markets) fills that prescription perfectly.

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Wine of the Week, 28 April 2010

2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Riesling

     When it comes to New World rieslings, the 2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Riesling from Washington's Columbia Valley (about $18 at big box stores and wine shops) is a tropically inflected stunner.

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Wine of the Week, 14 April 2010

2008 Terra Summa Classic Spanish Red Blend

     Terra Summa, translated as "the whole of the earth," is a new family of certified organic wines from Italy, France and Spain. Some are varietals, including a French cabernet sauvignon and an Italian chardonnay, and some are blends. We sampled the 2008 Terra Summa Classic Spanish Red Blend from Valencia (about $12 at well-stocked supermarkets) and found it to be an admirable wine at an attractive price.

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Wine of the Week, 7 April 2010

2008 Simi Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc

     Chalk it up to spring fever. All we can think about are light and lively white wines like the 2008 Simi Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc (about $13 at big-box stores).

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Wine of the Week, 31 March 2010

2008 King Estate Domaine Oregon Pinot Gris

     This week's wine, a luscious salute to spring, has visions of big, ripe, sun-warmed pears dancing in our heads. Colette, who usually is not given to corrupting the language, did not hesitate to declare the 2008 King Estate Domaine Oregon Pinot Gris "pearlicious."

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Wine of the Week, 24 March 2010

THRIFTY Wine of the Week: 2008 Monterey County
Black Box Chardonnay

     It's a truth worth repeating that good wines needn't be expensive. Our price ceiling in this space, for example, has always been $25, and the majority of the dozens of wines we've recommended come in well under that mark. One way to economize on table wines, and to be kind to the planet, is to choose a decent wine in a box, of which there now are several on supermarket shelves.

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Wine of the Week, 17 March 2010

2008 Root: 1 Carmenere

     The label of the 2008 Root: 1 Carmenere from Chile's Vina Ventisquero winery (about $13 at supermarkets and wine shops) tells a tale we found intriguing. The claim is that making wine from grapes grown on original, ungrafted roots (most vines are grown on grafted rootstock) produces an especially complex varietal. We liked the idea and had to taste for ourselves. We're glad we did.

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Wine of the Week, 10 March 2010

2008 Castle Rock Mendocino County Pinot Noir

     The 2008 Castle Rock Mendocino County Pinot Noir (about $15 at supermarkets and elsewhere) is something of an anomaly. For a wine that offers such delights to the palate, it offers very little to the nose. The winemaker suggests subtle aromas of violets and rose petals but we wouldn't swear to that.

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Wine of the Week, 3 March 2010

2006 Clos LaChance Black-Chinned Syrah

     The 2006 Clos LaChance Black-Chinned Syrah (about $18 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) is a bold and full-bodied wine sourced from the winemaker's estate vineyard in San Martin on California's Central Coast. Its name comes from the species of hummingbird that polices the vines, which is charming but wouldn't mean a thing if the deep garnet contents of the bottle weren't so eminently drinkable.

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Wine of the Week, 24 February 2010

2008 Dr. L Riesling

     The 2008 Dr. L Riesling (about $15 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) is a textbook non-estate Mosel Valley riesling with a postmodern snap. There's good reason it not only came in at No. 62 in the 2009 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines with a score of 90, but also was rated a best buy.

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Wine of the Week, 17 February 2010

2007 Water Wheel "Memsie"

     Let's get this embarrassing use of winespeak out of the way and move on: The 2007 Water Wheel Memsie (about $16 at big-box stores) is a sassy Australian red with a flamboyantly jammy nose. It also is a gorgeous, easy-drinking wine, accessible but just complex enough to justify its price.

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Wine of the Week, 10 February 2010

Santa Margherita Brut Prosecco

     This week's wine, an Italian sparkler we've nicknamed the Lemon Drop Kid, is a definite contender for toasting your darling on Valentine's Day. Santa Margherita Brut Prosecco will run you about $20 the bottle at big-box stores.

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Wine of the Week, 3 February 2010

2006 La Cuvee du President Vacqueyras

     We absolutely love it when we happen upon a wine that may one day rival its celebrated neighbors but is available now at prices that give us all a crack at it before it jumps to the top shelf. In this case the wine, the 2006 La Cuvee du President Vacqueyras, hails from a southern Rhone appellation between giants Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas. If it's a bit less refined, even rustic, well, at about $17 a bottle at wine shops and big-box stores, we just don't care.

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Wine of the Week, 27 January 2010

2006 PradoRey Roble

     If, like us, you break with tradition when it comes to drinking sherry with tapas, or if you're just in the mood to experiment, we suggest a bold and lively Spanish red as an alternative. A fine place to start would be with the 2006 PradoRey Roble (about $12 at wine shops), a blend of 95 percent tinto fino (a tempranillo alias) abetted by dashes of cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

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Wine of the Week, 20 January 2010

2003 Boots Grenache

     "I am fascinated by the nuances and subtleties of grenache," declares Kellermeister winemaker Trevor Jones. It shows in his downright gorgeous 2003 Boots Grenache (about $16 at wine shops and big-box stores), a stunner from South Australia's Barossa Valley.

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Wine of the Week, 13 January 2010

2008 Alamos Malbec

     The malbecs of Argentina's high and dry Mendoza region in the Andean Cordillera are being noticed worldwide with good reason. The best of them are supple reds with ample highlights and a persistent subtlety. That certainly is true of the 2008 Alamos Malbec (about $11 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets).

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Wine of the Week, 6 January 2010

2007 Cambria 'Julia's Vineyard' Pinot Noir

     Finally, a big fully expressed pinot noir at a price we can live with. The 2007 Cambria "Julia's Vineyard" Pinot Noir from California's Santa Maria Valley near Santa Barbara is a superb value at about $21 and can be found at wine savvy markets, wine shops and big-box stores.

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Wine of the Week, 30 December 2009

Wines of the Week: Four Sparkling Wines For New Year's Eve

     If you're pulling out all the stops this year to send the old year packing and usher in a more prosperous one, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Champagne, generally known simply as Yellow Label, should fill the bill nicely. This long has been one of our favorite splurge wines and is the only true Champagne on this year's short list of sparklers for the holidays. It is priced anywhere from $37 to about $50 at wine shops, wine-savvy markets and big-box stores, so it pays to shop around. Also reviewed: Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, Gruet Brut and Cristalino Brut Cava.

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Wine of the Week, 23 December 2009

The Stump Jump 2008 Shiraz

     This week we have a lovely little bonbon of a wine for you in the Stump Jump 2008 Shiraz from Chester Osborn's d'Arenberg winery in South Australia's McLaren Vale region. Given that Wine Spectator scored this unctuous red a 90 and slotted it at No. 82 on its 2009 Top 100 Wines list, it's hard to believe it goes for $10 or less at wine-savvy markets and wine shops.

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Wine of the Week, 16 December 2009

2007 Block 613 Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville

     If duck is somewhere in your lineup of holiday feasts this year, as it is at our house, you might be casting about for just the right wine pairing. Pinot noir would do nicely, of course, but if you're looking for a big, bold, lusty red to complement the richness of the bird you could hardly do better than the 2007 Block 613 Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville (about $25 at wine shops and big-box stores).

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Wine of the Week, 9 December 2009

2006 Clos du Cheval Blanc Cotes de Bourg

     Because we're big fans of good, coarse country pate, we often find ourselves wondering what wine that we haven't yet tried might go perfectly with a judicious slice, some crusty bread and a handful of cornichons. Often our thoughts turn to Bordeaux, since its denizens tend both to appreciate a good pate and to demand good wine, which is where the 2006 Clos du Cheval Blanc Cotes de Bourg (about $13 at wine shops and big-box stores) comes from. We were not disappointed in the match, although this hearty red would go equally well with steak au poivre and french fries crisped in duck fat.

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Wine of the Week, 2 December 2009

2009 Beaujolais Nouveau

     We know no one's pining after yet another tale of a bursting bubble, but that seems to be what we have on our hands in the case of the 2009 Beaujolais nouveau, the new wine of Beaujolais released every year on Nov. 19 to some fanfare. The trouble is that this fresh wine has been overhyped for at least the past decade, raising expectations above the youngster's ability to deliver. As a result, after so many disappointments, demand declined and this year's release is difficult to find, which is a shame, since this is the best year for Beaujolais nouveau in recent memory.

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Wine of the Week, 18 November 2009

2008 Washington Hills
'Paradise Peak' Gewurtztraminer

     It's that time again. The annual debate over what to drink with turkey rages, with partisans of reds or whites or sparklers digging in for battle. Honestly, the question is incapable of resolution. Personal taste inevitably will carry the day at your dinner table and ours.

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Wine of the Week, 11 November 2009

Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere

     Don't go overboard with this -- no need to dust off the decanter -- but this week's wine, Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere (about $12 at wine savvy markets), is one that will benefit from being opened a half-hour or so before dinner. [ full text ]

Wine of the Week, 4 November 2009

Graham's Six Grapes Porto

     Do you have a sweet tooth? Is dessert your favorite part of a meal? Then Graham's Six Grapes Porto (about $20 at wine shops and big box stores) is for you. This toothsome dessert in a glass from a respected Portuguese house weighs in at a hefty 19.5 percent alcohol content, which is typical of fortified wines, but the alcohol is not the dominant note either on the nose or on the tongue. Instead, those six grapes come shining through. [ full text ]

Wine of the Week, 28 October 2009

2006 Razor's Edge Cabernet Sauvignon

     The excellent 2006 Razor's Edge Cabernet Sauvignon (about $15 at wine shops) is the first release of the varietal for the up-and-coming Australian winemaker, but don't call it beginner's luck. To date, this McLaren Vale winery has produced three well-received vintages of shiraz, one of a shiraz-grenache blend and one of a nice unoaked chardonnay. They don't grow their own grapes, but somebody obviously has a good eye for production from surrounding vineyards in this prized region.
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Wine of the Week, 21 October 2009

2007 Menage a Trois California Red

     If you're in the mood to wallow in a wine that's well made but slurpy with wild fruit, structure and tannins be damned, we've got the red for you. Let's say you're doing roast duck in a seasonal berry sauce, maybe with mashed sweet potatoes on the side, and want a wine that instead of providing counterpoint intensifies the natural sweetness of the food. That wine is the 2007 Menage a Trois California Red (about $14 at supermarkets and big box stores but often discounted).
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Wine of the Week, 14 October 2009

2007 Graham Beck Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon

     One of the corners of the winemaking world we hadn't set foot in before this week is South Africa. We chose as our first wine from the Western Cape region of that country the 2007 Graham Beck Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (about $12 at big box stores), based both on chatter about this particular value wine and on the winery's impressive international reputation.
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Wine of the Week, 7 October 2009

2006 Cambria 'Katherine's Vineyard' Chardonnay

     I was prowling the aisles of a local wine shop, searching for a wine we wanted to write about. The shop didn't stock it. Bummer. Then my eye fell on an old favorite -- Cambria "Katherine's Vineyard" Chardonnay (about $18 at big-box stores, wine shops and supermarkets) -- and the day was saved. The current release is the 2007 vintage but we were just as happy to drink the 2006 we plucked from the shelf.
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Wine of the Week, 30 September 2009

Francis Coppola 2007 Black Label Claret

     Don't worry about seeming pretentious. After you've poured this week's wine, do yourself a big favor by sticking your nose in the glass and inhaling. Then do it again before taking your first sip. The Francis Coppola 2007 Black Label Claret (about $18 at supermarkets and big-box stores) will reward your effort with a heady aroma compounded of chocolate and blackberry with a subtle but resonant licorice bass note.
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Wine of the Week, 23 September 2009

2006 Snoqualmie Columbia Valley Syrah

     This week's wine, the 2006 Snoqualmie Columbia Valley Syrah (about $10 to $12 at wine shops and wine savvy markets), is one of those troupers that delivers the goods without fanfare or fuss. Hailing from the dry east side of Washington's Cascade Mountains, this syrah is crafted for maximum amiability by winemaker Joy Anderson, who also is known for her line of "Naked" organically grown and vinified varietals.
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Wine of the Week, 16 September 2009

2008 Alma Rosa Pinot Gris

     Being us, we began to think about food pairings with our first sips of this week's wine, the 2008 Alma Rosa Pinot Gris (about $18 at wine shops and wine-savvy markets) from veteran California growers and winemakers Richard and Thekla Sanford. In their Santa Rita Hills vineyards they specialize in organic, sustainable farming of pinot noir grapes. In the winery they craft pinot noir, pinot gris, pinot blanc and pinot noir-vin gris (a rose), as well as chardonnay, which they also grow.
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Wine of the Week, 9 September 2009

2008 Gracia de Chile Sauvignon Blanc

     One of our favorite weekday summer suppers is shrimp scampi, bright with lemon and garlic and redolent of white wine and butter, served over linguine. It has enough heft to be satisfying but is light enough for hot weather. The perfect companion for this lighthearted dish is a well-chilled sauvignon blanc, which as constant readers know tops our list of go-to summer wines.
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Wine of the Week, 2 September 2009

2006 Santa Alicia Reserva Carmenere

     We've written before about the carmenere grape, which thrives now most prominently in Chile despite its provenance as one of the six original red grapes of Bordeaux. This week we feature another outstanding and well-priced Chilean wine made from this noble grape, the 2006 Santa Alicia Reserva Carmenere (about $8 at wine savvy specialty markets and supermarkets).
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Wine of the Week, 26 August 2009

2007 Zen of Zin Old Vines Zinfandel

     Because they're versatile and food-friendly, we drink zins year-round, with a special preference for those made from the intensely flavorful grapes grown sparingly on old vines. The 2007 Zen of Zin Old Vines Zinfandel (about $8 but often discounted at big box stores and supermarkets), from Sonoma County vintner Ravenswood, fills the bill for us nicely. It's great with hearty cold-weather fare like meaty stews, but it's just as good as a companion to the backyard grill or with a nice wedge of soft cheese served with fresh figs.
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Wine of the Week, 19 August 2009

2007 Clos du Bois Pinot Grigio

     We continue our parade of crisp summer whites with a wine from Sonoma County winemaker Clos du Bois, a house probably best known for its always reliable chardonnay, a staple of grocery store shelves and restaurant wine lists alike. This week we sample the 2007 Clos du Bois Pinot Grigio (widely available at about $13), a particularly refined, structured and refreshing example of its kind.
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Wine of the Week, 12 August 2009

2007 Hey Mambo Sultry Red

     Hey mambo, mambo Italiano! We can't get the tune (sung by Dean Martin, of course) out of our heads since we discovered the 2007 Hey Mambo Sultry Red (about $12 at wine shops). It's a California blend, not Italian, but Dino would go for it anyway, we're pretty sure. Hey Mambo is a real party animal: vivacious, gregarious, robust and bawdy but civilized, the kind of guest who might not be the center of attention but nonetheless is the engine that drives the party into the wee hours.

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Wine of the Week, 5 August 2009

2008 Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

     It was a successful hunting and gathering foray. John finally tracked down a wine we had been wanting to write about -- the 2008 Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc -- and on the way home, the thrill of the hunt lingering in his veins, he stopped by a previously unexplored specialty market in search of just the right game to accompany the wine. And there they were: a brace of beautiful golden snapper fillets and not far away a covey of deep green asparagus spears. He beat his chest in triumph and hurried home.
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Wine of the Week, 29 July 2009

2007 Firesteed Oregon Pinot Gris

     This week we put a winemaker's boast to the test. The wine is the 2007 Firesteed Oregon Pinot Gris (about $13 at big box stores and wine shops). The boast is that "many consider it the optimal wine to serve with salmon." How could we resist an experiment?
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Wine of the Week, 8 July 2009

2008 Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc

     Need a reason to see the wine glass as half full? Think of the July heat as a signal to climb aboard the bandwagon for crisp, dry summer whites. This week's choice, the 2008 Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc (about $12 at big box stores and wine shops), is a corker.
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Wine of the Week, 1 July 2009

2006 Louis Latour "Ardeche" Chardonnay

     When we think of white wines from Burgundy we think of flint, of the mineral taste of the limestone-rich soils in which the grapes grow. A lovely embodiment of that essence is the 2006 Ardeche Chardonnay from Maison Louis Latour, which also happens to be a spectacular bargain (about $8 at wine shops and wine-savvy specialty markets).
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Wine of the Week, 24 June 2009

Chehalem 2007 Pinot Gris

     As cool and crisp as a tart Italian citrus ice is the Chehalem 2007 Pinot Gris (about $18 at wine shops) from Oregon's Willamette Valley, a region celebrated for its peerless pinot noirs.
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Wine of the Week, 17 June 2009

Murphy-Goode 2007 Sauvignon Blanc "The Fume"

     What's wrong with a little honey on the tongue? Not a thing. Sure, we beat the drum for dry, dry, dry white wines, especially on the uphill side of a steamy Florida summer, but we know a good off-dry wine when we taste it. A case in point is the Murphy-Goode 2007 Sauvignon Blanc "The Fume" (about $14 at wine-savvy supermarkets and big box stores).
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Wine of the Week, 10 June 2009

Edna Valley Vineyard 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

     When we think cabernet sauvignon, we usually think a big hunk of meat: a sizzling steak or lush leg of lamb, a rich beef bourguignon or even a rack of ribs. But, in these budget-conscious times, what fare could we match with a robust cab that was a bit easier on the wallet?
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Wine of the Week, 3 June 2009

Undone 2007 Dry Riesling

     A clever label depicting a woman's torso in an unlacing corset won't hurt sales of Undone 2007 Dry Riesling (about $11 at big box stores), but there's much more to this lively minimalist than sex appeal. Although the lightest touch of honey on the tongue reminds us of this wine's origins in Germany's Rheinhessen region, it easily lives up to its advertising pitch: "unoaked, unadulterated, crisp, dry 'naked' flavor."
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Wine of the Week, 27 May 2009

2008 Crios de Susana Balbo Rose of Malbec

     The 2008 Crios de Susana Balbo Rose of Malbec (about $10 at wine shops) is delightfully flirty, all blushes and giggles and so pretty in pink. But she is no mere slip of a thing. She hails from the Mendoza region of Argentina, from the presses of Dominio del Plata, where winemaker Susana Balbo turns out wines with good strong bones. Her rose of malbec is meant to be drunk in the exuberance of its youth.
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Wine of the Week, 13 May 2009

2005 Irony Chardonnay

     This week's wine is a knockout, whether paired with food or sipped for its own sake. The 2005 Irony Chardonnay (about $13 at wine shops) is a big, giddy Napa Valley powerhouse bursting with fruit and finesse. [ full text ]

Wine of the Week, 6 May 2009

Chateau Bois Redon 2006

     The Chateau Bois Redon 2006 (about $10 at big box stores) is not the superior wine the 2005 was, but at this price it is a reasonable choice for pairing with whatever meats, encased or otherwise, you might be throwing on the grill this weekend.
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Wine of the Week, 29 April 2009

Louis Bouillot Perle de Vigne
'Grande Reserve' Brut

     We turned the table for this week's tasting, seeking a sparkling wine that pairs as well as Champagne with one of our favorite cheeses, instead of the other way around. We found the match in Louis Bouillot Perle de Vigne "Grande Reserve" Brut (nonvintage; about $16 at wine shops and big box stores).
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Wine of the Week, 22 April 2009

Hopler 2007 Gruner Veltliner

     There is nothing better with an iced platter of fresh oysters than a good Gruner Veltliner from Austria. This crisp white perfectly complements the sea tang of the queen of the raw bar.
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Wine of the Week, 15 April 2009

Da Vinci 2006 Chianti

     The winemaker's finesse shows in every sip of Da Vinci 2006 Chianti (about $14 at wine shops and big box stores), a supple and elegant red blend from Leonardo's hometown in Tuscany.
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Wine of the Week, 8 April 2009

Meyer Jean-Luc 2004 Riesling

     If when you think of Riesling you call to mind a blue bottle with the word RELAX in big bold letters, that's okay. It's an inexpensive wine and fine for what it is, which is not quite soda pop but definitely on the sweet side. To see what a winemaker can really do with this grape, we recommend Meyer Jean-Luc's 2004 Riesling (about $15 at wine shops and big box stores), an exquisitely dry white wine from France's Alsace region.
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Wine of the Week, 1 April 2009

Tosca Prosecco

     Tosca Prosecco (about $10 to $12 at wine shops and big box stores), a sparkling wine from northern Italy's celebrated Veneto region, is as refreshing on a warm afternoon as a paper cone of lemon Italian ice. Lemon, in fact, is the predominant note in this elegant, minimalist sparkler.
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Wine of the Week, 25 March 2009

Robert Hall 2006 Paso Robles Sauvignon Blanc

     California's Paso Robles wine region has earned its reputation as the cradle of some of the state's most exciting wines and innovative winemakers. Among those producers is Robert Hall Winery, where Don Brady consistently turns out award-winning wines.
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Wine of the Week, 18 March 2009

Sokol Blosser Evolution, 12th Edition

     Sokol Blosser Winery's Evolution (about $19 at wine shops and big box stores) will delight you with its acrobatics. This crazy mixed-up blend from Oregon, styled simply an American White Wine, somersaults onto the tongue and lands with both feet, executes a few showy backflips complete with a twist and then dismounts with a big laugh, leaving your palate surprised, exhilarated and ready for anything.
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Wine of the Week, 11 March 2009

Ravenswood Vintners Blend
California Petite Sirah 2006

     The zinfandel marketed under Ravenswood's Vintners Blend label has long been a staple on our shopping list. It is well priced, reliable and a fine partner for food. Now we're adding to our list the label's California Petite Sirah (the current release, 2006, brings $11 or less at supermarkets and big box stores).
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Wine of the Week, 4 March 2009

Martin Codax 2007 Albarino

     Spain's Rias Baixas wine region lies among the green folds of the Galician coast. Not far inland is the fabled Christian pilgrimage destination of Santiago de Compostela. Unlike much of Spain, the region enjoys ample rain and relatively high humidity. Its climate is mild with chilly weather limited largely to December and January. Its premier grape is Albarino, which produces a subtly robust, citrusy, lightly floral white wine that goes beautifully with food but also can't be beat for sipping in the shade on a warm afternoon.
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Wine of the Week, 25 February 2009

Mark West 2007 California Pinot Noir

     "Pinot For The People" is the rallying cry for the value-priced Mark West 2007 California Pinot Noir (about $12 at big box stores and some supermarkets), an everyday wine blended, as its name suggests, from grapes grown all over California wine country.
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Wine of the Week, 18 February 2009

Ruffino 'Il Leo' 2007 Chianti Superiore

     Sangiovese is probably best known as the dominant grape in the blend called Chianti, the family of wines that takes its name from a region in Tuscany. Chiantis range from youngsters with a bite to velvety wines with attitude. Toward the smooth and balanced end of that spectrum is Ruffino "Il Leo" 2007 Chianti Superiore (about $11 at big box stores and wine savvy supermarkets). It isn't the top of the Chianti line by any means, but it is a step up from typical supermarket offerings.
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Wine of the Week, 11 February 2009

Kim Crawford 2008 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

     Bright. Buoyant. Exuberant. All three adjectives describe Kim Crawford 2008 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (about $15 to $18 at supermarkets and big box stores). This is one of the wines that sparked the craze in this country for sauv blancs from the other side of the world (as well as leading the way in subbing screw-top caps for corks) and it still ranks high on our list of favorite wines from anywhere.
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Wine of the Week, 4 February 2009

Beauzeaux 2005 Red Wine

     We can't decide whether the proliferation of offbeat names for everyday table wines is an honest attempt by producers to lure younger buyers away from beer and alcoholic soda pop or a bad sign for civilization as we know it. Some of the wines thus labeled are as silly and forgettable as their cutesy names, while others, like Red Truck and Big House Red, are perfectly rational blends. Beauzeaux 2005 Red Wine (about $12 at liquor stores and supermarkets), we are advised by the label, is to be pronounced "bozo." Don't hold that (or its screw-top cap) against it. Beauzeaux is a skillful if nontraditional blend of grapes from all over California wine country by the reliable and thoroughly reputable Sonoma vintner Beaulieu Vineyard.
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Wine of the Week, 28 January 2009

Les Piliers 2004 Syrah

     You've heard the canard that red wines must be allowed to breathe for at least an hour before serving if they are to fully reveal their complexity. With many perfectly drinkable reds from every region this is not true. Some wines give their all within a few minutes of opening the bottle. But another class of red wine rewards delayed gratification with a bouquet that blossoms only after it has hobnobbed for a spell with the atmosphere. This week's wine is among the latter.
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Wine of the Week, 21 January 2009

Boho Vineyards 2006 Central Coast Chardonnay

     There is a box of wine in our refrigerator, a confession that just a few short months ago we would not have made under torture. Technically, we're talking about what the industry likes to call a premium wine cask, a taste- and odor-neutral plastic liner inside a cardboard box, typically holding 3 liters of wine, the equivalent of four standard bottles.
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Wine of the Week, 14 January 2009

2006 Rosso & Bianco Rosso

     Rosso & Bianco Rosso 2006 red table wine is warm buttered toast and blackberry jam in a bottle. If it were a puppy it would be a St. Bernard, all adorable big feet and soft brown eyes. The pronounced caramel aroma that rises as you splash it into your glass is guaranteed to make you smile. This is a warmer, friendlier wine than one might reasonably expect from the man who gave us Apocalypse Now and The Godfather.
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Wine of the Week, 7 January 2009

2007 Silvertop Torrontes

     This week's wine is one we're assigning to a niche. It is a bright and crisp white that pairs beautifully with spicy dishes from Thai green curry tofu to Indian tandoori chicken to New Mexican carne adovada, but its aggressively floral aroma is likely to make it a less than universal favorite.
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Wine of the Week, 28 December 2008

Gruet Methode Champenoise Brut NV

     We have sparkling wines and Champagnes galore, from the wretched to the sublime, available for celebrating the arrival of 2009, but one of the best and most attractively priced has nowhere near the following it deserves. The wine is Gruet Methode Champenoise Brut NV (about $14 to $19 at wine shops and big box stores), a truly superior nonvintage sparkler made by a French house transplanted to New Mexico. Yes, New Mexico.
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Wine of the Week, 17 December 2008

2007 Gascon Malbec

     In some quarters, the wines being made by South American vintners from the malbec grape, which was transplanted to the continent from its native France in the mid-19th century, have an undeserved reputation for being a bit thin, for looking good but suffering from a lack of substance. The 2007 Gascon Malbec from Argentina's celebrated Mendoza region (about $13 at wine shops and big box stores) soundly refutes this popular slander.
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Wine of the Week, 10 December 2008

Concannon 2006 Central Coast Chardonnay

     It probably has something to do with the proliferation in the past decade or so of citrusy, fullblown sauvignon blancs, especially from New Zealand's Marlborough district, but we've been losing our taste for big, over-oaked, vanilla-forward California chardonnays. They too often overpower the foods they're meant to complement.
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Wine of the Week, 3 December 2008

Seghesio 2007 Zinfandel Sonoma County

     Would you like to be able to give the oenophile on your holiday gift list a bottle of wine rated one of the Top 10 worldwide for 2008 by Wine Spectator and still be out of pocket no more than 24 bucks? Then you're in luck.
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Wine of the Week, Thanksgiving Special, 23 November 2008

Give thanks for these delicious wines

     When it comes to choosing wines to accompany the traditional Thanksgiving feast, you could easily begin and end with sparkling wines from Spain, California, Washington or France without breaking the budget. But there are some excellent choices in dry and not-so-dry white wines and a couple of lively reds, too.
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Wine of the Week, 19 November 2008

Castello di Gabbiano 2007 Chianti

     One of our favorite everyday Tuscan reds is common on supermarket shelves in the $8 to $9 range. This fine utility infielder is Gabbiano Chianti by Castello di Gabbiano, which also produces the higher end Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva. This wine is easy to spot in the Italian wines section. Just look for the fabulous cavaliere, a mounted medieval warrior knight, with a winged helmet, shield and armor for both horse and rider in vivid blues, reds and touches of gold. Be sure the label reads simply 2007 Chianti. It usually will be about two shelves down from the more expensive chiantis.
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Wine of the Week, 12 November 2008

Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin 2006

     On our way to get takeout from our favorite rib place we stopped off for a bottle of our favorite barbecue wine, Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel (the 2006 vintage is about $11 at supermarkets and big-box liquor stores). As we waited to check out, the woman next to us in line read the label on our bottle and laughed. "They sure come up with some crazy names these days!" [ full text ]

Wine of the Week, 5 November 2008

Bonterra Vineyards Chardonnay

     Bonterra Vineyards nonvintage Mendocino County chardonnay (about $12 at grocery stores and most wine shops) is a balanced and palate-pleasing example of the hugely popular varietal that just happens to be made from organically grown grapes.
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Wine of the Week, 29 October 2008

Casillero del Diablo Carmenere 2007

     The carmenere grape, considered one of the six original red grapes of Bordeaux, is rare in its native France these days but is thriving in Chile. If the Casillero del Diablo Carmenere 2007 (about $9 at well-stocked wine shops and big-box liquor retailers) from Concha y Toro is any indicator, Chilean winemakers are putting it to very good use indeed.
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Wine of the Week, 22 October 2008

Guenoc Petite Sirah, 2005

     Thanks at least in part to the 2004 movie Sideways, pinot noir has skyrocketed in popularity and price over the last few years. A pinot that once was priced for the everyday table now may be better suited to special occasions. A good value-priced alternative is a California petite sirah like the 2005 Guenoc, which retails at many local outlets in the $9 to $11 range.
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Wine of the Week, 15 October 2008

Cristalino brut Cava, Spain

     Years ago we astonished a friend by taking her out for one of those then uncommon wood-oven designer pizzas and ordering a sparkling wine to drink with it. "You drink Champagne with pizza, on a weeknight?" Well, not all the time. Champagne is pretty pricey, especially for a Tuesday night takeout pie, but Cristalino, a brut Cava from Spain that goes for $7 to $9 a bottle, is the perfect alternative and a real bargain.
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Wine of the Week, 8 October 2008

Florent de Brie, Rosé d'Anjou, 2007

     Finally! Summer's grip has begun to relax, which allows us to relax in the cool of the evening on the patio with a glass of undemanding wine before dinner. A classic rosé suits the season: just sweet enough for a white zinfandel drinker looking to move up, dry enough to tease rather than coat the palate, and plenty of lively fruit for everyone.
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Bonus: Bay Magazine, June 2008

Liquid Assets

     You are about to meet two collectors of fine wines. Their motive is not profit, although that might well come their way. What drives them is the thrill of the chase, the camaraderie of winemakers and other collectors, the pleasure of sharing their treasures with friends.
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